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Caught Our Eye

Rep. Linda Sánchez fills a prescription with her new chief of staff

Posted by Nate Hoffman on Aug. 21, 2014

The new top aide to Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) is just what the doctor ordered: a recent pharmaceutical lobbyist.

Lea Sulkala, who joined the congresswoman's staff this week, was most recently the senior director of federal affairs for PhRMA. According to lobbying papers filed on July 21, Sulkala most recently lobbied on issues pertaining to H.R. 3220, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015. The bill, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama two weeks ago, overhauled the VA health care system after the scandal that rocked the agency earlier this year.

Sulkala is a Hill and K St. veteran. She was the manager of government relations for the American Heart Association from 2006 to 2009. The UNC alumna previously served as a legislative assistant and staff assistant for Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.). Her husband, Matt Sulkala, formerly worked for Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) and is currently the deputy vice president for PhRMA.