Roberts announces key Senate Agriculture staff
January 09, 2015 |06:31 PM
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who assumed the post Thursday, today announced his senior staff selections.
Leftwich most recently worked as senior director for PepsiCo’s public policy and government affairs team. Leftwich previously served Roberts as deputy staff director for the Ag Committee and as a legislative assistant covering agriculture, energy, and transportation policy.
Before that, Leftwich was a legislative aide to Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan.; director of alumni relations at Friends University; congressional liaison at the Agriculture Department Office of Congressional Relations; and program manager for DuPont’s government affairs team.
Leftwich was born and raised in Wellington, Kan., and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Friends University in Wichita, Kan., and a master of arts degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
Little has been Roberts’ communications director in his personal office for 16 years — a position she will continue to hold.
Little served as Roberts’ Agriculture spokeswoman when he was ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee (2011-2012) and when he was ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration (2013-2014) and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2003-2007).
She has a bachelor of arts in public communications from American University and is from Prairie Village, Kan.
Stostkopf has worked as a legislative assistant for Roberts handling agriculture, nutrition, and water issues since June 2012. Stostkopf also served as the liaison between Roberts’ personal and Agriculture ranking member offices.
He previously worked for Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., handling agriculture policy, and was a field director in central Kansas on the 2010 campaign of Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.
Stostkopf was born and raised on his family’s wheat, sorghum, and livestock farm near Hoisington, Kan. He graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor of science in agribusiness, where he served as student government vice president from 2009 to 2010.
Thompson first worked with Roberts when both were staffers for Rep. Keith Sebelius, R-Kan., in 1969. Thompson has been Roberts’ Kansas agricultural assistant based in Wichita since 1997.
Thompson graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor of science in agricultural economics and business. Since 1976, he has managed the Thompson family farm, recognized as a Century Farm by the Kansas Farm Bureau in 2003.
Joel Leftwich, staff director
Leftwich most recently worked as senior director for PepsiCo’s public policy and government affairs team. Leftwich previously served Roberts as deputy staff director for the Ag Committee and as a legislative assistant covering agriculture, energy, and transportation policy.
Before that, Leftwich was a legislative aide to Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan.; director of alumni relations at Friends University; congressional liaison at the Agriculture Department Office of Congressional Relations; and program manager for DuPont’s government affairs team.
Leftwich was born and raised in Wellington, Kan., and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Friends University in Wichita, Kan., and a master of arts degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
Sarah Little, communications directo
rLittle has been Roberts’ communications director in his personal office for 16 years — a position she will continue to hold.
Little served as Roberts’ Agriculture spokeswoman when he was ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee (2011-2012) and when he was ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration (2013-2014) and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2003-2007).
She has a bachelor of arts in public communications from American University and is from Prairie Village, Kan.
Wayne Stostkopf, professional staff member
Stostkopf has worked as a legislative assistant for Roberts handling agriculture, nutrition, and water issues since June 2012. Stostkopf also served as the liaison between Roberts’ personal and Agriculture ranking member offices.
He previously worked for Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., handling agriculture policy, and was a field director in central Kansas on the 2010 campaign of Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.
Stostkopf was born and raised on his family’s wheat, sorghum, and livestock farm near Hoisington, Kan. He graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor of science in agribusiness, where he served as student government vice president from 2009 to 2010.
Melvin Thompson, Kansas agricultural assistant
Thompson first worked with Roberts when both were staffers for Rep. Keith Sebelius, R-Kan., in 1969. Thompson has been Roberts’ Kansas agricultural assistant based in Wichita since 1997.
Thompson graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor of science in agricultural economics and business. Since 1976, he has managed the Thompson family farm, recognized as a Century Farm by the Kansas Farm Bureau in 2003.
