Rep. Schiff Announces Staffing Changes in Personal Office and Hires at House Intelligence Committee
Washington, DC –Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced staffing changes in his personal office and new hires for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). Michael Bahar will join the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as staff director, and Timothy Bergreen will join as deputy staff director. Replacing Bergreen as Chief of Staff in the Congressman’s personal office is Jeff Lowenstein, who currently serves as Legislative Director and Deputy Chief of Staff. Patrick Boland, who currently serves as Communications Director and Senior Advisor to Schiff in his personal office, will continue in that role and also join the Committee as Communications Director.
HPSCI Staff Director – Michael Bahar
Michael Bahar will join the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as Staff Director for the Minority. He previously served as General Counsel for the Minority Staff of the House Intelligence Committee. Between March 2010 and February 2012, he served in the White House as Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council Staff. While on Active Duty with the Navy Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, Bahar deployed twice, once to Afghanistan as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) to a Special Operations Task Force, and second to the Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa as the SJA to a naval strike group. In the Navy, Bahar also served as the Aide to the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy, as Deputy SJA to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, as Assistant Staff Judge Advocate to Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and as a Prosecutor. Prior to going on Active Duty, Bahar was a litigation associate in the New York Offices of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
Bahar grew up in New York and graduated from New Rochelle High School. He has a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University, an M.Phil in International Relations from Cambridge University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an LL.M. in International/National Security Law from Columbia University. Bahar has also been an adjunct professor at NYU and at the University of North Florida, as well as the Artistic Director of a non-profit theatrical production company. Bahar is married to Hannah Yelland, an actress, and together they have one dog (Henry), and are expecting their first child in April.
HPSCI Deputy Staff Director – Timothy Bergreen
Timothy Bergreen will join the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as Deputy Staff Director for the Minority. For the last decade Tim has served as Schiff’s Chief of Staff and foreign policy and national security advisor, and prior to that as Legislative Director. Before joining Schiff’s personal office staff, Bergreen was Special Assistant to the Director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, where he focused on U.S. policy towards rogue states, democracy promotion, and contingency planning for post-conflict and stability operations. He has also served as foreign affairs and defense legislative assistant for Senator John Breaux and in a variety of positions in the United States House of Representatives. In addition to his government service, Bergreen has practiced law in Palo Alto, California and has worked as a political consultant and policy advocate in Washington, DC. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Vassar College, an M.A. in Political Science from Stanford University, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Personal Office Chief of Staff – Jeff Lowenstein
Jeff Lowenstein will replace Bergreen as Schiff’s Chief of Staff. Lowenstein has been a member of Schiff’s personal office staff since 2006, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director. He previously served as a legislative assistant, and has advised Schiff on a variety of issues including intelligence matters, intellectual property, technology, and criminal justice. Lowenstein received his B.A. from Georgetown University in government and economics. He is originally from New York City and currently resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Lisa, and newborn daughter, Mariella.
HPSCI and Personal Office Communications Director – Patrick Boland
Patrick Boland will continue to serve as Communications Director and Senior Advisor to Schiff in his personal office, and also will join the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as Communications Director for the Minority in the coming months. Boland has worked for Schiff in his personal office for the past three years handling all media inquiries and advising on legislative matters. Previously, he served as an communications aide to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Rep. Scott Murphy (D-NY). He graduated from Colby College in Maine with a B.A. in government, and is originally from Pasadena in Schiff’s congressional district.