By Megan McClure
Aurora Hauke is caucus staff and legislative aide to Representative Chris Tuck (D), the Alaska House majority leader and has worked in the Alaska House for 17 1/2 years. Her time working with House leadership has taught her the importance of perspective and perseverance in the face of what can be difficult and yet ultimately rewarding work in the Legislature.
Q: How/why did you end up working for the Legislature?
A: When I was 24, I was looking for a job. My mother had worked in Legislative Legal Services for several years at that time and knew of a senator who was still looking for a front desk person, even though it was a couple of weeks into session already. I interviewed and didn’t get that job, but the chief of staff recommended me to another office, who had lost their front desk person to homesickness. Incidentally, the chief of staff who didn’t hire me is now one of my best friends and I tease her about not hiring me, even though I was a much better fit in the office I ended up in. What was supposed to be just a session-only job to tide me over ended up being the perfect fit for me, leading to a career in the Legislature that has lasted 17 1/2 years so far.
Q: What do you find enjoyable and rewarding about working in the Legislature?
A: When I train new staffers, I always tell them that there will be times when this job will get to you, when you’re trying to accomplish something and you can’t, when you’ve worked several 12- to 16-hour days in a row and you’re exhausted, when your boss isn’t being clear about something and you’re trying to do a good job. I tell them to find something to hold on to, something to remind themselves of when the chips are down. I tell them to think about the reasons why they are working (or interning) at the Legislature, why it is the right place for them at this point in their lives. For me, I love that every day I get to come to work and try to make a difference, to make my state a better place to live, to make someone’s day better. I love working with a group of people who are passionate about the same things I am passionate about.
Q: What work are you most proud of?
A: For the past 10 years or so, I have been responsible for training the staff of my caucus and I have taken great pleasure in developing a training program and a mentorship program, in making sure that staff know they can come to me with their questions and concerns and that I will be there for them. But more than just training them, I see it as an opportunity to build a team that extends beyond our individual siloed offices, an opportunity to use the training program as a platform to engender communication and trust with new staff and experienced staff alike. I feel personally fulfilled by the mentorship relationships I have created over the years and to see so many people that I invested time and energy in still working in the Legislature, excelling in their positions, and loving what they do.
Q: How do you stay at the top of your game?
A: With every NCSL professional development seminar or summit I go to, I find myself refreshed, energized, and brimming with new ideas to bring home and put into action. Since I’ve been doing the same thing for so long, I worry about getting stale because I know that can affect the way I present information to the people I’m trying to train, so I love to take my base of knowledge and present it in different ways. I also work hard to develop the soft skills that are so important in legislative work, like leadership, communication, interpersonal relationships, the ever-dreaded public speaking, time management, and stress management.
Megan McClure is a senior staff assistant in NCSL's Legislative Staff Services program.
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