Presidential Transition Directory

Councils information

White House Transition Coordinating Council

The Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended (3 U.S.C. 102 Note) requires the president to establish a White House Transition Coordinating Council to provide guidance regarding preparations for the presidential transition, including succession planning and preparation of briefing materials. By statute, the president is required to convene the WHTCC six months before the date of the Presidential election. The council’s role is to:

  • Provide guidance to executive departments and agencies and the Federal Transition Coordinator regarding preparations for the presidential transition, including succession planning and preparation of briefing materials.
  • Facilitate communication and information sharing between the transition representatives of eligible candidates and senior employees in agencies and the Executive Office of the President, including the provision of information relevant to facilitating the personnel aspects of a presidential transition and such other information that, in the Council’s judgment, is useful and appropriate, as long as providing such information is not otherwise prohibited by law.
  • Prepare and host interagency emergency preparedness and response exercises.

Council membership

  • Senior employees of the Executive Branch who the president selects, which may include the Chief of Staff to the President, any cabinet officer, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, and the Archivist of the United States.
  • The GSA Federal Transition Coordinator.
  • The transition representative for each eligible candidate, who shall serve in an advisory capacity.
  • Any other individual the president determines appropriate.

Agency Transition Directors Council

The Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended (3 U.S.C. 102 Note) also requires the president to establish and operate an Agency Transition Directors Council. The council’s role  is to:

  • Ensure the federal government has an integrated strategy for addressing interagency challenges and responsibilities around Presidential transitions and turnover of non-career appointees.
  • Coordinate transition activities among the Executive Office of the President , agencies, and the transition team of eligible candidates and the President-elect and Vice-President-elect.
  • Draw on guidance the WTCC provides and lessons learned from previous presidential transitions in carrying out its duties.
  • Assist the Federal Transition Coordinator in identifying and carrying out their responsibilities relating to a presidential transition.
  • Provide guidance to agencies in gathering briefing materials and information relating to the presidential transition that may be requested by eligible candidates.
  • Ensure briefing materials and information relating to the presidential transition that eligible candidates may request are prepared no later than Nov. 1 of the year during which a presidential election is held.
  • Ensure agencies adequately prepare career employees who are designated to fill non-career positions during a presidential transition.
  • Consult with the President’s Management Council, or any successor thereto, in carrying out its duties.

Council membership

The ATDC is co-chaired by the Federal Transition Coordinator at the General Services Administration and the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget. Members of the ATDC include:

Agency Name Point of Contact
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Kevin Shea
Department of Commerce (DOC)  Jeremy Pelter
Department of Defense (DOD)  Jennifer C. Walsh
Department of Education (ED) Richard Smith
Department of Energy (DOE) Ingrid Kolb
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Christine Jones
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)  Chris Tomney
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Matt Ammon
Department of Interior (DOI) Robert D. MacLean
Department of Justice (DOJ) Jolene Ann Lauria
Department of Labor (DOL) Vince Micone
Department of State (State) Alaina Teplitz
Department of Transportation (DOT) Keith Washington
Department of the Treasury (Treasury) Robert Mahaffie
Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Shana Love-Holmon
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Wesley J. Carpenter
General Services Administration Arron Helm
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Casey Swails
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Meghan Guthorn
National Science Foundation Brian Stone
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)  Jody Martin
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)  Katie Malague
Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Shelley Finlayson
Small Business Administration (SBA) Zina Sutch
Social Security Administration (SSA)  Dustin S. Brown
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Clinton White
General Services Administration Aimee Whiteman (ATDC co-chair)
Office of Management and Budget Jason Miller (ATDC co-chair)