ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp is transferring two members of his staff to the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH).

Kemp’s deputy chief of staff for operations, Caylee Noggle, will take over July 1 as the agency’s commissioner, succeeding the retiring Frank Berry.

Ryan Loke, now deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office, also will join the DCH as deputy commissioner and chief health policy officer.

Noggle is a veteran of state government, having served as an interim chief of staff in the Kemp administration and, before that, as interim chief of staff for the Georgia Department of Public Health and chief management officer for the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.

Before joining the administration early last year, she held several management roles with the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

“Caylee Noggle has done a remarkable job throughout her service in state government – including in her integral role throughout the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kemp said.

“Caylee brings years of in-depth knowledge and management expertise to a complex state agency that will greatly benefit from her diverse experience and leadership. Georgians will be well-served by having her at the helm of DCH as the agency continues to deliver critical services to the people of our state.”

Loke is currently deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office. Before that, he served as the governor’s health policy advisor.

Prior to joining the Kemp administration, Loke worked in the private sector advising several Georgia-based companies on legislative strategy.

Berry is retiring after 26 years in state government in various roles.

The DCH serves nearly three million Georgians with an annual budget of $17 billion, including state and federal dollars.