Janet Cowell has named her senior staff.

The new state treasurer announced her top aides, including some faces familiar from the campaign trail and state politics.

* Special Assistant: Nick Byrne, deputy finance director for Cowell's campaign and former aide to state Sen. David Hoyle.

* Spokeswoman/Policy Advisor: Kerra Bolton, former newspaper reporter and spokeswoman for the N.C. Democratic Party.

* Chief of Staff: Ron Ottavio, retired Washovia employee and former acting president of the N.C. Free Enterprise Foundation.

* Legislative Liaison: Anthony Solari, former policy analyst for the state's Smart Start program.

* General Counsel/Senior Policy Advisor: Jay Chaudhuri, former special counsel to Attorney General Roy Cooper.