Stupak Staff Switches. Wolverine State Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) has seen most of his Capitol Hill staff change over or take on new positions recently.

Joining the staff as legislative and communications director is Chani Wiggins. A former senior legislative assistant for Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Wiggins has also worked as a research director in several Hill offices and as a reporter for newspapers in Florida and Georgia.

The St. Petersburg, Fla., native is a 1992 graduate of the University of Florida, where she earned a degree in journalism.

Sonya Wendell joined Stupak’s staff in January as senior legislative assistant responsible for health, budget and tax issues. The former staffer for Harkin and Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) hails from Pierre, S.D., and is a 2000 graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jeff Ziarko has moved up from staff assistant to legislative correspondent responsible for constituent mail and press issues. Ziarko, 23, is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in political economy and finance. He calls Huntington Woods, Mich., his home.

Stupak Staff Assistant Anne Brewster-Stanski has moved up to executive assistant and scheduler. The Cheboygan, Mich., native previously worked as a director of member services for RailAmerica Tours Inc. in East Lansing, Mich. Brewster-Stanski is a graduate of Michigan State University and holds a degree in parks recreation and tourism resources.

Ben Kennedy, a former project analyst at VNU Marketing Information Inc., joins Stupak’s staff as a legislative correspondent. The 2002 University of Michigan graduate holds a degree in economics and hails from Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Kim Schaich is Stupak’s new staff assistant. The former American Hospital Association news researcher and press intern for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is a native of Ann Arbor, Mich.

Schaich graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in psychology in 2003.

Lauren Lark joins Stupak’s office as a legislative assistant. The Lansing, Mich., native holds a law degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.