6-10 years

Callie Michael joined The Southern Group in 2010 with over eight years of valuable experience in both the budget and policy areas for state and federal government. Callie maintained a top-secret security clearance from the United States Department of Defense and worked in the U.S. House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee on the Defense Subcommittee. In this capacity, Callie gained rare insight into the federal appropriations and committee process as well as the role and interplay of government relations in the legislative arena.Following Callie's work in Washington, DC, which provided valuable experience and contacts at the federal level, Callie returned to the South where she joined the Georgia Senate Budget and Evaluation Office as the Program Analyst for the Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Judicial Subcommittees on Appropriations. Callie was soon promoted to the position of Principal Analyst, to assume the duties and responsibilities of the departing Deputy Director. As Principal Analyst, Callie oversaw the day-to-day operations of the office and the budget development process, briefed the director and Senators on budget and policy issues, supervised and assisted other budget staff members, and served as the main contact to the 56 Senators.Callie served as Senate President Pro Tem Tommie Williams' Policy Director during the 2010 legislative session. In this capacity, Callie provided key policy analysis and recommendations to Senate Leadership.Callie is a graduate of the University of Alabama.

11-15 years

Betsy McCorkle has served the clients of Kairos Government Affairs since 2015. Beyond expertise in lobbying, she provides a unique understanding of the policy process with extensive experience navigating complex issues and diverse stakeholders.Before joining the firm, Betsy directed the government affairs work for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, a non-profit membership organization, where she gained extensive experience in leading diverse coalitions of businesses and other non-profits toward legislative goals. Betsy also has experience in workforce development, economic development, agricultural policy, and has been responsible for policy analysis and communications for political campaigns across the southeastern United States.Betsy received a Master Degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, and she holds a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Economics from the University of Georgia (UGA),
where she graduated magna cum laude.

Betsy was recognized in 2020 for a 40 Under 40 Award by the Triangle Business Journal. Betsy was a 2013 Recipient of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Young Alumni Achievement Award and the 2012 Recipient of the J.W. Fanning Distinguished Young Professional Award. Betsy and her husband, Ben, live in Apex with their daughter.

6-10 years

Served on the Georgia Department of Revenue Local Government Advisory Group. As a member of this group, Joel provided the Revenue Commissioner with feedback and suggestions on the impact of important tax issues on local governments.

Joel has developed extensive relationships with elected and appointed officials at the state and local level. Many of these relationships are concentrated in revenue and finance with strong relationships with finance directors all across Georgia's 538 cities and 159 counties. In addition to these local relationships, Joel has done extensive work with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Joel began his career in local government by providing planning, zoning, and land use support with over 63 cities and 17 counties for one of Georgia's Regional Commissions. Joel then moved to Talladega, AL where he assisted the city manager in all planning and community development projects. It was in this capacity that Joel first started learning municipal budgeting and operations. Joel's work in Talladega caught the eye of a state trade association, and Joel got his introduction to lobbying with the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) in 2013.

As AMHA's Deputy Director, Joel learned the business operations of one of Alabama's major industries and lobbied on their behalf both locally and on the state level. After nearly four years with AMHA, Joel decided to combine his local government and lobbying experience by taking a job with Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). While at GMA, Joel specialized in a wide array of tax issues and lobbied on behalf of Georgia's 538 cities. Joel's knowledge of local government operations, business operations, and public policy development allowed him to develop a broad array of relationships at the General Assembly, while effectively advocating for all of Georgia's cities.

Joel graduated from Georgia College and State University with a BA in political science and Masters of Public Administration. Joel grew up in Byron, Georgia and currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Lucy and daughter Willow.

11-15 years

Served as GOP State House Caucus Director in 2010
Served as Executive Director for the NC GOP in 2012

Scott Laster has been serving the clients of Kairos Government Affairs since 2013. Beyond his expertise in lobbying, he provides clients with an unprecedented understanding of political giving, polling and campaigns in North Carolina.Scott began his work in North Carolina as the House Campaign Director for the North Carolina Republican Party. Prior to Scott's arrival in the state in 2010, the House GOP caucus was in a state of perpetual minority, having held a majority for only four years in the state's history. As the Campaign Director, Scott led the caucus to a historic victory in 2010 that saw Republicans pick up 16 seats - and claim a 68-52 majority in the House for the second time in history. Following his groundbreaking success, Scott was chosen as Executive Director for the NCGOP to lead the charge for the 2012 elections. Following the 2012 elections, Republicans held a supermajority in both the House and Senate. Scott holds undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Economics from the University of South Florida and a graduate degree in Political Science with a focus on campaigns from the University of Florida. Scott is also a certified EMT and volunteers on a Search and Rescue Team. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Fuquay Varina with their two sons and daughter.