Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) has announced the promotion of three New Mexico staffers in his Washington, D.C., office.

Pablo Duran began working in Udall’s office in 2003 as a legislative correspondent, and after two years in that position he has earned a promotion to legislative assistant. From that post, Duran will assist Udall in his duties as a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. He will also handle education, trade and foreign affairs issues.

A native of Rio Rancho, Duran graduated in 2003 from the University of New Mexico, majoring in history and political science. Currently, in addition to his service on Udall’s staff, Duran is studying at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. [IMGCAP(1)]

Noelle Dominguez, of Las Vegas, got her start on Capitol Hill as an intern in Udall’s office in 2003, after graduating from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., with a degree in political science. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to junior legislative assistant. Recently, Dominguez earned another promotion, this time moving up to legislative assistant.

She will be responsible for Social Security and judicial affairs issues, and also the Congressman’s work as a member of the Small Business Committee. Before joining Udall’s staff, Dominguez spent her summers working for the district attorney for New Mexico’s 4th district.

Replacing Duran as legislative correspondent is Marissa Padilla, who joined Udall’s office earlier this year as staff and press assistant. Padilla will retain her role as press assistant even as she makes the transition to LC. Previously, she served as the deputy director and surrogate scheduler for the New Mexico branch of the Kerry-Edwards 2004 presidential campaign.

Padilla graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2004, earning a bachelor’s in mass communications and journalism along with her political science degree. She hails from Santa Fe.

London Calling. Heather Wong, communications director to Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) since April 2004, has vacated her post in order to pursue a master’s degree across the pond. She will study politics and communications at the London School of Economics.

In addition to her duties in Lofgren’s office, Wong helped coordinate press and communications strategies for the 33 members of California’s Lofgren-led Democratic House delegation.

Wong said she “had a wonderful time” in her role as communications director “and found that working for Zoe and the Lofgren staff was incredibly rewarding and, to be honest, a lot of fun.”

Prior to joining Lofgren’s office, Wong served Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) as his deputy press secretary for the Governmental Affairs Committee, where Lieberman serves as ranking member. She has also worked as a press aide for Lieberman’s 2004 presidential campaign and for the re-election campaign for then-California Gov. Gray Davis (D).

Wong did her undergraduate work at the University of California at Berkeley, receiving a degree in mass communications.