Gregory Gleaves, chief of staff to Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell and a former executive director of the Tennessee GOP, is joining Nashville-based public affairs firm Hall Strategies.

An experienced political and grassroots campaign organizer, Gleaves will lead the firm’s campaign practice as director of grassroots campaigns. He will remain the Speaker’s chief of staff until Aug. 6.

“Gregory has run numerous effective Tennessee campaigns,” said Joe Hall, founder of Hall Strategies. “He possesses a strategic mind and sharp instincts and knows how to win. The addition of Gregory to our team will provide a competitive edge to clients who operate in the public arena.”

Said Gleaves, “Serving as Speaker Harwell's chief of staff has been a true privilege. I appreciate the opportunity that she offered me to be a part of an important time for the House of Representatives. I am proud of the many accomplishments of the Tennessee General Assembly over the last two years. I am excited about joining a dynamic team at Hall Strategies and for this opportunity to build the best public affairs and grassroots team in the state.”

Gleaves was named chief of staff to the Speaker in January 2011 and served as Harwell’s principal aide, senior political advisor and primary strategic liaison to other government officials. He oversaw all operations of the House of Representatives, including management of 130-plus staff, administration, policies and procedures.

In addition to his work in party politics, Gleaves is the former Southeast political director for National Federation of Independent Business and was a project manager for The Saint Consulting Group, a national grassroots campaign firm specializing in land use issues. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee and his master’s in political management from The George Washington University.