Van Hollen Announces New Members of Senior Staff

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced two new additions to his senior staff team: Teri Weathers, to serve as the Senator’s Deputy Chief of Staff, and Francesca Amodeo, to serve as his Communications Director.

“Teri combines a deep understanding of Maryland priorities with the legislative experience needed to navigate Capitol Hill. She will be a great addition to our team and will help lead our staff in our efforts to serve Marylanders across our state and promote their interests in Washington,” said Senator Van Hollen.

Teri has been involved in Maryland politics from a young age, and after she graduated from law school, she took on multiple clerkships on and off Capitol Hill. From there, she worked for Senator Barbara Mikulski for five years as her Counsel helping navigate wins on landmark issues like pay equity and running point on key Maryland priorities. Following her time with Senator Mikulski, Teri moved into the advocacy world at the Nurse-Family Partnership where she engaged a wide-ranging coalition with stakeholders in and out of government to promote critical early investments in maternal health and families. Teri has a law degree from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

“Communicating with Marylanders and ensuring my office is responsive and accessible to the media play an essential role in my work in the Senate. Over the last three years, Francesca has traveled across the state and worked with reporters both in Maryland and on Capitol Hill to meet these objectives. I’m confident that she will lead our communications team well, while continuing to ensure Marylanders are aware and informed of our efforts in Congress,” Senator Van Hollen added.

Francesca has worked for Senator Van Hollen since September 2017, serving first as his Press Secretary and then as his Deputy Communications Director. Prior to joining Senator Van Hollen’s team, she worked in the House of Representatives for Congressmen John Barrow, John Carney, and Tony Cárdenas.