The Joint Center Commends Sen. Heinrich for Hiring Jasmine Dimitriou as Staff Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 8, 2025

Contact:
Kennedy Fortner, kennedy.fortner@jointcenter.org

Prior to this role, Dimitriou served as deputy chief of staff to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. She previously served as legislative director for Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and before that as his senior policy advisor for energy, science, and climate. Formerly an American Association for the Advancement of Science/American Chemical Society Science Policy Fellow, Dimitriou graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She also earned her Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“With Jasmine Dimitrious’s policy expertise and extensive background working on Capitol Hill, she is an excellent choice for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee,” said Joint Center Senior Researcher Dr. LaShonda Brenson. “Her appointment marks a historic milestone, as she joins Eyang Garrison, staff director of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, as one of two Black staff directors currently serving on Senate full committees. This is the first time two Black individuals have simultaneously held these leadership positions. We commend Ranking Member Senator Martin Heinrich for understanding the necessity of diversity within congressional committee staffing. This is a call for other members of Congress to actively recruit from diverse candidate pools to ensure the voices of all Americans are represented.”

“By hiring Jasmine Dimitriou as staff director, Senator Heinrich increases diversity among the team responsible for overseeing and legislating our nation’s energy policies and natural resources,” said Joint Center Vice President, Policy Jessica Fulton. “Which is critical for enhancing the policy debate on issues such as energy resources and development, nuclear energy, public lands and their renewable resources, water resources, and other issues affecting Americans nationwide across race and geography. As senators with leadership roles staff the committees that oversee our national priorities, I hope they prioritize building diverse teams that represent our nation.”

With Dimitriou’s addition, African Americans now hold only two of 34 full committee staff director positions (5.9 percent) in Washington, DC. African Americans account for over 13.6 percent of the U.S. population.

A 2021 Joint Center report found that while people of color made up 40 percent of the U.S. population, only 7.9 percent of Senate staff directors were people of color. African Americans accounted for 2.6 percent of Senate staff directors.

Background

In November, the Joint Center launched its midterm hiring campaign, which includes a microsite featuring interactive tracking tools, reports, an explainer video, coalition letters, and a list of ways concerned citizens and members of Congress can get involved. The microsite allows users to learn how each new and returning member of Congress is faring when it comes to hiring diverse top staff (chiefs of staff, legislative directors, and communications directors) in their Washington, DC office. The Joint Center regularly updates tracker data. Please check the press release section of our website for future updates.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, provides compelling and actionable policy solutions to eradicate persistent and evolving barriers to the full freedom of Black people in America. We are the trusted forum for leading experts and scholars to participate in major public policy debates and promote ideas that advance Black communities. We use evidence-based research, analysis, convenings, and strategic communications to support Black communities and a network of allies.