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

Khatuna Kveselava joined the Embassy of Georgia to the United States as a Deputy Chief of Mission 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.

Shalva Burduli serves as senior counselor at the Embassy of Georgia. Shalva joined the Georgian foreign service in 2002 and is a career diplomat with longstanding arms control and disarmament experience. His most recent assignment was the deputy director of the Department for International Organizations at the MFA of Georgia. Shalva Burduli graduated from Tbilisi State Medical University in 2000, with a Military Doctor degree. He is married and has three children.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 306

Tamta Rcheulishvili has been serving as the Consular Officer at the Embassy Since August 2020. Her most recent assignment was the consul at the Embassy of Georgia in the Republic of Italy. Previously Tamta served as the Head of Division of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.  Ms. Rcheulishvili earned a master’s degree in International Law from the University of Hamburg, Germany. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Tbilisi State University. In addition to her native Georgian, she speaks English, Russian, German and some Italian.  She is married and has a son.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 303

Levan Khurtsidze is a Counselor at the Embassy and his current portfolio includes relations with think tanks, non-states and academia. Prior to his current assignment in Washington, he served as Head of the U.S. and Canada Division at the Department of the Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. He joined the Georgian Foreign Service in 2009 as the U.S. and Mexico Desk, and was later transferred to the Political Department where as a First Secretary and a Counselor he worked as policy analyst and speechwriter. He then served as a Counselor at the OSCE Division of the Department for International Organizations, before rejoining his home Department of the Americas first as a Counselor, and then as head of division. From 2000 to 2006, Levan Khurtsidze was a senior staffer at the Georgian Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, where he supervised the Georgia-NATO and Georgia-U.S. relations. Levan was a co-secretary of the Georgian parliamentary delegation to NATO, and wrote speeches for the Committee chairs. Levan Khurtsidze was a researcher at the Johns Hopkins/SAIS as part of his Rumsfeld Fellowship in 2012. He holds an MA in International Studies from the Old Dominion University (2008) as a Muskie Fellow, an MPA from the Georgian Institute of Public Administration (2004), and has also pursued the MA and BA programs in History and Political Science from Tbilisi State University (2004). He also attended the International Defense Resource Management program at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California (2005). After temporarily abandoning his full-fledged international career as classical pianist, in 1996-2000 Levan Khurtsidze went on to attend Santa Monica College and University of California Los Angeles studying political science. He is fluent in English and Russian, also speaks French, Spanish and Arabic as well as some German and Korean.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 305

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

Tornike Nikvashvili is a career diplomat, serving as Counselor at the Embassy. He covers economic issues. Tornike Nikvashvili started his diplomatic career in 2017 and served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in the International Economic Relations Department in various positions. During his work at the department, Tornike was working on strengthening bilateral economic relations with the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Finland, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. In addition, his responsibilities included attracting foreign investment and promoting Georgian export. Tornike did his bachelor degree in Business Administration and Management and in Political Science at Ilia State University (Tbilisi, Georgia) and in Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan, Poland). Later on, he did his Master`s degree in Diplomacy in the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomacy, at the University of Malta (Malta). In addition to his native language, Tornike speaks English, Russian and Polish.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 403

Joseph Jorjoliani currently holds the position of Counselor at the Embassy, where his primary responsibilities include overseeing media relations, communications, and representational activities. Prior to assuming this role, Joseph served as the Young Ambassador of Georgia to the United States, dedicated to advancing Georgian interests and building a network of Georgia’s friends. Before entering the diplomatic service, he gained  experience at WNJR, a radio station, and made contributions to various media outlets and think tanks. Joseph is an alumnus of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, holding a Master of Arts degree in German and European Studies, and also possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, International Studies, and German from Washington & Jefferson College.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 402

Colonel Robert Argvliani was appointed Defense, Military, Naval, and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in June 2021. Colonel Argvliani’s previous assignments include Deputy Director, J3 Operations Department, General Staff, GDF; Chief of Staff, Eastern Command, GDF; Chief of Planning Section, G3 Division, Eastern Command, GAF; Senior Officer, Training Section, G3 Division, Land Force HQ, GAF; S2 Officer, 36 Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade; Chief of Border Guard Section, 3rd Border Guard Division; Chief of Training Section, 3rd Border Guard Division; Deputy Commander, Border Guard Sector, 3rd Border Guard Division. Colonel Argvliani has served in overseas missions: as GDF’s Senior National Representative (SNR) in Afghanistan Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in 2020; International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in 2010-2011 and 2013-2014; and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007-2008. Colonel Argvliani’s professional military education includes: College of International Security Affairs (CISA), National Defense University, USA (2016-2017); Joint Command and General Staff Course, Baltic Defense College, Estonia (2012-2013); and United Military Academy under the Ministry of Defense of Georgia (1994-1998). He holds a Master’s Degree in International Security Affairs from the U.S. National Defense University (2017) and Bachelor’s Degree in History from National Defense Academy (1998) Tbilisi/Georgia. Colonel Argvliani’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; the Non-Article 5 NATO Medal – International Security Assistance Force (Afghanistan); the NATO Non-article 5 medal for Operation Resolute Support; the US Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various campaign awards. Colonel Argvliani and his wife Tsitsino have a son.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410

Colonel (COL) Alexander Tugushi was appointed Assistant Defense, Military and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in November 2019. Since commissioned in the Georgian Army in 1997 as a 2nd Lieutenant, COL Tugushi has served variety of command and staff positions in the country and abroad: Deputy Chief of J2 Intelligence Department, Assistant of Minister of Defense of Georgia, Assistant of Commander of Easter Operation Group of Armed Forces, Assistant of Georgian Armed Forces Attaché in USA and Canada, Commanding Officer of 31st Light Infantry Battalion, Commanding Officer of 32nd Light Infantry Batalion, Operations Officer of 3rd Georgian Light Infantry Brigade, Chief of G-3-OP’s of 3rd Georgian Light Infantry Brigade, Operations Officer of Light Infantry Battalion (SOF), Commanding Officer 1st Company (SOF), Commanding Officer of 2nd Platoon, 1st Company (SOF), Platoon Executive Officer (SOF). His Peacekeeping missions and operations abroad include: Peace Squad leader in Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo, twice Chief of S-3 /G-3 Op’s peacekeeping Missions in Iraq, twice commanding officer of Battalion in COIN Operation in Afghanistan. COL Tugushi graduated from Environmental Management Institute of Georgia with a degree in Economy. He is a graduate of Military General Army Commanding High School (Saint Petersburg, Russia); Military Commanding School (Moscow; Russia); General Army Branch and Battalion Commanding Officer’s Course (with distinction) of Join Military Academy (Tbilisi, Georgia). He has gone various military courses and trainings within a country and abroad: Pre-KFOR Deployment Training (Georgia-Turkey), Battalion and Brigade Level Pre-Deployment Course for Iraqi Freedom Movement (OIF), Georgian Deployment Program GDP- ISAF training (Georgia, Germany), Peacekeeping Mission Course (Turkey) and Peacekeeping Mission Course (Germany). COL Tugushi holds numerous state and a military awards: Non Article 5 NATO Medals (KFOR and NATO); Medal for Military Courage; US Medal of Army Commendation (OIF, Iraq); Medals for participation in Peacekeeping Mission (five times); US Medal of Bronze Star (OIF, Iraq); 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Medals of King Vakthang Gorgasali; Medal of General Mazniashvili; Medal of Devoted to Homeland (twice); Medal of Saint George Victory (Georgia); Medal of Kakutsa Cholokashvili; Medal of General Kvinitadze; US Bronze Star (V) – (OEF, Afghanistan); Medal for Combat Merit; Medals for “Meritorious Service” I rank, II rank, and III rank. Col Tugushi and his wife Khatuna have one son.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410

Colonel (COL) Nicholos Jachvadze was appointed Assistant Defense, Military and Air Attaché of Georgia to the United States and Canada in November 2020. Since joining the Georgian Army in 2003 as an Infantry Officer, COL Jachvadze has served variety of positions in the country and overseas: Officer of Personnel Department of Georgian Armed Forces, Lawyer of Light Infantry Battalion, Lawyer of Infantry Brigade in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Liaison Officer (LNO) at the Senior National Representative’s (SNR) Office of Georgia in Kabul (Afghanistan, ISAF), Chief of G-5 Division of the Training and Military Education Command (TMEC). COL Jachvadze has completed several military courses and training abroad. He is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute, English Language Centre (San Antonio, Texas, USA), Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS, Newport, RI, USA), George C. Marshall European Center For Security Studies (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany). COL Jachvadze holds Master’s degree in Economics and Mathematics as well as Lawyer’s qualification from Tbilisi State University and Master’s degree in Defense Analysis from National Defence Academy of Georgia. Currently, COL Jachvadze is working on his PhD degree in Social Sciences at the Georgian Technical University. COL Jachvadze holds numerous military Awards: Medal “Gen. Mazniashvili”, Medal for Participation in Peacekeeping Missions, US Georgia State Medal, NATO Medal (ISAF), Medals for “Meritorious Service” I rank, II rank, and III rank. COL Jachvadze and his wife Tamar have two Children.

Phone: 202 387 2390 ext. 410