Press Release - President Bush Announces Appointments for the White House Office of Legislative Affairs

President George W. Bush today filled out his legislative affairs team by announcing his intention to name Jack Howard as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office Of Legislative Affairs; David W. Hobbs as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. House of Representatives, and Ziad S. Ojakli as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs for the United States Senate. The President announced his intention to name the following individuals as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs for the U.S House of Representatives: Brian C. Conklin; Kirsten Ardleigh Chadwick; R. Nelson Litterest; and Daniel J. Keniry. He also intends to name Christine M. Ciccone, Townsend Lange McNitt and Dirksen Lehman as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Senate.

"This is a diverse group of talented and experienced individuals. As my eyes and ears in the House and Senate, they will be an integral part of my plan to reach out to Congress on a bipartisan basis and enact a legislative package that lives up to the visions I laid out during my campaign," said President Bush.

Jack Howard joins the White House after spending the last two years as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Majority Leader of the Senate, Trent Lott. Before moving the to Senate, he served for over ten years for members of the House of Representatives as well as in the White House office of Legislative Affairs under former President George H. W. Bush. He is originally from Bloomfield, New Jersey, and is a graduate of Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.

David Hobbs has comes to the White House from his position as Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader Dick Armey. He grew up in Houston, Texas, and received both his bachelor's and masters degrees from the University of Texas. Prior to joining the White House team, Ziad Ojakli served as Chief of Staff for the late Senator Paul Coverdell, Secretary of the Senate Republican Conference. In the past he has worked on both the House and Senate sides for Congressman Mark Souder and former Senator Dan Coats. He is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and received his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University.

Brian C. Conklin is presently Director of Legislative Affairs for Washington Council Ernst & Young. He received a B.A. from California Polytechnic University and a M.B.A. from George Mason University. Kirsten Ardleigh Chadwick leaves her position as a Principal with the law firm O?Brien Calio where she has been since the firm's inception in 1993. Ms. Chadwick is a veteran of the Office of Legislative Affairs under former President Bush and a graduate of Penn State University. Nelson Litterest will join the White House after serving as the Director of Public Policy for the House of Representatives at the National Federation of Independent Business. He received his bachelor's degree from Indiana University. Daniel J. Keniry has spent the last year as the Senior Floor Assistant to the Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert. He has ten years of experience in the U.S. House and is a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York. Christine Ciccone leaves her position as Assistant Staff Director at the Senate Appropriations Committee. She received her B.A. from the University of New Hampshire as well as her J.D. from George Washington University. Townsend Lange McNitt has served for the past six years in the U.S. Senate, most recently as Administrative Assistant and Counsel for Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Ms. McNitt is a graduate of Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, and has her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School. Dirksen Lehman will be leaving his position as Health Counsel with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He received his bachelor's degree from Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and continued on to earn his law degree from the Catholic University of America.