Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, has chosen a new spokeswoman.

Kirstin Brost, 28, takes over for Dave Helfert, who leaves to take a post teaching communications at American University. Previously, Brost served as communications director for Washington state Democrats, and as communications coordinator for Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the Assistant to the Minority Leader, in her leadership office.

In 2000, Brost worked as press secretary for then-Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign in Pennsylvania. A native of Chippewa Falls, Wis., Brost received her bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in 1999.

Feeney Finds L.A. Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) has picked a new legislative assistant for judiciary issues.

Donald Palmer, 36, will take over that role after having served in the Navy. At first, he worked as an intelligence officer and later went on to become a judge advocate general.

Palmer graduated from Jacksonville University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in international relations. He matriculated from Stetson University College of Law in 1996, and will graduate from the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University at the end of this summer.

A native of Oviedo, Fla., Palmer has a wife and three children. When asked to explain how he balances family and life on Capitol Hill, he says that “with a 4-month-old, I’m still not getting any sleep so I might as well work the long hours on the Hill.” [IMGCAP(1)]

Moore Makes Moves. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) has made several changes around his Washington, D.C., office, promoting three staffers and hiring one more.

Adam Pase, 22, has been brought on board as a legislative assistant. He will handle issues related to the judiciary, telecommunications, Social Security and immigration. Pase previously served in the office as an intern.

Most recently, Pase worked as manager of Congressional affairs for the Twenty-First Century Group, a bipartisan consulting firm. Pase graduated in 2004 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s in philosophy and finance. He calls Leawood, Kan., home.

Andrew Shaw, 25, also takes over the duties of a legislative assistant. He will handle education, energy and environment issues for Feeney. Previously, he worked as executive assistant and office manger, as well as staff assistant, for the office.

Shaw, who also hails from Leawood, holds two degrees from Tulane University. He received his bachelor’s in political science and history in 2002 and his master’s in history in 2003.

Peter Kay, 26, moves up from legislative correspondent to executive assistant and office manager. Kay, who graduated from the University of Kansas in 2004 with a bachelor’s in political science, first worked in Moore’s office through the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics Internship Program. He is originally from Ottawa, Kan.

Sarah Lochner, 25, takes over in the legislative correspondent role, having previously served as a staff assistant in the district office. The Lebanon, Mo., native holds a bachelor’s in interior architecture and a master’s in political science, both of which she received from Kansas State University, in 2002 and 2004, respectively.