It takes a lot to surprise Allyson Bell. As Sen. Mike Lee’s chief of staff since 2015, a Lee staffer before that, and two decades of political work preceding all, she’s just about seen it all.
But at the first Utah chief-of-staff luncheon of the year in January (a new tradition that Bell now hosts, being the longest-tenured chief of staff from Utah’s delegation), Bell received a welcome surprise.
“I looked up and all four of us were women,” Bell recalled. “I thought that was so cool.”
Bell means no disrespect to the two male chiefs of staff who were unable to attend that day (“The two male chiefs of staff are also very cool, qualified and great to work with!” she adds), having such a female presence in a political arena traditionally dominated by men is unique and impressive.
At large, Washington’s politics — and those politicians’ staffs — are overwhelmingly masculine. The 117th Congress is just 27%, up from 18% a decade ago. The most recent data I can find on Congressional chiefs of staff shows a mere 33% female in 2017 — down from 35% in 2010.
Analysts can turn to a number of potential explanations for the discrepancy — from an inhospitable family environment to lingering, gendered beliefs about women’s roles. But as Susan Madsen, founding director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, recently wrote in the Deseret News, so much is a matter of narratives and perspectives. “Much of the single story that men are better suited for office is simply a result of numbers: If you only ever see men in positions of power and women as subordinates, it can be easy to assume that how things are is how things should be.”
Utah’s Congressional delegation is working to adjust that power structure. Each of the four female chiefs of staff — leading the offices of Sens. Lee and Romney, and Reps. Moore and Owens — have taken unique paths to Washington. Their experience levels and outlooks vary.
But in a very real sense, these women show a shift in Washington, and they welcome the change.
These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Rachel Wagley (Rep. Blake Moore)
A Spokane native, Ms. Wagley brings extensive experience on Capitol Hill to freshman Congressman Moore’s office. After graduating from Harvard University with high honors, Wagley spent several years in policy and government relations pertaining to her field of expertise, Southeast Asian policy. She also has a degree from the U.S. Naval War College. She worked for Rep. Ann Wagner (MO) as a foreign policy advisor and legislative director before joining Rep. Moore’s office.
Samuel Benson: While you have experience working on a congressional staff, this is your first appointment as a chief of staff. What have you and Rep. Moore been able to achieve in your first months?
Rachel Wagley: I got to start working with him back in November, pulling a team together and getting an office set up. We set up our mail program right away, so our constituents are already hearing back from the Congressman. Even though he hasn’t been in office very long, I know that a lot of freshmen offices haven’t been able to do that yet.
Obviously, January was a pretty crazy month in Washington. Walking through that month with a new team was challenging. I think everyone is looking forward to the time when we can go home at 5, for once.
SB: If I’m not mistaken, you helped draft the first Republican parental leave bill while working for Rep. Wagner. What sparked that?
RW: That was fun. I actually drafted it during my own maternity leave when I had my first kid. It’s called the New Parents Act. Rep. Wagner introduced it along with Sens. Rubio and Romney, from the Utah delegation. So it’s actually a time that I got to work with the Utah delegation before coming on board.
It was a bill that would allow parents to draw forward their own Social Security benefits to the time right after they had a baby. And we thought this was a conservative cause, to give parents more options to provide for their kids during that post-birth period. It was the first Republican bill on paid leave issues that would create a national leave program. And it was something that Sen. Romney was happy to champion back in Utah. There’s been quite a good series of things that came out of that piece of legislation and that effort to make that a national issue on the Republican side of the aisle.
SB: Tell me a little bit more about the unique nature of working alongside a Utah delegation where the majority of the chiefs of staff are female. You don’t find that in very many states.
RW: It’s been great. We’ve already had breakfast together, and we’ve been connected over text and email as well. It’s a great support network. And even more so than that, it’s a great way to make sure that we’re all coordinating on messaging and case work — being able to deliver for Utah and figuring out which member is best suited for which initiative. That type of coordination is actually pretty rare on Capitol Hill. So I think it’s exciting. And I think it’s a benefit for all the Utah members and their constituents to have that level of collaboration here in D.C.
Elizabeth Johnson (Sen. Mitt Romney)
While Ms. Johnson has worked in the Romney office since January 2019, she was appointed chief of staff just two months ago. A Maine native, Johnson graduated from Saint Michael’s College (VT) and has worked for Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Prior to joining the Romney staff, she worked in public affairs for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Samuel Benson: Between your time with Sens. Collins, Ayotte and now Romney, you’ve worked on Senate staffs for 12 years. What has made you stay for so long?
Elizabeth Johnson: Well, I think I’ve been fortunate, particularly now, to work for leaders who I really believe in — who are serving our country for the right reasons. I did not come to D.C. thinking I would stay here for a long time — when I came out of college, I had only planned to really work here for a couple of years — but you know, it’s a fascinating place to work. It’s the center of our government and our democracy, and important things happen here. It’s fun and fulfilling to be able to be part of a small part of history.
SB: The first two Senators that you worked for were from New England. Senator Romney, of course, is from New England as well, but he’s representing the state of Utah. Tell me about that dynamic — what’s it been like, working for the people of Utah, though you’re from a different area?
EJ: Utah is beautiful. It’s a diverse state, both geographically and culturally. People are hard-working. People are friendly. And people have very important core principles. I think family, faith and love of one’s neighbor are very much things that New England and Utah share.
We’re fortunate that we have a number of people from Utah that work on our team here. They do a great job at making sure that Utah stays up-front-and-center, in terms of priorities. So it’s been fun to visit and get to know people. I love spending time out there. I haven’t spent as much time there as I like to in the past year just because of COVID and not being able to travel as much. So I’m looking forward to getting back there.
SB: Tell me about Sen. Romney. What is it about him and what he stands for that drew you to working in his office?
EJ: It’s honestly hard to articulate. He’s had this great success in his career. But he made the decision not to retire, but to come back and to serve.
A lot of people are turned off from politics and public service because of the rigors of campaigning and fundraising, and just the negative tone of political campaigns these days. But he’s sort of a relentless optimist. As someone who has run for president before, he feels a very deep love for the country and wants deeply to contribute in a positive way to securing a brighter future for Americans. And I think he does that very much with his 25 grandchildren in mind.
That’s the spirit that he has instilled in his team here. I never thought I’d have the chance to serve with him or work on his team. I’m just a small-town girl from Maine. But it’s an incredible opportunity.
Keelie Broom (Rep. Burgess Owens)
Ms. Broom joined freshman Congressman Burgess Owens when he took office in January. A Mississippi native, Broom is a graduate of Millsaps College and Tulane University Law School. After practicing law, she entered the political sphere as the communications director for the Missouri Republican Party, and later worked for the Republican National Committee and Marsy’s Law For All.
Samuel Benson: Tell me about the first two (eventful) months in Washington. What have you learned?
Keelie Broom: The first two months have certainly been very eventful and – in many ways – unprecedented. I’ve realized how resilient our team is and how laughing together is just as important to a team dynamic as trusting each other and collaborating on creative solutions. I’ve learned how important it is to have a defined mission from the outset. For us, the mission is simple, and that is to faithfully serve Utah’s Fourth District.
I’ve also learned that Congressman Owens has what I would describe as boundless energy! He works tirelessly and gives 100% even when it seems like most people would be running on fumes.
SB: You have extensive experience both on the communications side and the legal side of the political arena (which, in many ways, are connected). How have your experiences in those fields prepared you for this opportunity with Rep. Owens?
KB: I’ve always sought out challenging opportunities and fast-paced environments with lots of opportunities to learn, and that’s exactly how I’d describe this opportunity with Congressman Owens. Everything I’ve done up to this point has equipped me for exactly where I am, and I’m not sure it would work if I took out any one piece of the puzzle or omitted any single professional experience.
A common thread through all of my experience is advocacy. I’ve advocated for clients, candidates, and crime victims, and now I’m advocating for Utah’s Fourth District. My experience has also taught me that you can’t be an effective advocate without first being an active and fully engaged listener.
SB: Utah’s Congressional delegation is fairly unique, in that the majority of the six chiefs of staff are female. What is your relationship with the three others like? How has connecting with them — three of which are in their first months, too — been influential for you?
KB: The whole delegation has been incredibly helpful and encouraging. It’s a bonus that so many of the other chiefs are women! I was instantly comfortable with all of my counterparts. I feel like I walked into a built-in support system.
The other women have been especially supportive during the office set-up process, which can be tedious and particularly challenging amid a global pandemic. They’re always ready and willing to let me think out loud and ask lots of questions without fear of judgment. I’m thrilled to have landed with this crew!
Allyson Bell (Sen. Mike Lee)
Ms. Bell began working with Sen. Lee when he first arrived in Washington in 2011. She was named his chief of staff in 2015. A graduate of Westminster College and the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, Bell’s first job out of college was with the National Republican Senatorial Committee. She later worked under Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (both in Salt Lake City and in Washington), for government relations firms, and on campaigns from Florida to Nevada.
Samuel Benson: You have an impressive resume, with extensive experience in the political arena. What role did your time with Gov. Leavitt play in that?
Allyson Bell: After working on a few campaigns early in my career, I decided to move back to Utah and started doing some political work for Gov. Leavitt. I managed his last gubernatorial campaign and then went back to D.C. to work for him at the Environmental Protection Agency and then the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I learned so much from Mike Leavitt and will always be grateful to him. We traveled to all 50 states multiple times and to over 40 countries. My job was as the director of scheduling and advance. This helped me develop a strong sense of service and core values around issues that impact our daily lives. I also learned a lot about staging events, managing schedules, handling logistics and being part of a great team.
SB: During your time in Washington, you’ve been an eye witness to a lot of history. What have been the most memorable experiences for you?
AB: I’ve been very fortunate to experience a lot of history, some fun and some not so fun: Inaugurations, military parades, 4th of July celebrations, State of the Union speeches, hearings for three Supreme Court justices, two impeachments, protests, riots, and still working in a militarized capitol compound.
But one of the most memorable experiences is when the Senate passed the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill that Senator Lee had been working on for over eight years. It was a bipartisan bill that was signed in by President Trump and is impacting so many lives. There is bipartisanship in Washington, D.C.
But my favorite thing is to walk by the Capitol and see the American flag flying and the overwhelming feeling of patriotism that I still feel after all these years.
SB: As I’ve spoken with the other female chiefs of staff in Utah’s delegation, they noted that you’ve been very helpful in guiding them and serving as a mentor. Tell me more about that.
AB: It’s always an honor to be considered a mentor. It also means I’m just really old. But I remember the people who helped me when I started out. The more you can help someone, the better it is — for me, for them and for the people of Utah who we all serve. One of my favorite parts of my job is working with our young staff members, especially the interns, to help them develop in their careers. They are the future leaders of our country.
