By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO
DENVER — Three new legislative chiefs of staff will join other new staffers for the 2010 session when the General Assembly convenes again Jan. 6.
The newest is MacArthur “Mac” Zimmerman for the Senate Republicans. Zimmerman was a senior staff member during the 2009 session who was elevated recently to his new post. He’s a former legislative director and chief of staff for retired U.S. Rep. and former presidential candidate Tom Tancredo.
The other new chiefs were appointed during the off-session. They are John Cevette for the Senate Democrats and Jen Walmer for the House Democrats.
Here’s a roundup of other staff changes:

SENATE REPUBLICANS
Dan Njegomir, director of legislative initiatives, is moving on after five years to an as-yet unspecified position. Also gone is Joe Megysey, who took a job earlier this year with Denver lobbying firm Capitol Solutions. Rachel Boxer, formerly a reporter for the center-right website FaceTheState.com, succeeds Megysey. Returning from 2009 are Dustin Zvonek, who’ll continue to handle policy issues; Tera Arterburn, policy analyst; legislative assistant Lori Brown; and minority leader assistant Renee White.

SENATE DEMOCRATS
After the end of the 2009 session, President Brandon Shaffer installed John Cevette as his staff chief, succeeding Khadija Haynes.
Also new to the office for the 2010 session are Jack Wylie as a communications deputy; Jennifer Herrera, policy director; and David Archer, policy analyst; Erika Jensen Zierke, outreach director; and Kirby Francis, adviser to the president.
Returning are Abigail Vacanti, communications director; Zach Zaslow, senior policy analyst; and Makisha Booth, senior adviser to the president.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS
Melissa Baumgart is the only returning chief of staff from 2009. Also returning are Randy Hildreth, communications director; Jerry Wheeler, administrative assistant.
Athena Dalton, a legislative aide for state Sen. Ted Harvey, is joining the office.
Owen Loftus left as press secretary to work for U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck. His position will be filled shortly.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS
Jen Walmer, formerly executive director of the House Majority Project, started in her position in July. She succeeded Will Coyne, who left to create the private lobbying firm Headwaters Strategies with Adam Eichberg, formerly a lobbyist for Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter.
Returning to the office are Victoria Scott-Hayes, special assistant to the speaker; Jessica Bralish-Trevino, executive assistant to the majority leadership; Katie Reinisch, communications director; Holly Shrewsbury, deputy communications director, and policy staff David Oppenheim and Emily Arell. Arell shifted from an outreach job.