U.S. Senator-elect Dan Sullivan has chosen Joe Balash as his chief of staff. Balash served in the Parnell Administration as Commissioner of Natural Resources, after Sullivan resigned last year to run for office.
Before that he served as Sullivan’s deputy commissioner. He also worked in the Alaska Legislature for nine years, including a stretch as chief of staff to the Senate president. During the governor’s race this fall, Balash published an opinion piece blasting Bill Walker’s record on gas line issues, so there was no chance of him staying on once Walker took office.
Sullivan also announced that Mike Anderson will be his spokesman in Washington, D.C. Anderson was Sullivan’s campaign spokesman and previously worked for Alaska Congressman Don Young and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Another new hire for the D.C. office is DeLynn Henry who will be Sullivan’s scheduling director. She worked as Sen. Ted Stevens’ scheduler and assistant for 23 years.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
