Elissa Silverman
Councilmember, At-Large [email protected]
Elissa has focused her career on making the District and its government accountable, responsive, and accessible to residents through her work as a budget analyst, reporter, and progressive reformer. Now she’s putting those skills to work as an at-large member of the D.C. Council. Elissa is a Ward 6 resident and owns a home in Capitol Hill near H Street NE. She is a longtime cyclist, a recreational tennis player, and a sometimes cook. She is part of a Washington Nationals season ticket group (but also still roots for her hometown Orioles).
Staff
Sam Rosen-Amy
Chief of Staff [email protected]
Contact for: General inquiries and legislative questions on issues related to business development, economic development, finance and transportation
Sam originally started in Councilmember Silverman’s office in 2015 as a legislative staffer, and became Chief of Staff in 2019. Before coming to the Council, he worked at several nonprofits on federal budget and transparency policy. In his downtime, Sam likes to read, compete in crossword puzzle tournaments, and tweet about complex budgetary issues. He lives in Ward 6 with his wife, young daughter, and their two cats.
Charnisa Royster
Deputy Constituent Services Director [email protected]
Contact for: Meeting & invitation requests for Councilmember Silverman and constituent needs
Charnisa is a DC Native who lives and grew up in Ward 4. She keeps everything in the office running smoothly by managing the Councilmember’s schedule, assisting with community events and constituent services. Charnisa has worked with the DC Council for several years, previously serving as Scheduler for former Councilmember David Catania.
Pat Joseph
Constituent Services Director [email protected]
Contact for: Constituent services requests and urgent needs
Pat tirelessly helps DC residents connect with city services and solve troublesome problems. After a lengthy career with the airlines, Pat transitioned to public service working as Constituent Services Representative for former Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. In 2015, she came to work for Councilmember Silverman and has been helping constituents across the District ever since. Pat has always enjoyed helping others, and so working in constituent services has been a great fit. Pat is a proud resident of Ward 6.
Maya Brennan
Policy Advisor [email protected]
Contact for: General questions about housing, homelessness, and development
Maya covers housing, human services, and education policy for Councilmember Silverman. For more than 15 years, she has worked to protect residential stability, promote a well-functioning housing system for renters and owners, and elevate residents’ voices in policy debates. At national and local non-profits, she has been a landlord-tenant hotline counselor, a policy researcher, a convenor, and strategist. She has a Bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College and a Master’s in Urban Policy from the New School. She is the grandchild and niece of Metropolitan Police officers and affirms that Black lives matter. She lives in Ward 5 with her spouse, two kids, and dog.
Will Singer
Legislative Director [email protected]
Contact for: Questions about legislative, policy, and budget issues
Will manages legislative analysis and policy development for Councilmember Silverman’s office. He previously worked as legislative and committee staff for former Councilmember Adrian Fenty and served as the Mayor’s budget director during the Fenty administration. After studying law at Northwestern University, Will completed a judicial clerkship in a state appellate court and worked for several years in private practice focusing on public finance, nonprofit, and municipal law. Will is a DCPS product and now a DCPS parent living with his multi-generational family in Ward 4.
David Connerty-Marin
Communications and Community Outreach Director [email protected]
Contact for: Media inquiries
David works with staff to share information with media and District residents on legislation, resources and opportunities. He is a former newspaper journalist and served as communications director and spokesman for the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and then the Maine Department of Education. He came to DC to work for the consortium of states implementing the PARCC standardized tests, before consulting for national and local nonprofits. Along the way, he taught French in a New Orleans high school and started a film festival. He and his wife live in Hill East.
Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
General Inquiries: 202-724-4902
Liz Weiss
Committee Director [email protected]
Contact for: General questions on issues related to labor and workforce development
Liz serves as Committee Director for the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, which Councilmember Silverman chairs. Liz worked for more than ten years in federal labor policy before moving over to the local level. She previously served in the Obama Administration’s U.S. Department of Labor and for Senator Tom Harkin on the Senate Labor Committee. Liz began her career in international human rights working for Human Rights Watch. She has a Bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University.
Margaret O'Hora
Legislative Counsel [email protected]
Contact for: General questions on issues related to minimum wage, overtime, sick and safe leave, worker issues, and unemployment insurance
As Legislative Counsel for the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, Margaret focuses on wage and hour laws, unemployment insurance, and other workplace matters. Before relocating to Washington, DC in 2018, Margaret served as an enforcement attorney in the New York City Office of Labor Policy and Standards. Margaret is a 2013 graduate of CUNY School of Law and a returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer.
Marcia Huff
Senior Policy Advisor [email protected]
Contact for: General questions on issues related to employment and workforce development
Marcia handles employment and workforce development issues for the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. Throughout her nearly 20 years in DC, she has worked to increase youth employment opportunities, improve DC’s child welfare system, and increase equity in education. Marcia previously worked with the Young Women’s Project, empowering DC youth to transform and improve their schools and communities. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Howard University School of Law. Marcia, her husband, and their two children live in Ward 7.