Sarah Bittleman
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the new chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, announced today that Sarah Bittleman will be his legislative director and chief counsel for energy, natural resources and agriculture.

Bittleman, who previously worked for Wyden on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has been the agriculture adviser to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy.

Before going to EPA in 2013, Bittleman served as senior adviser to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on energy and EPA issues, and at the Interior Department.

Bittleman has been viewed as a strong advocate for renewable fuels including ethanol. Under Wyden, Senate Finance is expected to take up a bill dealing with extending tax breaks, including those for biofuels and conservation of agricultural lands.

She holds a master’s degree in public administration from East Carolina University, a law degree from Tulane University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Union College in New York.

Wyden also announced the following appointments to his policy staff:

• Joshua Sheinkman, staff director. Sheinkman was staff director for Wyden on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
• Jocelyn Moore, deputy staff director. Moore served as deputy chief of staff and policy director in Wyden's personal office.
• Mike Evans, chief counsel. Evans has been a partner in the K&L Gates law firm. Before that, he worked in the Senate for almost 20 years, including a previous stint as chief counsel to the Finance Committee and as Democratic chief counsel to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
• David Berick,chief investigator. Berick held that position for Wyden on Energy and Natural Resources.
• Elizabeth Jurinka, chief health policy adviser. Jurinka was health policy adviser in Wyden's personal office.
• Todd Metcalf, chief tax counsel. Metcalf held the same post in Wyden’s personal office and previously spent nine years in various senior roles in the House of Representatives, including House floor director and counsel to Majority Whip James Clyburn,D-S.C. and followed his tenure in the House with a year as the Deputy Director for the Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery.
• Jayme White, chief adviser for international competitiveness and innovation. White served as legislative director and top adviser on international trade and technology issues in Wyden's personal office.