Alonso worked for Collins for seven years, where she handled a range of issues including, health care, energy, defense, foreign policy, trade, and taxes. She also served as a professional staff member for two committees, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Prior to Collins, Alonso, who is a native of Miami, Fla., worked for Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. and Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. She also twice served as an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe election supervisor in Bosnia.

Monument Policy Group stressed Alonso's bipartisan ties, noting that she was co-founder of the Senate Bipartisan Legislative Directors Group, a program that brings together senior Hill aides to foster bipartisanship.