Three members of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs community have been appointed to a six-person bipartisan team that will advise the National Academy of Public Administration’s (NAPA) Presidential Transition 2016 panels.

The three Maxwell members include Sean O’Keefe, University Professor and former secretary of the Navy; Donna Shalala, a member of Maxwell’s Advisory Board and former secretary of Health and Human Services; and Paul Volcker, a member of Maxwell’s Advisory Board and former chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

NAPA’s Presidential Transition 2016 panels are designed to advise the incoming 2016 presidential administration on effective management improvement initiatives, identify and overcome government management challenges and identify key presidentially appointed agency management positions, according to the announcement, which came Wednesday.

The Presidential Transition 2016 panels are now in operation following NAPA’s annual fall meeting in December, according to the release.

Established in 1967, NAPA is an independent, nonprofit organization that assists government leaders in building more effective, efficient accountable and transparent organizations, according to the release. The goal of NAPA — which is chartered by Congress — is to provide non-partisan expert advice.

Maxwell Dean James Steinberg said in the release that he was “delighted” by the appointment of three Maxwell members to the NAPA panels.

“Our school and the university have long benefited from Sean, Donna and Paul’s deep knowledge of and commitment to public service,” Steinberg said in the release. “These appointments are a testament to their extraordinary careers and a point of pride for the entire community.”

O’Keefe, Shalala and Volcker — in addition to the other three members on the team — will advise the four Presidential Transition 2016 panels: Collaboration Across Boundaries; Using Evidence-Based Approaches to Improve Program Performance; Bringing Strategic Foresight to Bear in Program Planning and Management; and Recruiting, Preparing, Retaining and Rewarding Highly Qualified Career and Appointed Officials, according to the release.

The panels are led by Academy Fellows Ed DeSeve, a former official during President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton’s administrations, and David Chu, a former official during former President Ronald Reagan and former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush’s administrations, according to the release.

DeSeve said in the release that NAPA reached out to six of its “most prominent” fellows to help provide insight and advice to the next president. He added in the release that this insight and advice will focus on better government management and the successful implementation of programs.

NAPA is also working with the American Society for Public Administration to offer management recommendations and trusted advice in order to build “a more agile, responsive and resilient government,” according to the release.

Dan Blair, president and CEO of NAPA said in the release that the academy’s meeting this past December was “one of the best yet.”

“We had tremendous participation from public administration leaders and experts, and one of the top issues was the upcoming presidential transition,” Blair said in the release. “We are pleased to announce that a blue-ribbon, bipartisan team of senior advisors will oversee our Transition 2016 panels, which are working hard to develop recommendations that will ensure a smooth transition from President Obama to our next president.”

Other selected members for the panels include Steve Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis; Alice Rivlin, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors; and George Voinovich, former U.S. senator from Ohio and governor of Ohio, according to the release.

Published on January 20, 2016 at 10:02 pm

Contact Sara: smswann@syr.edu | @saramswann