Partnership for Public Service Welcomes Two New Vice Presidents: Senior Finance Executive and Business Leader, John Gilbert, and Communications and Advocacy Veteran, Chad Tragakis

August 31, 2015

WASHINGTON — The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service today announced  the hiring of John Gilbert as vice president of business strategy and Chad Tragakis as vice president of communications. Both will serve as members of the organization’s senior leadership team.

In welcoming Gilbert and Tragakis to the Partnership, Max Stier, the organization’s president and CEO said, “Investing in high-caliber talent, like John and Chad, strengthens the Partnership’s capacity to achieve our mission. The Partnership is growing on all fronts, and their energy, ideas and broad-range of experience will help us drive change in government.”

As vice president of business strategy, Gilbert will lead an initiative to engage a cadre of private sector companies and executives with the Partnership’s mission and growth strategy to improve the execution capability of our government. This includes educating the business community about the organization’s proven track record of impact and working together to help government inspire and hire mission-critical talent, develop strong leaders, engage employees and modernize its decades-old civil service system. Gilbert will also be responsible for the Partnership’s strategic planning and financial management.

Gilbert joins the Partnership after a 28-year career with J.P. Morgan in New York and London. He most recently served as managing director and senior country officer in London, where Gilbert was responsible for investment banking in the Benelux and Nordic regions of Europe, in addition to acting as a senior client banker. Gilbert is a graduate of Duke University with a degree in public policy studies. He also serves as a visiting lecturer at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, and is a trustee and instructor for the New England Handicapped Sports Association.

As vice president of communications, Tragakis will lead the 12-person communications team and all aspects of the Partnership’s marketing and communications. Under Tragakis’ guidance, the communications team will support the Partnership’s mission across the organization, overseeing strategic positioning, brand management and messaging, programmatic marketing, video production, media relations, social media, strategic partnerships and special events. Tragakis will also oversee the Partnership’s prestigious Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals program, Public Service Recognition Week and a new program recognizing forward-thinking, life-changing ideas in federal government.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Tragakis spent 15 years at global public relations and communications agency, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, as senior vice president and most recently as the firm’s chief talent officer. Previously, he served in communications and public affairs roles for America’s Promise and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Tragakis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College and a master’s degree from George Mason University. He is also an adjunct fellow for the American Security Project, a nonpartisan organization created to educate the American public and the world about the changing nature of national security in the 21st century.

The Partnership’s signature programs reflect its vision for a dynamic, innovative federal government that effectively serves the American people. The Excellence in Government Fellows program prepares federal leaders to be successful managers and innovators who creatively problem-solve, and the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings provide critical information to help agencies, the administration and Congress assess workplace health and performance. The Ready to Govern initiative will assist presidential candidates in navigating the transition process, engage Congress and promote presidential transition reforms, develop management recommendations addressing operational challenges for the next administration, and train new and seasoned political appointees to lead effectively.

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that believes good government starts with good people. The organization works to revitalize the federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works by strengthening the civil service and the systems that support it.

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