“We are here today to say ‘Thank you’ and to celebrate your hard work this year!”

WASHINGTON, DC – The Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange held their 8th annual bipartisan luncheon this past Friday honoring the Schedulers and Executive Assistants in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who, in the words of Ripon and Franklin President & CEO Jim Conzelman, “Are truly the unsung heroes of Capitol Hill.”

“You all make such a difference in the lives of our leaders,” Conzelman stated in his remarks to open the event. “And by doing that, you make a difference in the life of our nation. As a former Hill staffer of 30 years I have seen first-hand how the work of a scheduler can make or break a Congressional office. So with that in mind, we are here today to say ‘Thank you’ and to celebrate your hard work this year!”

“Just like always, we survey The Ripon Society and Franklin Center’s membership to vote for the schedulers and executive assistants who go above and beyond each day they walk into the office. We hold this event annually, and every year we are overwhelmed with responses praising the individuals like those we were able to honor this year.”

The Top Schedulers and Executive Assistants of 2019 included:

• Caitlin Affolter – with Senator Steve Daines (R-MT);
• Alexis Alavi – with Congressman Darin LaHood (R-IL);
• Lauren Allen – with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV);
• Faith Ammen – with Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN);
• Jacqueline Battaglia – with Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA);
• Laura Cureton – with Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX);
• Leila Diallo – with Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH);
• Richard Eddings – with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO);
• Kevin Golden – with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY);
• Natalie Goodwin – with Congresswoman Susan Brooks (R-IN);
• Jessica Graff – with Congressman Larry Bucshon (R-IN);
• Jen Jett – with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS);
• Kellie Karney – with Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA);
• Courtney Klein – with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA);
• Laura Piccioli – with Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ);
• Angela Schulze – with Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC);
• Leah Seigle – with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI);
• Brooke Starr – with Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR);
• Nora Taktajian – with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA);
• Landy Wade – with Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (D-NY);
• Kathi Wise – with Senator John Barrasso (R-WY);
• Angie Youngen – with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH).

Also in attendance was Congressman Larry Bucshon, who appeared at the event as a surprise to his scheduler, Jessica Graff. Buschon discussed the importance of having staff members who not only understand how to balance their official needs both here in Washington and in their home state, but also understand the needs of their personal lives and family matters.  He concluded by thanking his scheduler for her patience and hard work throughout the year.

Conzelman – who spent three decades as the Chief of Staff for former Congressman Mike Oxley (R-OH) prior to joining The Ripon Society and the Franklin Center – said that Friday’s luncheon was attended by a group of nearly 70 Schedulers and Executive Assistants.

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin.  One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success.  These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.