Meet the Team Enacting the People‑First Agenda

Janeese and her transition team are preparing to govern and deliver on Day 1. Over the next two months, they are making key policy and personnel decisions, with the mandate of serving residents in all 8 wards.

Jennifer Levy

Jennifer Levy

Transition Director

Jennifer Levy served as the First Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the New York State Attorney General from 2019 to 2026, where she oversaw a workforce of more than 2,000 people in 13 offices. She led bipartisan negotiations with opioid manufacturers and distributors that resulted in $40 billion in settlement funds dedicated to opioid abatement nationally, including in DC. She also led the team that brought the case that resulted in the dismantling of the National Rifle Association, and the team that obtained a $450 million civil judgment against Donald Trump and his businesses. Before that, Jennifer worked in city government as the general counsel for litigation for the Public Advocate for the City of New York, and held leadership roles at the Legal Aid Society, where she led class action litigation that resulted in a path to citizenship for more than 2,000 immigrant children. Prior to that, she was the Director of Bronx Legal Services.

Aaron Jenkins

Aaron Jenkins

Transition Co-Chair

Aaron Jenkins brings extensive executive leadership experience across government and the nonprofit sector, including roles in the U.S. Senate, DC Council, and Operation Understanding DC. A former Obama Administration appointee, Aaron directed the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He also served as President of the Abramson Scholarship Foundation, supporting first-generation college students from DC public and charter schools through scholarships and mentorship. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, Aaron is deeply committed to public service, community empowerment, and faith-based leadership. He is a minister at New Solid Rock Church Ministries, a husband, and proud father of two daughters who lives with his family in Congress Heights.

BB Otero

BB Otero

Transition Co-Chair

Beatriz “BB” Otero is a longtime DC civic leader and former Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services with extensive experience in government leadership, public policy, and community development. As Deputy Mayor, she oversaw a broad portfolio of health and human services agencies and led initiatives to strengthen coordination and accountability across government. She later served as Special Assistant to the Montgomery County Executive. BB is the founder of CentroNía, a nationally recognized bilingual early childhood and family support organization, and president of Otero Strategy Group. An immigrant and longtime Washington resident with deep roots in the Latino community, she brings a personal understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the District’s diverse communities.

Gautam Raghavan

Gautam Raghavan

Transition Co-Chair

Gautam Raghavan has two decades of experience building impactful executive teams. He served as the Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel in the Biden-Harris Administration, where he led the selection of more than 7,000 presidential appointees. Before that, he was the associate director of the Office of Public Engagement under President Obama, acting as a liaison to both the LGBTQ+ and the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Gautam and his husband are the proud parents of a DC Public Schools student.

Greg Ackerman

Greg Akerman

Transition Co-Chair

Greg Akerman is the President of the Baltimore/DC-Metro Building Trades Council and a leading voice for workers and unions in the DC area. The Council supports the 22 construction unions in the greater Baltimore/Washington, DC/Northern Virginia region, which together represent thousands of skilled craft professionals in the building and construction industry. As President, Greg’s priorities include connecting DC residents with job training programs that lead to good-paying jobs with strong benefits, fighting wage theft and exploitation of vulnerable workers, promoting collective bargaining for all workers, and educating students about the trades earlier in their schooling.

Kimberly Perry

Kimberly Perry

Transition Co-Chair

Kimberly Perry is a nationally recognized expert in child and youth advocacy and a champion for working families with three decades of experience building organizations, shaping public policy, and driving lasting change for children and youth. As Executive Director of DC Action, she helped lead organizing efforts to pass DC’s Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, which raised the compensation of thousands of educators, leading to higher quality early education experiences for children and students. Kimberly has also served as the Founding Director of DC Hunger Solutions, Vice President of the Clinton Foundation’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and Executive Director of DC Vote.

Transition Advisors

  • Brianne Nadeau Ward 1 Councilmember
  • Brian Schwalb DC Attorney General
  • Charles Allen Ward 6 Councilmember
  • Elizabeth Wilkins President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute
  • Marie Johns Former Deputy Administrator of the US Small Business Administration
  • Megan Browder Legal Director of Legal Aid DC
  • Natalie Ludaway Former DC Chief Deputy Attorney General
  • Sam Epps President of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO
  • Tommy Wells Former Ward 6 Councilmember
  • Zachary Parker Ward 5 Councilmember

Transition Staff

  • Kemba Hendrix Deputy Director
  • Amanda Gomez Communications Director
  • Sarah Comeau Agency Review Team Lead
  • Vikram Swaruup Talent Lead
  • Will Singer Budget Lead

Transition Committee Chairs & Leads

Arts and Culture Chairs
Kelsye Adams and Christopher Naoum

Arts and Culture Lead
Julianne Brienza

Community Safety Chairs
Tahir Duckett and Greg Jackson

Community Safety Leads
Christina Jones and Shannon Talbert

DC Autonomy and Statehood Chairs
Donna Brazile and Robert White 

DC Autonomy and Statehood Leads
Alex Dodds and Luz Martinez

Education and Out of School Time Chairs
David Trigaux, Kathy Hollowell-Makle, and Sherrod Williams

Education and Out of School Time Lead
Will Perkins

Essential Services and Effective Government Chairs
Countee Gilliam and Dan Tangherlini

Essential Services and Effective Government Leads
Zach Teutsch and Crispus Gordon

Faith and Public Life Chairs
Rev. Dr. Anika Wilson-Brown and Yael Shafritz

Faith and Public Life Leads
Avi Edelman and Rev. Jason Jones

Food Access Chairs
George Jones and LaMonika Jones

Food Access Lead
Ed Lazere

Good Jobs and Economic Development Chairs
Anthony Freeman and Paul Schwalb

Good Jobs and Economic Development Lead
Adam Yalowitz

Health Care and Human Services Chairs
Jacqueline Bowens, Matthew Kavanagh, and Nikol Nabors Jackson 

Health Care and Human Services Leads
Jenn Kauffman and Jorge Membreño

Housing Chairs
Beth Mellen and Heather Raspberry 

Housing Lead
Emily Near

Immigrant Rights Chairs
George Escobar and Hermela Kebede

Immigrant Rights Leads 
Ricardo Campos and Alana Eichner

Legal Affairs and Civil Rights Chairs
Natalie Ludaway and Elizabeth “Liz” Wieser

Legal Affairs and Civil Rights Lead
Vanessa Batters-Thompson

One DC Chairs
Chioma Iwuoha and Cassie He

Small and Local Business Chairs
Andy Shallal and Marie Johns

Small and Local Business Leads
Raj Aggarwal and Salah Czapary 

Technology and Innovation Chairs
Lynn Overmann and Dr. Clarence Wardell III

Technology and Innovation Lead
Matt Bailey 

Transportation, Energy and Environment Chairs
Keith Benjamin and Nicole Steele

Transportation, Energy and Environment Lead
Jeff Peel 

Youth and Young Adult Chairs
Atrayu Lee and Tatiana Robinson