Khatuna Kveselava Chargé d’Affaires of Georgia to the United States of America, joined the Embassy as a Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister Plenipotentiary in October 2022. Prior to her current assignment in Washington, D.C., Khatuna Kveselava served as the Director of the Department of the Americas within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia since September 2021 after having worked as a Deputy Director as part of the same department from 2019 to 2021. Apart from her work on the U.S. – Georgia Strategic Partnership and Georgia’s relations with Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, throughout her diplomatic career Khatuna has focused on Georgia’s security policy and Euro-Atlantic integration. Before joining the Department of the Americas, she was posted in Brussels as a counselor at the Mission of Georgia to NATO from 2014 to 2018 and as a Deputy Director of the Security Policy and Euro-Atlantic Integration Department from 2011 to 2014. In 2021, Khatuna Kveselava was granted the diplomatic rank of Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. She holds a graduate degree in Journalism from the Tbilisi State University and a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. Before joining the diplomatic service, Ms. Kveselava worked for TV media outlets and taught journalism at leading universities in Georgia.

Lizi Kimeridze is Assistant to the Ambassador. Lizi graduated from Seton Hall University in 2020 with a Bachelors of Science in “Diplomacy and International Relations”. Lizi focused her diplomacy studies on world languages by enhancing her already fluent Russian in her role as a Professor’s Assistant for the Russian Language Department. She did so while learning Spanish (her fourth language) and acting as a contributing writer to “The Diplomacy Envoy”, Seton Hall’s undergraduate foreign affairs newspaper. Prior to graduation, Lizi interned with Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN World Tourism Organization, and the Tinker Institute on International Law and Organizations (TIILO). Her responsibilities in these roles included: Writing reports on a variety of UN sessions, managing other interns and the communications functions of the TIILO team, preparing strategies and recommendations for action, and creating blogs and scripts regarding policy research.  She is fluent in Georgian, Russian, English, and partially fluent in Spanish.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 201

Salome Imnadze is a career diplomat at the Embassy of Georgia to the United States and serves as a Minister Counsellor. She joined the Foreign Service in 2002 with an extensive background in international law, international economic relations, and multilateral affairs. In her career, Salome has served as the Deputy Head of the International Law and International Economic Relations Departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. During her service, she was posted to the Mission of Georgia to the United Nations in New York and the Mission of Georgia to the European Union in Brussels. Salome holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. In addition to her native Georgian, Salome speaks English, German, and Russian. Salome has two children.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 406

Ekaterine Chokheli is a Senior Counsellor covering defense and security as well as education and culture issues at the Embassy. Ekaterine joined the Foreign Service of Georgia in 2002 and worked in various directions, mostly focusing on Eastern European bilateral affairs. Prior to her recent assignment at the Embassy, she served as the Head of Division in the Department of Europe. Her external postings include the Czech Republic and Australia. She holds Master’s Degree in International Law and International Relations from Tbilisi State University and a Diploma from the Estonian School of Diplomacy. Ekaterine is married and has three children.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 402

Sandro Inashvili is a Counselor at the Embassy of Georgia in the United States. His current portfolio in the Embassy includes relations with policy research institutions, non-governmental organizations and academia. Prior to his current assignment in Washington, he served as a Counselor at the Mission of Georgia to the United Nations. He joined the Georgian Foreign Service in 2017 as a Counselor of the UN Division of the Department of the International Organizations. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Bachelor’s degree in Civil Law.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 306

David Charkviani is Counselor at the Embassy of Georgia to the United States since January 2023, focusing on strengthening U.S.-Georgian bilateral economic relations. His portfolio includes trade and export promotion, transport and logistics, agriculture, tourism, and energy, with a particular emphasis on advancing trans-Caspian transport and energy routes and solidifying Georgia’s role as a regional trade and logistics hub.

With 26 years of expertise in economic development and international relations, David previously held the role of Senior Counselor at the Embassy of Georgia to Turkmenistan and served in various capacities within Georgia’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Sustainable Economic Development, and Justice before transitioning to the Embassy of Georgia in the United States. Throughout his career, he has worked to foster Georgia’s economic growth through internationally supported initiatives supported by organizations such as the UNDP, USAID, and World Bank, focusing on business development, export growth, and innovation promotion.

David holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Tbilisi State University and an MBA from Lancaster University in the UK. He is fluent in English and Russian, in addition to his native Georgian. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Diana.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 402

Sophia Vekua is a career diplomat serving as a Counselor since October 2023, covering relations with the executive branches of the U.S. government. She most recently served as a Counselor in the Department of Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Other overseas assignments include missions to regional embassies in Mexico and Argentina. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Tartu and a bachelor’s degree in Law from Ilia State University. In addition to her native Georgian, Sophia speaks English, Spanish and Russian.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 405

Zurab Svanishvili is a career diplomat, working as a counselor at the Embassy of Georgia to the United States, covering the Congressional portfolio. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2012. After spending five years at the Department of Security Policy and Euro-Atlantic Integration, where he dealt with Georgia’s NATO integration process, Zurab moved to the Conflict Resolution Policy Division within the Political Department. There, he worked on a wide range of issues related to the Russia-Georgia conflict. From 2021 to 2024, Zurab Svanishvili was posted in Brussels as a counselor at the Mission of Georgia to NATO. Zurab holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international relations from Ilia State University. He is fluent in English and also speaks Polish and Russian.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 301

Colonel Irodi Kadagishvili was appointed as the Defense, Military, Naval, and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in June 2024. His previous assignments include Deputy Commander of the East Command, Commander of the Combined Arms Center, Head of the Command and Staff College, Commander of the 12th Infantry Battalion, Chief of Land Forces Officers Courses, Head of the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course, Head of the Infantry Officers Basic Course, and Platoon Leader.

Colonel Kadagishvili’s professional military education includes the International Senior Course in Applied Strategy and Defense Diplomacy at the Hellenic National Defense College in Athens, Greece (2023); the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) at the National Defense University in the USA (2019-2020); the NATO Regional Cooperation Course at the NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy (2018); the Command and General Staff Course at Marine Corps University in the USA (2010-2011); the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course in the USA (2006-2007); the National Defense Academy of Georgia (2000-2001). He holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Security Studies from the U.S. National Defense University (2020).

Colonel Kadagishvili has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Medal of Honor, Meritorious Service Medal (I, II, and III ranks), General Kvinitadze Medal, General Mazniashvili Medal, and Devoted to Homeland Medal. He is married to Tamar and they have two sons and one daughter.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410

Colonel Giorgi Dumbadze was appointed Assistant Defense, Military and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in September 2023. Colonel Dumbadze’s previous assignments include: Ministry of Defense of Georgia (MoD), Military Intelligence Department, Section 1 Head; General Staff of Georgia (GS), J-7 Military Education and Combat Training Department Head; Training and Education Command, NATO – Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center Commander and CoS previously; Training and Education Command, Sergeant Training Center, CoS; GS, J-5 Department, Defense Policy Planning Section Chief; GS, J-3 Department, Current Operations Section Senior Officer; National Defense Academy of Georgia, Georgian Command and Joint Staff Course Senior Instructor; Maneuver Captain’s Career Course Instructor; GS, J-5 Department, NATO Integration Division, Partnership & Review Program Section Chief; MoD, International Relations and Euro-Atlantic Integration Department, Bilateral Section Chief; MoD, Defense Resource Management Department, Budgeting Division, Specialist. Colonel Dumbadze has served in overseas mission as GDF’s Liaison Officer (LNO) to Multi-National Force Iraq, Baghdad, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2004-2005. Colonel Dumbadze’s professional military education includes: College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, USA (2017-2018); Command and General Staff Course, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA (2013-2014); He holds a Master’s Degrees in International Security Affairs and International Relations from the National Defense University and Webster University respectively.

Colonel Dumbadze’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (I, II and III ranks); the General Kvinitadze Medal; the General Mazniashvili Medal; the Devoted to Homeland Medal; International Peacekeeping Operation Medal.

Colonel Dumbadze and his wife Catherine have two daughters, Irina 23 and Mariam 3.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410

Colonel  Roman Sanikidze was appointed Assistant Defense, Military, and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in September 2024. Since being commissioned in the Georgian Army in 1996 as a Cadet of the United Military Naval Academy of Georgia and in 2001 as a 2nd Lieutenant.

COL Sanikidze has served in various command and staff positions in the country and abroad: Head of operation planning division, J-3 operation planning department. Georgian Defense Forces, West Command Head of G-3/5. J-3 Operational Planning Department, Operations Division, Chief of International Missions Section. Commanding Officer of 32^nd Light Infantry Battalion. Training Management and Education Command, Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC), Commander of the Peacekeeping Operations Training Center. Second Artillery Brigade Reactive Rocket System Battalion Chief of S-2. Joint Staff Special Operations Forces, Combat Battalion Kolkheti Head of S-3. Land Forces, In-charge Commander of Separate Light Infantry Battalion.  Land Forces, Separate Light Infantry Battalion Deputy Company Commander. Land Forces, Platoon Commander of a Logistic Company separate Light Infantry Battalion. Navy Forces HQ G-1 Officer of Personnel registration and mobilization department. Deputy Commanding Officer, Naval Patrol Vessels Division, Staff Command Ship. Cadet of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia National Defense Academy.

From 2006 to 2017 Colonel Sanikidze’s Peacekeeping missions and operations abroad include: Chief of S-3 Op’s peacekeeping Missions in Iraq. Chief planner officer of S-3 /G-3 Op’s peacekeeping Missions in Afghanistan. Commanding officer of Battalion in COIN Operation in Afghanistan.

Colonel Sanikidze’s professional military education includes: National War College (NDU), National Defense University, USA (2023-2024); Joint Command and General Staff Course Baltic Defense College, Estonia (2011-2012); Maneuver Captain Career course, Georgia 2008-2009; George C. Marshall European Center For Security Studies Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany  (2010); TBS and IOC (USMC) U.S.A ) In Quantico Virginia 2004-2005 and United Military Naval Academy under the Ministry of Defense of Georgia (1996-2001). He holds a master’s degree in international security Affairs from the U.S. National Defense University (2024).

Colonel Sanikidze’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medals (I – II and III ranks); the General Kvinitadze Medal; the General Mazniashvili Medal; the Kakutsa Cholokashvili Medal; the Devoted to Homeland Medal; the Non-Article 5 NATO Medals – International Security Assistance Force (Afghanistan); US Medal of Bronze Star RSM, Afghanistan; Col Sanikidze and his wife Asmat have two Children.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410