Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) has begun the spring season with four new hires and two promotions in her Capitol Hill office.

Brydon Ross, 25, has joined the office as a legislative aide for appropriations and grants and will assist with agricultural issues. The former staffer for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee also interned for then-Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.). A graduate of Centre College in Danville, Ky., Ross hails from Blytheville, Ark.

Coming aboard as legislative correspondent is Trevor Stanley, who previously worked as a legislative correspondent for Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio). Stanley, 24, will handle judiciary, trade, budget and transportation issues for the Senator. The Davidson College graduate is a native of Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Moving up from legislative correspondent to legislative aide is Alex Robertson, 24. A Dole staffer since 2001, Robertson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Lattingtown, N.Y., native holds a degree in geography.

The other promotion in Dole’s office is Jan Rybnicek, 22. The former staff assistant for the Senator will serve as a legislative correspondent for health care, technology and telecommunications issues. Rybnicek is also a University of North Carolina graduate and hails from Shelby, N.C.

Dole’s new speechwriter is Lanier Swann, of Lexington, N.C. A former communications director for Rep. Walter Jones Jr. (R-N.C.), Swann, 25, graduated in 2000 from Furman University and holds a degree in communications.

Dole’s two other new hires are Staff Assistants Ashley Watkins and Will Purvis.

Watkins, a native of Greensboro, N.C., is a North Carolina State University graduate who holds a degree in textile and apparel management.

Purvis, 25, is a former employee for First Citizens Bank who also attended N.C. State and holds a degree in business administration. He calls Hobgood, N.C., his hometown. [IMGCAP(1)]

New Hires in the Sunshine State. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) recently picked up a new press secretary, staff assistant and office manager/scheduler in his Rayburn Building office.

Jaillene Erickson, a former press secretary and scheduler for Rep. Max Burns (R-Ga.), will handle Weldon’s communications matters. The Cumming, Ga., native was also an intern for Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio). Erickson is a 2001 graduate of Taylor University and holds a degree in communications.

Taking on office administration duties and coordinating Weldon’s schedule is Terri Chase. A former policy coordinator for the Dutko Group lobbying firm and assistant to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), Chase hails from Grinnell, Iowa. She is a 1997 graduate of Dallas Baptist University and holds a degree in psychology.

As the new office staff assistant, Annette Sweigart will handle constituent service for the Congressman. Among Sweigart’s many years of experience include a stint as the pro-life coordinator for the Concerned Women for America of Virginia. She is a 1987 graduate of the University of Florida who calls Vero Beach, Fla., her home.