Kaine announces staff appointments

Sen.-elect Tim Kaine announced on Wednesday the addition of several key members of his Senate staff. Mary Naylor will serve as Legislative Director, Kathryn Wilmoth as Director of Administration, and Sherrie Harrington, as Executive Assistant to the Senator.

“I am thrilled these outstanding individuals have agreed to join my Senate staff,” said Kaine. “Their tremendous experience on Capitol Hill and in the Commonwealth of Virginia will help me effectively serve the people of Virginia and advance their priorities in the Senate. Mary’s extensive experience with the legislative process will be of great value, as will Kathy’s excellent work managing Senator Webb’s office.  Sherrie is a longtime advisor and confidant and I’m pleased she has agreed to serve in this new role.”

Mary Naylor, Legislative Director—Mary Naylor brings more than two decades of experience on Capitol Hill to her role as legislative director. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has served since 2001 as Democratic Staff Director for the Senate Budget Committee, in both majority and minority status. In her role she advised the committee Chairman and helped formulate strategy on all issues under the committee’s jurisdiction, including the annual budget resolution, statutory budget process issues, oversight of the Congressional Budget Office and nominations for the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. She also advised Budget Committee Chairman Senator Kent Conrad during his work on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, commonly known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission.

Kathryn Wilmoth, Director of Administration—Kathy Wilmoth began her long career in the U.S. Senate in 1982 as in intern for New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley. After attending Northern Virginia Community College, Kathy joined the Office of Senator John Chafee (R-RI) as a Staff Assistant in 1985. She received a series of promotions from Senator Chafee and was his Scheduler and Executive Assistant at the time of his death in 1999. She continued to work for the Senator’s successor, Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) as his Office Manager until 2006. In 2007, she joined the staff of Virginia Senator Jim Webb as his Administrative Director, a position she has held ever since. Kathy was raised in Arlington County, where she continues to live with her husband Aaron and their two sons.

Sherrie L. Harrington, Executive Assistant to the Senator—Sherrie Harrington has worked with Senator-elect Kaine in a variety of roles for the last 24 years, most recently as his Administrative Coordinator at the University of Richmond School of Law. She began her career as Kaine’s legal assistant at the law firm of McCandlish Kaine,  later serving as campaign scheduler during his bids for lieutenant governor and governor, as Director of Administration and Scheduling in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and as Confidential Assistant to the Governor.  She has extensive experience in government, office management, special projects and constituent relations.

Additional staff announcements will be made in the coming weeks.