Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Representative Mary Peltola tonight announced the members of her official congressional staff. She will serve out the remainder of the late Rep. Don Young’s term through January 2023.

“Ensuring a smooth and seamless transition for Alaskans is my top priority as I serve out the remainder of Representative Young’s term,” said Peltola. “My dedicated staff and I are committed to continuing Don’s legacy of bipartisanship, serving all Alaskans, and building support for Alaska’s interests in DC.”

Peltola has tapped Alex Ortiz, who served as Representative Young’s final Chief of Staff, to serve as her Interim Chief of Staff. Ortiz is originally from Ketchikan and previously worked for Senator Ted Stevens. Ortiz has served Alaskans for more than a decade on Capitol Hill.

“I sincerely appreciate Alex agreeing to assist me as I take on my new role and reopen the office," Peltola said. “Alaskans and I will benefit from his years of experience and strong relationships both in Washington and back home."

Claire Richardson will serve as Interim Director of Constituent Services. Richardson, a resident of Juneau, has a long history of public service for
Alaskans. She has worked in Nome, Utqiagvik, Bethel, Valdez, Anchorage, Kake, and Juneau. A former TV and radio journalist, she served 12 years in the offices of Gov. Tony Knowles, Gov. Bill Walker, and finally as Chief of Staff for Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott. She will focus on outreach to all Alaskans.

Larry Persily will serve as Senior Policy Advisor. Persily is experienced in public policy work in Alaska and Washington, D.C. He served in the Washington office for the State of Alaska, as Federal Coordinator for Alaska North Slope natural gas projects, Deputy Commissioner at the Alaska Department of Revenue, and time as a legislative staffer in Juneau. Persily also has served in several municipal roles in Alaska, in addition to working almost 25 years in journalism in the state.

Hector Jimenez will serve as Scheduler. Jimenez comes to the official office after serving as Peltola’s Deputy Campaign Manager. He first arrived in Alaska in 2013 to work on the North Slope and lives in Anchorage. He spent over a decade in the oil and gas sector and brings with him a strong operations background. Josh Wilson will serve as Interim Communications Director. Wilson comes to the official office after serving in a communications role for the campaign. Wilson returns to Capitol Hill after previously serving as a Communications Director in the House. Additionally, he served in the administration of former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.

###