Cassandra Butts —A campaign adviser and onetime law-school classmate of Barack Obama’s, she should have some savvy observations about the Democratic race.

Gordon Johndroe —A respected longtime aide in the Bush administration, he is taking on more responsibility in the West Wing and in the President’s foreign-policy conundrums.

Linda Singer —Does Adrian Fenty listen to anyone? The newly resigned DC attorney general has some insights.

Chartese Burnett —The front-office face of the Nationals has also worked with the NBA and NFL and should have some inside skinny on the new stadium and the Super Bowl.

Gerald Connolly —The Fairfax County executive is weighing whether to run for Tom Davis’s House seat. That path probably appears easier than building a Tysons Metro tunnel.

Kerry Brougher —The Hirshhorn curator has a new multimedia exhibit, “The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image,” opening in mid-February.

Jeff Porro —The Washington speechwriter’s work gave rise to the new Denzel Washington movie The Great Debaters and helped earn a Golden Globe nomination.

Nekos Brown —The Hokies’ defensive end played well in Virginia Tech’s Orange Bowl loss, but Washingtonians might recognize the Brandywine native as a son of Chuck Brown, inventor of go-go.

This article can be found in the February 2008 issue of The Washingtonian.