As Maine House and Senate leadership changes hands, there will be some different faces for key positions in legislative offices...

House speaker’s office

Rep. Hannah Pingree (D-North Haven) is the new House speaker, taking over for Glenn Cummings (D-Portland) who is termed out.

She is bringing on Jesse Connolly to serve as her chief of staff. Connolly served as her chief of staff last year when she was the House majority leader.

Connolly takes over for Bill Brown, who served for just a few months after Toby McGrath left to become the state director for President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign. Brown will stay in the office as a special assistant to the speaker.

Tim Feeley, who served as Cummings’ communications director, will stay in that role under Pingree.

House majority office

Reps. John Piotti (D-Unity) and Seth Berry (D-Bowdoinham) are the new House majority leader and whip, respectively. They take over for Pingree, who was elected House speaker, and outgoing whip Sean Faircloth (D-Bangor), who gave up his seat to make a failed bid for attorney general.

Travis Kennedy, who served as communications director under Pingree, will take over as chief of staff. The communications director slot is vacant.

House minority office

Rep. Josh Tardy (R-Newport) is entering his second term as minority leader, and Rep. Phil Curtis (R-Madison) is taking over as whip, after Rep. Robert Crosthwaite (R-Ellsworth) opted not to seek re-election.

There will be no major staff changes in this office. Alison Sucy will remain the chief of staff, and Jay Finegan will remain the communications director.

Senate President’s office

Libby Mitchell (D-Vassalboro) is taking over as Senate president for Beth Edmonds (D-Freeport), who was termed out.

Mitchell is bringing on Peggy Schaffer as chief of staff. Schaffer was her chief of staff when she worked as majority leader.

Schaffer replaces Rick McCarthy, who has gone to work for Maine Tomorrow.

David Loughran will be the communications director. He is taking over for Roger Fenn, who said he is not sure what he is doing next.

Loughran previously served as a spokesman for outgoing Attorney General Steven Rowe.

Senate majority office

Phil Bartlett (D-Gorham) and Lisa Marrache (D-Waterville) are taking over as majority leader and whip, respectively. They replace Mitchell and John Martin (D-Eagle Lake), who was termed out and went to the House.

Chuck Quintero is taking over for Schaffer as chief of staff. He previously worked for the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.

Michael Johnson, previously the communications director, will now be an aide in the office. They will share communications services with the Senate President’s office.

Senate minority office

Sens. Kevin Raye (R-Perry) and Jon Courtney (R-Sanford) were elected minority leader and whip, respectively, over the previous leadership, Sens. Carol Weston (R-Montville) and Richard Rosen (R-Bucksport).

Staff in this office will stay the same. Mary Small will continue to be the chief of staff, and William Thompson will continue to be the communications director.