The Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition has chosen Lisa Mark, 26, to take over as legislative director. She will work out of the office of Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio), one of the co-chairs of the organization.

Mark will work with LaTourette and Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.), the other co-chair, in shaping a bipartisan policy regarding the region’s economic development, energy and natural resources, infrastructure and federal spending.

Prior to joining NEMW, Mark served as a legislative assistant to Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), and got her start on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant in Rep. Doc Hastings’ (R-Wash.) office.

In addition to her work in government, Mark also has served in the private sector, working for the Oglivy & Mather Advertising Agency, Offshore Magazine and NBC News. Mark graduated from Colby College in 2001 with a bachelor’s in government.

Lowey Picks Up Six.

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) has made several changes around her Washington, D.C., office, promoting two and hiring four more to round out her staff.

Elizabeth Stanley, 28, has been hired as chief of staff. She replaces Clare Coleman. Stanley is returning to the Lowey office after a brief stint at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a regional press secretary. Previously, she had served as the Congresswoman’s communications director.

Stanley also served on the Ron Klink for U.S. Senate campaign and for Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) as an executive assistant. She graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s in communications in 1998.

Chris Bigelow, 26, has been hired as legislative assistant. He will handle

issues related to homeland security, the judiciary and the telecom industry. Before joining Lowey’s office, Bigelow served as senior legislative liaison for then-Missouri Gov. Bob Holden (D), and as a legislative assistant for then-Rep. Karen McCarthy (D-Mo.).

The Kansas City, Mo., native graduated from the University of Missouri in 2000 with a bachelor’s in political science and from George Washington University in 2002 with a master’s in political management.

Nathan Steinwald, 26, has been promoted to legislative assistant. Steinwald will cover issues related to the budget, taxes, banking and financial services, transportation, energy, and the environment, as well as related appropriations bills.

Steinwald previously worked in Lowey’s office as a legislative correspondent. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., he received a bachelor’s from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 2001 and a master’s in public policy from the University of California at Berkeley in 2003.

Mark Carrato, 33, is serving in the office as a legislative fellow on detail from the United States Agency for International Development. He will cover issues related to the House Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations in addition to defense.

Carrato, a native of Portland, Ore., graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelor’s in international business in 1994, and received his master’s in international studies in 2002.

Justin Wein, 22, has been promoted to legislative correspondent. Previously a staff assistant for Lowey and an intern for Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), Wein will help with issues related to animal rights, the arts, campaign finance, federal employees, housing, space/science and veterans’ affairs. A native of Syosset, N.Y., Wein graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s in political science.

Nell Maceda, 24, has been hired as a staff assistant. The New York City native has also interned for Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). Maceda received a bachelor’s in 2003 from Tulane University.