Sand Names Buck, Miller to Transition Team
Iowa Governor-elect Rob Sand named Elisabeth Buck and Morgan Miller co-directors of his transition committee and launched a transition website.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in People
Live Poll
Do you trust Iowa's state government to serve residents well?
Governor-elect Rob Sand named Elisabeth Buck and Morgan Miller as co-directors of the Sand Transition Committee, which oversees the transition process for the incoming administration. Sand also launched a transition website with updates, administration job openings, and state board and commission information.
Why it matters
The transition committee shapes how the incoming administration takes over state operations before it takes office in January. The website gives Iowans a single place to track the transition and find openings in the new administration.
Co-director Elisabeth Buck brings more than 15 years of executive leadership and over 20 years in offices of elected officials, while Morgan Miller has led political strategy at the Iowa State Education Association since 2020. The announcement does not detail the committee's budget or staff size.
The players
Rob Sand
Rob Sand is the Democratic governor-elect of Iowa who won the state's top office in the 2026 election.
Elisabeth Buck
Elisabeth Buck is a government and philanthropy executive with more than 15 years of leadership experience who co-directs the Sand Transition Committee.
Morgan Miller
Morgan Miller is the political director of the Iowa State Education Association who co-directs the Sand Transition Committee.
The details
Governor-elect Rob Sand announced that Elisabeth Buck, who has spent most of her career in government or philanthropy, and Morgan Miller, political director of the Iowa State Education Association, will co-lead the transition committee. The governor-elect also launched a transition website to share updates, post administration job openings, and list state board and commission information.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Sand announces the transition co-directors and launches the transition website.
January 2027: The incoming administration takes office.
Season Trajectory
Gubernatorial transition teams in Iowa are formed after November elections and typically prepare the incoming administration to take office in January. The Sand team follows that pattern with co-directors and a public transition website.
Iowans who want to work in the new administration can check the transition website for job openings and state board and commission vacancies. The website is the stated channel for transition updates before the administration takes office in January.
The takeaway
Iowans interested in state government roles can follow the transition website for openings and board information as the January 2027 handover approaches. The co-directors' backgrounds suggest a focus on experienced government and political operations.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage to see how leadership appointments like these shape the business and political landscape.
Live Poll
Do you trust Iowa's state government to serve residents well?
