Even among the best and brightest, competent managers are a rare breed. Former coworkers say Brad Kiley is both an administrative talent and a pleasure to work with, which makes him the perfect pick for his new senior role as director of the Office of Management and Administration.

"He's a tireless worker with a can-do attitude and a great sense of humor," says Winnie Stachelberg, senior vice president for external affairs at the Center for American Progress. Kiley served as vice president of finance and operations at the center before joining the Obama-Biden Transition Project as director of operations in November.

"In many ways, the job he did at the Center for American Progress is basically what he's doing at the White House," Stachelberg says, noting the position requires patience, flexibility, and a big-picture perspective -- even after spending 20-hour workdays in the weeds of numerous budgets. As director of Management and Administration, Kiley oversees all administrative services -- finance, human resources, and research -- for the Executive Office of the President, the group of federal agencies immediately serving the president. He also represents the EOP before congressional funding panels.

Kiley is a graduate of Texas Christian University with significant nonprofit management experience, including acting as director of finance and administration for the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He also arrives with firsthand knowledge of his current gig. During the Clinton presidency he served as deputy assistant to the president for management and administration.

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