Senator Dean Burke of District 11 Resigning

On December 22, 2022 the Governor of Georgia, Governor Kemp, announced in a press release that he has selected various agency and state office leaders to take effect in the coming year. Brooks County’s State Representative for District 11, Senator Dr. Dean Burke is one of them. 

Burke will resign effective December 30th in order to become the Chief Medial Officer at the Department of Community Health. In response to this move, there will be a special election for Senate District 11 seat that will be held on January 31, 2023. 

Governor Kemp said, “With a long and accomplished medical career in rural Georgia, as well as extensive policy experience as Chairman of the Community Health Sub-Committee and Vice Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, Senator Burke will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role of Chief Medical Officer. I’m thankful for his willingness to serve in this new capacity for the benefit of all Georgians, including those in our rural communities.”

Burke, previously worked in Banbridge as a obstetrics and gynecology before becoming a Senator. He has been a representative of District 11 since 2013. Burke then filled the unexpired term of Senator John Bulloch. Other counties included in District 11 are Grady, Miller, Colquitt, Decatur, and Seminole, with portions of Thomas and Mitchell counties included. 

Dr. Dean Burke’s work as Senator has been focused mainly on rural healthcare since his election in office. Burke worked in healthcare in his previous years before becoming a politician. Burke’s passion about healthcare could be seen throughout his term as Senator. Many of his accomplishments include healthcare service. 

Once such accomplishment was the creation of Maternal Mortality Commission, formed in 2014. This Commission created in order to determine why such high numbers of women were dying in pregnancy, childbirth, and soon after then address the problem. 

Other accomplishments included the creation of the Office of Health and Coordination to study health care problems under the Governor and a database to help the state keep track and understand exactly what it is paying for health services. 

Kemp further announced changes in other areas announcing, “In addition to her current duties as Georgia Department of Transportation Planning Director, Jannine Miller will become Executive Director for the State Road & Tollway Authority, effective January 16th. Governor Kemp will also recommend her to serve as Executive Director for the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority.” 

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Commissioner Tim Ward will join the Board of Pardons and Paroles effective January 1st with the retirement of Brian Owens. 

Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Tyrone Oliver will become the GDC Commissioner effective January 1st and DJJ Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb will serve as Interim Commissioner. 

You can find the full press release from Governor Kemp below. 

Those wishing to qualify to run for the special election will begin Wednesday and the qualifying charge fee is $400. 

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:bc20069f-8f8c-3419-ba44-26c2485ef70e