Jackie Barber, a South Dakota native from Onida, has been appointed Secretary of the U.S. Senate by Republican Sen. John Thune.
She previously served as the director for the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and has held key roles in various Senate and House committees, including the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition & Forestry.
Barber will be responsible for maintaining legislative records, including minutes, calendars, debates, bills, and amendments, as well as handling official messages between the president and the House of Representatives.
Barber is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, where she earned a business administration degree in 2001 and a Juris Doctor in 2006.
USD Knudson School of Law Dean Neil Fulton praised her appointment, highlighting the practical skills instilled in law school students. Barber is the eighth woman and second person from South Dakota to hold the position.
She follows Sonceria Ann Berry, the first African American to serve as Secretary of the Senate.