12/31/2012

PHOTO: Jeff Anderson

Minnesota’s Eighth District Congressman-elect Rick Nolan has appointed his Congressional staff, which will feature former Duluth City Council president Jeff Anderson when Nolan takes office on Thursday.

Anderson, a primary election candidate for the seat who later campaigned for Nolan, will serve as district director, overseeing Congressional offices planned for Duluth and Brainerd, as well as Iron Range and southern locations yet to be determined. The Ely native previously served as president of the Duluth Economic Development Authority and was named a “20 under 40” award winner by the Duluth News Tribune for his contributions to the Duluth area.

Jim Swiderski of Onamiz will be Nolan’s Washington, D.C. legislative director, responsible for day to day supervision of legislative initiatives and work with various Congressional committees and senior legislative staff in other offices. During Nolan’s previous Congressional service (1975-1981), Swiderski served as staff director for the House Subcommittee on Family Farms and Rural Development, which Nolan chaired. He has worked extensively in the U.S. and abroad for international volunteer service organizations.

Jodie Torkelson of Thief River Falls will be Nolan’s deputy chief of staff in Washington. A former Thief River Falls city administrator, Torkelson was a top aid to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta when Panetta served as President Bill Clinton’s White House chief of staff. She also worked for Panetta during his time as a U.S. Congressman from California.

Ione Yates of Clarissa, Minn., will be Nolan’s chief scheduler. Yates, who served Nolan in the same position in Washington from 1975-1981, later spent more than 20 years in consumer and customer relations for Canon USA. She has done extensive volunteer work in Africa, focusing on AIDS prevention, assistance to abused women and childhood education.

Steve Johnson of Red Wing will be Nolan’s communications director. A former director of communications for ex-U.S. Rep. Gerry Sikorski (D-Minn.) and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Johnson served as Nolan’s press secretary during his previous time on Capitol Hill. He will leave his position as senior counselor at Ainsley Shea Communications in St. Paul.

“These senior staffers possess decades of combined experience in public service, business and volunteer work. They know Minnesota, they know Capitol Hill and they will hit the ground running to provide exemplary service to the people of the Eighth District from Day One,” Nolan said in a news release. “I’m so proud to have them on our team.”

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