Murkowski Welcomes New Hire and Summer Interns to Committee Staff

June 22, 2018

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that Michelle Toohey has joined her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee staff. She also welcomed four interns who are assisting the committee with various projects this summer: Alexandra Bender, Selia Butler, Kaiwi Eisenhour, and Michael McCambridge.

“Michelle is a valuable addition to our team. She brings decades of public affairs and policy experience from her time in the Alaska Governor’s office and in the Alaska State Legislature, and she will play a key role in promoting the committee’s work to advance energy and resources policies for Alaska and the nation,” Murkowski said. “I’m also excited to welcome our four talented summer interns—their enthusiasm and fresh perspective are bringing new ideas to the table as we work to address our nation’s energy challenges.”

Toohey joins the communications team as senior writer and advisor after working as an independent public affairs consultant in Alaska for the past three years. Prior to that she was chief of staff for former Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and deputy press secretary for former Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell. Toohey also served as the director of public relations and advocacy at the American Lung Association of Alaska, and as a legislative aide for seven years in the Alaska State Legislature. Toohey is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, and earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Central Washington University. 

Bender, a legal intern, is pursuing a law degree at Northeastern University School of Law. She graduated with honors from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science in environmental geoscience and a Bachelor of Arts in economics. Bender is originally from Snohomish, Wash.

Butler, a legal intern, is pursuing a law degree at Regent University School of Law. She graduated with honors from Thomas Edison State University with a bachelor’s degree in history and English. Butler is from Kenai, Alaska.

Eisenhour, a college intern, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Weber State University. He was born in Alaska and raised in Anahola, Kauai in Hawaii, where he graduated in 2015 from Kapaa High School.

McCambridge, a legal intern, is pursuing a law degree at Harvard Law School. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a minor in mathematics. McCambridge is from Anchorage, Alaska, and graduated from West Anchorage High School in 2008.