Dempsey new legislative director for Barrasso
SHERIDAN (WNE) — U.S. Senator John Barrasso announced that Erin Dempsey – a Wyoming native and Cheyenne Central High School graduate – has been named his new legislative director. Dempsey will oversee Barrasso’s entire legislative agenda and manage his healthcare portfolio.
Dempsey replaces Barrasso’s former legislative director and longtime foreign policy advisor, Amber Bland. Amber, a Laramie High School graduate, is now the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Dempsey is a nationally recognized healthcare policy leader with nearly three decades of experience shaping consequential healthcare legislation. Her career in the U.S. Senate began in Senator Craig Thomas’ office in 1999. Erin quickly rose through the ranks, serving in senior roles in Sen. Barrasso’s office, the Republican Policy Committee, and the Senate Committee on Finance.
“Erin is one of the sharpest policy advisors in the country. I’m thrilled she is coming back to lead my policy team,” said Barrasso. “Erin has spent her career strengthening rural healthcare in Wyoming and across the country. I know she will continue to build on that success and deliver real results for the people of Wyoming.”
Dempsey most recently served as Deputy Health Policy Director on the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee. During her 12 years of service, staffing three Committee Chairmen, She was responsible for the Medicare Part A portfolio and monitored select policy areas within the Medicare Part B portfolio.
Dempsey was the lead staffer responsible for rural healthcare payment policy, and she drafted the Rural Health Transformation Program enacted into law as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act of 2025.
This story was published on August 24, 2026.
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