Feshbach began going by the name Rodriguez, her second husband. Scientology official Sea Org In 1994, Feshbach joined the Sea Org, a division within the organization. 3 News characterized the Sea Org as "Scientology's senior management". In their book Cults and New Religions, Douglas E. Cowan and David G. Bromley wrote, "Described by the Church as 'a fraternal religious order,' members of the Sea Org 'occupy the most essential and trusted positions in the senior churches in the Scientology hierarchy'." The Sea Org has been described as a paramilitary organization and as a private naval force, having operated several vessels in its past and displaying a maritime tradition. Some ex-members and scholars have described the Sea Org as a totalitarian organization marked by intensive surveillance and a lack of freedom. Rolling Stone notes, "Sea Org members staff all of the senior ecclesiastic positions in the church hierarchy". As of 2010, there were 5,000 members in the Sea Org. Feshbach told the Associated Press, "When you sign up as a Sea Org member, you're signing up as a member of a religious order. You're a volunteer. You sign a contract that says, 'I'm not going to be paid minimum wage and I know that.'" As part of her ascent within the church's hierarchy, Feshbach completed multiple paid Scientology courses including "Security Checker Internship," "False Purpose Rundown Auditorship" and "Clear Certainty". In 2005, MSNBC characterized Feshbach as a "Senior Scientologist", and Fox News Channel called her "a high-level Scientologist" within the organization. In 2006, MSNBC described Feshbach as "a high-level Scientology practitioner and member of the church's influential Feshbach family". Assistant to Cruise and Holmes Feshbach soon began working as an assistant to Scientologist actor Tom Cruise. In April 2005, she transferred from her Sea Org duties to serve as a personal "handler" to his then-fiancée, Katie Holmes. Soon after beginning her relationship with Cruise, Holmes fired her long-time manager and agent, and Feshbach became her new "best friend". Feshbach tutored Holmes in Scientology methodologies, traveled with Holmes when the actress was interviewed during publicity events. In one cover story for W Magazine, journalist Robert Haskell wrote that Feshbach "was described to me as Holmes's 'Scientology chaperone' and it was clear that she would be on hand during our interview despite my protests." Holmes simply characterized Feshbach as her best friend, and Feshbach said the same. During the interview, however, Feshbach intervened