Sen Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) rounded out his recent office changes with the promotion of TaMika Carson and two new hires in his Hart Building office staff.

Carson, who previously served as the systems administrator for Specter’s office, has taken on the duties of director of special events and intern coordinator. She will be responsible for arranging White House tours for constituents, giving Capitol tours and overseeing all intern activities.

Carson, 23, is a native of Washington, D.C., and has an associate’s degree in computer science applications from TESST Computer College of Technology.

Juria Jones, 32, has joined the Senator’s legal staff as legal counsel. In her new position, she will work on issues involving Justice Department oversight, judicial nominations, civil rights, courts, drug trafficking, gun control and immigration.

Before joining the office, Jones served as a law clerk for the Michigan attorney general’s office, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Michigan Supreme Court and the 31st Circuit Court of Michigan.

A native of Virginia, Burke earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1993, her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2001 and her master’s of law from American University this year.

Abigail Wilson, 22, cuts her political

teeth as Specter’s newest staff assistant with responsibilities centering on constituent services. The Selinsgrove, Pa., native is a recent graduate of the University of Rochester with a degree in English.

Allard Loses LD to DOE. Early last month Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) announced that Doug Flanders, his legislative director since November 2002, left the office to assume the duties of senior policy adviser in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management at the Energy Department.

Flanders served on Allard’s staff for 10 years, dating back to Allard’s days in the House of Representatives when he began working as a legislative correspondent. Before his role as legislative director, Flanders served as Allard’s military legislative assistant.

“Doug has been an important member of my staff for more than a decade and I wish him the very best,” Allard said in a statement. “He has been a great asset to this office and his presence and knowledge will be missed.”

Sooner State Switches. Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) recently made three changes to his Washington staff, including the promotion of one aide who at age 23 is a nine-year veteran for the Congressman.

[IMGCAP(1)]Shane Saunders, the Congressman’s new press secretary, began working for Sullivan when he was 14 as his page in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and has worked for him ever since. Saunders has served in various positions on the Congressman’s re-election campaigns to the state House; he served as an administrative assistant and press secretary on his first Congressional election and as a legislative assistant from April to September 2002.

Saunders who calls Tulsa, Okla., his home, graduated from Washington and Lee University with a bachelor’s in politics and classics in June of this year.

Joining Sullivan’s office as a legislative assistant is former minor league baseball player Scott Weaver. Weaver, 24, comes to the office after working for the National Association of Home Builders as a legislative and political assistant. He also worked as a legislative associate for Stateside Associates.

The Bethesda, Md., native graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2001 with bachelor’s degrees in government/international relations and history.

Christopher Brock, 24, joins the office as the newest legislative correspondent and systems administrator.

A former Capitol Hill intern for Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.) and for the Senate Republican Conference, Brock is a 2001 graduate of Tulane University and holds a bachelor’s degree in management. The Brusly, La., native is a candidate for a master’s in political management at the George Washington University.