Shaheen Announces Senior Staff Change

**Longtime Chief of Staff to Depart, Former Top Aide Returning to the Office**

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today announced that her longtime Chief of Staff, Maura Keefe, will be leaving the Senate office for the private sector at the end of February. Keefe has been with Shaheen since she was first elected to the Senate in 2008. 

“Maura’s management of my office has been an incredible asset as we’ve worked together to improve the lives of Granite Staters,” said Shaheen. “I’m going to greatly miss her daily doses of wisdom and wit. Her counsel has always been invaluable to me and I can’t thank her enough for her dedicated service.”

“Working for Senator Shaheen and for my home state for the last 10 years has been the great joy and privilege of my professional career,” said Maura Keefe. “Jeanne Shaheen is the consummate public servant – hardworking, dedicated, serious and passionate.  These same qualities permeate the Shaheen staff in New Hampshire and Washington.  I’m proud to have been a member of such a stellar team.” 

Keefe is also Chair of the weekly Democratic Chiefs of Staff meeting in the Senate, is on the steering committee for the Bipartisan Chief of Staff group, and in 2015, National Journal named her one of the “20 Most Powerful Women Staffers on Capitol Hill.”

Replacing Keefe as Chief of Staff will be Chad Kreikemeier, a Shaheen and Obama Administration alum who has most recently been employed by the Senate Intelligence Committee.  Kreikemeier served as Shaheen’s foreign policy and defense advisor from 2009-2013, then served in senior roles at both the State Department and the Obama White House. 

“I’m thrilled to have Chad rejoining my office,” said Shaheen. “I know from his previous stint on my staff that he has tremendous depth of knowledge and experience that will be instrumental in helping me serve New Hampshire. I’m very excited for the work ahead!”