[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 189 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7230-S7231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR BROWN'S ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in
honoring our administrative team. Their hard work and dedication make
our day-to-day operations possible.
They are the glue that holds our office together, from making sure
staff have the technology they need to do their jobs, to making sure to
ensuring that every day runs as smoothly as possible for staff and for
the Ohioans who interact with our office.
Every single member of Team Brown depends on the administrative and
operations team.
From the staff assistants who man the front desks, to the special
assistants who oversee the interns, without your work, this office
wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much or been able to do our best
work for Ohio.
None of our work would be possible with our deputy chief of staff and
longtime operations director, Mary Topolinski.
Mary joined our office at the beginning of 2009. From her first days
on the job, it was clear that nothing fell through the cracks on Mary's
watch. She was on top of everything. She was always thinking three
steps ahead and had solutions even before problems arose.
Her job entailed more than anyone could ever realize, and she was
always looking for new ways to help support the people who work here
and the Ohioans we serve.
She always made sure staff was taken care of and had what they
needed, whether it was straightforward or complicated. And no matter
how long it took, Mary was there.
When COVID struck and launched our office into uncertain times and
almost every policy and procedure went out the window, Mary handled it
with grace.
She made sure the office kept running smoothly as we transitioned to
remote work. She made sure everyone had the information and support
that they needed to keep doing their jobs and that there would be no
interruption in service for Ohioans.
Because of Mary, we were able to keep serving Ohio in a moment when
they needed us the most. Our constituent phone lines stayed on.
Casework continued. Our worked never so much as paused. It was a hard
time for everyone and for staff, and Mary was a rock.
When we returned to the office, the same was true.
Her dedication to this body extended beyond even this office. Mary
was always working to make the Senate a better place to work, serving
on committees to put in place new systems and technologies to support
the work of every office.
As the operations director, Mary navigated delicate situations,
sometimes had to have tough conversations, and always made sure our
work remained centered on the people we serve.
She did it all with grace and thoughtfulness and care for her
colleagues.
For Team Brown, Mary always showed up. Her door was always open, and
she was always ready to offer advice or support or to just listen.
Mary understood that this office is more than just a place people
work; it is a huge part of our staff's lives, and they do their jobs
better when there is comradery and a little fun.
She planned happy hours and office events and staff outings, making
sure everyone felt welcome and enjoyed themselves. She organized book
club and holiday parties and celebrations for birthdays and staff
departures and special events in people's lives.
For 15 years, Mary made this office run, and she made it thrive. Mary
oversaw a team spanning from DC to Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati.
Together, they made our work for Ohioans possible.
Anourath Arounlangsy, our deputy administrative director and lead
intern coordinator, took care of everyone on the team. Whether coaching
an intern through a difficult situation or providing staff with
support, he missed no detail. Anourath sees through every single task
assigned and catches mistakes before they happen. He works hard every
single day and is a joy to be around.
Nelson Richardson, our systems administrator, has the difficult task
of managing equipment and troubleshooting technology for dozens of
staff. He does so without getting flustered or
[[Page S7231]]
frustrated, remaining calm in every storm. He is a natural leader,
often lending an ear and offering sound advice to younger staff. Nelson
is mission driven and a public servant at his core.
Marcus Nowling is a Columbus native and graduate of Denison
University. As a special assistant, Marcus essentially served as chief
problem solver. One of his many jobs was getting out thousands of
handwritten notes from the Senator to Ohioans. Marcus was always a
delight to work with.
Constituents and guests ready to meet with our office are greeted at
the front office by Erik Gomez and Lila Jarouche, our two DC staff
assistants. They both organize U.S. Capitol tours for Ohioans visiting
our Nation's Capital, get flags flown over the Capitol for
constituents, have mentored interns, and answer hundreds of calls per
week, among many other tasks.
Erik Gomez was a spring 2023 intern from Kent State University and
was hired on that same semester as a DC staff assistant. He is
passionate about public service and was named as a Top Staff Assistant
on Capitol Hill last year.
Lila Jarouche is a recent graduate from the University of Toledo. She
was selected as a fall 2023 intern and was also hired on as a full-time
D.C. staff assistant where she excelled in constituent services, took
on many legislative responsibilities, and generally excels in any task
she is given.
Henry Binder and Bella Fletcher joined as special projects assistants
and aided significantly in reviewing over 500 congressionally directed
spending requests, had keen attention to detail, and worked diligently.
Dariah Williams, our State scheduler, began on Team Brown as a staff
assistant, helping with constituent services, as well as special
projects. Dariah's willingness to take on more and help the team
however we needed expanded her role to State scheduling. Dariah cares
deeply about Ohio and public service.
Helen Clark, a Cleveland staff assistant and intern coordinator,
takes on every task given with gusto and has been called the beating
heart of the Cleveland office. She wrote heartfelt congratulatory
letters to constitutions. She handles detailed research and has a
passion for bringing constituents and their families joy. Helen was key
in planning our annual women's Conference and Propel Ohio events. Helen
is a true public servant.
Playon Patrick is former intern turned staff assistant in our
Columbus office. Playon excels at constituent services, particularly
handling sometimes difficult phone calls. He has a keen eye for
processes and has good ideas for making improvements.
As Cincinnati staff assistant, Willow Lopez was willing to take on
anything given. She helped plan our annual women's conference as soon
as she joined the office. Her attention to detail and care for the work
made that event a huge success. As a former teacher, Willow also
excelled at aiding in our intern program. Training and mentoring
interns is a natural skill for her.
None of the work in our office would have been possible without Diana
Baron, our director of scheduling.
Earlier this year, we celebrated her 25 years of service to the
people of Ohio. She is an institution in this office and an invaluable
resource to every department.
From making sure I could meet with every Ohioan possible, to making
it all over our State to roundtables and plant tours and picket lines
and speeches and events, Diana was behind the scenes making it happen.
From navigating confusing vote schedules to getting staff the
information they need to do their jobs, Diana gets it done.
She is a thoughtful colleague who makes a true effort to get to know
everyone on our team, and turns coworkers into friends--not to mention
a legendary baker, and an avid traveler.
And over her 25 years, as our team has changed, Diana's dedication to
Ohio and her respect for this institution has remained steadfast. For
that, we are grateful.
____________________