Congresswoman Letlow Names Congressional Staff

Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05) today announced her staff who will serve her Fifth Congressional offices. Letlow has an office in Washington, D.C., as well as Louisiana district offices in Monroe, Alexandria and Amite.

Letlow decided to keep the staff her husband Luke Letlow had put together back in December in preparing to take office.

“Luke had put together an incredible staff,” the new Congresswoman said. “Their level of experience of working in Congress, as well as for the people of the Fifth Congressional District, has allowed me to quickly get up to speed on the issues facing Congress and how they might impact our district.”

Leading Letlow’s staff is Ted Verrill, who will serve as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Letlow. Verrill brings vast Capitol Hill experience to the office, previously serving as chief of staff for Congressman Ralph Abraham. He is a veteran of many political campaigns, both at the state and national levels. He has also served as legislative director and chief counsel for Arkansas Congressman Rick Crawford and worked in the offices of former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Arlen Specter and former Arkansas U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers. He was recognized by the USA Rice Federation as the 2017 Congressional Staffer of the Year.

Verrill has also served as deputy chief of staff at the US Small Business Administration, the chief of staff to the Chief Acquisition Officer at the U.S. General Services Administration and senior advisor to the director of the U.S. Census Bureau at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Verrill, a native of McLean, Va., received a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.

Andrew Bautsch will serve as Letlow’s Chief of Staff - Louisiana. In that role, Bautsch will serve as senior advisor to the congresswoman as well as oversee operations and manage district staff. Bautsch previously served as campaign director for Congresswoman Letlow’s successful bid for Congress, as well as Luke Letlow’s successful campaign for the same Congressional seat. 

Bautsch, a native of New Orleans and current resident of Covington, La., is the former executive director of the Republican Party of Louisiana. Bautsch attended Tulane University where he majored in political science. 

Lindsay Linhares will serve as Legislative Director, leading Congresswoman Letlow’s policy team, as well as managing the appropriations, education, workforce and judiciary portfolios.

Linhares brings eight years of legislative experience from the U.S. Senate, where she served as senior policy advisor for Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and legislative assistant for former Mississippi Senator and Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran.

Linhares, a native of Starkville, Miss., and most recently a resident of West Monroe, La., received a Bachelor of Arts in political science and communications from Mississippi State University. She was a Presidential Scholar, graduating Summa Cum Laude.

Trey Williams will serve as Letlow’s Communications Director.  Williams brings both past Congressional and state political experience to the team.  Williams most recently served as director of legislative and governmental relations for the Louisiana Department of Health.

He previously served as communications director for former Louisiana Governor and Congressman Bobby Jindal, deputy press secretary for former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster. Williams also served as legislative correspondent for former Louisiana Congressman Jim McCrery.

Williams, a native of Minden, La., and current resident of Baton Rouge, La., received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Louisiana Tech University and a Master of Mass Communication from Louisiana State University.

Heinz Kaiser will serve as Senior Legislative Assistant for Letlow. In his role, Kaiser will handle issues on armed services, foreign policy, Second Amendment rights, healthcare, homeland security, veteran’s affairs and Social Security.

He previously served in Congressman Ralph Abraham’s office, most recently as the military legislative assistant. A native of Annapolis, Md., Kaiser earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the College of Charleston. He is currently enrolled in the Naval War College Fleet Seminar Program.

Emma Herrock will serve as District Director for Letlow. She previously served as director of scheduling for Congressman Ralph Abraham and as executive coordinator of athletics at the University of Louisiana Monroe, where she also had served as assistant director of student publications.

A native of Monroe, La., Herrock received a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from the University of Louisiana Monroe.

Caroline Courville, originally from Pineville, La, will serve as the Congresswoman’s scheduler. Courville most recently handled marketing with her family business. While in graduate school, Courville served as a graduate assistant for the University of Louisiana-Monroe Office of Marketing and Communications, as well as the assistant event coordinator for Bayou Desiard Country Club. Courville is a graduate of the University of Louisiana Monroe, with a bachelor’s and master’s in business administration.

Lansing Brakenridge will serve as staff assistant to the Letlow. Brakenridge served in the same role for Congressman Ralph Abraham. Active in her community, Brakenridge is founder of the Holly Half and 5K run in Natchez, Miss.
 

Lansing, a native of Ferriday, La., received a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies from Louisiana State University.

Ramona Riser Martin will serve as District Representative for Northeast Louisiana. Martin previously served as a field representative and handled constituent services for former Congressman Ralph Abraham. Prior to working for Abraham, she worked at the University of Louisiana Monroe as the director of recruitment, the associate director of transfer recruitment and as a project manager. She also served as assistant manager and manager for the Ike Hamilton Expo Center.

Martin, a native of Columbia, La. and resident of Monroe, received a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana Tech University.

LiLia Boies will serve as the office manager for the Monroe district office. She previously served as office manager in the district office for former Congressman Ralph Abraham. A native of Mangham, La., Boies graduated from Neville High School and attended Louisiana Tech University.

Donna Howe will serve as the office manager and caseworker for the Alexandria district office. She previously worked in the offices of former Congressman Ralph Abraham and former Congressman Robert ‘Bob’ Livingston. She is a member of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, having served as the organization’s president for two terms from 2001 to 2005. Howe, a native of Boyce, La., also served as the organization’s executive vice president and treasurer.