Born in North Carolina and raised in the eastern part of the state, Judge Rachel Kamoutsas grew up in a close-knit family alongside her older brother and sister. Her upbringing was shaped by two very different but deeply influential worlds: her mother, originally from Mexico City, who poured her heart into being a devoted mother, cook, and homemaker; and her father, a Brooklyn native who grew up on Long Island and spent his career in local government and public service. Their example instilled in her a strong sense of duty, humility, and service to others.
Even as a child, she didn’t have a specific career path in mind, but she always knew one thing with certainty, “I wanted to serve others in a meaningful way,” she explains.
Judge Kamoutsas attended Kinston High School in the small rural town of Kinston, North Carolina, before heading to the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies. It was during her time at UNC and post-graduation, that the idea of law school began to take shape. “After an internship with a small criminal defense firm and much prayer, I applied to law school.”
She went on to earn her J.D. from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach. There she served as a member of the Regent Law Review, interned for the Virginia Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeals of Virginia.
Her path toward criminal law—and ultimately prosecution—was a natural progression. Prior internships with criminal law firms, her interest in courtroom advocacy, and encouragement from her now-husband, Anastasios "Stasi" Kamoutsas (Education Commissioner of Florida), a Miami native, led her to apply to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. After three rounds of interviews—all in a single day—she was offered a position.
Judge Kamoutsas’ trajectory at the SAO was steady and purposeful. She began in county court, advanced through juvenile, and ultimately served in circuit court, leaving the office as an “A” prosecutor. The motto displayed in every Gerstein Building courtroom— “We who labor here seek the truth”—left a lasting imprint. The freedom and responsibility to pursue truth remains one of the most important lessons she
carries into her work today.
What she remembers most about her time at the SAO is the challenging, rewarding, and profoundly meaningful nature of the work. She remains close with many former colleagues and values the relationships built across multiple SAO classes.
She also reflects with gratitude on State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle’s leadership. “She has always been approachable, kind, receptive of input, and hardworking. I will always appreciate that Ms. Rundle took a chance on an out-of-state law student, to give me my first job, that gave me such a wealth of experience and perspective.”
“I have not been surprised by Judge Rachel Kamoutsas’ ascent through Florida’s legal and judicial system as I recognized her talents from the minute we first met,” says State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “Her legal career, starting in the SAO, has always reflected a steady expansion of knowledge and experience shaped by her rigorous prosecutorial work, her high-level advisory roles, and her genuine love for research and writing, all done in the pursuit of justice and truth.”
From August 2013 to April 2018, Judge Kamoutsas served at the SAO before joining the Florida Attorney General’s Office in the Capital Collateral Unit, where she handled death penalty and criminal appeals. During that time, she also practiced before the Third District Court of Appeal.
In 2019, she was recruited to support Attorney General Ashley Moody in her role as the Chair of the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse. Upon completion of the Task Force’s commission, Judge Kamoutsas was elevated to serve as Deputy General Counsel to the Attorney General, where she continued to provide guidance on a wide range of issues to the agency, staff, and Attorney General. She
also served in the Opinions Unit, issuing written opinions on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office to public officers on a variety of legal questions.
From 2022 to 2025, Judge Kamoutsas served the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida, first as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, and subsequently, as Chief of Staff.
Judge Kamoutsas’ interest in becoming an appellate judge grew gradually through these experiences. The work affirmed her love for research, writing, analytical thinking, and bringing clarity to the interpretation of the law.
Though the appointment process itself was rigorous, she is “thankful to be on this side of the appointment process.” On November 7, 2025, Judge Rachel Kamoutsas was appointed to the Sixth District Court of Appeal by Governor Ron DeSantis.
As she reflects on her journey, she offers this advice to young prosecutors and those just beginning their careers:
Be mindful of the great responsibility you carry. Work hard in all you do (Colossians 3:23), and “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8).
Judge Kamoutsas is a wife and mother of four. She enjoys cooking, listening to sermons, and spending time with family.
