Rachel Cone joins Southern Strategy Group after more than a decade of service in the highest levels of local and state governments. Rachel served as the Interim Secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), where she successfully shepherded the department's policy agenda and $11 billion budget across the finish line of the 2017 legislative session.

During her time at FDOT she also served as the Assistant Secretary for Finance and Administration, overseeing the offices of work program and budget, finance, procurement, technology, human resources, performance management and other administrative functions. She managed three of the largest transportation work programs in state history and represented the department in front of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Treasury, Fitch and Moody's rating agencies.

Rachel also directed changes to how the department finances the work program, and successfully advocated for statutory changes that resulted in a new financing vehicle for the department. This allows the department to fund additional, major transportation projects at a lower cost. She also oversaw the reorganization of the department's technology offices, which resulted in a culture shift for the department in how it prioritizes, spends and manages transportation-specific and traditional technologies.

In 2012, Governor Rick Scott appointed Rachel to serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff, where she was responsible for advising him on statewide issues, appointments to boards and commissions and providing guidance and direction to 14 state and quasi-governmental agencies on operational and management issues, including policy, budget, communication, legislative strategy and agency priorities. Those agencies were the Departments of Business and Professional Regulation, Citrus, Emergency Management, Economic Opportunity, Environmental Protection (and Water Management Districts) and Transportation. Also included under her purview were Florida Wildlife Commission, Space Florida, Visit Florida, Volunteer Florida and CareerSource Florida.

Rachel previously served as the External Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection where she directed planning and statewide communications strategies for the department, and coordinated communications efforts with Florida's five water management districts. This included topics such as renewed water management district oversight, various departmental restructuring, the health of Florida's springs, Governor Scott's Everglades Restoration Strategies plan and Florida's ongoing recovery after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Prior to her family's move to Tallahassee, Rachel served on the executive leadership team in the Mayor John Peyton administration in Jacksonville. Rachel began her career as a military reporter at the Florida Times-Union.

Rachel is a proud graduate of Auburn University. She and her family are active members of Trinity United Methodist Church, and Rachel serves as a member of the Board of Trustees at Holy Comforter Episcopal School in Tallahassee.

Kelly Cohen is a lobbyist, political strategist, and fundraiser whose work building partnerships between government and industry in Florida has made her a perennial figure on the region's "Most Powerful" lists. An expert communicator, and a lawyer by training, Kelly is Managing Partner at the Orlando office of Florida-based lobbying firm, Southern Strategy Group.

Since opening Southern Strategy Group's first regional office in 2005, Kelly has leveraged her expertise at building partnerships to drive public policy and growth throughout Central Florida. Kelly's ability to adeptly navigate the halls of government to create successful collaborations that combine government relations and community engagement has made her an asset to the region's businesses and a boon to its development.

An expert in working with local governments to build infrastructure and create economic development strategies, Kelly is widely recognized for her ability to get things done. Kelly has been a leading strategist on some of the region's largest development projects, including: BRIDG and NEOCITY, an industry-led smart sensor consortium focusing on manufacturing of smart sensors; Medical City, a job engine cluster around medical care, research, and education; Sunrail, a 68 mile commuter rail system; and securing funding for a new downtown Orlando campus for University of Central Florida. Kelly was also instrumental in shepherding WaWa, Uber, and Nopetro, a compressed natural gas company, into the regional market and has helped with the acquisition of an Orlando MLS Team and construction of the new Orlando City Soccer Stadium. Kelly is also a dedicated board member of the Orlando Economic Partnership, where she works with CEOs, Mayors, and community leaders to drive development and spurn economic growth.

Prior to joining Southern Strategy Group, Kelly practiced law in South Florida. Kelly's passion for public policy and her commitment to seeing her community thrive lead her to become a Democratic strategist and fundraiser in some of Florida's most visible campaigns. Kelly acted as the statewide Finance Director for then State Senator Buddy Dyer when he ran for Attorney General, and again in his successful races for Orlando Mayor. Kelly continues to serve as one of the mayor's top advisors. Kelly is currently Finance Chair for Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings campaign to become Orange County Mayor.

Kelly has been recognized repeatedly for her leadership, business acumen, and willingness to work behind the scenes to get things done. In 2016, the Orlando Business Journal awarded Kelly the title of CEO of the Year. That same year Kelly reached the 8th spot on Orlando Magazine's 50 Most Powerful People list, in which she has featured for seven consecutive years. Kelly has also been named one of the top 100 Most Influential People in Politics by Influence Magazine, been awarded the titles of Woman to Watch and Woman of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal, and been noted as a Must Know Contact in Central Florida by Florida Trend.

An active and dedicated member of her community, Kelly serves on the Board of Directors for Clean the World, Orlando Children's Trust, Orlando Tech Association, FireSpring Fund and Creative City Project, an annual arts and music festival. Kelly is Orlando proud (and also a proud cat person). Kelly lives with her husband Scott, and their cat, Kitty, in downtown Orlando.

Brian Bautista advocates on behalf of his clients before the legislative and executive branches of Florida government and has experience acting as statewide spokesman and point of contact for clients. Brian has resided in Florida's capital city for over a decade, and his work spans the gambit from local initiatives to a statewide Senate campaign.

Brian received both a bachelor's degree in political science and a law degree from Florida State University. Brian uses his legal expertise and political acumen to successfully represent clients on some of the highest profile issues in Florida, in the technology, education, healthcare, and energy industries.

Brian has been named one of Florida's 30 Under 30 by Florida Politics and a NextGeneration Rising Star by Influence Magazine

Chris joined the firm in November of 2000 after serving seven years in Florida government. During this time, Chris served as the Assistant to the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Prior to serving in Governor Bush's administration, Chris served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Legislative Director, and Special Assistant to former Florida Education Commissioner and former Florida Lt. Governor Frank T. Brogan. Chris also served as a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives. Throughout the years, Chris has worked on various state and local campaigns, including the 1998 and 2002 Bush/Brogan gubernatorial campaigns.

A devoted community activist, Chris was a finalist for Volunteer of the Year in 2007. Chris has served on the Board of Directors for the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, where he served for two years as Chairman, the Board of Directors for the United Way of the Big Bend, and the Board of Directors for the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. Chris is currently the Chairman of the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, a not-for-profit statewide association representing agencies which serve homeless, runaway, and troubled youth. Chris also serves on the local advisory board for Hancock Bank and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Maclay School. Chris was recently appointed by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum to the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority, an entity created by the Florida Legislature to promote the business and hospitality interests of downtown Tallahassee.

A native of Fort Myers, Florida, Chris Dudley graduated from the University of South Florida in 1993 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. Chris, his wife Susanne, and their two sons live in Tallahassee.