Deal names staffers, appoints department head

Governor-elect asks six executive department leaders to continue in current posts

Yesterday Gov.-elect Nathan Deal named positions on staff, as well as additional announcements on leaders who will continue their service under his administration.

Bart Gobeil, deputy chief operating officer

Gobeil, 37, currently serves as chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Prior to joining the Cagle's office, he served as director of government relations at AGL Resources, an Atlanta-based natural gas company and as the legislative liaison and public information officer for the Georgia Public Service Commission. He also worked on the staff of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell, first as Southeast Georgia regional representative and later as a legislative assistant in the Washington office.

Gobeil is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Atlanta.

Stephanie Mayfield, press secretary

Mayfield, 27, currently serves as press secretary on the Deal Transition Team. Prior to working on Deal for Governor's general election campaign, the Alpharetta native served in the Georgia delegation in Washington for more than four years, including time with then-Congressman Deal, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Congressman Tom Graves. She began her career in government with the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House. Mayfield is a 2005 graduate of the University of Alabama where she earned her degree in advertising and public relations. Mayfield is the second hire in Deal's communications shop.

David Cook, commissioner, Department of Community Health

Cook has served as the executive director and CEO of the Medical Association of Georgia since 2001. Cook came to MAG in 1995 as MAG's general counsel and director of advocacy. Since then he has been a leading advocate for physicians on the state and national level.

He established the Physician Institute for Excellence in Medicine, dedicated to helping physicians enhance their clinical practice and improve patient safety and serves on its Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Physician Advocacy Institute, the American Medical Association's Advocacy Resource Center and the Georgia Medical Political Action Committee. He has served as president of the American Society of Medical Association Counsel and received the American Medical Association's Meritorious Achievement Award in 2009.

Previously, Cook served as legal counsel to the state Senate Judiciary Committee and chief of staff to the President Pro Tempore, Nathan Deal, of the state Senate. From 1992 to 1995, Cook served as then-Congressman Deal's chief of staff in Washington.

Cook is a 1982 graduate of the University of Georgia School Of Law and a 1976 graduate of Georgia Southern University. He and his wife of 22 years, Beth, are the parents of two sons, Lowell, 22 and Andrew, 18.

Those who will continue service under Deal in their current roles include:

Rob Braswell, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Banking & Finance
Nancy Cobb, Executive Director of OneGeorgia Authority
Greg Griffin, State Accounting Officer
Kelly Henson, Executive Secretary of Professional Standards Commission
Susan Ridley, Director of Financing & Investment of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission
Teya Ryan, President and Executive Director of Georgia Public Broadcasting
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