First Lady Marty Kemp Announces New Appointments to GRACE Commission

First Lady Marty Kemp recently announced that Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order increasing the membership of the Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education (GRACE) Commission by two seats and appointing four new members to fill both the newly-created vacancies and two others. Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Director Mike Register, Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver, and Department of Juvenile Justice Interim Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb will join the Commission as it continues to bring public officials, law enforcement, for-profit and non-profit organizations, healthcare officials, and subject matter experts together to confront the issue of human trafficking in Georgia.

“Throughout Brian’s first term, the GRACE Commission helped lead the charge in advocating for meaningful legislation that moved the needle in the fight against human trafficking,” said First Lady Marty Kemp. “I look forward to continuing this work alongside these individuals who are committed to ending this evil practice in our state and furthering Georgia’s position as a national leader on this important issue.”

The Governor and First Lady join in thanking former GBI Director Vic Reynolds and former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan for their service on the GRACE Commission. Director Register will serve as co-chair of the Commission and fill the seat vacated by Reynolds. Lt. Gov. Jones will fill the seat vacated by Duncan. Commissioner Oliver and Interim Commissioner Reynolds-Cobb will fill the newly created seats.

Burt Jones serves as the 13th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Georgia and formerly served as a state senator. A sixth-generation Jackson native, Lt. Gov. Jones works with his family’s business, Jones Petroleum, which employs nearly 2,000 Georgians. He also founded JP Capital & Insurance, Inc., a risk-management company specializing in retail insurance brokerage.

Before his business career, Lt. Gov. Jones was a student-athlete and a four-year letterman for the University of Georgia football team. As a former walk-on, he was elected by his teammates as permanent team captain for the 2002 season, helping guide the team to its first SEC Championship in 20 years. In 2014, UGA named him a Distinguished Alumni and featured him in the “40 Under 40” list.

Lt. Gov. Jones’ successful campaign to lead the state senate focused on lowering taxes, improving Georgia’s K-12 and higher education systems, standing with law enforcement to strengthen public safety, and create more opportunities for every family to succeed.

Lt. Gov. Jones lives in Jackson with his wife, Jan, and their two children, Stella and Banks, where they are active members of Rock Springs Church.

Mike Register was appointed Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in 2022 by Governor Brian Kemp. In this position, he leads a statewide agency that has a multi-faceted law enforcement mission.

Director Register has an extensive law enforcement and public safety background. Prior to his current role with the GBI, he was the Assistant Chief of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Public Safety Director for Cobb County, Chief of Police for Cobb County, and Chief of Police for Clayton County.

Director Register also served as a Director with the Department of Defense Joint IED Defeat Organization at the Pentagon in Washington D.C, where he oversaw a program that gave operational and intelligence support to the various combatant commands, working globally with military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies. Director Register has served on the Georgia POST Council, the Judicial Qualification Commission, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Board, and other various law enforcement organizations.

Director Register served in the military for over 20 years in the US Army Special Forces, including combat operations in Afghanistan. He has a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University and is a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute and Northwestern University’s Staff and Command program.

Tyrone Oliver was appointed Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections in 2022 by Governor Brian Kemp. He previously served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

Commissioner Oliver began his law enforcement career in 1999 as a Detention Officer with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. After becoming a Deputy Sheriff, he was promoted to Sergeant and then to Lieutenant. He held various positions with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, including Uniform Patrol, Community Outreach, East Metro Drug Enforcement, Criminal Investigations, Special Investigations, Crime Suppression, and Public Information Officer. His background allowed him the versatility to effectively serve the community in various disciplines.

In 2013, Commissioner Oliver was one of the first to be hired for the Brookhaven Police Department when the new city was formed. He later served as the Assistant Commander of Internal Affairs and Criminal Investigations. On January 8, 2016, Commissioner Oliver was officially named Chief of Police for the City of Social Circle after a long, competitive process. In November 2018, he was designated by the City of Social Circle as Deputy City Manager.

In November 2022, Commissioner Oliver was elected Vice President of the American Correctional Association, the nation’s oldest accrediting body for the corrections industry. Additionally, in 2022, Commissioner Oliver was elected to sit on the Board of Directors of the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators as Vice President.

Additionally, Oliver was appointed by Governor Kemp to serve on the Board of Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund and the State Workforce Development Board. He also sits on the executive committees for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Department of Community Supervision.

Commissioner Oliver is a graduate of Columbus State University’s Law Enforcement Professional Management Program. Additionally, he completed Leadership Newton County and Walton County, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Law Enforcement Executive Development Program, the Leadership Trilogy Program, and the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange to Israel.

Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb was appointed Interim Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice in 2022 by Governor Brian Kemp. She is responsible for the daily operation of more than 3,400 employees that hold justice-involved youth accountable.

Prior to her appointment, Interim Commissioner Reynolds-Cobb served as Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff, overseeing the operational aspects of the department, including the Division of Administrative Services, Division of Community Services, Division of Secure Facilities, Division of Treatment and Care, and Office of Professional Development and Standards.

Interim Commissioner Reynolds-Cobb has 30 years of experience in government service, beginning with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 1993 where she managed the daily operations of the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program, including the DUI Sign Program, Restitution Program, and the Training and Outreach Program. She also oversaw the Division budget and was the Legislative Liaison for the Council. In 2011, she joined the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice as Deputy Commissioner of Administrative Services.

Mrs. Reynolds-Cobb earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University in 1994 and a master’s degree in Administration from Central Michigan University.