WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) announced today that Jessica Lewis will serve as the new staff director for the Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Jessica is currently the Senior National Security Advisor to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), handling a broad portfolio of national security issues and serving as the Senator’s liaison to relevant government agencies and the Senate Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence Committees. Prior to her nine-year tenure in Senator Reid’s office, Jessica worked for Senator and Congressman Robert Menendez and the House Foreign Affairs Committee in senior roles. Before coming to Congress, she ran development and education programs for the Organization of American States in Latin America.   

Senator Cardin, the Committee’s Ranking Member, said, “Jessica has established herself as an expert voice on critical foreign policy and national security matters, and is well regarded by Senators and staff on both sides of the aisle. In an increasingly complex world filled with both challenges and opportunities for the United States, Jessica’s knowledge and professionalism will serve the Senate Foreign Relations Committee exceedingly well. I respect Jessica greatly and I’m looking forward to working with her even more closely.” 

“I have relied on Jessica’s wisdom, foresight and vast knowledge for years as we have navigated some of the most difficult issues America has faced. The challenges before us have never been more complex, and there is no individual on Earth better equipped to handle them than Jessica Lewis,” Senator Reid said.

Jessica began her career in education as a third-grade teacher in Howard County, Maryland public schools and was an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University’s education program, where she received a Master’s Degree in Teaching.  Jessica also holds a Master’s Degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. 

“It has been an honor to work for Senator Reid for the past nine years and I look forward to continuing to work on the critical national security, foreign policy and international development challenges facing our country in my new position with Senator Cardin on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” Jessica Lewis said. “After many years as a liaison to the Committee, I am excited about working with its bipartisan members and staff.”