Ben Jarrard

Ben Jarrard

Ben Jarrard serves as the Chief of Staff to the Georgia Senate Majority Leader, University of North Georgia alum Senator Steve Gooch, who represents the 51st district including Fannin, Union, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Dawson, Pickens counties and a portion of White County.

Ben graduated from the University of North Georgia with a degree in Political Science (2013) and received a Master’s in Business Administration from the Georgia Institute of Technology (2021).

Ben began his career working various roles on the Governor Nathan Deal’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Following Governor Deal’s re-election, Ben served as Deal’s special assistant, preparing documents, traveling, and handling logistics for Governor Deal and facilitated media scrums at his public appearances. Ben then worked as a Policy Advisor in the Governor’s office, with his portfolio including Natural Resources, Transportation, and Economic Development issues.

Prior to working for Senator Gooch, Ben worked at the University of North Georgia as the Executive Director of Government Relations and Economic Development. Ben served as the primary liaison between the University and elected officials and government agencies to promote the University’s legislative and budgetary priorities. His office also worked with economic development entities, education partners, and local leaders to enhance the workforce development pipeline and improve quality of life in the University of North Georgia’s service area. During Ben’s time in the role, the University saw over $80 million in state investment in University capital projects.

Alongside his Chief of Staff duties, Ben serves on the Political Science & International Affairs Department's Advisory Board. He is a graduate of the Leadership Hall Class of 2022 and also serves on the board of the Georgia Mountains YMCA. Ben is married to Avery Hart and lives in Gainesville.