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Caught Our Eye

Senior staffer moves down the Hill and across a river

Posted by Jake Harper on Nov. 11, 2014

Though her former boss is safely in place for another term, a senior congressional staffer has left the Hill to join a lobbying organization across the Potomac.

Mandy Gunasekara, who has worked in Congress in several capacities since 2011, this month became senior director of legislative affairs at the National Association of Chemical Distributors. Prior to the switch, she served as legislative counsel to Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) for more than two years.

The NACD employs several of its own lobbyists to work the Hill. The organization has lobbied since 2002, according to lobbying disclosures, primarily on issues related to the security of chemical facilities.

Before starting in Latta's office, Gunasekara worked in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee under Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and interned for Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) in 2011 and Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) in 2005.

In September, the NACD also took on Doug Leigh as legislative affairs coordinator. Leigh was previously an intern in the office of Rep. Bob Turner (R-N.Y.).