The committee assignments aren't out yet, but Speaker Joe Straus does have a staff now. The appointments were just made official with a release. Here ya go, capitol insiders:

Executive Staff:
Clyde Alexander, Chief of Staff
Alexander represented an East Texas district in the House as an Athens Democrat for 14 years, stepping down in 2003. Before assuming the Chief of Staff position, he served as a top adviser to the Speaker in the transition to the Speaker's Office.

Lisa Kaufman, Director of Budget and Policy/General Counsel
Kaufman previously served as the general counsel to State Senator Robert Duncan and Committee Director for the Senate State Affairs Committee for ten years. Most recently, she briefly worked as the Executive Director and General Counsel for the Texas Civil Justice League.

Angela Hale, Director of Communications
Before joining the Speaker's staff, Hale served as the Communications Director for Attorney General Greg Abbott. She is a former award-winning reporter who covered politics for a Dallas-Fort Worth area television station.

Jesse Ancira, General Counsel and Senior Tax Advisor
Ancira served as Director of Partner Relations and Tax Counsel for DuCharme, McMillen and Associates prior to being named General Counsel and was Associate Deputy Comptroller from 1998 to 2007.

Amy Chamberlain, Executive Assistant
Chamberlain formerly served as assistant to House Parliamentarian Denise Davis and Chief of Staff for Representative Jim Pitts. Her experience includes work with the Texas Judicial Council and Senate Jurisprudence Committee.

Senior Policy Advisors:
Shelly Botkin, Natural Resources
Janna Burleson, Criminal Justice
Craig Chick, Business and Regulatory
Jennifer Deegan, Health and Human Services
David Durden, Insurance
Meredyth Fowler, General Government
Andrea Sheridan, Education

"I am excited to appoint talented and skilled individuals to key positions in the Speaker's Office. The upcoming House deliberations will require I have direct access to the counsel of knowledgeable and experienced individuals," said Straus in a statement. "With my appointments today, I am putting in place dedicated Texans committed to public service."

Y'all feel free to weigh in with your thoughts on the appointments, and more background on staffers that might be of interest.

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