NCSL Staff Directory

Brian Wanko focuses on the federal budget process, public finance, income taxes, pensions, post-employment benefits and federal and state revenues and taxes. He comes to NCSL with experience in federal administration and congressional oversight, budget and appropriations processes, and as a liaison between stakeholders and government agencies. Prior to joining NCSL, he worked for the U.S. House of Representatives House Foreign Affairs Committee and for two membership coalitions: the Council of the Americas and InterAction. He earned a master’s degree from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. He believes in NCSL’s mission to ensure state legislatures have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

Brooke Oleen Tieperman supports NCSL’s Environment, Energy and Transportation Program and NCSL’s Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs. She has 15 years of experience at NCSL and works in partnership with the U.S. Defense and Energy departments, bringing expertise in state-tribal policy. She staffs the DOE’s Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group, whose delegates include tribal leaders and technical staff from across the country. 

Bryan Law oversees NCSL's Energy Program. Prior to joining NCSL, Law worked extensively as a legislative staffer in the Texas and Rhode Island state legislatures on energy and health policy respectively. Dedicated to the ideals of state sovereignty and representative democracy, Law strongly believes in the mission of NCSL. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in government and political science.

Cameron Rifkin is a policy specialist covering topics related to housing and homelessness, economic mobility, child support and family law. Prior to joining NCSL in July 2021, he earned a master’s degree in social work and worked in diverse roles for various nonprofit organizations focused on housing, environmental justice, food security and juvenile justice. Rifkin is dedicated to systemic changes through policy and community empowerment.

In her role, Camilla Rodriguez Guzman’s research focuses on elections and redistricting. Prior to joining NCSL, Rodriguez Guzman was a legislative assistant at the Colorado State Capitol and gained additional experience working in the legal field. She earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Social Work from the University of Denver.

Carole Wellmann supports marketing and member outreach in coordinating and executing integrated marketing plans to promote NCSL meetings, events, services and policy deliverables. Wellmann comes to NCSL with technical experience in executing strategic marketing and communication plans. She is dedicated to resolving complex problems in a creative manner.

As the director of Legislative Staff Services, Carrie Maulin leads the NCSL team dedicated to supporting legislative staff across the country. Maulin comes to NCSL after 10 years with the Idaho House of Representatives, where she was chief clerk, chief legislative officer and parliamentarian. Her current role gives her the opportunity to bring her legislative knowledge to a larger audience and support legislative institutions across the U.S. and territories.

As a senior policy specialist, Carrington Skinner supports the Center for Results-Driven Governing’s work of helping states use data and evidence to inform decision making. Skinner comes to NCSL with experience as an assistant attorney general at the North Carolina Department of Justice and as a session counsel at the Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research. Skinner earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Charlie Severance-Medaris supports NCSL’s public health work as a project manager for the Health Program. He has previous experience in health policy through work at many Colorado nonprofits. Severance-Medaris is an expert in state policies relating to suicide prevention, drug misuse and overdose prevention and infectious disease prevention. 

As a program principal in the Financial Services, Technology and Communications Program at the National Conference of State Legislatures, Chelsea Canada works on privacy and technology topics, including artificial intelligence. Prior to joining NCSL, Canada worked on different public policy topics for the Colorado General Assembly, the New Mexico Legislature and non-profits in Colorado and New Mexico. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a master’s in public policy from the University of Denver..

As NCSL's associate IT director, Chris Csanyi focuses on the technical and infrastructure systems that are used every day for NCSL members and staff. Csanyi has 20 years of experience staying on top of technologies that can help NCSL’s mission moving forward. He is an alumnus of Appalachian State University, with degrees in information systems and management.

As a project manager in NCSL’s Health Program, Colleen Becker focuses on prescription drug access and affordability. Becker comes to NCSL with 20 years of experience performing multiple roles in health advocacy and direct patient care. She earned a master’s degree in public policy and a bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Denver.