Inside the office of Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) with Jean Roseme

Jean Roseme

Title: Staff assistant

Age: 25

{mosads}Hometown: Pompano Beach and Miami, Fla.

Education: B.S., international business and finance, Florida International University

Last job: Senate Speaker, FIU Student Government Association

Legislative specialty: Foreign affairs (Western Hemisphere, including Haiti), financial services (housing), environment, animal rights, Indian affairs, natural resources and federal grants.

If you could create a new committee or subcommittee, what would it be?: House and Senate committees on equality. These committees would be tasked with reviewing laws and proposing legislation addressing inequalities faced by various groups in our society.  

Philosophy on phone etiquette: Listen carefully, assist as much as possible and defer to fellow staffers as necessary.

Most bizarre incoming call: I once spent 15 minutes listening to a constituent detail his invention.

Interests outside of work: Besides long walks on the National Mall, I enjoy sports, music, dancing, traveling, Web development, art, church and networking. Additionally, I review some of the greatest speeches in history and the complicated relationship between government and business. Also, I am a proud member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity Inc.

It was a break — lucky or not so lucky — that brought Jean Roseme to politics. The talented defensive end on his high school football team once dreamed of a sports career. But Roseme was permanently sidelined when he broke his leg during his senior year.

His career aspirations shifted when he joined student government in college.

“I really like doing this, I like helping people out,” he said of his entry into public service.

After graduation, Roseme interned for several Democrats, including working on President Obama’s Organizing for America campaign and for candidate Alex Sink during Florida’s 2010 gubernatorial race. After seeing that election go to Republicans, he decided to move to Washington to look for opportunities on Capitol Hill.

An internship in Wilson’s office led to a full-time job, and ever since then, Roseme has been happily focusing on his passion for foreign affairs, particularly issues related to Haiti.

“Both my parents are from Haiti,” he said, adding that he came to the United States around age 8. “I know what it’s like to be an immigrant, to have to work for everything and not having any connections and building them yourself.”

Roseme hasn’t ruled out the possibility of one day running for public office himself.

“What I want to do is to help people and to serve,” he said. “If that opportunity opens up, I think it’s right to always consider it.”