Sen. Bernie Sanders hires Iowa politics veteran Jessica Vanden Berg as senior adviser

Iowa politics veteran Jessica Vanden Berg will join the campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as his senior adviser for Iowa. 

Vanden Berg is a veteran of state Democratic party politics, beginning her career working for Rep. Leonard Boswell. She managed the campaign and served as a senior adviser to former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb before working as chief of staff to Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. She also ran Christie Vilsack's campaign for Congress and worked as deputy director of the Iowa Democratic Party during the reelection campaigns of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Sen. Tom Harkin. 

In late March, the Associated Press reported Vanden Berg met with a top aide of former Vice President Joe Biden to discuss the possibility of a "senior role" on his presidential campaign. Biden reportedly will announce his intention to run this week.

More:Iowa caucuses 2020: Bernie Sanders hires first Iowa staffers

More:In the massive presidential field, on-the-ground organizing in Iowa may make the difference

With the addition of Vanden Berg, the Sanders campaign will tout a team of 12 Iowa staffers.

"We couldn’t be happier to have Jessica joining our growing team here in Iowa. She has a long track record of working for successful statewide campaigns that have brought real progressive change to Iowa and across the country," Sanders' Iowa State Director Misty Rebik said in a news release. "I have no doubt her expertise and vision will play an important role in driving us to victory in next year’s caucus."

Vanden Berg is the founder of Maverick Strategy and Mail, a Des Moines based public affairs and direct mail firm, and recently helped found Emerge Iowa, a nonprofit that encourages women to run for office.