Janeese Lewis George
Ward 4 DC Councilmember
jlewisgeorge@dccouncil.gov • 202-297-0355
Janeese is honored to serve as the DC Councilmember for Ward 4. She is a third generation Washingtonian, a native of Ward 4, and a proud graduate of DC Public Schools. She grew up in a working-class family that instilled in her the importance of hard work, education, and public service. After graduating college, Janeese completed a year of service providing critical academic support to underserved students with City Year. She then earned her Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law and went on to work for Philadelphia’s first African-American District Attorney. She returned to the District to work for DC Attorney General Karl Racine as the Assistant Attorney General in the Juvenile Section of the Public Safety Division. Janeese and her husband Kyle reside in Manor Park with their puppy Sully. Janeese loves spending time with her family, reading, and mentoring.
Will Perkins
Deputy Chief of Staff
wperkins@dccouncil.gov • 202-316-7862
Contact for: Legislative and budget questions, especially on education.
Will serves as Senior Policy Advisor for Councilmember Lewis George. He is part of the legislative staff responsible for oversight, reviewing items up for a vote, and helping to draft new bills. Before joining the office, he worked at the Office of the DC Auditor and as a teacher in DC Public Schools and in a DC charter school. He spends his free time riding his bike, watching sports, and taking his dog, Dobby, for long walks.
Joanna Blotner
Legislative Director | Acting Chief of Staff
jblotner@dccouncil.gov • 202-288-8985
Contact for: Legislative and budget questions.
Joanna serves as Legislative Director for Councilmember Lewis George. She brings 15 years experience in local and federal public policy advocacy to this role, including leading one of DC’s largest recent grassroots campaigns to secure paid family and medical leave for all District workers. When the city reopens, you’ll most likely find Joanna volunteering her free time as an Insect Ambassador at the Natural History Museum. In addition to managing a broad legislative portfolio for the Councilmember, she is happy to assist with all constituent concerns regarding Brood X cicadas.
Aura Cruz Heredia
Community Engagement and Organizing Director
ACruzHeredia@dccouncil.gov • 202-812-4994
Contact for: Constituent services and other community matters.
Aura serves as Community Engagement and Organizing Director for Councilmember Lewis George. She joined the team from the world of higher-education, with a background in psychology and biological sciences. Aura works with residents across Ward 4 on issues primarily relating to housing, food access, and language accessibility, among others. Aura’s service philosophy centers community trust and people power — values she learned from an early age in her hometown of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. In her free time, she enjoys picking up new instruments, finding the best vegetarian grub in the District, and going to indie-pop concerts with her partner.
James Lewis
Constituent Services Coordinator
JLewis@dccouncil.gov • 202-286-6311
Contact for: Constituent services requests.
James, “Jim,” serves as a Constituent Services Coordinator for Councilmember Lewis George. Jim has a background in legislative, organizing, and constituent services work over the past six years in DC and in Pennsylvania. Jim has lived and studied in DC since 2012 and has grown to love the District, its people, and culture (especially its food!). He enjoys hiking in Rock Creek Park, discovering new restaurants and local bars, and growing tomatoes in his home garden. Jim is originally from Norristown, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. He now lives with his girlfriend and their cat, Sophia, in Lamond Riggs, Ward 4.
Eskedar Girmash
Constituent Services Coordinator
egirmash@dccouncil.gov • 202-531-8320
Contact for: Constituent services requests.
Eskedar (she/her) serves as Constituent Services Coordinator for Councilmember Lewis George. She joins the team from a background in federal health policy advocacy. Her health equity work ranged from strengthening Medicaid services, supporting reproductive justice movements, and advancing racial justice efforts. She is passionate about collectively creating a world where we are all free and cared for. This is the framework she leads with in organizing and community support work. Eskedar was born in Addis Ababa and is the youngest of four amazingly hilarious sisters. You can find her out in the community with DC Mutual Aid Apothecary, hanging at Malcolm X Park, or grabbing a new read at Loyalty Book Store.
Alex Taliadoros
Communications Director
ataliadoros@dccouncil.gov • 202-286-5268
Contact for: Press requests and questions related to our website, social media, and newsletter.
Alex serves as Communications Director for Councilmember Lewis George. He fields press requests, updates the office website and social media, and coordinates the Councilmember’s weekly newsletter. Prior to joining Councilmember Lewis George’s team, Alex led organizing and communications for the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, working to advance the rights of workers, immigrants, and tenants in the District. You can find Alex at your local pickup soccer game, exploring Rock Creek Park, or at a nearby folk concert.
Regina Friese
Administrative Assistant
rfriese@dccouncil.gov • 202-724-8052
Contact for: Office questions and administrative issues.
Regina Friese serves as Administrative Assistant for Councilmember Lewis George. She is a DC resident and has more than a decade of experience in customer service. She enjoys working with and meeting new people from all walks of life. Regina answers calls from constituents on a daily basis and helps redirect them to the appropriate person or resource if she cannot resolve an issue directly.
