Lessons From a Decade in the U.S. Senate

I worked for a United States Senator for ten years. Since leaving that role, I’ve realized something surprising: most people don’t actually know what that means.

When people hear “I worked in the Senate,” they often picture political campaigns, dramatic floor speeches, or endless debates on C-SPAN. But the reality of day-to-day life in a Senate office, especially in the state a Senator represents, is very different.

This is the truth about what the job was, what it meant, and what it taught me.

Public Service, First and Foremost

My job wasn’t about politics. It was about service. And Senate offices aren't campaign offices. We were West Virginians from all walks of life with different perspectives, and different backgrounds, working together to keep the promises made during election season and to help our neighbors navigate the federal government.

And if there’s one thing you should know, it’s this: people don’t usually call a Senator’s office when they’re happy.

They called when a vote didn’t go their way, or when they needed help with Social Security, VA benefits, Medicare, or a passport that wasn’t arriving in time. We answered every call, every email, and every letter.

My office was a storefront, right on Main Street in the Senator’s home county. Anyone could walk in, sit down, and talk to us face-to-face. Sometimes those conversations were uncomfortable. Most of the time, they were deeply human.

Wearing Many Hats

Beyond those baseline responsibilities, I wore a lot of hats. Some official, some unofficial, but all critical.

• Speechwriter — Drafting remarks for the Senator and his representatives, tailoring every greeting, talking point, and statement to the audience and the moment.

• Newsletter Editor — Managing a weekly (and daily, during the pandemic) update that reached more than 200,000 constituents.

• Event Coordinator — Planning town halls, job fairs, and local visits down to the minute, ensuring everything ran smoothly.

• Designer — Creating everything from flyers and brochures to banners and logos. And sometimes with little more than Paint and Word before we upgraded to proper design tools.

  
  

  Here is some of my (very) early work:

But even these titles don’t capture the pace of the work.

If an invitation came in for an event, I didn’t just RSVP. I might also:

• Coordinate details with the host

• Draft the speech and supporting remarks

• Brief the Senator beforehand

• Prepare the event “book” (complete with logistics, bios, and talking points)

• Show up early to scope the venue

• Arrange side meetings with local officials and press

• Take notes and photographs during the event

• And make sure follow-ups happened afterward

I wasn’t alone, of course. But it was important that each of us could step into any of these roles at a moment’s notice.

The Skills That Stuck

In short, I was a link between West Virginia and Washington.

The work required precision, speed, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. I learned to:

• Move fast without losing accuracy

• Communicate clearly across audiences and formats

• Anticipate needs before they were spoken

• Make sure nothing slipped through the cracks

  
  

Those skills have carried into everything I’ve done since leaving the Senate whether in tech, communications, or marketing. And they’ll shape everything I do next.

Why I’m Sharing This

When people ask me, “What did you actually do in the U.S. Senate?”—this is the answer. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t partisan gamesmanship. It was work that blended logistics, creativity, problem-solving, and human connection. Sometimes all in a single day.

And that’s the real story.