[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


RECOGNIZING ALISHA D. PRATHER FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICE TO THE 
                  COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 2008

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
talented individual who has been a dedicated member of our Committee 
staff--Alisha D. Prather.
  Alisha came to the Committee as the communications director for the 
minority staff at the beginning of the 108th Congress. She filled a 
newly created position since the minority staff had functioned without 
a press person for some years.
  Her degree in Telecommunications from Baylor University and a 
Master's in Communication Studies from the University of Louisiana at 
Lafayette meant Alisha was well prepared for the job. She also came to 
us with a great deal of work experience on Capitol Hill under her belt.
  From the start, the challenge Alisha faced on the Committee was 
taking technical, scientific information and translating it into an 
interesting and informative message for the American public. She 
succeeded. With her quick intellect and some long hours, Alisha soon 
produced an organized press shop, building enormous credibility with 
our science constituencies, the public and the media.
  One of her first projects as the new communications director was to 
shepherd the minority website through a top to bottom redesign. She did 
an outstanding job. The website received a Congressional Management 
Foundation Gold Mouse Award in 2006, recognizing the site as one of the 
best web sites on Capitol Hill. Alisha did it again in 2007 when our 
Committee website received another Gold Mouse Award and was judged to 
be the number one committee website in Congress.
  With our move to the Majority in 2007, Alisha undertook the task of 
meeting the press needs of a growing staff and an increasingly busy 
Committee agenda, while assuring that my media needs and the needs of 
our active Membership were well attended.
  Prior to her time with us, Alisha worked for 8 years as the 
communications director for Representative Chris John of Louisiana. For 
several years, Alisha also served as the communications coordinator for 
the Blue Dog Coalition.
  Alisha leaves the Hill after 11\1/2\ years here, and she will be 
missed. She's heading to Texas which takes her that much closer to her 
home State of Louisiana. Although a huge fan of Capitol Hill and the 
Washington, DC area, Alisha has always had an interest in spending some 
time closer to home.
  We wish her well as she takes on a new challenge--Director of 
Communications for the new Galveston National Laboratory projected to 
open in November of this year. As Alisha says, it's the opportunity to 
build something from the ground up.
  We're quick to point out that she did just that with our press 
operation here at the Committee, and we extend our sincere thanks to 
her for a job well done.

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