Pursuant to House Bill (HB) 918, today Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan announced his appointments to the Rare Disease Advisory Council. A result of the 2022 legislative session, the Georgia Rare Disease Advisory Council is a 16-member council tasked with advising the General Assembly, as well as state agencies and departments, on the needs of individuals with rare diseases living in Georgia.

Tasked with selecting five members of the council with various experiences and backgrounds with rare diseases, the Lt. Governor has made the following appointments:

Mr. Alexis Rodriguez

Citizen Appointee

Buford, GA

Mr. Nathan Peck

Patient Organization Representative

CEO, Cure VCP Disease

Americus, GA

Ms. Maria Thacker Goethe

Biopharma Industry Representative

President & CEO, Georgia Bio/BioEd Institute

Atlanta, GA

Mr. Noel Baber

Health Plan Company Representative

Interim VP & CFO for Georgia, Kaiser Permanente

Alpharetta, GA

Ms. Sarah Penna

Licensed Social Worker

Clinical Social Worker, Emory ALS Center

Lilburn, GA

"Having a comprehensive understanding of how various rare diseases affect Georgians and how our state can better prepare to treat patients with rare diseases are foundational components to the success of our healthcare system," said Lt. Governor Duncan. "I was proud to support the creation of this critical council and know that each member will bring an important point of view to the table as we collectively work for the betterment of rare disease patients in Georgia."

The Governor is tasked with designating a Chairperson, and the remaining appointees will consist of appointments made by the Governor and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

To read more about the Council's responsibilities and required membership makeup, click here.