TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Helen Aguirre Ferré, who left the Trump administration in August to become director of public affairs for the National Endowment for the Arts, is headed to Tallahassee as Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis fills out his executive office.
The DeSantis transition team Friday announced Ferré’s appointment as director of communications, along with former Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos taking over as director of legislative affairs and Roger “Beau” Beaubien moving from the Attorney General’s Office to become director of Cabinet affairs.
Ferré served as White House director of media affairs from January 2017 to August 2018. She also was an adviser to former Gov. Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign in 2016. Kopelousos, currently the Clay County manager, served as transportation secretary under former Gov. Charlie Crist.
Beaubien worked for the Coates Law Firm for five years before joining Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office in January. At the Tallahassee-based law firm, Beaubien specialized in administrative law, providing counsel to political candidates, political committees and the Republican Party of Florida, according to his LinkedIn page.
The transition team also announced a pair of deputy chiefs of staff, James Blair and Adrian Lukis, who have ties to Florida House leaders.
Blair was an adviser to former Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who DeSantis has recommended to replace Education Commissioner Pam Stewart
Lukis, a senior adviser in the House, is the son of Sylvester Lukis, a managing partner of Ballard Partners’ Washington, D.C. office, which has close ties to DeSantis and President Donald Trump.
Susie Wiles, who chaired DeSantis campaign and is leading the transition, is a managing partner of Ballard’s firm in Jacksonville and Washington.
Shane Strum earlier was named to serve as DeSantis’ chief of staff.