FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2025

Chairman Murkowski Announces Indian Affairs Committee Staff for the 119^th Congress

New and Returning SCIA Staff Members to Serve the Republican Majority

WASHINGTON, DC –U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), announced her SCIA Majority staff for the 119^th Congress.

“Following my recent transition to Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, it is as important as ever to have driven and dedicated staff members to advance the needs of Native peoples, said Senator Murkowski. “Our committee staff is united by a shared vision: to work in partnership with all Indigenous peoples to improve, economic development, healthcare, education, economic opportunity, tribal sovereignty, and more. I’m excited for all the good work we have ahead.”

Amber Ebarb serves as Staff Director. Amber joined the committee as Minority Deputy Staff Director in 2021 and was then promoted to Minority Staff Director in 2023. She previously served as Legislative Assistant to Senator Murkowski, handling the Alaska Native and Rural Affairs portfolio. Prior to coming to the Senate, Amber worked at the National Congress of American Indians, where she led the organization’s federal budget and appropriations work and coordinated research on tribal policy priorities. Amber’s Tlingit name is Gin Du Tlaa and she is L’eeneidí, (Raven Dog Salmon clan). She was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She holds a master of public policy degree from the George Washington University and undergraduate degree from Whitman College in Washington State.

Lucy Murfitt serves as Chief Counsel. Lucy joined SCIA in 2021 and served as interim staff director in 2022. She previously served as the Chief Counsel for Chairman Murkowski at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR). Murfitt joined ENR in 2013, where she also served as public lands counsel, deputy chief counsel, and deputy staff director for public lands and natural resources. Prior to joining ENR, she served eight years as legislative counsel to U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), the Republican Whip, handling the energy, environment, and natural resources portfolio. She has also worked at the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University as its director of policy and partnerships and for the Department of the Army as a trial attorney and advisor to the Base Realignment and Closure Office. Lucy was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps. Lucy holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. in Philosophy and History from the University of Scranton. 

Jacqueline Bisille serves as a Policy Advisor. Jacqueline joined SCIA in 2014 and has handled various issues, including press, for three Republican Senators.  She handles a diverse portfolio involving health, education, Indian lands and cultural preservation issues. Before joining SCIA in 2014, Jacqueline interned for the late U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) through the Udall Foundation’s Native American Congressional Internship Program. Jacqueline is Navajo with most of her family residing in Tuba City, Arizona. Her maternal clan is Rock Gap People, her paternal clan is the Salt People, her maternal grandfather’s clan is Towering House People and her paternal grandfather’s clan is Red House People. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and its Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

Jocelyn Broman serves as Counsel. Jocelyn joins SCIA from the House Committee on Natural Resources (HNR), chaired by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). At HNR she served as Professional Staff on the Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee, covering the Tribal and Native policy portfolio. Prior to joining HNR, she served as Legislative Assistant to the late-Congressman Don Young (R-AK), where her portfolio included Alaska Native related policy, as well as telecommunications, budget, tax, and judiciary issues. She’s also previously worked for former Congressman Paul Cook (R-CA), former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). Jocelyn holds a J.D from Drake University Law School, where she received certifications in legislative practice and constitutional law and civil rights. She also holds a B.A. in politics and history from Marquette University, where she participated in the Les Aspin Center for Government.

Anna (Dietderich) Powers serves as a Senior Professional Staff Member. Anna joined SCIA in 2024, after working for Covenant House International, an organization focused on serving homeless youth and survivors of human trafficking, as their Associate Vice President of Policy and Advocacy.  She handles a diverse portfolio involving housing and public safety issues.  Anna first joined the Senate in 2015, serving in Senator Murkowski’s personal office for seven years handling issues affecting vulnerable populations.  Anna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Communication from St. Lawrence University and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Edinburgh.

Samuel Hiratsuka serves as a Professional Staff Member. Samuel joins the Committee from outgoing-Representative Mary Sattler Peltola’s office, where he served as a Legislative Assistant handling Indigenous affairs, housing, small business, food insecurity, and telecommunications policy. Prior to Representative Peltola’s office, Samuel served as a Legislative Correspondent for Senator Sullivan (R-AK). Samuel graduated with his bachelor’s degree from American University as a Policy, Politics, and Law Scholar in 2021. Samuel is Navajo and Winnemem Wintu from Big Bend Rancheria on his mom’s side, and Aleut from Ekuk on his dad’s side. Born and raised in Anchorage, Samuel maintains family ties to the Native Village of Ekuk, Big Bend Rancheria, and Fish Point on the Navajo Nation reservation. 

Hannah Ray serves as Communications Director.  Hannah joined SCIA in 2024, after working for Senator Murkowski as her Deputy Communications Director.  Hannah first joined the Murkowski staff in 2017 as a Press Secretary in the DC Office. In 2020, after her promotion to Deputy Communications Director she relocated to work out of Murkowski’s Anchorage office. Over Hannah’s nearly seven years of service in the Senate, she has worked alongside media outlets throughout Alaska and visited rural and remote communities in all regions to help communicate some of the greatest needs and opportunities of Alaska Natives. Prior to serving in the Senate, Hannah served as the Community Events Manager for the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Anchorage. Hannah has a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication in Public Relations from the University of Central Arkansas Honor College.

Katie Bante serves as a Health Policy Fellow from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Katie spent 10 years in Alaska, providing environmental public health services to Alaska Native communities; she has served in a number of federal departments and agencies during her career. Katie received her MPH in Disaster Management from Tulane University and has deployed in various roles to public health emergencies and other disasters.

Sarah McKinnis serves as a Legislative Assistant. Until December, she worked for SCIA as the Non-Designated Staff Assistant. Prior to coming to work in the Senate, Sarah lived in Anchorage and worked at the Alaska Children’s Trust through the Alaska Fellows Program. Sarah graduated from Yale in 2022 with a B.A. in Political Science.

Bryce Cluff serves as a Staff Assistant. Bryce joins the Committee from outgoing-Representative Mary Sattler Peltola’s office, where he served as a legislative aide assisting on the Indigenous peoples portfolio. Bryce received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from Texas Tech University and is currently an MLS graduate student studying federal Indian law at Arizona State University.