LegiStorm

The Glover Park Group has hired Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's (D-Fla.) former press secretary and senior communications adviser.

Mara Sloan is a strategic communications senior associate with the firm.

Founded in 2001 by former Clinton White House staffers and Al Gore presidential campaign officials, the Glover Park Group specializes in strategic communications and government relations. Named for the Washington, D.C. neighborhood which was home to its first office, the group engages in public relations, advertising, opposition research and lobbying. Now headquartered in downtown Washington, the group also has an office in New York.

Wasserman Schultz held two fundraising breakfasts at the Glover Park Group's office during her 2010 campaign. 

Mara Sloan spent six years on Capitol Hill working for members of both houses. She joined Wasserman Schultz's staff in 2011 as the Democratic National Committee chairwoman's press secretary. Sloan holds bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Florida.

Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.) has added reinforcements in his fight against immigration reform. Barletta, well-known for his hardline stance against illegal immigration, has hired Sarah Dansereau as a legislative assistant and aide to the congressman on the House Homeland Security Committee.

Dansereau most recently headed the Federation for American Immigration Reform's government relations operation. Going by the acronym FAIR, the Federation has the stated goal of stopping illegal immigration. While at the Federation, Dansereau lobbied Congress for stricter border security and against amnesty measures.

Barletta opposes the path to citizenship put forth in the framework of bipartisan legislation, standing to the right of many of his conservative colleagues.

Once seen as viable, the possibility of immigration reform passing Congress has been considered all but dead in recent weeks. President Obama has vowed to use the executive measures at his disposal to make reforms.

After more than four years leading advocacy efforts for an international organization, a former House staffer has returned to the chamber to become Rep. David Cicilline's (D-R.I.) new legislative director.

Sarah Trister left the Hill in late 2009 to join the nongovernmental organization Freedom House as a manager for congressional affairs, before being promoted to senior advocacy manager. Freedom House seeks to promote democracy and human rights worldwide through research and public advocacy.

Trister specializes in foreign policy, human rights and international affairs. Cicilline serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was a vocal proponent of bringing U.S. forces home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trister began her congressional career in earnest in 2007 when she accepted a legislative correspondent position with then-Rep. John Olver (D-Mass.). She was eventually promoted to senior legislative assistant before leaving for Freedom House. 

A graduate of the University of Miami, she holds a master's in American government and international relations from Georgetown University.

The mass staff exodus from soon-to-be ex-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's (R-Va.) leadership office has begun.

Courtney Joseph, the Virginian's deputy scheduler, has landed a job with Cantor pal and billionaire Ron Perelman. In 2013, Cantor's wife, Diane, joined the board of one of Perelman's companies, Revlon Inc. Perelman, who has donated campaign contributions to both sides of the aisle, has employed other politicos, including former First Lady Nancy Reagan and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. He was even involved in discussions about hiring Monica Lewinsky at the recommendation of a top adviser to President Clinton.

Joseph's new job is with MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings Inc., a Perelman holding company, as the manager of operations for the Washington, D.C. office. Since January, MacAndrews and Forbes has lobbied Congress on issues ranging from cybersecurity to postal reform.

Before making the switch this month, Joseph served the past year as a deputy scheduler in Cantor's leadership office. Prior to that, she was an intern, staff assistant, a scheduling assistant and a deputy scheduler in the congressman's personal and leadership offices. She also served as a fellow for Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) starting in 2010. She earned her BA in political science from Virginia Tech.

A longtime Capitol Hill policy professional has joined the Center for American Progress.

Pat Collier was brought on by the progressive think tank to be associate director of government affairs. Collier spent the past three years as counsel and policy adviser for the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Center.

The Center for American Progress considers itself to be nonpartisan, though it acknowledges its commitment to progressive ideals and was founded in 2003 by a former Bill Clinton chief of staff John Podesta.

The Democratic Policy and Communications Center supports Senate Democrats through policy research, legislative summaries and communications services. The Policy Committee's current chair is Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Collier began his political career in 2003, working for then-Rep. Jim David (D-Fla.) as a legislative assistant. After attending law school and working for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, he joined the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Center as counsel.