Patricia McGinnis is the former President and CEO of the Council for Excellence in Government, where she created and led a number of innovative programs to improve the performance of government, during her 14 year tenure. She is currently serving as an Advisor to the Obama White House on leadership programs for Presidential Appointees. She is also serves a panelist and blogger for the Washington Post “On Leadership” website. She has worked as a management consultant in the private sector, including the FMR Group, a firm she co-founded. Her government experience includes stints at the Office of Management and Budget, where she led to effort to establish a cabinet level Department of Education, the Senate Budget Committee, and the Commerce and Health and Human Services departments.. Pat is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. She serves on numerous boards and has advised several presidential administrations on leadership and transition efforts.