Lackman, joined Specter's staff in 1991 as a legislative aide and served as his campaign finance director for the 1992 and 1998 campaigns. She left in 1999 to form her own political consulting business but returned to Specter's office as chief of staff in December 2001. Born in Washington, D.C., Lackman began her political career as a staff assistant and finance director for Sen. John Heinz after graduating from Radford University in 1977. In between Senate jobs, Lackman worked as a campaign fund-raiser in California, ran the 2000 Republican National Convention for the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee and was chief operating officer of conventions and meetings for the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Lackman is survived by her husband, Clyde H. Slease III; her mother, Anne L. Lackman of Middleburg, Va.; and three brothers and three sisters.