The 2024 Presidential Transition: What Happened? With Heath Brown
The peaceful transfer of power occurred successfully at noon on Jan. 20, 2025, when President Joe Biden handed control of the federal government to President-elect Donald Trump. After an election cycle characterized by intense partisanship and distrust, how did officials manage this monumental task? Today on the final episode this season of “Transition Lab,” transition expert Heath Brown reflects on this question and discusses what we can learn for future transitions. Heath Brown is an associate professor of public policy at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the CUNY Graduate Center. His most recent book, “Roadblocked: Joe Biden’s Rocky Road to the Presidency,” covers Joe Biden’s 2020 transition. He is also the author of numerous books and articles on American politics and the American presidency, as well as a contributor and cited expert in numerous publications, including The Atlantic, The Hill, and American Prospect.
--------
52:21
How’s the 2024 transition going? With Max Stier
‘Tis the season – and not just for the holidays! The 2024 transition is in full swing, so for this episode of Transition Lab, we invited our CEO and president Max Stier to join us for a discussion of President-elect Donald Trump’s (second!) presidential transition and how it stacks up against those of the last few administrations.
Max Stier has served as president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service since its creation in 2001. Under his leadership, the Partnership grew from a small startup to the only nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to building a better government and a stronger democracy. Before partnering with Sam Heyman to create our organization, Max’s career highlights include time spent in all three branches of government, including on Capitol Hill, in the Supreme Court, and in the departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development.
Tune in to new episodes after the holidays!
Find a complete transcript of the episode here.
--------
35:26
Too many cooks in the kitchen? With Lanhee Chen
Assigning one job to two people can be a recipe for disaster. Yet, presidential candidates typically have two policy teams—one for the campaign operation and one for the transition operation. Campaigns already do policy work, so why does a transition need a policy team, too?
Today on “Transition Lab,” we’re joined by Lanhee Chen, the policy director for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, to talk about the differences between these teams, why they’re both essential to a successful transition and how they should work together.
Chen previously served as a member of the Social Security Advisory Board during the Obama and Trump administrations and in the Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush presidency. He is a public policy fellow at the Hoover Institution, a director and lecturer at Stanford University's public policy program, and a partner and co-lead of the Brunswick Group’s US public affairs, policy and regulatory practice. He is also an on-air contributor for NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
Find a complete transcript of this episode here.
--------
42:18
How do we build a better government? With Jenny Mattingley
Political pundits wax on about government waste, red tape and inefficiency, but the truth is that while the federal government can learn plenty from the private sector, no magic wand would make government operate exactly like a business—and for good reasons. This week on “Transition Lab," we speak with our resident expert on government management, the Partnership for Public Service’s Jenny Mattingley, about why government runs the way it does and how political leaders can make it work better.
Jenny Mattingley serves as the vice president of government affairs at the Partnership for Public Service, where she leads initiatives to improve government performance and advocates for public servants. Previously, Mattingley served as a program manager at the Office of Management and Budget, as the director of the White House Leadership Development Program, and as the executive director of the Performance Improvement Council.
Find a complete transcript of the episode here.
--------
38:58
How do you become a political appointee? With Kathryn Dunn Tenpas
Getting a job can be really hard—but getting a job as a Senate-confirmed, presidential appointee can be even harder. Today on “Transition Lab,” we welcome Kathryn Dunn Tenpas for a conversation about the role of political appointees in the federal government and the pathway to these jobs.
Tenpas is director of the Katzmann Initiative and a visiting fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. She also is an advisory board member of the White House Transition Project and a practitioner senior fellow at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. A scholar of the American presidency, Tenpas focuses on presidential personnel, transitions, and reelection campaigns, and her studies include an original database that tracks turnover rates among senior White House staffers. She is the author of “Presidents as Candidates: Inside the White House for the Presidential Campaign” and more than 60 pieces of content on presidency-related topics.
Find a complete transcript of the episode here.
Transition Lab is a behind-the-scenes look at presidential transitions. Join Valerie Boyd, director of the Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition for candid discussions with transition experts, exploring the relationship between presidential transitions, effective government and a strong democracy. Transition Lab is a must-listen for anyone interested in developing a better understanding of what needs to happen before a president takes office or starts a second term.
France