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Date and Location
Jamel McMullin
What does it take to serve as a governor’s chief of staff? Join Taubman Center Visiting Fellows Dr. Brandon Tatum, CEO of the National Governors Association, and Fagan Harris, CEO of the Abell Foundation, for an engaging conversation with a multiple governors’ chiefs of staff about their roles, leadership philosophies, and the challenges of serving in these high-profile positions.
Moderated by Dr. Tatum and Harris, the discussion will give Kennedy School students an inside look at the realities of working in a governor’s administration, including how to lead effectively, manage competing priorities, advise executive decision-makers, and navigate the demands of public leadership.
This event is an opportunity for students to learn directly from experienced leaders about careers in state government and the skills needed to succeed in the public sector.
**Registration Requested.**
Fagan Harris serves as President and CEO of the Abell Foundation. Prior to joining Abell, Fagan served as Governor Wes Moore’s Chief of Staff from his historic inauguration in 2023 through 2025. As Chief of Staff, he managed the Governor’s Offices and oversaw the day-to-day operations of State government. He led the State through historic negotiations to retain the beloved Baltimore Orioles, managed the State’s response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, and guided the development and implementation of the State’s $67b budget.
He is the co-founder of Baltimore Corps, a national leader in social innovation, where he served as CEO for 10 years. Under his leadership, Baltimore Corps re-imagined recruiting, hiring, and career advancement for underestimated communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Baltimore Corps played a central role in the creation and execution of the Baltimore Health Corps, which enlisted hundreds of city residents most impacted by the pandemic in the city’s public health response as full-time contact tracers and care coordinators.
Brandon Tatum serves as Chief Executive Officer of the National Governors Association (NGA). In this role, he leads the nation’s only bipartisan organization representing all 55 U.S. governors, setting strategic direction for policy development, federal engagement, and interstate collaboration on the country’s most consequential challenges. Prior to NGA, Tatum served as Chief Executive Officer of Oklahoma’s Public Regional University System (RUSO) and as Senior Advisor to Governor J. Kevin Stitt for workforce and education.
Earlier, Tatum served as Chief of Staff to Governor J. Kevin Stitt, acting as the Governor’s top advisor and strategist. In this role, he was responsible for executing the Governor’s policy agenda, overseeing state agency operations, and managing a 31,000-employee executive branch.
Kate Cook serves as the Chief of Staff to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. As Healey’s top advisor and strategic thought partner, Kate plays a key role leading the Governor’s Office, cabinet, and agencies across the state government of over 45,000 employees to make Massachusetts more equitable, affordable, and competitive. Kate’s day-to-day work includes but is not limited to: ensuring cabinet secretaries and state agencies are meeting timelines and milestones to accomplish the Governor’s ambitious policy goals; coordinating closely with the communications and legal teams to avoid and manage crises; managing high-profile Administration appointments and terminations and other human resources challenges; collaborating with the Administration and Finance Secretary to manage the state’s $60 billon budget and related fiscal decisions; and gathering and presenting complex information on a wide-range of matters to the Governor to assist in important decision-making and policy development.
For over twenty-five years, Kate has served as a trusted advisor to executives in the private sector and public officials at all levels of state and local government. Prior to her appointment as Chief of Staff, Kate served as First Assistant Attorney General. A former partner in a mid-size Boston law firm, she chaired the government law and election law practice groups and had an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights and civil liberties matters. She has served as Chief Legal Counsel to former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, General Counsel to Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee, and Assistant Corporation Counsel to the City of Boston law department.