Inside the office of Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.): Ana Dru Ellis

Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J. 

Education: University of Vermont

Last job: Intern in the office of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)

Explanation you most often use when rescheduling your boss: “Unfortunately, the congressman will have votes and/or a hearing during the time allotted for your meeting … ”

Best scheduling trick: Not letting the requests sit, but scheduling as they come.

Most embarrassing moment on Capitol Hill: The congressman asked me to make coffee and I had no clue how to, because I do not drink it and therefore have never made it.

Interests outside of work:  Singing, reading, outdoor activities, horseback riding and cooking.

Ana Dru Ellis is new to Capitol Hill, having moved to Washington in January. But the relocation was an easy decision for the recent University of Vermont graduate.

“I had gotten involved with a political group, and having done that and through my classes, I realized I wanted to be down here and I really wanted to be part of the process,” she said. “I decided when I graduated I was just going to move down here and see what I could do.”

Though no one in Ellis’s family is involved in politics, she credits her mother, an editor and writer, as a significant role model in her life.

“She never let anything stop her, and she pursued what she dreamed of 
doing,” Ellis said. “Being able to juggle family life and what your passions are came from my mom.”

And while she may be new to town, exploring and getting lost in the city is a big hobby of hers. “I love it,” she said of Washington.

Getting used to Capitol Hill has been a little more challenging for the Vermont transplant, being surrounded by powerful and famous faces on a regular basis.

“It’s definitely intimidating, but I feel like I’m adjusting,” she said.

Only time will tell if Ellis’s aversion to coffee — a near-necessity for staffers working long hours — will diminish. Until then, she’s sticking with her favorite caffeinated substitute.

“Diet Coke,” she said, laughing. “Love Diet Coke.”

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