The Obama-Biden Transition team has started to begin reviewing key federal departments, agencies and commissions in preparation for the Obama administration’s transition to power. An Agency Review Team has been named with three co-chairs: Melody Barnes, who served as the Senior Domestic Policy Advisor for the Obama campaign and Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress; Lisa Brown, Executive Director of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy; and Dan Gips, Group Vice President of Global Corporate Development at Level 3 Communications.

The Obama Transition Team has announced three initial agency review teams, examining the Treasury Department, Department of State and the Department of Defense. Each agency review team has two lead coordinators.

Leading the Treasury Agency Review Team is Josh Gotbaum and Michael Warren. Gotbaum was an investment banker before stints in the Treasury and Defense departments, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Warren is the Chief Operating Officer of Stonebridge International LLC and previously worked at McKinsey & Company as a strategic consultant in the technology and financial institutions industries and as a fellow of the McKinsey Global Institute.

Named as leads of the State Agency Review Team is Tom Donilon and Wendy Sherman. Donilon is a partner at the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers and serves on the firm’s global governing committee. He served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of State in the Clinton Administration. Sherman is a Principal of The Albright Group LLC and of Albright Capital Management LLC. She was the Counselor of the Department of State (DOS), with rank of Ambassador, appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the United States Senate.

The Department of Defense Review team leads are John P. White and Michele A. Flournoy. White is the Robert and Renee Belfer Lecturer and Chair of the Kennedy School of Government Middle East Initiative. He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1995 to 1997. Flournoy is President and Co-Founder of the Center for a New American Security. She served as principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Threat Reduction and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy in the Clinton administration.

The review teams will ensure that senior appointees to the Obama Administration are prepared for the Senate confirmation process, lead their departments, and be prepared to implement signature policy initiatives immediately upon being sworn-in.