(Photo of Governor Elect Shapiro from Wednesday’s News Conference courtesy of Pa Media Services.)
(HARRISBURG, PA) Governor-Elect Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Austin Davis announced the first steps in the transition to the Shapiro-Davis Administration, restating their commitment to building an Administration that represents the entire Commonwealth and brings Pennsylvanians together.
Governor-Elect Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Davis rolled out a new transition website which will serve as the central location for people to apply for roles in the Shapiro-Davis Transition and Administration, and they announced key leadership roles for the Transition and the Inauguration. Governor-Elect Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Davis were joined by Governor Tom Wolf at the press conference in the Pennsylvania State Capitol today, who pledged his administration’s full support with the transition process.
“Throughout our campaign, we built a historic coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to defeat extremism and defend real freedom – and now it’s our responsibility to build an administration to meet this moment and move our Commonwealth forward,” said Governor-Elect Josh Shapiro. “We are going to assemble a talented, hard working, capable administration – one that looks like Pennsylvania and is ready to go to work on day one. For anyone who is willing to take off the red jersey or the blue jersey, and put on the Pennsylvania jersey, I invite you to join our team.”
“I believe the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power, and that’s why Josh and I are committed to building an administration that represents our entire Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor-Elect Austin Davis. “From working class communities like McKeesport to neighborhoods in West Philadelphia, folks all across Pennsylvania are facing real challenges right now – and our administration will be ready to get to work on day one.”
In the 2022 Governor’s race, Governor-Elect Shapiro brought people together, setting a new record, winning the most votes in a Pennsylvania midterm election in state history and winning by the largest margin for a non-incumbent since 1946. Every time he has run statewide in Pennsylvania – in 2016, 2020, and 2022 – Josh Shapiro has won the most votes of anyone on the ballot – and this year, that win was powered by remarkable performances in swing counties and parts of the state that have most recently voted for Republicans.
How to Get Involved in the Shapiro-Davis Administration
Pennsylvanians of all backgrounds and political perspectives are encouraged to apply for roles in the Shapiro-Davis Transition and Administration by visiting www.shapirodavis.org. This website will serve as the central location for people to apply for roles in the Transition and the Shapiro-Davis Administration, as well as to learn more about Governor-Elect Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor-Elect Davis, and how to participate in the upcoming inauguration.
Governor-Elect Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Davis are committed to building an Administration that represents all Pennsylvanians and looks like the Commonwealth they were elected to lead. Next week, the Shapiro-Davis Transition will be announcing leaders of the transition process, who will be focused on recruiting top talent and hiring a diverse team that will be ready to continue bringing people together and move Pennsylvania forward on day one.
Next week, the Transition will announce a Leadership Board, which will be made up of a diverse, dynamic group that will take a leading role in advising the transition into the Shapiro-Davis administration.
The Transition will also soon be announcing several Advisory Committees of policy and professional experts, community advocates, and business, industry, and labor leaders to help the incoming Administration prepare to advance Governor-Elect Shapiro’s top priorities: growing our economy, making our communities safer, and ensuring all Pennsylvania students receive a high-quality education.
An Inauguration Leadership Board will be announced in the coming days as well. This Board will lead the planning and execution of the Shapiro-Davis Inauguration — which will be a fun, interactive series of events that are going to represent our entire Commonwealth, focus on service to others, and continue bringing people into our Administration.
Inauguration and Transition Leadership
Governor-Elect Shapiro also announced key leadership roles for the Transition and Inauguration. Akbar Hossain will serve as the Executive Director of the Transition, Amanda Warren will serve as the Executive Director of the Inauguration, and Manuel Bonder will serve as Director of Communications for the Transition and the Inauguration.
Akbar Hossain will serve as the Executive Director of the Transition. Akbar was most recently the Policy Director on the Shapiro for Pennsylvania campaign – where he led development of the Governor-Elect’s issue agenda and coordinated with key stakeholders across the Commonwealth. Prior to joining the campaign, Akbar was a white collar government investigations attorney at a national law firm and served as a law clerk to Judge Harvey Bartle, III of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In his pro bono practice, Akbar represented immigrants seeking asylum in the United States and low-income tenants in eviction proceedings. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Franklin and Marshall College and a Juris Doctor from University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Amanda Warren will serve as the Executive Director of the Inauguration. Amanda served as the Finance Director on the Shapiro for Pennsylvania campaign, leading the team that raised over $67M – a record breaking sum for a Governor’s race in Pennsylvania. Amanda joined the Shapiro campaign in 2018, where she has served in a number of roles including as the Finance Director on Shapiro’s re-election campaign for Attorney General in 2020. Prior to joining the Shapiro team, Amanda spent 2 years at a sports marketing firm representing professional athletes in branding deals and brokering authentic sports memorabilia. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Delaware and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Temple University.
Manuel Bonder will serve as the Director of Communications for the Transition and the Inauguration. Manuel served as Press Secretary on the Shapiro for Pennsylvania campaign – helping communicate Shapiro’s positive vision to grow our economy, improve education and public safety, and protect real freedom to voters in all 67 counties and across the country. Prior to joining the Shapiro for Pennsylvania campaign, Manuel served on a number of campaigns for Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and President of the United States. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Massachusetts.