Talking Transitions: Trust, Continuity and Service  

Ann O’Leary, former co-executive director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project (2016) 

Ann O’Leary currently serves as co-chair of Jenner and Block’s Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practice. Previously, she served as a senior policy advisor to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and as co-executive director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project. After the 2016 presidential election, O’Leary became chief of staff to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and was a partner at the Palo Alto office of Boies, Schiller, & Flexner, where her practice focused on strategic consulting and crisis management. Earlier in her career, she served as a senior policy advisor in President Bill Clinton’s administration and as legislative director to Sen. Hillary Clinton. Following her federal government service, she worked as a lawyer and at several nonprofits focused on education, economic inequality and healthcare.  O’Leary also served as a Center fellow during the 2020-21 transition cycle.   

Mack McLarty, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton   

Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, III is Chairman of McLarty Associates, which he co-founded in 1998 following a distinguished record of business leadership and public service, including various roles advising three US Presidents: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter. 

Mr. McLarty is also Chairman of the McLarty Companies, a fourth-generation family transportation business. As President Clinton’s White House chief of staff, Mr. McLarty helped enact the historic 1993 deficit reduction package, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Family and Medical Leave law, and the landmark welfare reform legislation that enabled more than 6.8 million people to move from welfare to work. He also organized the successful 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, which ultimately led to his appointment as Special Envoy for the Americas in 1997. 

As counselor to President Clinton, Mr. McLarty advised on a broad range of international and domestic issues. He traveled to the Persian Gulf on the president’s behalf to build financial support for the Bosnian peace process, led the US delegation to the inauguration of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, and signed the peace accords that brought peace to Guatemala for the first time in three decades. Mr. McLarty planned US participation in the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Santiago, and participated in several G-7 and APEC Summits. 

Mary Gibert, former federal transition coordinator at the General Services Administration (GSA) 

Mary Gibert served as the federal transition coordinator at the General Services Administration, where she led and coordinated the federal transition efforts for the 2020-21 presidential transition cycle. During her 40 years in government, Gibert served in many roles with the GSA, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Department of Defense and the IRS. Prior to leading the 2020 election cycle, she participated in numerous transitions, as well as serving as the GSA associate administrator for the Office of Civil Rights and the GSA PBS regional commissioner for the National Capital Region.  Gibert served with distinction in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1984 and has received numerous awards, including being a finalist for the Partnership for Public Service’s Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal. 

Rich Bagger, former Trump for America transition lead (2016) 

Rich Bagger was executive director of Trump for America during 2016, responsible for pre-election planning for the transition of President Donald Trump. Earlier, he served as chief of staff for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie from 2010-2012. His public service also includes 11 years in the New Jersey Senate and Assembly, where he was chair of the Appropriations Committee and majority conference leader and nine years as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Currently, Bagger is a partner and executive director at Christie 55 Solutions, an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University where he teaches a course in legislative policymaking, and member of multiple boards.  Bagger served as a Center fellow during the 2020-21 transition cycle.