Secretary of State Karen Handel Announces Senior Staff

Atlanta -- Secretary of State Karen Handel today announced the following senior staff appointments: Rob Simms, Deputy Secretary of State; Shawn Ellen LaGrua, Inspector General; and Vicki Gavalas, Director of Communications. Karen was sworn in today as the first Republican Secretary of State in 130 years.

"This team brings experience, new ideas, and depth to the Secretary of State's office," Handel said. "I'm excited to work with these talented individuals as together, we serve the people of Georgia."

As Deputy Secretary of State, Rob Simms will manage the day-to-day operations of the entire agency, including the 12 departments and nearly 450 employees.

Currently, Rob is a partner at Massey & Bowers, an Atlanta-based public affairs and consulting firm. He served as an advisor to Karen's campaign for Secretary of State, as well as her campaign for Fulton County Chairman. Simms was also appointed as a member of the Finance Committee for Governor Sonny Perdue's 2006 re-election campaign.

Prior to joining Massey & Bowers, Rob was the Director of Government Affairs for the Atlanta Apartment Association. He has also served as the Chief of Staff of former Fulton County Chairman Mike Kenn and was a Vice President of Creative Direct LLC, a political consulting firm in Richmond, Virginia. A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Rob is a graduate of George Mason University. He is married to the former Danielle Barfield and they live in Atlanta.

The Office of Inspector General for the Secretary of State is a newly created position. As the Secretary of State's Inspector General, Shawn LaGrua will oversee and coordinate all of the investigatory functions of the Secretary of State's office, including those concerning complaints of voter and securities fraud.

Appointed in 2004 by Governor Sonny Perdue, Ms. LaGrua currently serves as the Solicitor General for DeKalb County where she has tackled some of the County's biggest problems, including truancy, domestic violence and animal cruelty. Her distinguished career as a prosecutor also includes nearly 15 years in both the DeKalb and Fulton County District Attorneys Offices as an Assistant District Attorney and Chief Senior District Attorney respectively. She also serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Center for Children and is a popular speaker, instructor and guest commentator on Court TV and the Layman's Lawyer.

Shawn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia in 1984 and earned her Juris Doctor in 1987 from Georgia State University's College of Law. Shawn and her husband, Christopher Beanland, live in Decatur with their two dogs.

As Director of Communications, Vicki Gavalas will assume responsibility for the Press Office, Constituent Services, and Public Outreach/Education.

A native Atlantan, Ms. Gavalas has nearly 25 years experience in government public relations and communications. She is currently the Director of Communications for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Under her leadership, the Office of Communications has grown into a comprehensive unit including media relations, marketing, public outreach, and community awareness. The office has received many top local and national awards for successful advertising, marketing and community awareness campaigns. Ms. Gavalas has also served as the Media Relations Manager for the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and Director of Public Information with the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Vicki is a 1981 Cum Laude graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. She and her husband, George, have two sons, John Paul, a UGA freshman, and Demetrios, a Tucker High School Sophomore.