Today, Friday November 6, 2026, Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn announced the members of her gubernatorial transition team, bringing together experienced leaders and trusted advisors to help prepare her administration for day one.
“I’m delighted to have this experienced and talented team in place to help prepare our administration to hit the ground running when we take office,” said Blackburn. “Tennesseans expect results, and our focus will be on building on our state’s success, making government work more efficiently, and delivering on the priorities that matter most to Tennessee families starting the very first day of our administration.”
“It’s an honor to help lead this effort and work alongside Governor-elect Blackburn and her team,” said McWhorter. “We have a strong group of individuals with the experience and dedication needed to ensure a smooth transition and prepare the next administration to get to work on behalf of Tennesseans.”
The transition team includes:
Stuart McWhorter – Chairman
Abigail Sigler – Senior Advisor
Dylan Miller – Staff Director
Rex Purgason – Deputy Staff Director
Jack Carnes – Deputy Staff Director
Annie Rogers – Director of Operations
Todd Rapp – Press Secretary
Jensen Blackiston – Executive Assistant to Governor-elect Blackburn
Katie Tully – Executive Assistant to Transition Chairman McWhorter
Transition team Chairman Stuart McWhorter serves as the Deputy Governor and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development in Governor Bill Lee’s Administration, having previously served as the Commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration.
Abigail Sigler will serve as Governor-elect Blackburn’s Senior Advisor. She most recently served as campaign manager for the successful gubernatorial campaign and the senatorial campaign, having worked on the political side since serving as her Communications Director on the 2018 senatorial campaign.
Dylan Miller will serve as the transition team’s Staff Director. He has worked on campaigns at every level, including Governor-elect Blackburn’s gubernatorial campaign, having launched his career in Tennessee as a political staffer on Blackburn’s 2018 senatorial campaign.
Rex Purgason will serve as the Deputy Staff Director for Governor-elect Blackburn. He has worked on campaigns at the state, local, and federal levels, including managing former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs 2022 re-election campaign.
Jack Carnes will also serve as Deputy Staff Director for the transition team. He has worked on campaigns at every level, including Governor-elect Blackburn’s 2024 Senate campaign and her gubernatorial campaign.
Annie Rogers will oversee operations for the transition team, a role she also held on Governor-elect Blackburn’s campaign, having previously worked at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Todd Rapp will serve as Press Secretary for the transition team. He previously worked at the Tennessee Republican Senate Caucus.
Jensen Blackiston will serve as Executive Assistant to Governor-elect Blackburn, a role she worked in during Governor-elect Blackburn’s campaign.
Katie Tully will serve as Executive Assistant to Transition Chairman Stuart McWhorter. She worked on Governor-elect Blackburn’s campaign as Communications Assistant.
