NCSL Staff Directory

Sarah Chavez is a dedicated program coordinator with NCSL's Energy team. With more than a decade of experience in hospitality, event planning and administration support, she has honed her skills while working for esteemed law firms and nonprofit organizations in Denver and New York City. Chavez is deeply committed to NCSL's mission, finding fulfillment in contributing to an organization dedicated to enhancing the legislative institution through education and research.

As a policy associate in the Health Program, Sarah Jaromin focuses on access, cost and coverage issues with a particular focus on scope of practice, rural health and health care workforce. Jaromin has experience working with the policy division of the NYS Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers with a particular focus on legislation related to Medicaid and behavioral health workforce shortages. She earned her master’s degree in social work from the State University of New York at Albany after completing a bachelor’s in sociology at Brandeis University. 

As a senior policy specialist with the Center for Legislative Strengthening, Selena Saucedo focuses on legislative sessions, legislative staffing and structure, human resource management, compensation and classification, and personnel policies and practices, including harassment and DEI. Saucedo comes to NCSL with more than 10 years of experience in both the public and private sectors focusing on public relations, public affairs, policy and communication, and legislative experience in the Texas House of Representatives. Saucedo earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.

In her role as a senior policy specialist in the Health Program, Shannon Kolman serves as a subject matter expert on public health topics. She has more than 25 years of experience working in the fields of public health and community health. Kolman enjoys researching public health-related policies and supporting legislative excellence by informing NCSL members and partners on policy issues and strategies.

As associate director for design, Steve Miller leads design for NCSL, including reports, State Legislatures Magazine, graphics and marketing. Miller has 20 years of experience in journalism, where he earned numerous awards in editorial and advertising design. He also has led design efforts in the corporate world and academia. His varied experience has instilled an appreciation of, and dedication to, the importance of an informed society to democracy. He is proud to be part of working to strengthen state legislatures through the research, information and training that NCSL provides.

As software product coordinator in the information technology department, Steve Holz-Russell supports NCSL staff in the use of applications that help them do their work. Previously, Holz-Russell managed the district-wide student computer program for Denver Public Schools. He is passionate about providing excellent customer service to NCSL staff so they can effectively serve the needs of state legislatures.

Sunny Deye is an associate director in NCSL’s Education Program and serves as the liaison to her home state of Oregon. Deye leads the postsecondary education team in tracking and analyzing legislation in all 50 states, publishing state policy issue briefs and reports, creating professional development opportunities for state legislators and staff, and conducting NCSL’s annual Legislative Institute on Higher Education. Before joining NCSL in 2005, Deye served as legislative staff in the bill drafting office of the Colorado General Assembly. She holds a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree in politics and public policy from the University of Colorado Denver.

As NCSL’s senior federal affairs counsel, Susan Parnas Frederick advocates for states before Congress and the administration on criminal and civil justice, cybersecurity, elections and immigration enforcement issues. Parnas Frederick has over 20 years of experience at NCSL and previously served as a local government attorney and prosecutor in Herndon, Va. She received her bachelor’s from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.

Suzanne Hultin is the director of NCSL's Employment, Labor & Retirement ProgramL. In this role, she oversees issues around employment, occupational licensing and workforce development. Prior to joining NCSL in 2013, she served as deputy chief of staff for two Colorado lieutenant governors, where she worked on issues ranging from early childhood education to higher education and workforce development. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from the University of Washington and her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Denver.

As the state outreach manager, Sydne Enlund works as a liaison to a handful of states and partners with NCSL’s communications team on outreach and engagement with all state legislatures. Previously, Enlund worked for the Colorado General Assembly as a policy analyst and for the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. She truly enjoys working with legislators and legislative staff across the country to achieve NCSL’s mission.

As a policy associate for the Legislative Staff Services Program, Ta’Vion Hampton supports the professional staff associations and state services division. Prior to joining NCSL, he served as the logistics and scheduling coordinator in the office of the governor for the state of Colorado. Hampton is dedicated to promoting democracy and strengthening our state government institutions.

As director of NCSL’s Health Program, Tahra Johnson oversees the public health and maternal and child health projects and research at NCSL. Johnson has been with NCSL for more than seven years and has several additional years of experience in public health policy at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Department of Homeland Security. She earned a master’s degree in public health at George Washington University and attended undergraduate at American University in Washington, D.C.