Murkowski Announces Departure of Staff Director, Names Successor to Lead Committee
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that her Staff Director on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Colin Hayes, will depart at the end of the month. She also announced that Brian Hughes, who currently serves as the committee’s Deputy Staff Director, will succeed Colin as Staff Director.
“With Colin at the helm, I never once had to worry about the direction or the quality of the committee’s work,” Murkowski said. “I have benefited from his counsel and expertise, as have Alaska and all of America. He is an incredible leader with a rare gift for developing good public policies and the strategies needed to advance them in a consensus-driven way. We will miss Colin greatly, but wish him and his family the very best as they embark on their next adventure.”
Hayes first worked for the committee from 2003 to 2006, serving in a variety of roles. After leaving to serve as a Legislative Assistant to the late Sen. Craig Thomas, Colin returned to the committee in 2007 as a member of the Professional Staff. He spent a year in the private sector in 2013, but returned to the committee again in 2014 as Deputy Staff Director and was promoted to Staff Director in 2015.
Murkowski also announced that Brian Hughes will serve as her new Staff Director.
“Brian is a steady leader who cares deeply about the Senate, the Committee, and Alaska,” Murkowski said. “He will continue our tradition of guiding the committee’s work toward sound policy outcomes that reflect member priorities and are good for our country. I am grateful to him for the contributions he has already made to our important work at the committee and excited to have him step into the Staff Director role moving forward.”
Hughes first came to Washington, DC to intern for Sen. Ted Stevens during college. After working as Sen. Stevens’ speechwriter, he moved to the committee in 2007. He has held a variety of positions, ranging from Legislative Aide to Senior Writer and Policy Advisor. Hughes left the committee briefly to serve as a speechwriter on the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign in 2012. He has served as the committee’s Deputy Staff Director since December 2015. Hughes was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska.
