Whitehouse Welcomes Monalisa Dugué as New Chief of Staff

Washington, DC – Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) welcomed Monalisa Dugué as the new Chief of Staff for his Senate office. Dugué arrives from the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, where she served as Deputy Chief Counsel since 2016. Whitehouse released the following statement:

“I’m thrilled Monalisa is joining us. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. She’s a proven leader, who shares my commitment to a rewarding and positive experience for the talented people on my staff. And most importantly, she understands that my office operates as a battleship, not a cruise ship, where we seek out the fights worth fighting.”

Dugué is a native of Nassau, Bahamas. She was the first African-American woman Deputy Chief Counsel hired by the Subcommittee, where she focused on issues of crime prevention and intervention, recidivism, and federal criminal justice programs. Dugué has crafted vitally important legislation – including House versions of landmark bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation that Whitehouse worked on in the Senate – and has won trust and admiration from both sides of the aisle in Congress. Prior to her policy work in the House, she worked in the courtroom with the Chicago’s Public Defenders office for more than a decade. She’s a zealous advocate and a thoughtful lawyer ready to help move the people’s agenda.