Board of Regents Elects New Chair and Vice Chair for 2026

Atlanta - November 11, 2025

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) today elected current Vice Chair David B. Dove to a one-year term as the Board's new chair and Regent Deep J. Shah to a one-year term as the Board's vice chair.

Dove, who joined the Board in 2024 and represents Georgia's 11th congressional district, will serve as chair from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026. Dove is a partner at Troutman Pepper Locke in Atlanta, where his practice focuses on regulatory and economic investment matters. Originally from Athens, Dove earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Georgia, where he was inducted into the Order of Barristers and Blue Key Honor Society.

"I'm honored for the opportunity to serve as chair and help keep USG on track as the best public university system in the country," Dove said. "As a proud UGA graduate, I know firsthand the power of a USG degree, and I'm grateful for the chance to give back to my state. I especially want to thank Chairman T. Dallas Smith for his steady leadership over the past year and his dedication to the university system. I look forward to working with Chancellor Perdue, Regent Shah and my fellow board members to support the success of the more than 382,000 students in our system."

USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue also thanked outgoing Chairman Smith, saying he "has taken on the important work of guiding this system forward, championing the needs of our campuses and helping advance USG's mission. We're grateful for his leadership and service, and I'm excited to continue building on that momentum with incoming Chair Dove and incoming Vice Chair Shah."

Dove previously served as executive counsel for Gov. Brian P. Kemp. As one of two direct reports to the governor, he collaborated with the Attorney General's office to secure significant legal victories, notably in the Tri-State Water Wars. He also serves as a Georgia commissioner on the Uniform Law Commission and, in 2023, was appointed by the Georgia Board of Natural Resources to serve as interim director of the Georgia Environmental Resources Division.

He played a crucial role in Gov. Kemp's judicial appointments, including four Supreme Court justices, six judges on the Georgia Court of Appeals and 86 trial court judges in Georgia. He additionally worked alongside Gov. Kemp to significantly increase the representation of women and minorities on executive branch boards and commissions.

The UGA Alumni Association recognized Dove with a Young Alumni Award for his outstanding leadership and service to the university, community and legal profession. He remains highly engaged with his alma mater, where he previously served as chairman of the Alumni Board of Directors for UGA's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), and remains a member of the SPIA Sustainers group. He also serves as a board member of the Law School Alumni Council and has taught law at UGA as an adjunct professor.

Dove lives in Marietta, Georgia, with his wife and their three young children.

Shah, who joined the Board in 2024 as an at-large member, will serve as vice chair from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026. He is a practicing primary care physician and the chief operating officer at Gwinnett Clinic, northeast Atlanta's leading independent multi-specialty group, which champions patient-centered, physician-led care.

"It's a privilege to serve on the Board and give back to a state that's given me so much," Shah said. "I'm excited to step into this new role alongside Chair-elect Dove and help strengthen Georgia's workforce and communities through the power of higher education."

Shah graduated with highest honors from the University of Georgia as a Foundation Fellow and won Truman and Rhodes scholarships to study at Oxford University, where he earned a master's degree in social policy. He earned his medical degree from Harvard University and trained in internal medicine at Emory University before entering private practice.

Shah has been named a Top Doctor by both Georgia Trend and Castle Connolly. He has expertise in healthcare operations and health finance, and his recent work has focused on contract negotiation for independent medical groups, efficient utilization of health IT and medical real estate.

In addition to Shah's work at Gwinnett Clinic, he advocates for patients and community-based primary care at the state and federal levels. He has won multiple leadership awards, including an Alpha Omega Alpha Fellowship. In 2021, Shah was appointed by Gov. Kemp to serve on the board of Augusta University Health System (now Wellstar MCG Health). In 2022, Shah was named a director of Touchmark National Bank, an FDIC-insured Minority Deposit Institution in Alpharetta. He was elected secretary of the bank in 2023.

He and his wife live with their three sons in Johns Creek, surrounded and supported by a large extended family.

About the Board of Regents

The Board of Regents is a constitutional body that governs the University System of Georgia, composed of 26 public colleges and universities, the Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Archives, and serving more than 382,000 students.

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