WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator John Boozman’s (R-AR) Chief of Staff, Toni-Marie Higgins, was named a 2026 Democracy Award recipient by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) for Chief of Staff of the Year.
The award honors Higgins’ role in building a strong team culture and a lasting standard of service within Boozman’s office on behalf of the people of Arkansas. The Chief of Staff of the Year recipient is selected by fellow Chiefs of Staff on Capitol Hill. The award recognizes tenured Chiefs who demonstrate exceptional leadership, strategic vision, staff development and service to the institution of Congress.
“Toni-Marie’s impact on my office’s work to represent and support Arkansans has been immeasurable and invaluable. She has served as a dedicated member of my staff since 2007 and we are inspired by her leadership, mentorship, tireless work ethic and effective advocacy. Year after year, she builds even stronger ties within our state while also making critical contributions to Congress, and the Senate community in particular. My entire team and I are very proud of Toni-Marie and agree she is richly deserving of this recognition,” Boozman said.
“Chiefs of Staff play a pivotal role in translating a Member’s vision into an effective, high-performing office. What distinguished Toni-Marie Higgins was her ability to build something lasting: a strong team culture, effective management practices, and a commitment to excellence that extends beyond any single Congress. That kind of leadership strengthens not only an office, but the institution as a whole,” said CMF’s CEO Jen Daulby.
The Congressional Management Foundation is the premier bipartisan foundation dedicated to strengthening the first branch of government. The Democracy Awards are CMF’s signature program recognizing the best in congressional non-legislative achievements.
Boozman’s office, comprising his entire staff on Capitol Hill and in Arkansas, received CMF’s Democracy Award for Constituent Service in 2018. The honor acknowledged the comprehensive manner with which it engages and supports constituents, in keeping with the senator’s unofficial motto to “use the power of the office for good.”
