Inside the Office of The House Education and Labor Committee minority staff: Barrett Karr

Barrett Karr

Title: Staff director

Age: 38

Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

Education: B.A., international relations, Texas Christian University; M.A., legislative affairs, George Washington University

Last job: White House legislative affairs

Best thing about being staff director: Being back on Capitol Hill. I forgot how great it is to walk around the Hill on a daily basis and just see friends who you’ve known for so long.

Management style: Hire good people and let them do their jobs.

Top priorities in your current role: Always remember our first job is to listen to the American people and translate their needs and concerns into sound public policy.

Most embarrassing moment on Capitol Hill: Mine was actually at the White House, and it happened during my very first day on the job. I’d been strolling through the West Wing for a couple of hours, said hello to the president, shook the hands of several Cabinet members, and then I looked down to realize my fly had been down all morning. It was an appropriate time for a little humility and a good reminder for the rest of my time at the White House.

Interests outside of work:  Mountain biking and playing with our toddler.

It was a simple “good luck” note that brought Barrett Karr back to Capitol Hill.

Karr, who started her Washington career working for former Rep. Pete Geren (D-Texas) and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), was at home with her 4-month-old baby last year when she learned that Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) was being considered to become the new ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee. Karr, now the committee’s GOP staff director, had gotten to know Kline when she worked in the White House’s legislative affairs office. She knew of Kline’s background as a White House military aide who carried the nuclear-attack “football” for Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and she appreciated his respect for how the White House works.

So when she heard of Kline’s opportunity in the House, she carried her baby through the August heat to drop off a good-luck note to him.

“I became obsessed with dropping off a good-luck note to him, because I just thought that the nation would be lucky to have him as the ranking [member],” she said.

Kline got the spot, and when his chief of staff called Karr a few days later to ask her if she had any recommendations for a staff director, she paused before she answered, “Yeah — my name.”

“I wouldn’t give her any other names except mine,” Karr recalls, laughing. “I put in my résumé the next day, and I’ve been thrilled to be here ever since.”

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