Meet the 2015 Armed Services Committee Staff Adapted from: National Journals Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority StaffMajority Minority December 22, 2015 First Published: December 22, 2015 Producer: Justin C. Brown, with contributions from Alexander Perry Director: Afzal Bari Meet the Armed Services Committee Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Armed Services Committee Staffers NameCommittee Position Christian BroseMajority Staff Director Cord SterlingMajority Deputy Staff Director Katie WheelbargerMajority Policy Director Bill GreenwaltMajority Lead Staffer for the Readiness Subcommittee Samantha ClarkMajority Counsel Diem SalmonMajority Professional Staff Elizabeth KingMinority Staff Director Jon ClarkMinority Counsel zge GzelsuMinority Counsel Mike KuikenMinority Professional Staff Member Carolyn ChuhtaMinority Professional Staff Member Arun SeraphinMinority Professional Staff Member Committee Leadership Chairman: Rep. John McCain (R-AZ) Ranking Member: Jack Reed (D-RI) Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Christian Brose, Majority Staff Director Biography Education: Kenyon College B.A.; Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, M.A. Career: Congressional Aide Previous Experience Speechwriter at the State Department for Secretaries Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice Senior Editor at Foreign Policy magazine Has been working with McCain since 2009 Comments on Committee A large part of his job as staff director is to work with both young and experienced committee staff members to ensure they support and execute the intent of committee chairman John McCain Personal Information In college, Christian was a mem ber of an improv-comedy troupe The 9/11 terrorist attacks spurred his interest in foreign policy Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Cord Sterling, Majority Deputy Staff Director Biography Education: California State University, San Bernardino, B.A., M.A. Career: Congressional Aide Previous Experience Began working on the Hill in 1995 under McCain in the Armed Services Committees Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee Worked for the Aerospace Industries Association for nine years Comments on Committee He spent 11 years working on the committee under both John McCain and John Warner before leaving in 2006 He returned to Capitol Hill in 2015 to bring a host of changes to the Pentagon including adjustments to compensation practices and acquisition operations Personal Information Sterling likes ultra-endurance events; he has hiked the Grand Canyon and is currently training for an Ironman race Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Katie Wheelbarger, Majority Policy Director Biography Education: University of California, Los Angeles, B.A.; Harvard Law School, J.D. Career: Congressional Aide, Chief of Staff Previous Experience Deputy Chief of Staff for the House Energy and Commerce Committee Counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney Counselor to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff This is her first year working with the Senate after moving from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Comments on Committee She is McCains designee on intelligence issues, giving her a broad vantage point to assess the countrys strengths and weaknesses She is a believer in working toward a goal even if it may not seem immediately achievable, explaining, In Congress, we cannot always execute our preferred policies but we can advocate for the best policies with vigor and clarity. Personal Information Katie enjoys doing 20-mile weekend runs around Washington Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Bill Greenwalt, Majority Lead Staffer for the Readiness Subcommittee Biography Education: California State University at Long Beach, B.A; University of Southern California, M.A. Career: Public Policy, Accounting Previous Experience Department of Defense deputy undersecretary for industrial policy Dealt with acquisitions policy for Lockheed Martin and the Aerospace Industries Association Evaluator at the General Accounting Office Comments on Committee In charge of the Armed Services Committees proposal to radically overhaul the Defense Departments acquisition system Personal Information When he and his wife reached their 50 th birthdays, they completed a tour: a visit to all 50 states that year Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Samantha Clark, Majority Counsel Biography Education: Iowa State University, B.A.; Air Command and Staff Collage, M.A.; University of Kansas, J.D. Career: Lawyer, Congressional Aide Previous Experience Worked at the National Guard Bureaus Office of the Chief Counsel Worked at the Douglas County, Kansas District Attorneys Office Has been a part of the committee since 2013 Comments on Committee Lead staffer for the military retirement system modernization component of the committees defense bill Enjoys finding a balance between giving retirement benefits to all military personnel, taking care of those who sacrifice in combat, and keeping promises made to those who are serving Personal Information Clark is described as relentlessly upbeat by her coworkers and was voted most likely to join the cast of Saturday Night Live by her high school senior class Armed Services Committee Majority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Diem Salmon, Majority Professional Staff Biography Education: University of California, Irvine, B.A.; Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, M.A. Career: Research Analyst Previous Experience Defense budget policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation Defense analyst for Avascent Group Joined the committee in March 2015 Comments on Committee Lead staffer in charge of budget issues Currently engaged in the challenge of attempting to responsibly and sustainably increase defense spending above what the current budget caps allow Personal Information She enjoys slow-pitch softball and is a part of the congressional softball league Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Elizabeth King, Minority Staff Director Biography Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A.; Georgetown University, J.D Career: Congressional Aide Previous Experience Her first job was at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Served as counsel on Senator Alan Dixons base-closure commission Legislative director for Rep. Marty Meehan of Massachusetts Spent six years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs before returning to the committee this year Has spent a total of 12 years working with Sen. Reed Comments on Committee She is excited to work with the committee and loves its rich history. Personal Information King is a cat rescuer, working with the Washington Humane Society to find homes for stray cats and kittens Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Jon Clark, Minority Counsel Biography Education: Villanova University, Army ROTC; George Washington University, J.D. Career: Military Lawyer Previous Experience He served four years active duty in the Army General Counsels office Worked at the Government Accountability Office before joining the Armed Services Committee in 2005 Comments on Committee Clark mainly handles military personnel issues but also deals with religious accommodation, assignment policies for women and POW/MIA issues Personal Information Jon is passionate about sports; his favorite teams include the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Nationals, Arsenal FC and Villanova basketball Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 zge Gzelsu, Minority Counsel Biography Education: Harvard University B.A.; Harvards Kennedy School of Government M.A.; Stanford University, J.D. Career: Lawyer Previous Experience When she finished her masters degree, Gzelsu spent 18 months in Germany on a fellowship researching Turkish foreign policy Comments on Committee She handles Asia Pacific foreign policy, environmental issues and all minority investigations Personal Information She is an avid gardener, currently cultivating tomato plants and pepper plants She was born in Turkey and is fluent in Turkish Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Michael Kuiken, Minority Professional Staff Member Biography Education: Calvin College, B.A.; George Mason University, M.A. Career: Congressional Aide Previous Experience Staff assistant for Sen. Carl Levin Has worked on the Armed Services Committee since 2004 Comments on Committee Kuiken handles the military and foreign policy in U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Southern Command and most of U.S. Central Command His responsibilities include counterterrorism, international defense cooperation, counternarcotic, and sanctions policy Personal Information Kuiken enjoys Friday-night pizza and Saturday-morning music lessons with his two children His wife works in the government as an aide for Delaware Governor Jack Markell Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Carolyn Chuhta, Minority Professional Staff Member Biography Education: State University of New York - Plattsburgh, B.A.; University of Maryland School of Public Policy, M.A. Career: Congressional Aide Previous Experience Worked with Sen. Barbara Mikulski analyzing the defense budget Spent almost five years as Sen. Jack Reeds main military liaison, dealing with the annual defense appropriations process Comments on Committee She is most excited about being a committee staffer for a major authorizing panel Currently Reeds primary adviser on ballistic missiles and the U.S. Northern Command/North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORTHCOM) Personal Information Carolyn sings with the National Philharmonic Chorale and has recently performed Beethovens Ninth and Bachs St. John Passion Armed Services Committee Minority Staff MEET THE 2015 ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFFPRESENTATION CENTER December 22, 2015 | Justin C. Brown Sources: National Journal Research, 2015 Fawn Johnson, Meet the Armed Services Committees Majority and Minority Staffs, National Journal, June 17, 2015 Arun Seraphin, Minority Professional Staff Member Biography Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D. Career: Engineer Previous Experience Worked at the Pentagon think tank Institute for Defense Analyses Joined the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2001 Briefly left the committee in 2010 to work at DODs Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy He returned to the Armed Services Committee in March of 2015 Comments on Committee Seraphin handles the acquisition and procurement policy changes proposed in the Senate Defense authorization bill He oversees matters relating to technology, science and innovation and enjoys thinking about the militarys future battlefield Personal Information Seraphin is a father of five with ages ranging from 8 months to 11 years old.