Barker leaving Governor’s office for consulting group

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Friday (Dec. 19) changes to her office personnel.

Jamie Barker, the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, will depart the office for a new opportunity in the private sector with Gilmore Davis Strategy Group.

Chafer Stanley, the Governor’s current Policy & Legislative Affairs Director, will become Deputy Chief of Staff and continue serving as Policy & Legislative Affairs Director. Judd Deere continues to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff.

“Jamie has been an invaluable member of my team since I first announced for office – he has been part of every policy achievement of my tenure and is a man of deep integrity who I genuinely love working alongside. Jamie has helped build an amazing policy and legislative affairs team to follow in his footsteps and I know they will help us continue to transform our state and implement bold reforms that better serve Arkansans,” said Sanders. “Chafer Stanley is a strong, effective leader on the policy and legislative affairs team and I am confident he will step seamlessly into this new role, and that with his help, we will continue to advance Arkansas as the best state in America to live, work, and raise a family.”

Barker will join Gilmore Davis as a partner in January. Coinciding with his arrival, the firm will rebrand as Gilmore Davis Barker Group (GDB Group), effective January 2026.

“Jamie Barker is a longtime friend whom I am proud to now call a business partner,” said Jon Gilmore, Founder and Managing Partner. “His commitment to faith, family, and public service defines both his personal and professional life, and he is widely regarded as a dependable, trusted leader. Jamie approaches every challenge with integrity and a solutions-oriented mindset, earning the confidence of colleagues, elected officials, and stakeholders alike. As we approach our ten-year milestone, this partnership reflects our growth and our continued commitment to delivering results for our clients.”

A native of Smackover, Barker is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and began his career working on the 2016 presidential campaign of former Arkansas Governor and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. He has also worked on campaigns for U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, former Governor Asa Hutchinson, and Governor Sarah Sanders.

“The past three years in the Governor’s Office—including the transition and campaign—have been the most rewarding and fulfilling of my career,” said Barker. “Governor Sanders was my first boss after college and remains my boss today as Governor of Arkansas. From the beginning, through every stage, and into the future, she has always been an honest, trusted, Christ-centered friend—but has never missed a chance to make a joke at my expense. Serving the Governor of my state over the past three years has been the honor of my life and I know Arkansas will continue to see amazing success from her leadership.”

Founded in 2016, Gilmore Davis Strategy Group will celebrate its ten-year anniversary this coming summer.

“Jamie Barker is a rare combination of sharp intellect, tireless work ethic, and genuine humility,” said J.R. Davis, Partner. “He has an ability to quickly grasp complex issues and turn them into practical, effective solutions. Jamie’s leadership is grounded in trust and respect, and his steady presence elevates every team he joins. Those who know him well value him not only as a colleague, but as a friend— and our firm is stronger and better positioned for continued growth because of his leadership.”

Chafer Stanley was raised in Fayetteville and has worked for private consulting and law firms, state, and federal courts, and as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Stanley graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2016 and from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2021, where he received the Chancellor’s Community Service Award for his pro bono adoption efforts.