Congresswoman-Elect Sara Jacobs Announces First Hires in Washington, D.C. and San Diego
Ahead of the swearing-in of the 117th Congress this afternoon, Congresswoman-elect Sara Jacobs has announced the first hires in her Washington, D.C. and San Diego offices. The D.C. and San Diego offices will be led by Amy Kuhn as Chief of Staff and Jessica Mier as Deputy Chief of Staff, respectively. The Congresswoman-elect’s powerhouse team has deep roots in San Diego, decades of combined experience in Congressional offices, and is a majority women. Additional staff will be announced in the coming weeks.
In Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Jacobs’ office will be located in Room 1232 in the Longworth House Office Building. In California’s 53rd District, Congresswoman Jacobs’ office will be located at 2700 Adams Avenue, Suite 102 in the San Diego community of North Park.
You can follow Congresswoman-elect Jacobs’ official social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @RepSaraJacobs.
In announcing her first hires, Congresswoman-elect Jacobs released the following statement:
“I'm excited to get to work serving the people of the 53rd District with this amazing group of public servants. Each one of them brings a unique perspective, expertise, and a commitment to not settling for the way things have always been done. I am especially grateful to open my office with a number of staffers who served in Congresswoman Davis’ office, who will help ensure a seamless transition and continue the award-winning constituent services operation the 53rd District has come to expect. The last ten months have been extremely difficult for our country, and I believe it is more important than ever for us to rebuild the people’s trust in Washington and rebuild from these public health and economic crises. With this team, I know we'll be able to deliver for our district and the American people.”
Amy Kuhn (she/her), Chief of Staff - Washington, D.C.
Amy Kuhn will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Chief of Staff, overseeing all staff and office operations and serving as chief policy advisor. A longtime colleague and advisor to the Congresswoman-elect, Amy most recently served on the Congresswoman-elect’s congressional campaign as Campaign Manager. Previously, she served as Deputy Director of Correspondence for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and as Manager of Writing and Correspondence at the Clinton Foundation. A third-generation San Diegan, Amy is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. She and her wife, Erin, will be relocating from the San Diego community of City Heights to Washington, D.C. for the role.
Jessica Mier (she/her), Deputy Chief of Staff - San Diego, CA
Jessica Mier will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Deputy Chief of Staff, overseeing the San Diego District Office and managing the constituent service and community engagement portfolios. Jessica previously served as District Director for outgoing Congresswoman Susan A. Davis, where – in addition to leading all district activities and staff – she oversaw the Office’s portfolio on border and immigration issues, Department of Homeland Security policy, Department of State matters, civil rights, and public safety. A California native, Jessica has lived in San Diego’s community of Mission Hills since 2008.
Brandon Mendoza (he/him), Legislative Director - Washington, D.C.
Brandon Mendoza will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Legislative Director, overseeing the legislative staff and the Congresswoman’s policy portfolio. A San Diego native, Brandon has worked on Capitol Hill since 2013. He previously worked as a Senior Legislative Assistant for outgoing Congresswoman Susan A. Davis, spearheading her work on the Education and Labor Committee. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Brandon worked for a series of USAID projects in Afghanistan focused on economic development.
Will McDonald (he/him) - Communications Director - Washington, D.C.
Will McDonald will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Communications Director, serving as the Congresswoman’s chief spokesperson. Will previously served as Congressman John Delaney’s Communications Director for six years in Congress and as Deputy Communications Director for Senator Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign. Will is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BA/MA) and the University of Iowa (PhD), and lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and two young children.
Cynthia Patton (she/her), Financial Administrator - Washington, D.C.
Cynthia Patton will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Financial Administrator. Cynthia previously served as Scheduler and Deputy Chief of Staff to outgoing Congresswoman Susan A. Davis, and comes to the Office with more than 30 years of congressional financial and office management experience, in addition to computer systems administration, special projects management, and executive scheduling experience. She is the mother of two adult children, the proud grandmother of two grandchildren, and enjoys singing, sewing, and organizing.
Katie Heller (she/her), Scheduling and Operations Manager - Washington, D.C.
Katie Heller will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Scheduling and Operations Manager. Katie most recently served on the Congresswoman-elect’s congressional campaign as Deputy Campaign Manager. Previously, she served as National Trips Director for the Bloomberg 2020 Presidential campaign, Advance and Logistics Lead for the Executive Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Deputy Trips Director for North Carolina for Hillary for America, and Advance Associate for the Obama Administration. A West Virginia native, Katie is a graduate of West Virginia University.
Jawad Al Baghdadi (he/him), Senior Community Representative - San Diego, CA
Jawad Al Baghdadi will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Senior Community Representative. He previously served as a Community Representative for outgoing Congresswoman Susan A. Davis and in various roles at the University of California, San Diego. A former refugee, Jawad was raised in the San Diego community of Linda Vista and is a first-generation college graduate of San Diego State University, where he studied International Security and Conflict Resolution.
Jordan Nasif (she/her), Staff Assistant - Washington, D.C.
Jordan Nasif will join the Office of Congresswoman Jacobs as Staff Assistant. Born and raised in the 53rd District, Jordan double majored in Political Science and French at Vassar College and spent a semester abroad at Sciences Po in Paris, France. Before turning to a career in politics, she danced ballet professionally at the California Ballet Company. She previously served as a legislative intern in the Office of Congressman Mike Levin and as a campaign organizer for the Congresswoman-elect’s campaign.