The Chief

Chris McCannell, chief of staff to Rep. Michael McMahon

Managing to Win

July 30, 2009

Chief of Staff Chris McCannell says his staff’s biggest responsibility isn’t health care or the economic stimulus. Instead, his office has their eyes on an even bigger prize: the re-election of their boss, Rep. Michael McMahon (D-N.Y.).
“The No. 1 thing is we all have the job to get the boss re-elected,” he says.

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Chief Counsel: Managing Staff Members Is Key to Surviving Crises

July 30, 2009

Q: My boss is entrenched in a crisis (scandal, illness, rumors, etc.). How do I deal with staff during this stressful time?

The Newcomers: Learning Lessons the Rahm Way

July 30, 2009

When Sean O’Brien recently took his place as chief of staff for Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), his surroundings were awfully familiar. It was only a few years earlier that he had been in the same office, although back then he was folding letters rather than managing an entire Congressional staff.

More From the Chief

Check out earlier editions of the Chief, which looks at the people who hold the title of chief of staff and how these senior aides run their Congressional offices.

	Tom Kahn June 25, 2009 The June installment of the Chief includes a profile of Tom Kahn, staff director for the House Budget Committee, along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation's Meredith Persily Lamel on motivating staffers to make deadlines.
	Rochelle Dornatt May 21, 2009 The May installment of the Chief includes a profile of Rochelle Dornatt , Rochelle Dornatt, chief of staff for Rep. Sam Farr, along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation's Meredith Persily Lamel on fostering teamwork among staffers.
	George McElwee April 23, 2009 The April installment of the Chief includes a profile of George McElwee, head of the House Chiefs of Staff Association and chief of staff for Rep. Charlie Dent, along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation's Meredith Persily Lamel on how to overcome the feeling of career stagnation.
	Jennifer Van der Heide March 26, 2009 The March installment of the Chief includes a profile of Jennifer Van der Heide, chief of staff for Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation's Meredith Persily Lamel on the relationship between a Congressional office and a Member's spouse.
	Bob Rogan Feb. 26, 2009 This installment of the Chief includes a profile of Bob Rogan, chief of staff for Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation’s Meredith Persily Lamel on handling difficult employees.
	Jon Selib Jan. 29, 2009 The fourth installment of the Chief includes a profile of Jon Selib, chief of staff for Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation’s Meredith Persily Lamel on prioritizing tasks in a busy office. Also included is the Newcomers, which features newly installed chiefs of staff.
	Robert Taub Nov. 20, 2008 The third installment of the Chief includes a profile of Rep. John McHugh's (R-N.Y.) chief of staff, Robert Taub, along with a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation’s Meredith Persily Lamel that focuses on hiring staff.
	Amanda Renteria Oct. 16, 2008 The second installment of the Chief includes a profile of Amanda Renteria, chief of staff for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation’s Meredith Persily Lamel that focuses on evaluating staff performance.
	Jeff Bjornstad Oct. 2, 2008 Roll Call's newest feature takes a look at the people who hold the title of chief of staff and how these senior aides run their Congressional offices. The Chief's first edition includes a profile of Jeff Bjornstad, chief of staff for Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and a Q&A; column by the Congressional Management Foundation’s Meredith Persily Lamel.

Dietel: Save Flexible Spending Plans

Aug. 19, 11:08 a.m.

As Congress considers how to pay the hefty price tag for health care reform, one option under consideration is changing the structure of flexible spending accounts — a tool used by millions of hardworking Americans to manage and pay for health care costs not covered by insurance on a tax-advantaged basis. Read Full Article