Donalds Names Four-Member Florida Transition Team
Governor-elect Byron Donalds and Lieutenant Governor-elect Bryan Avila announced the team as they begin building their administration.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in People
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Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds announced his gubernatorial transition team on Monday, with Lieutenant Governor-elect Bryan Avila. The team consists of four people, led by Manny Kadre as Chairman of Transition.
Why it matters
The transition team is the first organizational step as Donalds prepares to take office in January 2027. Its members will shape early administrative and policy groundwork for the state.
The transition team has four members, with Manny Kadre serving as Chairman of Transition, Ryan Smith as Executive Director, Tarren Bragdon as Policy Chair and Teresa Ressel as Senior Advisor. The announcement does not indicate budget size or planned staffing beyond these four roles.
The players
Byron Donalds
Byron Donalds is the Governor-elect of Florida, a former U.S. Representative who won the 2026 gubernatorial election.
Bryan Avila
Bryan Avila is the Lieutenant Governor-elect of Florida, serving alongside Donalds in the incoming administration.
The details
Donalds and Avila announced the transition team as they begin building their administration in Tallahassee. The team's roles cover leadership, operations, policy and advisory functions.
Timeline
Monday, November 9, 2026: Donalds and Avila announce the transition team.
January 2027: Donalds is inaugurated as governor.
Leadership Transition
Incoming Florida governors typically assemble transition teams months before inauguration to prepare appointments and policy priorities. Donalds's four-member structure is a compact team compared with the broader staffing typically built out once an administration takes office.
For Florida residents, the transition team sets the stage for the policies and appointments that will shape state government beginning in January 2027. Early team decisions can influence the priorities residents see once the new administration takes office.
The takeaway
The formation of a transition team is an early signal of how an incoming governor plans to organize and staff the state government. Residents can watch appointments made in the coming months for indications of the administration's direction.
What happens next
Donalds is scheduled to be inaugurated as governor in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on People coverage of Florida's incoming state leadership.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTXL ABC 27 Tallahassee News.
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