Cherry Blossom Princesses begin their annual reign

It’s peak cherry blossom season in Washington, and that means princesses are everywhere on Capitol Hill.

Cherry Blossom Princesses, who are chosen from across the country and U.S. territories by the National Conference of States Societies, serve as ambassadors for their home states during the annual springtime festivities. And there are plenty of congressional staffers among this year’s bunch of cherry blossom-themed royalty.

{mosads}Among the 14 women with ties to the Hill and repping their ‘hoods at the National Cherry Blossom Festival this year: Allison Tucker, a deputy press secretary to Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.); Victoria Lee, a legislative assistant for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.); Erin Collins, a staff assistant for Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), who says she dreams of serving as White House press secretary some day; and Rep. Elizabeth Esty’s (D-Conn.) legislative correspondent, Kelly Riddle, who dubs herself a “professional level scrapbooker.”

Rachael Soloway works as Rep. Dennis Ross’s (R-Fla.) staff assistant; Zellie Duvall is Rep. Buddy Carter’s (R-Ga.) legislative correspondent; Nicole Eldred, an intern for Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), adopted two baby elephants; outdoors lover Estephania Gongora, executive assistant in Rep. Raúl Labrador’s (R-Idaho) office, is a fan of fishing, hunting and hiking; and Sarah Weatherby, Rep. Roger Wicker’s (R-Miss.) legislative aide, says she aspires to one day become a “renowned actress on Broadway.”

Also among the batch of 2016 princesses: Molly Stevens, a scheduler and legislative correspondent in Rep. Frank Guinta’s (R-N.H.) office; Rep. Billy Long’s (R-Mo.) staff assistant Meghan McCann; Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) staff assistant Jasmine Wyatt; Shalimar Juan, an intern for Del. Pedro Pierluisi (D-P.R.); and Anna Shelby, the granddaughter of Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who says she’s “very proud to have served as a U.S. Senate page.”

“At a time when foreign diplomacy is critical, these women serve as role models who represent the best of their states,” Melissa Medina, the vice president of communications for the National Conference of State Societies — as well as a Cherry Blossom Princess alum — tells ITK.

The Cherry Blossom Princess Program, which dates back to 1948, boasts several lawmakers among its former titleholders, including Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.).