WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation today announced the launch of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, a new initiative exclusively focused on preparing the next administration with conservative policy recommendations and the properly vetted and trained personnel needed to take back America. 

The 2025 Presidential Transition Project builds off Heritage’s longstanding “Mandate for Leadership,” which has been highly influential for presidential administrations since the Reagan administration. Most recently, the Trump administration relied heavily on Heritage’s “Mandate” for policy guidance, embracing nearly two-thirds of Heritage’s proposals within just one year in office.  

Heritage also announced that Paul Dans, former chief of staff of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) during the Trump administration, will join the organization as director of this initiative.  

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts released the following statement on the launch of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project:  

“The Washington, D.C., bureaucrats responsible for crafting and implementing policy can be just as damaging to our country as those elected to lead it. 

 

“It is not enough to elect conservative leaders who articulate the right policies. We must ensure that the men and women surrounding these leaders also cherish American greatness, hold an unwavering fidelity to our Constitution, and believe in the supremacy of our God-given rights. 

 

“That is why we are standing up the 2025 Presidential Transition Project almost three years out from the next administration. Heritage will help provide not just the intellectual firepower to policymakers, but also do everything we can to ensure the right people hold positions of influence in Washington—and are empowered to root out those who no longer serve the interests of the American people. 

 

“I am excited for the great things Paul Dans and our team will do to make this vision a reality. His extensive experience in personnel matters, coupled with his love for this country and the principles that make us great, will be invaluable tools as we begin the process of restoring America and uniting the conservative movement around doing so.” 

Prior to joining Heritage, Dans served as the chief of staff at OPM, managing the 2,600-person federal agency in charge of human resources policy for more than 2 million federal workers. He also served as OPM’s White House liaison and senior advisor to the director.  

Before his time at OPM, Dans was a senior advisor in the Office of Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. An attorney, he has extensive experience in high-stakes commercial litigation. He practiced at several large international law firms in New York City from 1997-2012, prior to founding his own law firm. Dans holds a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a masters and bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.