Why She Matters

Pellegrino works on health care for the most-watched senator in the health-care reform debate, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe.

Pellegrino, who has worked for Snowe since 2005, focused primarily on women's and child and family issues, and was also in charge of Medicare and Medicaid. Since the health-care debate kicked off in earnest, she's been focusing most of her attention on the new proposals, working with adviser Bill Pewen to help Snowe exert her outsize influence on the healthcare bill.

Before working in Snowe's office, the Pellegrino was a staff assistant for Connecticut Rep. Rob Simmons (R) who plans to challenge Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) in 2010.