This nationally recognized leader in federal technology transformation, known for bridging the gap between mission and modernization, takes on a new challenge to lead the government-wide HR modernization initiative, joining OPM as Deputy Associate Director, Workforce Standards and Data Center, HR Solutions, leading HRLOB, QSMO, and Core HCM.
Don Bauer shared:
In late October, I laid out some uncomfortable truths about federal HR consolidation because the scale of the challenge demands honesty. The response from industry, practitioners, and colleagues across government was humbling: “You said what we were thinking” and “You would be perfect for this role.”
Then OPM reached out. Not with platitudes, but with a request to talk seriously about the ideas I had put forward. That moment mattered. It suggested the critique had landed, and that realism was being welcomed rather than resisted. A meeting with OPM leadership followed.
Candidly, it had never crossed my mind to rejoin government in a leadership role. Industry contacts encouraged my involvement from the outside, but for me this was never about proximity to the acquisition. Federal HR has been an afterthought for years, and this moment of focus is too important to ignore.
I approached the conversation with a simple premise: criticism carries responsibility. If you are willing to point out what will not work, you should also be willing to help make it work. This effort does not need more commentary; it needs accountable leadership with the authority to align policy, governance, and delivery. I have little patience for critique unaccompanied by action.
I put that conviction on paper, outlined a concrete executive role to carry that accountability, and made clear I was prepared to own the outcome. Not because of title or compensation, but because opportunities to do something this consequential are rare. When they appear, public service demands commitment.
What followed were direct, substantive conversations with OPM leadership. No theatrics, no false promises, just an honest assessment of the challenge, the risks, and what it would take to do this right. Director Kupor is authentic, focused, and serious about getting this right. After seeing the structure and commitment behind the effort, I am convinced this is a generational opportunity. The schedule remains a point of debate, but the intent is real.
By the week before Thanksgiving, the question was no longer whether this work mattered, but who was prepared to lead it. An offer followed.
I have accepted the opportunity to lead the government-wide HR modernization initiative, joining OPM as Deputy Associate Director, Workforce Standards and Data Center, HR Solutions, leading HRLOB, QSMO, and Core HCM.
Some asked how someone openly critical of the initiative could step in to lead it. The answer is simple: critique without service is cheap. If we are serious about modernizing the federal workforce, we owe the public our full selves, our experience, and our willingness to engage honestly.
It is not every day you critique a major government initiative and are then offered a chance to lead it. Yet here we are.
This is absolutely a hold-my-beer moment!
Time to get to work. I start January 12, 2026.
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OPM renews effort to consolidate 119 HR systems into one
