Tiffany Haverly is the Communications Director for Congressman Phil Roe, M.D.

In true D.C. fashion, I have quite a few people who deserve to be thanked for taking a chance on a girl from East Tennessee. From my current boss to my grad school professors, I’ve been fortunate to encounter many amazing examples of strength and professionalism during my time in “This Town”, but one will always shine above the rest.

When I moved to D.C. in 2008 with an unpaid internship, a car as full as I could pack it and roughly $1,000 to my name, I had no idea what was next. I did know one thing: I wanted to work on Capitol Hill. I didn’t even really know what that meant, but I knew it was where I wanted to be. My first chief of staff, Brenda Otterson, didn’t just give me my first paying job (which was extremely exciting as I soon realized how quickly that $1,000 would run out), she gave me a crash course in what it took to be successful on the Hill.

Now, almost seven years later, I’m grateful to still have her guidance and friendship. Brenda is a trailblazer, though she’d probably never describe herself in that way. She emanates what it means to be a strong, professional woman, and I will be forever grateful for her candid and sage counsel.