Nathaniel was born in Boston on July 27, 1983, an only child to his delighted parents. After a move to the Cape when Nathaniel was four, he became active in sports and extracurricular activities.   In his school days he was an enthusiastic participant in Student Government and also served as Rotary Interact President. Through Rotary International Nathaniel was able to spend his Senior year abroad in Argentina: living, learning and traveling throughout South America.

While in South America, Nathaniel developed a strong interest in politics. His travels led to meaningful conversations with locals about international political climates and issues.  When he returned, Nathaniel continued to develop that interest by earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Massachusetts. As an Emergency Medical Technician he helped to pay for his education, and learned valuable life skills. In his senior year, Nathaniel again studied overseas, this time at Oxford University.

After six continents, countless lives saved, and a stint in a law firm, Nathaniel joined Representative Smizik’s office as a Legislative Aide in September 2007. With an extensive background in international relations, Nathaniel is pleased to be working with a community as aware of global issues as Brookline. He hopes to apply what he has learned at home and abroad to his labors, and to assist the citizens of Brookline with their daily issues at Beacon Hill and in the district. 

Ben Healey, who serves as staff director in the office of Representative Smizik, was born in Brookline and currently lives in a Jewish social justice house in Washington Square. Prior to coming to work for Frank, Ben worked for long-time social services lobbyist Judy Meredith as a network organizer on the Public Policy Institute's ONE Massachusetts project.

Ben graduated from Yale University in 2004, but while still in college he began serving the first of two terms on the New Haven Board of Aldermen. As the Elm City's first ward alderman, Ben served on the City Plan Commission, the city's Finance Committee, and – in his second term – as chairman of the Legislation Committee. During his time on the board, Ben worked on a variety of issues, from affordable housing to the city's energy policy, from domestic partnership legislation to improved labor standards for the employees of city contractors.

Upon deciding that the life of a Connecticut politician was not for him, Ben returned home to Massachusetts in 2005 to work on issues of electoral reform, thereafter serving as communications director for a statewide ballot initiative. He is thrilled to now be working for one of the smartest and most dedicated elected officials on Beacon Hill.