Committee Staff

Dick Obermann, Chief of Staff

Dick serves as the Democratic Chief of Staff for the Committee.  As such he acts as staff director, administrator, and senior policy adviser to Committee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson.  He is responsible for managing a team of Committee scientists, engineers, attorneys, and other professional support staff as well as the Minority budget and all administrative operations.  Dick joined the Committee in 1990. Initially, he served as Science Advisor for the Subcommittee on Space, including oversight and budget authorization responsibilities for science, exploration, and the space station program. He later went on to serve as Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, with primary authorization and oversight responsibility for civil space and aeronautics activities. Dick holds a B.S.E. and Ph.D. in Aerospace and Mechanical Sciences from Princeton University, and an M.S.E. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University. He also completed the Senior Managers in Government Program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Dick started his career working on the technical staff at the MITRE Corporation and as a senior program officer on the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and of the American Astronautical Society and a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

John Piazza, Chief Counsel

John Piazza joined the professional staff of the Committee in March 2006. His responsibilities include legislative, legal, and parliamentary process issues. In addition, he works on oversight for the Committee. John graduated with a B.A. from Columbia University in 1999, where he studied environmental science. He received a J.D. from Washington and Lee University in 2002. John is a member of the Arizona and District of Columbia Bars. Prior to joining the Committee, John was a prosecutor in Tucson, Arizona.

Russell Norman, Deputy Chief Counsel

Russell joined the Committee in April 2012 as Deputy Counsel.  His responsibilities include strategic planning and handling legislative, procedural and jurisdictional matters. Russell graduated with a B.A. from NYU in 2002.  He received a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2005.   Before coming to the Committee, Russell was an Associate Deputy General Counsel with the Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense.  Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Russell was a U.S. Army Judge Advocate.  He served for over four years, including a tour in Iraq with the XVIII Airborne Corps. Russell is currently a member of the New York and New Jersey Bars.

Kristin Kopshever, Administrative and Communications Director

Kristin joined the Committee in April 2010. She currently serves as the Administrative and Communications Director for the Minority.  Her responsibilities include Committee media outreach and response, website content and development, and other press shop needs.  She also serves as executive assistant to the Ranking Member and Chief of Staff and as Office Manager for the Minority staff.  In this role, she also assists with the Committee's international issues portfolio.   She studied Political Science and Philosophy at DePaul University in Chicago.  Prior to joining the Committee, she was an intern for Congressman Costello (D-IL).  Kristin is originally from Pinckneyville, Illinois.

Joe Flarida, Staff and Press Assistant

Joe joined the staff in December 2013 after completing his internship with the Committee over the summer and fall. Joe graduated from The Ohio State University in 2012 with two degrees, Political Science (B.A.) and Public Affairs (B.A.). Before coming to the Committee, Joe worked for Battelle’s Washington Office conducting policy and legislative research. His primary responsibilities on the Committee include conducting research for Professional Staff, cultivating the Committee presence across multiple social media platforms, maintaining  the Committee website, and assisting with other administrative needs. Joe is originally from Lima, Ohio.

Subcommittee on Environment

Marcy Gallo, Staff Director

Marcy joined the Committee in December 2008 as Professional Staff.  She currently serves as the Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Environment, which has jurisdiction over all matters relating to environmental research; Environmental Protection Agency research and development; environmental standards; climate change research and development; as well as oversight over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and earth science activities conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Prior to joining the Committee, Marcy was the American Society for Agronomy – Crop Science Society of America – Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman where she worked on environmental and agricultural issues.  She holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico, a M.S. in Biology from the University of Toledo, and a B.S. in Biology from Marietta College.

Pamitha D. Weerasinghe, Professional Staff

Pamitha first joined the Committee as an intern during the Fall of 2011. He was hired as a full-time member of the staff in April 2012. Pamitha is a 2005 graduate of the University of Maryland (B.A.) and a 2009 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Law (J.D.). In addition to his legal research and writing abilities, Pamitha has experience working for several online and print publications and has developed core management and leadership skills in the field of Higher Education. Pamitha is originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka but has made his home in nine states.

Subcommittee on Energy

Adam Rosenberg, Staff Director

Adam Rosenberg is the Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Energy and previously served as a professional staff member on the Committee from mid-2007 through 2010. Dr. Rosenberg holds a B.S. in applied & engineering physics from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in plasma physics from Princeton University, where he studied interactions between radio frequency waves and energetic ions in a large magnetic fusion experiment at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.  From mid-2003 through 2004, Dr. Rosenberg was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Fellow on the Democratic staff of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He then accepted a position as a Program Manager in the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science’s Fusion Energy Sciences Program, where he directly oversaw a major research facility at MIT. Prior to his current position, Dr. Rosenberg served as Deputy Director for Technology Strategy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs. There he managed the coordination of joint activities with DOE to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies for military applications. In addition, he served as the Assistant Secretary’s lead staffer on alternative fuels policy and technical analysis.

Christopher J. O'Leary, Professional Staff

Chris joined the Committee in March 2012 and currently serves as Professional Staff for the Subcommittee on Energy. He had previously handled a significant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education portfolio on the Research & Technology Subcommittee and is transferring his skills to the Committee’s energy portfolio. Chris has previously worked with the Association of American Universities, where he served as an assistant to both the Vice President for Policy and the Senior Policy Analyst.  Chris holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in Ethics, Peace and Global Affairs from American University, and is currently pursuing an M.A. in International Science and Technology Policy from The George Washington University.

Subcommittee on Research & Technology

Dahlia Sokolov, Staff Director

Dahlia joined the Committee as an American Institute of Physics Congressional fellow in October 2004 and joined the professional staff in July 2005. For the two years prior to joining the Democratic staff of the Research and Science Education Subcommittee, she served on the Energy Subcommittee working on nuclear energy R&D under then-Chairman Sherwood Boehlert’s (R-NY) leadership. Before coming to the Hill, Dahlia completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in the Radiation Oncology Sciences Program. Dahlia has a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Kim Montgomery, Professional Staff

Kim joined the Committee in January 2013 and serves as Professional Staff for the Technology Subcommittee.  Before joining the Committee, Kim was a Legislative Assistant for Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) where she covered science and health care issues.  Before coming to the Hill, Kim was an APA/AAAS Science Policy Fellow in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at the National Science Foundation and was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at Columbia University.  Kim has a Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Princeton University and a B.A. in Cognitive Science from Northwestern University.

Brystol English, Professional Staff

Brystol joined the Committee in February 2011.  She focuses on transportation R&D, small business innovation, and U.S. competitiveness, including international standards for the Technology Subcommittee.  She also works with the Research Subcommittee on issues relating to international science and technology cooperation.  Prior to joining the Committee, she served as a Special Assistant in the personal office of Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and before coming to the Hill she consulted on transportation issues as they relate to international trade and goods movement, economic development, the environment, security and emerging technology.  Brystol received a J.D. and Certificate in Comparative and International Law from The Catholic University of America and holds a B.A. in Political Science and French from Austin College.  

Subcommittee on Space 

Pamela Whitney, Professional Staff

Pamela Whitney serves as Professional Staff on the Space Subcommittee. In her former position as Senior Program Officer at the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council, National Academies, she directed studies and workshops on international cooperation in space, Earth remote sensing, Mars planetary protection, space policy, astronomy science centers, among other space technology and research topics. Pamela also served as the Executive Secretary of the U.S. national committee to the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) of the International Council for Science (ICSU). She held previous positions as an analyst at the aerospace consulting firm CSP Associates, Inc., and as a researcher and writer for Time-Life Books, Inc. Pamela holds a B.A. in Economics from Smith College and an M.A. in International Communication from American University. She is a member of Women in Aerospace and a member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

Allen Li, Professional Staff

Allen serves as Professional Staff on the Space Subcommittee. He joined the Subcommittee in January 2008 after retiring from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in May 2007. As Director of GAO’s Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team, Allen led GAO’s work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and reviewed numerous defense acquisition programs. He also served as the Team’s Director for Operations, managing day-to-day activities of a geographically dispersed group. During his career at GAO, Allen also served as Associate Director in GAO’s Energy, Resources, and Science Issue Area; and Associate Director of the Transportation Issue Area, where he specialized in aviation safety and air traffic control modernization. During his tenure at GAO, he testified numerous times before Senate and House Committee and Subcommittees on civil and military issues such as the International Space Station and the F-22. Allen was selected for GAO’s Senior Executive Service in 1993. He holds a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland and is a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Subcommittee on Oversight

Dan Pearson, Staff Director

Dan has been with the Committee since 1991. He manages oversight and investigations for the Democratic staff. He served as Staff Director of that Subcommittee during the 111th Congress and from 1993 to 1995 during the 103rd Congress. In the interim, he carried a variety of issues at different times including policy coordination, budget analysis, appropriations work, Member services work, press spokesman and oversight coordinator. Dan started on the Hill as a Legislative Assistant in the office of Rep. George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA). Before coming to Washington, Dan earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle and served on the faculty of Whitman College.

Douglas S. Pasternak, Chief Investigator

Doug is a former Emmy award-winning investigative reporter/producer who spent nearly two decades uncovering waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement at federal agencies – primarily within the national security arena – including the Departments of Energy, Justice, Defense and Homeland Security, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Central Intelligence Agency and National Reconnaissance Office. As an investigative reporter at U.S. News & World Report magazine he was twice nominated for the National Magazine Award, the magazine industry’s highest honor.  In 2006, Doug came to the Committee from the Investigative Unit at NBC Nightly News where he broke several major investigative stories, including FEMA's mishandling of ice shipments to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Defense Department’s domestic intelligence collection efforts in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  His stories have resulted in investigations by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Inspector General’s Offices at the Departments of Justice and Defense and congressional oversight hearings.  Since joining the Committee, Doug has led investigations regarding public health and safety issues at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  He has also led investigations regarding security related issues and program mismanagement at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amongst many other issues.  Doug has a B.A. degree in Political Science from The American University in Washington, D.C. and has studied in Israel and Poland.