Mattie Harris
Legislative Assistant
Sen. Cynthia Lummis
Want to meet the Legislative Assistant who studied Arabic abroad for a year?
Oh, you should talk to Mattie Harris!
Starting on the Hill in August of 2023, Mattie was still working on receiving her PhD in Education Policy. Think about that the next time you complain about workload!
Originally, she saw herself working for the government in a different way – for the FBI or general intelligence community. But, when COVID happened and there was a hiring freeze, she was forced to consider other options and ended up going to grad school.
In her program, she was told that policy researchers often make a smaller impact, but working for a policy maker makes the most impact. Mattie shifted her direction, set her sights on the Hill, and the rest is history!
Now, she’s making an impact as Legislative Assistant for Sen. Cynthia Lummis.
“[Sen. Lummis] is a work horse, but she knows how to have a good time and really cultivates a fun working environment in her office … Every time I hear her laugh, it just makes me smile. She treats us like family,” Mattie says.
Her Backstory
🏠 Hometown: Springdale, Arkansas
🎓 Colleges & Majors: University of Arkansas
💭 Favorite Hill Memory: Getting to visit the state she works for! This past summer, Mattie was able to go to Jackson, Wyoming.
↪️ Keep reading to hear about Mattie’s thoughts on contentment, her time abroad in Jerusalem, and her C.S. Lewis fixation.
🔗 CNCT with Mattie about…
Hot take: “Celsius is so bad for you” 🔥
How her figure skating is going
The Iced Matcha Latte from Sisters Thai 🍵
Her favorite worship music
Grow Where You’re Planted 🪴
We all know that on the Hill there is an unspoken pressure to climb the professional ladder as soon and as quickly as possible.
👀 Look, Professional development is great and all, but it can be overwhelming.
“I think it's important to realize that the position that you start in is often not where you will stay … Focus on being content instead of, on day one, feeling like you need to climb the ladder,” says Mattie.
Starting out, Mattie admits that she felt uneasy at times – like she needed to perform a certain way to reach her ideal position.
🤔 Looking back, here’s what she now thinks: “I wish that I would have slowed down a little bit more and been more content along the way … I've been thinking a lot about how lack of contentment can also mean a lack of joy and happiness. Oftentimes, when you're content, you find yourself happier and healthier.”
So, when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the invisible pressure to keep moving up, take Mattie’s advice: Be content and grow where you’re planted.
❤️ Mattie’s Favorites
Coffee Spot: Maman
Bar: Bartaco
Lunch Spot: Founding Farmers
TV Show: Psych
Movie: Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Mattie’s Capitol Corner
🌮 Cafeteria Order: Taco Tuesday in Dirksen Cafe
📝 Best Out-of-Office Workplace: The reading room in the Library of Congress
👔 Hill Closet, Sponsored by: The TJ Maxx at Potomac Yards
💎 Hidden Gem: Quill & Crumb Cafe
☕ Hill Holy Grail: Coffee.
Studying Arabic Abroad
Mattie has always had a heart for ministry. In high school, she met a Palestinian Christian pastor from Jerusalem who encouraged her to learn more about the Arabic language and the Middle East.
Later, in her senior year of college, she got the perfect opportunity to make good on the pastor’s encouragement when she studied abroad in Israel for a year to learn Arabic.
“It was such an interesting experience to live in the holy city and learn Arabic in a place that has so much tension. I actually had the best time ever and I enjoyed interacting with both communities – the Jewish community, the Palestinian community,” Mattie says.
✈️ In the future, Mattie is looking to go to Egypt. She’s always wanted to see the pyramids and Nile. If you’ve been before, connect with her and share your thoughts!
📚 Mattie’s Reading List
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
Staffer Advice
“More important than my position or my degrees, I just want to make Christ known. That's what I want out of my life. And that's what I want people to know about me!”
-Mattie Harris