LegiStorm

It may not take a brain surgeon to run a congressional office, but sometimes it takes a House chief of staff to run a brain surgeon's office.

Carl Vogelpohl, most recently Rep. Tim Griffin's (R-Ark.) chief of staff, was named CEO of Legacy Neurosurgery this month. The Little Rock, Arkansas practice specializes in brain and spinal surgery.

Vogelpohl spent just a few months in the top job on Griffin's staff before being lured back to Little Rock. He served as Griffin's district director and deputy chief of staff there starting in 2011.

Before joining Griffin's staff, Vogelpohl spent seven years as a political strategist and consultant.

A senior Senate finance aide is making a bid with his new off-the-Hill job with eBay Inc.

John Lawrence moved to the online auction service last month after nearly five years working in the Senate, most recently with Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.). His new position as the senior manager and counsel for federal government relations coincides with the recent debate over which states should have the authority to collect out-of-state sales taxes on online purchases. eBay has lobbied Congress this past year against the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would give states this power.

In a 2013 op-ed published on The Hill, Ayotte argued that forcing online retailers to collect state sales taxes would hurt small business owners and eliminate competition for large retailers. The bill passed the Senate in May 2013 but has not been taken up by the House yet.

Lawrence started his political career as a legislative assistant for Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), working on banking and commerce issues in July 2009. The University of Alabama and Samford University law graduate moved to Ayotte's staff in April 2011, where his legislative portfolio included banking, budget, finance, judiciary and small business matters.

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.