Charles Booker, former Kentucky Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, to lead governor’s faith-based initiatives office

by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern
January 13, 2023

Charles Booker, a Louisvillian and former state representative, has been appointed to lead the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and Community Involvement. 

In a press release from his office, Gov. Andy Beshear announced several leadership appointments within his administration. The office Booker will helm was created by former Gov. Ernie Fletcher. 

“I am honored to join Gov. Beshear and his administration and inspired to take on this opportunity to continue to serve to the people of Kentucky,” Booker said in a statement. 

Booker was in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021 and represented the 43rd District. Most recently, he was the Democratic nominee in Kentucky’s 2022 U.S. Senate race and lost to incumbent Republican Sen. Rand Paul. 

Booker holds two degrees from the University of Louisville, a bachelor of sScience in political science and a juris doctor. 

Other appointments Beshear made Friday are: 

Mary Elizabeth Bailey, of Frankfort, as the deputy secretary of the Personnel Cabinet Matt Sawyers, of Lexington, as a policy advisor in the Governor’s Office of General CounselTaylor Payne, of Lexington, as chief deputy general counsel for the Governor’s OfficeMona Juett, of Owenton, as the chief of staff in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. Lindy Casebier was recently named as the cabinet’s secretaryKennina Porter, of Louisville, as the executive director of the Everybody Counts program in the Education and Labor Cabinet

The governor also made appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions: As special justices to the Supreme Court of Kentucky, Beshear appointed Hon. J. Paul Long Jr., of Stanford, to represent the 3rd Supreme Court District, and Hon. Christopher Rhoads, of Owensboro, to represent the 1st Supreme Court District. The governor also appointed two commonwealth’s attorneys: Kori Beck Bumgarner for the 8th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky and Hart Megibben for the 53rd Judicial Circuit of Kentucky. Mitchel Denham, of Louisville, was appointed as a member of the Personnel Board.Laura Guffey, of Edgewood, was appointed to the Kentucky Board of Social Work. William Fletcher, of Louisville, and Sidney Shouse, of Bardstown, were appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Board for Veterans’ Affairs.Amanda Davenport, of Princeton, and Charles Davis, of Lexington, were appointed to the Water Transportation Advisory Board. Beshear reappointed Timothy Cahill, of Paducah, to the advisory board. To the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors, James Chandler, of Richmond, was reappointed and Joshua Crepps, of Coxs Creek, was appointed.Bill McCloskey, of Bardstown, and Todd Clark, of Lexington, were both reappointed to the Kentucky Tobacco Research Board.Mary Haynes, of Prospect, was appointed to the Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory Council.Robin Stratton and Nicholas LaFerriere, both of Louisville, were appointed to the Kentucky Heritage Council.

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