By Sarah Settle
NCSL Young and New Professional program's new feature, Spotlight on YNP, highlights the amazing work young and new professionals from across the state legislatures are doing. Hear first hand what got them interested in working for the legislature, what advantages/disadvantages to being a YNPer are, and more!
In conjunction with Legislative Staff week, we spoke to Naomi Miller, district director for Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.
Q: What made you want to work for the legislature?
A: I got here by accident. Both of my parents worked for our local government and at 18 I was expected to get a job so I worked for our local county. I was the first in my family to graduate from college but I wasn’t a traditional student. I worked under a county judge and when she left to go into the private sector, I did, too. It was when I was doing private sector work that I knew I wanted to move back. I knew Speaker Straus and his family, and when he became speaker knew he needed someone in the community and district. Being a public servant—that was appealing.
Q: What’s your typical day to day routine?
A: I work in a privileged district. Today my phone rang once. My job is to be in the community: I attend chamber and neighborhood meetings and city council meetings. I interact with constituents. I also prepare briefing papers for Speaker Straus and serve as a travel aide. No day is ever the same. I am more constituent outreach than district office person.
Q: What are some advantages you see to being a young legislative staffer? What are some disadvantages?
A: I try to seek out and mentor other staff and being a younger staffer there is an advantage. You have more flexibility and can deal with the unpredictability that goes with the Legislature. This job is not 9-to-5. You are more independent. You still have a lot of energy to work long days and an irregular schedule. You are more open to learning—important because all members of the Legislature are different and do things differently. You are fresh, energetic.
Unfortunately, younger staff are not taken as seriously as some of the seasoned staffers. They make more mistakes in terms of relationships, like being taken advantage of by other members or lobbyists. You are still getting used to making those snap decisions. Generational differences are tricky, too. You have to manage inflexibility of bosses and members.
Q: If you were to give advice to a young person joining the Legislature, what would you tell them?
If they are considering joining the Legislature I always tell them to be flexible on your pay. You can’t negotiate. The budget is set. You do this work out of your heart not so you can buy a new car. The experience is your pay.
Once they are in it, I tell them to be patient! It takes time to build connections. Relationships are built over time. One experience with someone doesn’t build a relationship. This environment is so fast paced and there is so much turnover, advancement can happen pretty fast but you have to be patient. Also, there is a mortality to your job—your boss could fall off the face of the earth tomorrow (retire, scandal, illness). You have to build skills outside of being associated with their name. Networking, gaining more education, and being helpful are all important. Our bosses are elected. I also tell them to keep their composure as you never know who someone is and you are always representing your boss, even in off time.
Q: What hot issue are you currently working on for Texas?
Texas is currently out of session and our interim charges are in and hearings set so right now I am working on our Christmas program. We have a live, 21-foot tree on the floor. We have given out 150 blank glass ornaments to members and have asked them to have an artist in their district paint it and then the members hang it on the tree. There are photos of every ornament on the House’s website. We also have a luncheon. Speaker Straus and his family pay for all of it. Texas has a primary coming up and we are dealing with residual effects from the bathroom bill—Speaker Straus is talking to folks involved and interested as there is a lot of worrying that it will remain a focus. Also, the Republican caucus looking to change rules about speaker election.
Q: How do you spend your time outside of work?
A: I like to volunteer and I thrive on being busy. My family comes first. I spend time with my mom and dad and my brother and niece and nephew (10 and 12). I like to see friends. I also serve on a few boards and serve as a mentor at my old high school. I am an extrovert who doesn’t like down time which is well suited for this job. Being around people is a great love and that is the core of the job.
Q: What is your favorite spot in the Capitol?
A: The House floor. It sounds cheesy. We are the only staff that can walk on the House floor (speaker’s staff is unique in that). The architecture and the feeling that comes from standing there and feeling all the energy and knowing the history. I don’t get to be there every day but when I am there I treasure it.
Q: What’s something everyone should know about Texas?
A: We are the only State Capitol that has a living quarters. It is behind the dais in the House. It is about 900 square feet: two beds, two baths, kitchen, dining, office. It has turn of the century, early 1900s furniture and has china from a former Texas governor. The speaker gets to pick the decoration. There used to be one behind the Senate dais but it caught fire in the '90s and someone passed away. Now that area is the lieutenant governor’s reception rooms.
The mission of the NCSL Young and New Professionals (YNP) program is to engage, educate, and support the state legislative leaders of tomorrow through targeted professional development, networking opportunities and recognition.
Sarah Settle is staff coordinator of NCSL's Foundation and Member Outreach.
Email Sarah