After nearly a decade of service to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Legislative Director Becky Salay is once again having visions of red brick and ivy. [IMGCAP(1)]

Salay — who began as an intern in DeLauro’s New Haven office, then moved to Capitol Hill to join her legislative team and was promoted to legislative director four years ago — leaves to pursue a master’s degree in international health policy from the London School of Economics.

“Bidding farewell to a longtime staffer is never easy, which makes this a bittersweet announcement for me today,” DeLauro said. “I thank Becky for the dedication she has shown my office through her years of hard work, legislative counsel and encouragement, and feel confident that she will offer the same dedication to her studies at LSE.”

But Salay, says DeLauro, “leaves this position in very capable hands.” The Connecticut Democrat has elevated Senior Legislative Assistant Letty Mederos to LD. Mederos had been handling Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations, education, welfare, immigration, trade, labor and child care issues.

Before becoming DeLauro’s senior LA, Mederos performed the same job for then-Rep. Carrie Meek (D-Fla.) from 1999 to 2002. She was, for the year prior, a legislative assistant in the office of Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Md.). Mederos has also taught American history at the College of Southern Maryland and served as a social worker at Gaithersburg Middle School in suburban Maryland.

“In the past three years as senior legislative assistant, Letty Mederos has exhibited the kind of drive and determination worthy of a strong legislative director,” DeLauro said. “Her previous experience and education will serve her well in this position.”

Born in Havana, Cuba, Mederos lived in Miami until 1995. She holds bachelor’s degrees in history and social work from Florida International University and a master’s degree in American history from Rutgers University.

DeLauro also announced that she has promoted James Wise to senior legislative assistant. Wise has served on DeLauro’s staff since January 2004, specializing in defense, foreign policy, transportation, telecommunications and economic development issues. In his new capacity, Wise will add to his workload the Congresswoman’s Budget Committee assignment and tax policy.