From Opportunity to Leadership: Advice for Aspiring Hill Staffers
Every two weeks, Leadership Connect sits down with a different Capitol Hill staffer to learn about the person behind the policy work. These conversations explore how staffers built their careers, the policy areas they care about, and the lessons they’ve learned navigating one of the most unique work environments in the country. This week, we spoke to Nolan Dunnahoo, Chief of Staff for the Office of the 13th Congressional District of Georgia.
Can you walk us through your career path and the steps that led you to your current role as Chief of Staff?
When I graduated from college, I could never have guessed that I would end up working in Congress. I had been accepted into a teaching credential program in California and was expecting to start my career as an elementary school teacher. Then, one day, a friend of a friend told me about her time as a Congressional intern, which sparked my interest in a career on the Hill, a possibility I had never considered.
In August 2022, I accepted an internship with former Congresswoman Jackie Speier and became her Staff Assistant soon after. When she retired, I became Legislative Correspondent for her successor, Congressman Kevin Mullin, who provided me with opportunities most Legislative Correspondents don’t get. In addition to the typical roles such as intern coordinator, tour coordinator, and executing the Member’s correspondence program, I oversaw a full portfolio and was able to assist with committee work.
When I was ready for the next step in my career, I was hired by Congressman David Scott as a Legislative Assistant handling several issues including appropriations and community project funding requests. Six months later, I became his Senior Legislative Assistant leading his House Agriculture Committee work. Then, last October, he asked me to be his Chief of Staff. Climbing from intern to Chief of Staff in three years has come with its fair share of challenges, but it has been an incredibly rewarding career path.
Which specific policy areas or legislative issues are you most passionate about, and how do you stay informed and engaged in those areas?
I am most passionate about education and appropriations, especially related to early childhood education. I stay informed by continuing to follow hearings, briefings, and relevant legislation even though I no longer oversee a legislative portfolio. I also closely follow national and Georgia news.
Describe a challenging or rewarding project that significantly influenced your growth as a professional. How did you handle the challenge, and what did you learn from the experience?
One of the most challenging projects I have been tasked with was establishing a constituent correspondence program for a freshman Member of Congress. Typically, Legislative Correspondents have a library of hundreds of letters they can use to ensure constituents receive responses to their messages or concerns. However, for new Members, the staff has to create the entire library themselves to respond to the hundreds of messages Members receive every day. In addition, freshmen do not yet have extensive policy records, so it is often more difficult to determine what their stance may be on any given issue.
Within six months, I had created a library of over 550 letters in no small part due to the help of interns, my Legislative Director, and my Chief of Staff. The project taught me the importance of time management, strong political messaging, and delegating. It also taught me how to manage up. In my office, the Legislative Director, Chief of Staff, and Member were all part of the chain of approval for constituent letters. But everyone on the Hill knows how many tasks and responsibilities they juggle at any given moment, so managing up was crucial in making sure constituents received responses in a timely manner. It’s a skill that has helped me in every position since.
In your role as Chief of Staff, strong leadership is essential for keeping the team motivated and focused on the office’s agenda, especially when navigating numerous issues. Could you share some strategies or techniques you employ to inspire and motivate your team, ensuring that everyone remains committed to achieving the office’s objectives despite the challenges they may face?
The most important thing I can do to keep staff motivated is to make the office a place where staff actually want to be. The Member’s work will not be at its best if staff don’t want to be there. That includes taking time out of my schedule to spend time with my staff both during the day and after work. It can be as simple as taking fifteen minutes to sit in the back office with them and catch up during the day. It is also important to ensure that staff is recognized for their work by the Member and by anyone in senior staff who manages them.
What do you believe sets Capitol Hill apart as a unique work environment, and how do you navigate its challenges in your everyday work?
More than any other line of work, Capitol Hill responds to everything happening across the country and around the world, so working on the Hill means you are almost always plugged in and available. The Hill can be a challenging workplace due to the constantly changing schedule, fast pace, and the scrutiny and national attention put on your work. It’s important to prepare backup plans ahead of time and always remember to focus your work back on the district and constituents.
Leadership often involves guiding and mentoring others. Could you share a specific example of how you’ve supported the professional development of your team members, helping them grow in their roles and excel in their skill sets?
Professional development for both staff and interns is one of my biggest priorities as Chief of Staff. One incredibly important way I guarantee this is prioritizing professional development when hiring staff in managerial positions. I have hired both a Legislative Director and a Staff Assistant who manage legislative staff and interns respectively, and I only hired people who I felt would provide strong professional development for the people they manage. I also strongly encourage staff to go to all trainings put on by the House Democratic Caucus. They are a great way to meet other staff and gain knowledge on everything related to working on the Hill.
Word association, what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?
Policy: Constituents
Networking: Non-negotiable
Writing Skills: Critical
Working on the Hill: Exciting
Leadership Connect: Useful
