U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., announced on Wednesday he was expanding his team, with new staffers and current ones getting promotions.
Rubio announced that Lauren Reamy, who had been his deputy legislative director, would take over as legislative director. Originally from Davie, Reamy had served Rubio as as a staffer on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee’s Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee. Before that, she worked for the Senate Judiciary Committee and was legislative director for the Motion Pictures Association of America. She took over as deputy legislative director for Rubio at the end of last year.
Robert Zarate, who worked for U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and U.S. Rep Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., continues as Rubio’s senior foreign policy advisor, a post he held since the end of last year. Now he has additional responsibilities, being named to lead Rubio’s foreign policy team. Zarate had been Kirk’s national security advisor working on a number of issues, including Israel’s “Iron Dome” anti-missile defenses.
Rubio also added to his communications team. Matt Wolking has been promoted to senior communications advisor and press secretary. Before working for Rubio, Wolking had been an executive producer for Laura Ingraham’s national talk radio show and had worked for then U.S. House Speaker John Boehner’s, R-Ohio, communications team and U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy’s, R-SC, House Select Committee on Benghazi. Olivia Perez-Cubas is back on Rubio’s team as communications director. She had worked in Rubio’s communications team and had worked for his presidential bid.
Wes Brooks, who had worked for Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Brian Mast and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, jumped on Rubio’s team as a legislative assistant for energy, environment, agriculture and trade issues.
Rubio praised his outgoing staffers--legislative director Sara Decker, communications director Alex Burgos and foreign policy director Jamie Fly--as well on Wednesday.
“I’m grateful for everything Sara Decker, Alex Burgos, and Jamie Fly helped us accomplish in my first term, and for all of their hard work. I wish them the very best in their new endeavors and know they will be very successful,” said Rubio. “I’m proud to welcome the new staff and look forward to the work our new team will be doing to help serve the people of Florida and pursue an important and meaningful legislative agenda in my second term.”
Earlier this week, Rubio announced that he was relocating his Jacksonville office with the new facility in the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse.
“I am happy to announce the opening of our new Jacksonville office inside the federal courthouse,” Rubio said on Tuesday. “As we serve constituents from this new location, my staff remains focused on ensuring Floridians are getting the help they need on issues related to Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, and more.
“It’s unfortunate that the disruptions at our previous location became problematic for the children’s health center next door,” added Rubio. “I’m grateful for the center’s patience over the past few months, and I’m hopeful the children receiving treatment there will no longer be impacted.”
