Litchfield, MN – As swearing-in day nears, Congresswoman-elect Michelle Fischbach released the following statement to announce her staff for both her Washington, D.C. and Minnesota Seventh Congressional District offices:
“In the weeks following the election, I have worked hard with advisors to put together a team ready to get to work on behalf of Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District,” said Fischbach. “These individuals offer remarkable backgrounds with years of experience and strong Minnesota ties that will be vital to best serving our constituents. I am confident in our impressive team and look forward to working with all of them.”
“I am very pleased with the team we have assembled to work with Congresswoman-elect Fischbach to serve the Seventh District,” said David FitzSimmons, Chief of Staff. “Fischbach is ready to get to work for the people of western Minnesota and has assembled a strong staff to stand behind her.”
Office Locations and Staff Details:
Washington D.C. Office
1237 Longworth HOB
Emily Hytha, Deputy Chief of Staff
Emily Hytha is joining Fischbach's team as Deputy Chief of Staff. She comes from the House Committee on Agriculture, where she serves as Communications Director for both the Committee and Ranking Member K. Michael Conaway's Congressional office. Prior to her time with Conaway, Emily worked for then-Congressman Cory Gardner of Colorado, and got her start on Capitol Hill with the Congressional Western Caucus. She is a graduate of George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Nick Lunneborg, Legislative Director
Nick Lunneborg joins Fischbach’s staff as Legislative Director. Born and raised in Minnesota, he comes to the office from Congressman Tom Emmer’s staff, where he worked on agriculture policy and related portfolios. Prior to Congress, Nick worked at the Minnesota State Legislature for the House Agriculture Finance Committee, under then-Chairman Rod Hamilton. He is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.
Jake Schneider, Press Secretary
Jake Schneider joins Fischbach’s office as press secretary. He previously worked in communications for President Trump’s campaign as well as for the Minnesota State Senate. Schneider grew up in Pipestone in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District and is a graduate of Bethel University.
Sean Murphy, Legislative Assistant
Sean Murphy joins Fischbach's staff as a Legislative Assistant. Sean was born and raised in southern Minnesota and attended Bemidji State University. Most recently he was Political Director for Fischbach’s Congressional campaign. He was previously employed at the Minnesota State Senate where he worked for the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee under Chairman Bill Ingebrigtsen.
Meghan Plotz, Legislative Correspondent
Meghan Plotz is coming on as Legislative Correspondent. A fifth-generation Minnesotan raised on a sugar beet farm near Redwood Falls, she looks forward to continuing to work for the Seventh District, having previously served as Field Director for Congresswoman-elect Michelle Fischbach. Before joining Fischbach, Meghan worked at the Minnesota State House as a Committee Legislative Assistant for Government Operations and Elections. She is a graduate of South Dakota State University, Brookings.
Eleanor Traynham, Scheduler
Eleanor Traynham joins Congresswoman-elect Fischbach's office as Scheduler. She comes from the National Republican Senatorial Committee where she worked on the Independent Expenditure team as Operations Manager. Prior to her time at the NRSC, she served as Scheduler to former Congressman Sean Duffy of Wisconsin. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia.
Rieder Grunseth, Staff Assistant
Rieder Grunseth is a native of Afton, Minnesota. Prior to joining the office of Congresswoman-elect Fischbach, he worked as an assistant for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and Veterans Employment and Training Service. Rieder is a medic in the Virginia National Guard and an alum of the University of Alabama.
Seventh District Flagship Office
2211 First Street South, Suite 190, Willmar
Ben Anderson, District Director
Ben Anderson will serve as District Director. He currently works for University of Minnesota Extension as a Regional Director covering much of the Seventh District. Previously, he was Executive Director of the Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce, Administrator of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture for President George W. Bush, a Subcommittee Staff Director at the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture for U.S. Representative Gil Gutknecht, and a Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Norm Coleman. Ben lives with his wife and daughter on a small farm near Fergus Falls. He was raised on a farm near Stephen, Minnesota and has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.
Craig Bishop, Casework Director
Craig Bishop joins Michelle Fischbach’s staff as the Casework Director. He will oversee efforts to assist constituents in navigating personal issues with the Federal Government. Craig is a longtime resident of the Seventh District and the Hutchinson community. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and is currently the Chairman of the Seventh District Republican Party.
Calvin Benson, District Outreach Representative
Calvin Benson joins the Fischbach staff as District Outreach Representative for the northern half of the District. Recently he worked for the Fischbach for Congress campaign and the Republican Party. He has previously worked in municipal administration in Starbuck, Minnesota and is a graduate of North Dakota State University.
Cory Becker, District Outreach Representative
Cory Becker will serve as Fischbach’s District Outreach Representative for the southern half of the District. Cory is a sixth generation Minnesotan from Gibbon. He is pursuing a degree at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. He also worked in the Seventh District as Regional Field Director with Trump Victory.
