Starkville native tapped for HydeSmith's staff

A Starkville native with experience on Capitol Hill has been tapped for the staff of Mississippi's first female U.S. senator.

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, has named Tim Wolverton as her legislative director.

Wolverton, a native of Starkville, was most recently the military legislative assistant and senior policy advisor to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, for whom he worked since 2009 in a variety of legislative positions.

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Hyde-Smith to replace Cochran until the end of his term, after the longtime senator announced his retirement.

Wolverton's portfolio was focused on national defense, homeland security, FEMA, and economic development. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mississippi State University, in addition to a Master's degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Hyde-Smith also announced the rest of her senior staff, including chief of staff, deputy chiefs of staff, legislative director, and state director. Hyde-Smith was sworn in Monday.

Hyde-Smith has appointed the following to senior staff positions: Brad White, Chief of Staff; John G. Campbell, Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration; Daniel Ulmer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy; and Umesh Sanjanwala, State Director.

“I've assembled a team with a broad variety of experiences to lead my Senate office,” Hyde-Smith said. “I will promote a positive agenda focused on issues important to Mississippians. My staff in Washington and in the state will be dedicated to constituent services and the best representation for our state.”

White, a native of Braxton, was most recently Cochran's chief of staff and previously served as his state director. Prior to joining Cochran, White was chief of staff for the Mississippi Department of Audit, and chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party. He also held positions within the Mississippi Transportation Commission, the Mississippi Public Service Commission and the Simpson County Economic Development Foundation. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Belhaven University.

Campbell, a native of Greenville, was the Deputy Commissioner for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) before joining the Hyde-Smith staff. He previously held several positions within MDAC, including state entomologist and director of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Additionally, he was a biological science technician at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research center at Stoneville. Campbell has a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University and a Master's degree in business administration from Delta State University.

Ulmer, a native of Jackson, served as deputy legislative director for Cochran. Ulmer joined Cochran's staff in 2009 and held several positions including senior legislative assistant, legislative assistant, and legislative aide. His legislative portfolio was focused on agriculture, flood control, infrastructure, and banking issues. Ulmer has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi.

Sanjanwala of Madison has been Special Assistant to Hyde-Smith since 2012, and chief information officer for MDAC since 1997. He was previously director of information technology audits for the Mississippi Office of the Auditor, in addition to systems analyst for the Mississippi Department of Human Services and Mississippi Department of Public Safety. He began his career as an IT project manager with Entergy. Sanjanwala has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Mississippi College and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University.