Where Digital Strategy Meets Financial Policy
This week, we spoke to Caroline Brigham, Digital Director & Press Secretary for the House Financial Services Committee.
Can you outline your career journey and the key steps that led you to your current role as Digital Director and Press Secretary?
I started out interning in the Texas State Legislature, where I handled administrative responsibilities and responded to constituent phone calls. It was my first real professional experience, and I’m extremely grateful for both the people I worked with and the foundational lessons I learned during my internship. That experience led me to an internship with AT&T Texas’ External and Legislative Affairs team, where I first began leaning into creative communications by making graphics and helping host events, in addition to working alongside AT&T’s lobbyists and supporting their day-to-day legislative agenda during the Texas Legislative Session.
Moving to D.C. wasn’t even on my radar until a week before my college graduation. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be, but after 23 years in Austin, I knew it was time for a change. A good friend who was already working on Capitol Hill encouraged me to take the leap and move to Washington, and she played a significant role in helping me choose a creative communications path instead of legislative work. I’m incredibly glad I followed her advice, and my subsequent roles on the Hill have allowed me to exercise my creativity every day while still engaging with policy.
After graduating college, I moved to D.C. just two days before starting my first full-time role as a Press Assistant for a freshman House member. In that role, I found my first mentor, who helped me grow professionally and develop confidence on the Hill. I still frequently go to her for advice, even though she left the Hill almost two years ago. Less than a year later, I moved to the Conference Vice Chair’s office to serve as Press Secretary. Both roles were instrumental in my development, learning from incredibly talented women with extensive Capitol Hill experience, while refining and expanding my graphic design skills.
Now, I work for the Financial Services Committee, where I started as Digital Director and have recently taken on the dual role of Digital Director and Press Secretary. I genuinely enjoy my work on the Committee, especially the fact that no two days look the same. Everyone has been incredibly supportive in helping me reach my full potential, constantly pushing me to grow and sharpen my skills in graphic design, video filming and editing, and writing.
Which policy areas or legislative issues are you most passionate about within the committee’s scope, and how do you stay informed and engaged in those specific areas?
I particularly enjoy my work that intersects with the Committee’s responsibilities on international finance and national security. I’ve been lucky to be able to write and learn about a multitude of issues and narrow down what I’m most passionate about through my work experience. I am currently getting my master’s degree in national security and intelligence, so I like to find the intersection between economic policy and foreign affairs, especially in regard to illicit finance, economic security, and how the U.S. financial system functions as one of our strongest foreign policy tools. Fintech and crypto are also major focuses for me as these systems are ever evolving and our government must take charge in ensuring the safety of our nation’s financial system. Getting my master’s degree in national security and intelligence pushes me to think about these issues in terms of threats, incentives, and real-world consequences because economic security at home is what makes everything else possible.
Can you describe a challenging or rewarding project you’ve worked on as a committee staffer that significantly impacted your professional growth? How did you navigate the challenges, and what did you learn from the experience?
One of the most challenging and rewarding projects I worked on as a committee staffer was helping shape the digital and press strategy around some of our biggest legislative priorities, including the CLARITY Act. Around this time, I really began to develop my own graphic design style and translate that into a cohesive visual identity for the Committee moving forward. That process was both creative and strategic, and every design choice had to support the policy goal and resonate with our audience and policymakers. A major challenge was building consistency while still moving quickly in a fast-paced legislative environment. In particular, these graphics were some of our most shared and liked posts to date which was incredibly rewarding and pushed me to take ownership of the Committee’s creative direction.
In your role as Digital Director and Press Secretary, effective leadership is essential for keeping the team aligned with messaging and communication goals. What strategies or techniques do you use to inspire and motivate your team, ensuring they remain focused on delivering the committees’ objectives despite any obstacles?
I really like to focus on the relationships I have with my team members to ensure transparency and trust with the comms team. Clear expectations and defined deadlines help reduce friction, which allows creativity and good judgment to thrive under pressure. I also encourage collaboration across comms and policy staff so we can ensure we’re hitting all legislative and audience targets while being factually correct.
In your view, what sets working on a congressional committee apart as a unique experience on Capitol Hill, and how do you navigate the specific challenges that come with it in your daily work?
Working on a congressional committee is unique because, instead of working for one member, you’re working for 30. You’re also getting to see where legislation moves through the debate and voting process. Aside from Committee hearings and markups, we continue to work on financial services legislation as it moves onto the House floor and through the entire legislative process. You get to help plan floor debate while navigating how to ensure clear and coordinated messaging with all Committee members. One of the biggest challenges is managing complexity with multiple workstreams, overlapping jurisdictions, and constantly changing schedules. Our team navigates that by staying organized, anticipating needs early, and maintaining strong relationships with Committee members’ staff. The pace can be unpredictable, so flexibility and quick thinking are essential.
Word association, what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?
Policy – Impact
Networking – Necessary
Writing Skills – Ever-improving
Working on the Hill – Exciting
Leadership Connect – Opportunity
