Rep. Mike Levin Announces Senior Staff Promotions
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) announced senior staff promotions ahead of the planned departures of Chief of Staff Kara Van Stralen and District Director Francine Busby. Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director Jonathan Gilbert will replace Kara Van Stralen, who is joining Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s office in Denver as Policy Director. Deputy District Director Kyle Krahel-Frolander will replace Francine Busby. Senior Legislative Assistant Faith Williams will now serve as Legislative Director, and the Deputy District Director duties will be split between Director of Constituent Services Shannon Bradley and Lead Orange County District Representative Terry Van Horne. The changes will take effect in early October.
“I am excited to announce the promotion of long-time staff members, Jonathan Gilbert and Kyle Krahel-Frolander, who will serve as Chief of Staff and District Director, respectively. Thanks in part to their service, we have been able to secure significant federal funding for the district, resolve hundreds of constituent casework issues, and advance important public policy for our environment, infrastructure, and many other issues. I know our constituents will continue to be well-served under their leadership,” said Rep. Levin. “I am deeply grateful for Kara van Stralen’s leadership and counsel as my first Chief of Staff, which has been critical to my success in serving California’s 49th Congressional District, and she will be deeply missed. I’m also very thankful for Francine Busby’s many years of service to our region – she is a tremendous asset in our Southern California community, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in a different capacity on behalf of North County San Diego and South Orange County families.”
Jonathan Gilbert has served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in various roles since 2013. As Legislative Director for Rep. Levin since 2019, Jonathan has primarily covered energy and environmental issues, leading efforts to address the spent nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and advance clean transportation and energy legislation. With his assistance, Rep. Levin and his San Diego colleagues were able to secure $300 million in the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement to mitigate pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
Kyle Krahel-Frolander has served in Rep. Levin’s office since 2019 as a lead liaison between constituents and the office, managing a wide range of work to provide strong services for people in the 49th District. Over the course of his time in the office, the staff have helped more than 1,750 constituents resolve issues with federal agencies, saving them more than $8 million total. Kyle has also served in various capacities for the City of Oceanside.
Faith Williams has served in Rep. Levin’s office since 2019, most recently as a Senior Legislative Assistant covering veterans’ issues, health care, housing, and several other policy areas. With her guidance, Rep. Levin has introduced dozens of bipartisan bills and amendments to support veterans that have passed the House, including 16 bipartisan bills for veterans that have been signed into law. She also has previous legislative experience in the House and with an advocacy organization.
###