WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced personnel changes on her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee staff.

McKie Campbell will be departing as the committee’s staff director on Jan. 25. Karen Billups, currently the committee’s chief counsel, will be promoted to staff director. Pat McCormick, currently committee special counsel, will be promoted to chief counsel.

Campbell joined Murkowski’s energy staff as committee staff director in 2008. “I’ve been blessed in my life to have a number of good jobs, but this has been the best. The decision to leave a great boss and a great staff was extraordinarily difficult, and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t know that with Karen and Pat they will be in great hands. I will be forever in Senator Murkowski’s debt for giving me this opportunity,” Campbell said.

Billups has been with the committee since 2003, and has been chief counsel since 2008. She also worked for the committee from 1995-2000, serving as counsel, and later senior counsel, on energy issues and civilian and defense nuclear issues. “I’m honored with the trust the senator is placing in me. I believe it is a vote of confidence in all of the staff continuing the path McKie has set,” Billups said.

McCormick joined the committee in April 2011. He has been providing counsel on all matters within the committee’s jurisdiction and will be the senior staff member on electricity issues. Prior to joining the committee, McCormick was a partner at Hunton & Williams LLP, where he led the firm’s regulated markets and energy infrastructure practice.

“McKie leaves big shoes to fill,” Murkowski said, “but we’ve built a great team at the committee and I have the utmost confidence in Karen to lead the committee in the new Congress. She has unparalleled knowledge of committee history and issues, has worked extensively on thousands of lands bills and negotiated numerous energy issues. She is respected throughout Congress and has a firm grasp of Alaskan’s concerns and priorities. I wish McKie the best of luck in continuing his career dedicated to bettering our nation’s energy and natural resources policies.”