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Raised on the Radio

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has bumped up her longtime special assistant, Nancy Stevens, to press secretary and Congressional Black Caucus liaison.

Stevens has worked in Waters’ office for three and a half years. Prior to her tenure on Capitol Hill, Stevens gained most of her experience in radio. She has worked as a disc jockey, news reporter, network news producer, talk show host and program director. Her former employers in Washington include WHUR-FM, WMMJ, WYCB-AM and WOL-AM. She has also worked for WANT in Richmond, Va., and the American Urban Radio Network in Pittsburgh.

The native Washingtonian graduated from Howard University in 1984 with a degree in broadcast production and public administration.

HELP for the RNC.The Republican National Committee last week welcomed Christine Iverson as its new press secretary.

She departed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee where she served as communications director under Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). The Petersburg, N.D., native has also worked in South Dakota as communications director for former Rep. John Thune’s (R) unsuccessful 2002 Senatorial campaign, in Washington as Thune’s communications director, and as deputy director and director of communications for the House Republican Conference under then-Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.).

Iverson, 33, graduated from Moorhead State University in 1992 after double majoring in English and broadcast journalism.

Berry’s Bushel. Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) has solidified his staff after some recent changes.

Andrew Nannis, 27, has jumped on board as the new director of communications.

The Boston native has previously worked as a press aide for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and interned for then-President Bill Clinton.

Nannis graduated from George Washington University in 1998 with a degree in journalism.

Gabe Holmstron, a Cabot, Ark., native, has moved from Berry’s Cabot office, where he worked as a field representative, to Washington, where he has been promoted to legislative assistant.

The 26-year-old also served as the full-time field director of the Congressman’s 2002 re-election campaign.

Holmstron graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history.[IMGCAP(1)]

New Lieberman Lineup. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) has recently revamped his communications team.

Matt Gobush, 31, joins the Lieberman press shop as Senate communications director. Before the move, the Indianapolis native served as communications director for the Democratic staff of the House International Relations Committee and was press secretary for ranking member Tom Lantos (D-Calif.).

During the 2000 presidential election cycle, Gobush served as the national security spokesman and speechwriter for then-Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.

He has also served in senior communications positions with the White House National Security Council, worked as a staff specialist at the Defense Department and led the national young professional outreach and fundraising activity for then-President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s re-election campaign. He started his career working for the Indiana Department of Commerce and the Indiana State Senate.

Gobush graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1994.

Gobush replaces Dan Gerstein, who will join Lieberman’s presidential campaign as deputy communications director for strategy and planning.

Rob Sawicki has been promoted to Senate deputy press secretary. The Lyndhurst, N.J., native was formerly a staff assistant in the Lieberman Senate office, where he has worked since 1999. During the 2000 presidential campaign, Sawicki served as Lieberman’s deputy press secretary.

The 28-year-old received a master’s in political management from George Washington University in 2000. He received a bachelor’s degree from Sacred Heart University in 1997.

Casey Aden-Wansbury, who served for two years as Lieberman’s deputy press secretary, moved up as well. She has taken the reins as Senate press secretary.

A Eureka, Calif., native, Aden-Wansbury previously served as a deputy press secretary at the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 presidential campaign. She has also worked on telecommunications, technology and entertainment industry issues for Podesta Associates, headed by Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta, and Simon Strategies, headed by Greg Simon, former Gore senior adviser.

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