LANSING, Mich. (Dec. 21, 2022) — Today, incoming Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) announced the following lead staff selections for the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Business Office:
Nancy Green will be deputy chief of staff, leading the legislative, policy and communications directors. Green has worked for the Senate Democrats for more than 30 years, including for the last eight Democratic leaders. Most recently, Green was deputy chief of staff for strategy for Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint).
Rosie Jones will be press secretary to the Senate Majority Leader. Jones has served in the Senate for six years as former Sen. Ananich’s spokesperson. She previously held communications, research and constituent relations positions for four years in the House of Representatives and was communications director for the late former Congressman John D. Dingell’s 2012 campaign.
Allison Paris will serve as general counsel. Paris has a decade of experience with the Senate Democrats. She most recently served as the Senate Democratic Caucus’ deputy legal counsel and lead policy staff on judiciary and elections issues.
Desmond Miller will serve as policy director for the Senate Democrats. Miller returns to the Michigan Legislature after working on a range of policy issues at Governmental Consultant Services, Inc. and consulting for Guidehouse. He has held several positions in the legislature, including chief of staff to Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) and legislative director for former Rep. Adam Zemke (D-Ann Arbor). Miller also served as the Washtenaw County board liaison and deputy political director on Congresswoman Debbie Dingell’s 2016 campaign.
Alex Rossman will be director of communications for the Senate Democrats. Rossman joins the Democratic majority from the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he has worked since 2015 and most recently served as the external affairs director handling media and government relations. Prior to joining the League, Rossman worked in the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus for nine years in a variety of communications positions under five Democratic leaders.
Brianna Egan will be legislative director in the majority leader’s office. Egan has worked in state government since 2013 and currently serves as the chief of staff for Sen. Brinks. Previously, she was an issue specialist for the Executive Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, amending clerk and project manager for the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, and held various positions in Senate member offices.
“As senators, we could not do the work we want to do to improve daily life for Michigan families without our valued staff working tirelessly behind the scenes,” Sen. Brinks said. “Nancy, Rosie, Allison, Desmond, Alex, and Brianna all come with long and impressive resumes of service to the people of Michigan and will be important voices on my team. Our caucus and our staff are fully prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us.”
Additionally, Sen. Brinks announced new leadership in the non-partisan Senate Business Office.
Tim Bowlin will serve as director of the Senate Business Office. Bowlin has more than 25 years of experience as the chief financial officer and business director of the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 1989-2004 and again from 2006-2017. In addition, from 2017-2019, he served as the CFO and project manager for the Michigan State Capitol Commission.
Sean Walser will serve as deputy director of the Senate Business Office. Walser returns to the Senate after serving as operations director for the Michigan Environmental Council. He has nine years of experience working for the Senate, most recently as the assistant chief of staff for former Sen. Ananich, where he was the caucus’ liaison with the business office.
“The business office is the core of the Senate, overseeing all operations,” Sen. Brinks said. “Tim is the most respected and experienced person, bar none, to lead this important department. I have full confidence in him and Sean to handle the daily management of the Senate with the professionalism and wisdom it requires.”
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