 After the California effort, Shuler was appointed an IBEW international representative and moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in the IBEW's Political/Legislative Affairs Department.She was appointed executive assistant to IBEW President Edwin Hill in June 2004, making her the highest-ranking woman in the union's history.Shuler supervised and coordinated 11 of the IBEW's departments, including its education, research, political/legislative affairs, public relations, and workplace safety divisions.