LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Gwen Middleton, CAP, is the Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Department of Administrative Services (DOAS); responsible for supporting the Commissioner and his direct reports as needed, and serving as a liaison to internal and external agency customers. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Middleton served for nearly 30 years in various administrative support roles in the private sector and for non-profit organizations. Most recently, she was an administrative assistant to the Church of the Apostles Director of Women’s Ministry. She also worked for locally owned businesses, and in retail and commercial banking.

Paulette Petty serves as the Chief Financial Officer for DOAS. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Petty held the position of Assistant Director of Fiscal Services for the Department of Human Resources where she oversaw all fiscal functions. She has 14 years experience working with State agencies in the field of finance. During her service to DOAS, Ms. Petty has helped establish the development of a new state agency, Georgia Aviation Authority, and directed efforts to improve internal controls and financial reporting. Paulette earned a Mansfield Business College Diploma in Business Administration/Accounting, a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from DeVry University, and an M.B.A. from Keller Graduate School of Management.

John Barmann serves as Chief Information Officer of Information Technology for DOAS. He is an experienced leader with a strong background in both technology and business management. He has spent the majority of his 18 years in the IT field identifying the technology needs for organizations, designing solutions, and managing delivery. John has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Cleveland State University and has certifications in both Six Sigma and ITIL.

Roger Custin serves as Deputy Chief Information Officer and Sr. Portfolio Manager for the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS). He has extensive experience in private and public sector technology, security, human resources systems, process improvement and project management. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Custin served as a Project Manager and Senior Business Analyst in the DOAS IT Department. He also held the positions of Chief Information Officer and Division Director for Georgia State Personnel Administration, Area Lead for desktop field support at Hewlett-Packard, and Desktop Manager for AT&T. Mr. Custin has a Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality management from Florida International University and a Master of Business Administration from Clayton State University. He is certified in ITIL v3 information technology infrastructure, and as a business analyst and project management professional.

Patrick McKeon serves as the Manager of Organizational Planning and Performance within DOAS. He has been in his role since 2014, driving internal support for strategic planning, performance reporting, operations analysis, process improvement, and some non-IT project management. Mr. McKeon joined DOAS in 2012 after serving as the lead budget analyst for transportation and public safety, and later education agencies with the Delaware Office of Management and Budget. He has previously worked in several roles within Georgia’s state government including with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, Governor’s Office of Policy, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Mr. McKeon studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology for a Master of Science in Public Policy, where he previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. He earned certifications in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Lean Six Sigma.

Carla Gracen is the Director of Policy, Benefits and Compensation for DOAS Human Resources Administration Division. Ms. Gracen has more than 20 years of experience in human resources technology, most recently as Senior Director of Product Management with Automated Data Processing (ADP), Director of Consulting for HRM Product Management at CGI Group, Inc. and Senior HCM Product Manager for Ceridian, a global HCM software and technology company. Ms. Gracen maintains a certification in International Human Resources from SHRM. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Colorado Christian University and Master of Education degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development from Colorado State University.

Bo McDaniel serves as the Director of Enterprise Talent Management Services for the Human Resources Administration Division of DOAS. His areas of responsibility include performance management, strategic workforce consulting, enterprise talent management and temporary staffing. Mr. McDaniel has extensive public and private sector human resources leadership experience. Prior to joining DOAS, he served in various roles within the state and federal governments, including Human Resources Director for the Georgia Department of Labor, and as a federal civilian HR contractor for the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of Labor. He also held Human Resources Director positions with WebMD, Professional Distribution Services, Fiesta Texas Theme Park, and Domino’s Pizza, Inc. Mr. McDaniel has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from West Georgia College.

Jazzmin Randall Cobble joined the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) as Director of Fleet Management in January 2019, and has extensive experience in fleet, operations, risk and records management. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Randall was the administrative operations manager for the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts where she managed the operation of the agency’s fleet, monitored and analyzed costs of utilization (maintenance, repair, fuel, acquisition and disposal, etc.) and developed various policies within the operations area. She also served as business operations analyst for the Department of Public Health, and facilities and support services coordinator for the Department of Human Services. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Albany State University, a Master of Public Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management, and certifications in budget and fiscal management and purchasing. Ms. Randall is an executive committee member on the National Conference of State Fleet Administrators, as well as Councilwoman for the City of Stonecrest.

Wade Damron joined DOAS in August 2014 as the Risk Management Services Division Director. He has a wealth of experience in the risk management and insurance field from his time as a consultant, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Services for United Health Services, Inc., and corporate risk manager for Speedway Group where he developed and implemented safety programs. Mr. Damron is a graduate of the University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in risk management and insurance. He is a member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), Public Risk and Insurance Management Association (PRIMA), and State Risk and Insurance Management Association (STRIMA).

Tashika Wells is the Interim Director of DOAS Surplus Property Division, effective September 1, 2022. Ms. Wells joined DOAS in January 2005, as an eligibility specialist and has performed all roles in Surplus Property, including her most recent position as Surplus Manager. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Wells worked at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as a temporary gun check analyst. She is a Certified Professional Property Specialist with the National Property Management Association.

Susan Setterstrom serves as the Assistant Director and Claims Counsel for Risk Management Services. She joined DOAS in July 2019, serving as the Liability Program Officer overseeing the DOAS General Liability Program. In 2021, Ms. Setterstrom shifted into an Assistant Director role where she engages with all RMS programs. Prior to joining DOAS, she practiced in the areas of workers’ compensation and personal injury law in Atlanta. She also served as the Director of Risk Management for the DeKalb County School District for five years. Ms. Setterstrom is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Tulsa College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor.

Shaistha Begum is the Director of Communications for the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS). Ms. Begum has several years of experience managing large-scale projects and developing and executing strategic and integrated high-profile communications, community and public relations, government affairs, digital marketing, and branding. Prior to joining DOAS in November 2022, Ms. Begum served as Strategic Communications Manager with the University System of Georgia and Assistant Director of the University of Georgia Career Center. Ms. Begum is a graduate of Madras University in India, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and a Master of Science degree in Counselor Education from the University of Wyoming.

Susan Matthews is the Director of Enterprise Learning. Prior to joining the agency, she worked for Choice Hotels International as Director of Training and Development. Ms. Matthews has extensive experience leading corporate organizational development and certification programs, and strategically educating and training brands through multichannel communications, strategic planning, project management, and innovation initiatives. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Master of Education in Training and Human Performance Improvement from Capella University and is a certified change management and global training professional.

Sharon Carter serves as Director of Human Resources for the Georgia Department of Administrative Services. Ms. Carter has served the Human Resources community for over 20 years and the State of Georgia for 35 years. She is a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) with the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and is also certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) with HR Certification Institute. Ms. Carter currently serves as an Officer on the Executive Leadership Team for the SHRM Georgia State Council and the Board of Directors for the Greater Henry SHRM Chapter and is an active member of the South Metro Human Resources Association in Peachtree City, Georgia.

Mary Chapman joined DOAS as the Director of Policy, Training and Outreach on October 1, 2017. Ms. Chapman is an experienced attorney with an extensive background in state government procurement policies and processes, contracting and negotiations, large scale project management and implementation, and state and federal regulatory compliance. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Chapman served in various leadership positions with the Department of Community Health, including Director of Business Operations for the Medicaid Division, Division Chief of Healthcare Facility Regulation, and Contracts Attorney. She also served six years as an attorney in the DOAS Office of Legal Services, a freelance legal writer and a law clerk with the Augusta Superior Court. Ms. Chapman has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Georgia State University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Clarence Ingram is a successful 25-year practitioner of strategic sourcing concepts and supply chain services. Mr. Ingram was named Deputy State Purchasing Officer for DOAS State Purchasing Division (SPD) on February 1, 2021. Prior to this appointment, he served as SPD’s Group Category Manager for Information Technology, Professional Services and Goods where he was responsible for complex strategic sourcing programs exceeding $800M in annual spend and included negotiating and implementing statewide enterprise agreements, spend management strategies, customer and supplier relationship management, cost reduction, and savings maximizing strategies. Prior to joining DOAS, Mr. Ingram held supply chain services management positions with AT&T Corporation and Bellsouth Corporation, and global purchasing commodity management and sourcing specialist positions with Xerox Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College, Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Rochester Institute of Technology, and Master of Science in International Logistics from Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Ingram is a Certified Purchasing Manager.

Gerald Schaefer joined DOAS in June 2015. He is responsible for cost recovery audits and administrative fee reviews. Prior to joining DOAS, Mr. Schaefer worked as a performance auditor in the Georgia Department of Audits, and as an internal auditor for the City of Atlanta Auditor’s Office, and for the Georgia Department of Education. He has over 20 years of auditing experience and holds the following professional certifications: certified public accountant, certified internal auditor, certified fraud examiner, certified information systems auditor, and certified government auditing professional. Mr. Schaefer earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia.

Carrie Steele is the Agency Sourcing Director for the State Purchasing Division. Most recently, she served as Agency Sourcing Group Manager. Ms. Steele has over 20 years of procurement experience with the State of Georgia. Prior to joining DOAS, she worked for the Georgia Court of Appeals. Ms. Steele is a graduate of Queens University in North Carolina with bachelor’s degrees in biology and accounting.

McCall Ginsberg joined DOAS in June 2014 as Deputy General Counsel. Prior to joining DOAS, Ms. Ginsberg Served as Assistant Legal Counsel and directed contracting and procurement functions for the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. She served as Legal Aide to the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives during the 2001 and 2002 legislative sessions. Ms. Ginsberg is a “Double Dawg,” having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia and a JD from the UGA School of Law.