After serving seven years as a Veteran Appeals Officer, including two as Assistant Director, Shelly-Ann Simpson was recently promoted to serve as the Director of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Appeals Division.

“We are excited to have someone with Shelly’s experience, technical knowledge, and excellent relationship with the leadership and staff of the Atlanta VA Regional Office to lead this division,” said GDVS Commissioner Mike Roby.  “Her personality and management style is well suited for the GDVS Appeals Division.”

Simpson, an Army veteran whose service included a deployment in NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Bosnia, entered state government with GDVS in 2001 as a public information specialist. In 2007, Simpson transferred to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s communications division to work in government and community relations. 

Simpson rejoined the GDVS in January 2012 as part of the Appeals Division. She was later appointed as Assistant Director of the division in December 2017. 

As part of her duties as an Appeals Officer, Simpson served as the Women Veterans’ Coordinator and Department Service Officer for The American Legion Department of Georgia. 

Simpson holds a master’s degree in Public (Government) Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from Keller Graduate School, along with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the State University of New York in New Paltz.

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Simpson grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. She is married to her high school sweetheart Dwane Cunningham and resides in Roswell.

# # #

For more information on the content of this news release, please contact the GDVS Public Information Division at 404-656-5933 or [email protected].