Pappas Names Petri Chief of Staff, Thurman State Director
Senator-elect Chris Pappas has announced the first members of his Senate team, with Rachel Petri and Kari Thurman leading his offices.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in People
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Senator-elect Chris Pappas announced Rachel Petri as Chief of Staff and Kari Thurman as State Director in a November 6 release. Pappas is building the team in Washington, DC and New Hampshire ahead of assuming his Senate duties in January 2027.
Why it matters
The appointments set the leadership structure for Pappas's offices in New Hampshire and Washington before he takes office. Both appointees have prior ties to his campaigns, signaling continuity in his team.
The announcement follows Pappas's 2018 congressional race, which Thurman managed, and precedes his January 2027 start date in the Senate. No further staffing totals were disclosed in the release.
The players
Chris Pappas
Democratic Senator-elect of New Hampshire who previously represented the state's First Congressional District in the U.S. House.
Rachel Petri
Campaign manager of Pappas's Senate campaign, now named Chief of Staff for his Senate office.
Kari Thurman
Former First Congressional District of New Hampshire district director who managed Pappas's 2018 congressional race and is now State Director.
The details
Petri served as campaign manager for Pappas's Senate campaign and will now lead his Senate staff as Chief of Staff. Thurman, who previously served as district director for New Hampshire's First Congressional District, will oversee the state office as State Director.
Timeline
November 6: Staff appointments announced.
January 2027: Pappas assumes Senate duties.
Market Landscape
Incoming senators commonly staff their offices with former campaign managers and district directors before taking office, a pattern visible in Pappas's choice of Petri and Thurman. The move places his team in place months ahead of the January 2027 swearing-in.
For New Hampshire residents, the staff appointments determine who handles constituent casework and state-level outreach once Pappas takes office. Residents can submit resumes or input through the senatorelectpappas.org website.
The takeaway
Staffing decisions made now shape how constituents reach their senator once he is sworn in. Residents interested in roles or sharing input can use the official Pappas website.
What happens next
Pappas is expected to continue building his team in the coming weeks before assuming Senate duties in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage for context on leadership appointments in the business and politics sphere.
More information
Submit a resume or constituent input through the Senator-elect Pappas website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The National Herald.
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