Hill Climbers is a Tar Heel through and through. So she was happy to hear that Rep. Doug Lamborn’s (R-Colo.) new legislative director, University of North Carolina-Greensboro graduate Craig Rushing, still roots for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill basketball team. [IMGCAP(1)]

Rushing, 30, graduated from UNC-G in 2002 with a degree in economics and joined Lamborn’s office in August after serving Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) in the position of legislative assistant.

He is originally from Greensboro.

Kristen Hainen is the new communications director for Lamborn, after doing contract political work for a year and half. She worked on campaigns for

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) before coming to Capitol Hill.

She earned a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University in 2005 and has an undergraduate degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. Her hometown is Tipton, Mo., where there were 40 people in her high school graduating class.

She enjoys reading, working out and spending time with friends.

New Chief for Neugebauer. Jeanette Whitener is Texas Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer’s new chief of staff. For the past six years, Whitener was the chief of staff for Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.), topping off more than 12 years of experience on Capitol Hill.

“It is critical to have a strong leader with experience, institutional knowledge and professionalism serving in the role of Chief of Staff. Jeanette fits the bill in all of these categories and more,” Neugebauer said in a statement.

From Darien, Ill., Whitener has a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University that she obtained in ’97. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in ’94 from DePaul University.

[IMGCAP(2)]Gillmor Staffer Moves On. Dave Oxner is taking care of banking, mortgage lending and consumer credit for the Republican staff of the Financial Services Committee. Oxner has been with the committee before, having worked in the press shop and on housing policy for former Chairman Mike Oxley (R-Ohio) from 2003 to 2005.

Oxner most recently spent two and a half years as a staffer for the late Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio), handling banking and other issues.

He was an offensive lineman for the Wildcats of Davidson College, from which he graduated in 2002 with a degree in political science. He also participated in the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity there.

Oxner, 27, now enjoys playing basketball and golf, and he likes to cook, especially Italian food. He hails from Lima, Ohio.

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