WASHINGTON, D.C. — After serving for three years as U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s chief of staff, Boyd Matheson, is stepping down and will transition to become a consultant for the senator’s reelection campaign. Allyson Bell, who has served as Lee’s administrative director since he took office in 2011, will take over as chief of staff beginning in January.
Lee reiterated his confidence in the commitment, talent and direction of his team.
Lee said:
For the past three years, my team has been doing the hard work and heavy lifting to roll out a conservative reform agenda, based on Utah values, to unite our party and restore the greatness of our nation. This change is a natural extension of our continuous effort to take that agenda around the state and across the country.
Boyd Matheson has led strategic initiatives for me going all the way back to the 2010 election. I appreciate his service to my office and the people of Utah.
“Serving as chief of staff for Sen. Lee has been an extraordinary honor and privilege,” Matheson said. “The senator has assembled a team in Washington and in Utah that is second to none. The state is most fortunate to have him as their senator. Sen. Lee is leading bipartisan efforts in the senate, including the USA Freedom Act, much needed criminal justice reform, patent reform, among many others, that make are making a real difference.”
Commenting on his new chief of staff, Lee said that Bell is respected and admired as a results-driven leader and that he looks forward to working with her in her new role.
“Her extraordinary execution on major projects, public events and innovative initiatives while serving Michael O. Leavitt in the Governor’s office, Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency have prepared and positioned her perfectly to serve as chief of staff,” Lee said. “Her ties to rural Utah and her leadership service to the business community will also help our continued outreach to the people of Utah.”
Bell said that what Lee is doing in Washington for the state is exciting and impressive.
“I have witnessed firsthand the way he is transforming the way Washington works and how his policy entrepreneurship is elevating the dialogue and direction of congress,” she said. “I am determined to help every Utahn see what he is doing for our state.”
Bell began working with Lee during his transition into the Senate after the election of 2010. She has been the office administrative director for the past five years. She has directed education policy for the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and Education First and worked as senior vice president at Nahigian Strategies, a public affairs and government relations firm in Washington, D.C.
Bell spent 12 years working for Gov. Michael O. Leavitt in Utah and Washington, D.C., with roles including director of scheduling and advance at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she coordinated travel and events in 40 countries and all 50 U.S. States to drive U.S. Health policy; director of advance, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; special projects, including the Governor’s Galas and Olympic events; and campaign manager for Gov. Leavitt’s 2000 reelection campaign.
Bell also worked as director of operations for Bailey Consulting leading insurance and tort Reform projects and developing political training programs for corporate clients.
She is a veteran of gubernatorial and senate campaigns in Maryland, Virginia, Nevada, Florida and Utah.
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