Nisha Ramachandran: Executive director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Many Hill staffers set early sights on a career in politics with clear designs for a life in Washington. Nisha Ramachandran is not among them. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native was nudged into a legislative fellowship a decade ago by a friend in a similar program who offered a simple message: "Just try it." "I stumbled...