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Bronwyn Lance (M.P.A. ’01) has worked in Congress for 18 years, but 2022 marked a homecoming of sorts for her.

Lance became chief of staff to Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican who’d just been elected to represent the 11th District in North Carolina. That’s where she grew up (outside Asheville) and where her family has lived for seven generations.

“It was such a great opportunity to come back to work for my home district congressman and help western North Carolina, which is my community, my family and my friends.”

As chief of staff for a freshman House member, she said, “We had to set up everything from scratch,” including office drapes and furniture. Lance describes the job as “everything everywhere all at once” – from working with Edwards to decide what legislation to prioritize to managing a $2 million budget.

“I’m thrilled she is our team quarterback,” Edwards said, “and the people of our district will benefit from her skill set.”

Before she came to Capitol Hill, Lance’s jobs included English teacher in Portugal, NATO consultant on humanitarian issues and columnist and editorial writer for The Virginian-Pilot, based in Norfolk.

At the newspaper, Lance got to know then-Virginia Sen. John Warner, who hired her as his communications director and speechwriter in 2007.

In the next 15 years, she’d serve in the same role for four other senators: Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). “They’re all very different, and they’re all very good at what they do,” she said.

Her previous experience helped. “A speech is just a column in verbal form,” Lance said. Her international knowledge also benefited her when Warner chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Chambliss led the Select Committee on Intelligence.

In the House, the pace is quicker. “You have a little bit more luxury of time in the Senate to delve into issues” because senators have longer terms, Lance said. Another difference is a minority of senators can stop a bill, “but the House is a simple majority, although there’s nothing simple about that.”

She said she’s grateful to have played a role in major laws like the overhaul of the GI Bill. More recently, she helped Edwards acquire a van, which logs up to 1,300 miles a month, ensuring strong constituent services. “It functions as his other district office,” Lance said, “and it gets a great reception with people.”