The Joint Center Commends Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) for Appointing Ariel Marshall and Jasmine Dimitriou as Legislative Directors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2019
Contact: press@jointcenter.org

The Joint Center Commends Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) for Appointing Ariel Marshall and Jasmine Dimitriou as Legislative Directors

With their promotions, Marshall and Dimitriou join a small group of Black LDs in the Senate

WASHINGTON — Today, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies commends U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Democratic Whip Senator Richard “Dick” Durbin (D-IL) for promoting Ariel Marshall (pictured left) and Jasmine Dimitriou (pictured right) to legislative director, in their respective personal offices.

Marshall and Dimitriou join a handful of Black women serving as legislative directors in the Senate, including Zephranie Buetow (Senator Peters (D-MI)), Courtney Temple (Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)), and Deanne Millison (Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA)). With the addition of Marshall and Dimitriou, African Americans account for 11 of the approximately 340 top Senate staffers who serve as full committee staff directors, chiefs of staff, legislative directors, or communications directors (3.2 percent). The Democrats’ share of these top staffers has grown from just over 33 percent in 2015 (1 of 3) to almost 73 percent today (8 of 11).

Marshall began working with Sen. Shaheen in 2014 as an American Association for the Advancement of Science/Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Science and Technology Fellow. Prior to her new position, she served as Sen. Shaheen’s Legislative Assistant (2015-2017), Senior Policy Advisor (2017-2018), and Senior Domestic Policy Advisor (2018-2019). In 2008 she received her B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Central Arkansas, and in 2014 she earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Dimitriou began working in Sen. Durbin’s office in 2010 as an American Association for the Advancement of Science/American Chemical Society Science Policy Fellow. Prior to her new position, she served as Sen. Durbin’s Legislative Assistant (2011-2015), Senior Policy Adviser (2015-2018), and Deputy Legislative Director (2018-2019). In 2005 she earned her B.A. in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, and in 2010 she earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“It’s great to see more Black women be recognized for their talent and hard work in the Senate—especially in this powerful role that helps shape our laws,” said Dr. LaShonda Brenson, Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion of the Joint Center. “Ariel and Jasmine’s rise in the ranks over the last few years in the Senator’s respective offices show the importance of fellowships and hiring skilled, diverse candidates for entry-level positions. We applaud Senators Shaheen and Durbin for being leaders in this space and for recognizing Ariel and Jasmine’s work. However, while the number of Black legislative directors increased, there are still far too few in the House and Senate.”