Claire Nardi-Riddle, chief of staff for Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), spoke to aspiring Georgetown students about the backstage world of politics, and how Sen. Lieberman’s presidential campaign has affected her responsibilities. As the first speaker for Georgetown University’s Women in Politics Opening Doors speaker series, Nardi-Riddle addressed a crowd of 30 on Friday afternoon, and spoke of her experiences in public service, offering words of advice and encouragement to women interested in similar career paths.

“We still don’t have enough women in politics,” Nardi-Riddle said, “We have to have a woman president soon.”

Nardi-Riddle, who served as a superior court judge and attorney general in Connecticut before working for Lieberman, spoke of her unique role as chief of staff for a senator who is also running a presidential campaign.

“When you see people in public office, we often don’t realize that it comes about by the work of many people,” she said.

She said her job often entails acting as a liaison between the Senate and the campaign, and ensuring that Lieberman’s image in both roles is portrayed accurately.

She and other staffers communicate with various media outlets to bring to their attention inconsistencies in their coverage of other candidates and highlight the attributes of Lieberman.

“There’s a whole world behind the world you see in the newspapers,” she said.

Nardi-Riddle described the long hours on the campaign as a “whole different world” from that on the Senate.

In light of the recent Democratic primaries, Nardi-Riddle explained the process of candidates earning delegates. She said that she felt the media doesn’t focus enough attention on elucidating this process to the public.

Candidates are awarded pledged and un-pledged delegates based on their performance in the primaries and caucuses, she explained, and a candidate has to earn over 15 percent of the vote to be awarded pledged delegates. But candidates gaining fewer votes can earn un-pledged delegates, so the race for the Democratic candidacy is currently anything but decided.

“The real challenge in this campaign is to distinguish yourself . [and] put your vision out there while making sure what the public wants to see happens,” she said.

She also spoke of her admiration of Eleanor Roosevelt as a strong woman leader, and of her leadership experiences with the YWCA during college that inspired her to further explore a career in politics and public leadership.

Nardi-Riddle advised anyone seeking political experience while at Georgetown to consider interning on Capitol Hill.

“It’s a great way to get a sense of the culture of the Hill,” she said.

Nardi-Riddle described the Senate as a “unique institution” where, due to its small amount of participants, everyone has to work together more closely than in the much larger House.

And although Nardi-Riddle has known Lieberman for over two decades, she encouraged women’s involvement in politics and political campaigns with any party.

“I’m just ecstatic if each and every one of you gets involved with any of the campaigns,” she said.

“She did a good job of keeping [the speech] non-partisan and offering some solid advice to women pursuing an interest in a similar career path.” Erin O’Connor (COL ’07), a board member of Women in Politics said.

Nardi-Riddle, whose daughter attends Georgetown, stayed and spoke casually with the audience after the speech.

Mollie Logue (SFS ’06), a board member of Women in Politics described the speech as “insightful.”

“It’s nice to know that women have options. Obviously, it’s a changing world,” Alexandra Vernoia (COL ’06) said.

Georgetown University Women in Politics plans to continue their Opening Doors series and bring several more speakers to campus in the coming months.

“It’s always good to introduce women in leadership positions,” Kate Henningsen (COL ’04), the president and founder of Women in Politics said. “That introduces in other women’s minds the fact that they can do it too.”