Sherrill names Caldwell and Doucette to lead New Jersey transition team
New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill held a press conference Wednesday morning at the State House in Trenton to announce the leaders of her gubernatorial transition team.
Sherrill has selected Lt. Gov.-elect Dale Caldwell to serve as chair of the transition team.
Kellie Doucette, the district director of Sherrill’s congressional office, will serve as the team’s executive director.
Together, the pair will lead the effort to ensure a smooth, efficient and effective transition as the new administration prepares to take office, Sherrill said.
Caldwell, an experienced leader in education, business and community development, most recently served as president of Centenary University and has been a longtime advocate for economic opportunity and public service in New Jersey. He will oversee the strategic direction of the transition process.
Doucette, who spent much of her private-sector career in finance and health care and has held senior leadership roles in government and nonprofit organizations, will lead the operations of the transition team as it develops policy and personnel recommendations for the incoming administration.
“I am thrilled to have Dale and Kellie leading our transition,” Sherrill said. “Lt. Gov.-elect Caldwell brings an unmatched combination of vision, experience and dedication to our team, while Kellie’s leadership and management expertise will ensure we hit the ground running. Together, they embody the values of service, integrity and innovation that will guide our administration.”
Caldwell said Sherrill represents a “new era of leadership for New Jersey rooted in collaboration, effectiveness and action.”
“I’m honored to help lead this transition and ensure her administration is ready to deliver for the people of our state from day one,” Caldwell said.
The Sherrill transition team will announce additional members and policy advisory committees in the coming weeks.
“Under Gov.-elect Sherrill’s leadership, we have an opportunity to build a government that works smarter, listens better and serves every community,” Doucette said. “I look forward to helping assemble a team that reflects those priorities.”
Sherrill will be sworn in as the 57th governor on January 20, 2026.
Krystal Knapp is the founder of The Jersey Vindicator and the hyperlocal news website Planet Princeton. Previously she was a reporter at The Trenton Times for a decade.