Congressional Spotlight Interview Series with Noah Sadlier

This week, we spoke to Noah Sadlier, Communications Director for the Office of Senator Pete Ricketts. 

 Can you outline your career journey and the key steps that led you to your current role as Communications Director? 

The age-old question for every young staffer on Capitol Hill is “comms or leg?” (I should also note people overlook operations is another option!) I had interned for two Lansing, MI-based public affairs pros at Michigan State University named Kelly Rossman-McKinney and John Truscott. They gave me my first entryway into the comms/PR world. I found my skillset and interests aligned closely with comms, given it left the door more open to the campaign world compared to the traditional legislative route. When I arrived on Capitol Hill for my first job in Fred Upton’s office, Kelly and John had flagged my name for Fred’s Comms Director at the time, Tom Wilbur. Tom gave me full access to the comms world in Fred’s office that summer, and the rest is history. I never really strayed away from comms; rather, I kept working on my skills and looked for opportunities, both on the Hill and on the campaign trail, to move up. 

Which policy areas or legislative issues are you most passionate about, and how do you stay informed and engaged in those topics? 

Having just addressed the comms vs leg predicament above, I will say personally I do find energy and environmental policy to be most interesting from the comms-side of things. Emerging issues like AI has also piqued my interest as of recent—particularly the national security implications of selling America’s AI technology to global markets, which Senator Ricketts has been a leader on in the Senate. 

Can you share a challenging or rewarding project that played a significant role in your professional development? How did you overcome the challenge, and what key lessons did you take away from the experience? 

There is nothing more existentially draining, yet professionally enlightening, than doing a campaign—or several—when you’re starting out in your career. And not a presidential campaign, but a purple-seat, rise-and-grind congressional race in the middle of the country. Having worked previously for four swing-seat members of the House, I’ve been exposed to many of the nation’s most high-profile campaigns that have had serious implications over control of the House. The experiences, skills, and strategic insights I’ve garnered from those campaigns weigh into my every decision on the Hill. Not only is every decision so critical when you’re on the campaign trail, but having the added pressure of knowing those mistakes will directly gain or cost votes crystalizes one’s decision-making abilities. 

I fear too few young Hill staffers are willing to go move out to Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, or Arizona to go work on a campaign anymore. But I always encourage young staffers to go at least do one campaign. The experiences and skillsets will stick with you forever. (And your friends and weekend life in DC will still be there when you get back!) 

In your role as Communications Director, effective leadership is essential for keeping the team aligned with messaging and communication goals. What strategies or techniques do you use to inspire and motivate your team, ensuring they remain focused on delivering the office’s objectives despite any obstacles? 

The reality is Capitol Hill is a grind. It requires you to work long hours, often sacrifice your social life, and get paid less money than the private sector might pay. But the tradeoff is experience. When working with my team, mentees, or the random staff assistant that reached out to get coffee and pick my brain, I always try to help them see the work they do through the lens of experience. The more reps they get, and the more skills they develop, the better their experience on the Hill will be. And that experience is currency down the road as you pitch yourself for more work, bigger titles, etc. 

Mentorship is a key aspect of leadership. Could you provide an example of how you’ve supported the growth and development of your team members, helping them enhance their communication skills and advance their skill sets? 

I always listen to my team to find out what skills they want to develop most—and then work within the confines of their respective role and responsibilities to expose them to more to the workload that reflects their interests. Sometimes it’s that a staffer wants to gain more digital experience, or maybe it’s working more directly with the media. Whatever that goal is, I try to help them get the experiences that will grow them in the direction they wish to pursue. 

The other key aspect of mentorship is availability—and I always try to make myself available to those who I’m mentoring. I’ve been the beneficiary of that among my own mentors (quick shoutout to Josh Paciorek, Luke Bolar, Paul Teller, and Saat Alety—specifically) who have always been there to pick up the phone or meet for quick coffee when I’m in need of counsel from a mentor. I equally try to always be available for a 10-minute phone call or 20-minute coffee when a mentee of mine has a question or is pondering a career decision. 

Word association, what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?  

Policy – Concentrated 

Networking – Consistency 

Writing Skills -Focus 

Working on the Hill – Chaos 

Leadership Connect – Helpful