Jeremy P. Baker will take over as chief of staff to House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) after Alexandra M. Hughes departs at the end of this year, Jones announced Friday.
Hughes will step down at the end of the year and set up her own public affairs shop in Annapolis, Maryland Matters reported Friday.
Baker, a senior adviser and Hughes’ deputy, first began working for the speaker’s office in 2008 before leaving to work in Howard County government and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council in 2012. He returned as a senior adviser to the late Speaker Michael E. Busch (D) in 2015.
“Jeremy’s ten years in the Speaker’s Office has prepared him to make this a seamless transition,” Jones said in a statement. “Jeremy knows the members and the House well and will excel in this new role. His expertise on health and transportation policy in particular will be important in this upcoming session.”
Jones also announced additional reshufflings of staff on Friday: Matt Jackson will become deputy chief of staff, Sarita Williams will become Jones’ director of communications and Patrick O’Leary will become the speaker’s senior adviser.
And two new staff members will join the speaker’s office: Marty McGowan will serve as special assistant to Jones, and Rhonda Caldwell-Dove will serve as executive assistant.
In a statement, Jones described Hughes’ work in the speaker’s office as “invaluable” and described her departure as a loss for the House of Delegates, but she said Hughes “will continue to make an important impact on our State” in her new venture.
