Lynden Armstrong, Deputy Assistant Sergeant at Arms and Chief Information Officer, U.S. Senate
Lynden Armstrong has made a significant impact during his 28-year career with the United States Senate. Presently, he holds the position of Deputy Assistant Sergeant at Arms and Chief Information Officer. Throughout his career in the Senate, he has been instrumental in driving the Senate's digital transformation.
Lynden Armstrong started his career in the Senate with Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), where he rose to Deputy Chief of Staff in his over 13-year stint. Lynden was also well ahead of his time with the use of technology he pioneered in the Domenici office. His use of Microsoft SharePoint was innovative and a tool most congressional offices did not start to implement until a decade later. In 2004, during his tenure with Senator Domenici amidst a debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment, Lynden became a co-founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Allies Senate Staff (GLASS) Caucus. With a strong focus on the well-being and dignity of gay and lesbian Senate employees, the GLASS Caucus provided a sanctuary for both professional development and meaningful social interaction. Lynden moved to be Chief Clerk at the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, then moving six years later in 2014 to the Sergeant at Arms CIO organization, where he has served nine years. There he established a new department within the CIO which was crafted to engage Senate offices in comprehending and harnessing technologies provided by the SAA. The aim was to enhance the efficiency of office operations and create a conduit for communication to identify challenges faced by Senate offices. This collaborative approach has led the SAA to develop or tailor technologies that effectively address these challenges.
One of Lynden's colleagues, Jean Bordewich, former Staff Director of the Senate Rules Committee noted this: "Lynden is a leader who does not seek credit for himself, but his deep understanding of the institution and its people consistently make the Senate better." Lynden Armstrong's legacy is one of nearly three decades of service as a Senate employee. His presence has been felt in two critical capacities, showcasing his adaptability and commitment to enhancing the Senate's operations and functions.
Kathy Dedrick, Democratic Staff Director, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Kathy Dedrick is the Democratic Staff Director for the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where she has served for over eight years. Kathy has worked in politics in Washington D.C. for over 25 years which started in the Office of Vice President Al Gore. Kathy's work has focused on economic development, infrastructure, and transportation issues during two separate tenures as a legislative assistant and chief of staff for Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR). This work continued during her time as professional staff for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and four years as the Senior Policy Director for Transportation with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Kathy took only a two-year hiatus from the hill to work as a senior advisor for the Economic Development Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She has held her current position since 2015 where she has continued vital work developing transportation policy and has been involved in the development and passage of legislation including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; multiple Water Resources Development Acts and Coast Guard authorizations; the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; the American Rescue Plan; the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015; the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018; the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016; and the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018.
"Kathy Dedrick has been a force on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee," said Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA). "Kathy's leadership has been essential to reaching unlikely compromises, defying partisan gridlock and creating an environment where public servants thrive. As a result, more Americans have safer roads, bridges and airplanes, cleaner water, improved transit and an overall better quality of life. Congratulations to Kathy on this well-deserved award!"
