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Caught Our Eye

Freshman hires reach from Hill to Kurdistan

Posted by Keturah Hetrick on Jan. 4, 2019

Freshman Rep. Michael Waltz's (R-Fla.) initial hiring spree brings a wide range of experiences to his office, including a general.

Micah Ketchel, now Waltz's chief of staff, most recently worked at Data Targeting Inc., a Florida-based political research and polling firm. The attorney has also worked for the Republican State Leadership Committee and the Republican Attorneys General and as a research assistant for the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Waltz's other D.C. hires include legislative director Walker Barrett, previously LD to Jeff Denham (R-Fla.), and scheduler Deborah Hansen, previously with Jason Lewis (R-Minn.). Both Denham and Lewis lost their reelection bids in November.

Leading Waltz's district operations is retired Army Brigadier General Ernie Audino. Following his 32-year military career, Audino worked as senior adviser and government relations director to the Kurdistan National Assembly of Syria and as SVP of military market development at defense contractor Raydon Corp. He holds a JD from Vermont Law School and a master's degree from the National War College.