Philip McNamara (he/him)

Chief Operating Officer

Phil McNamara joins The Partnership Project as Chief Operating Officer, bringing more than two decades of leadership experience across federal government and nonprofit organizations. At heart, Phil is an operations leader who believes that strong systems, empowered teams, and clear processes are what allow mission-driven work to flourish.

Most recently, Phil served as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Chief Sustainability Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation. In that role, he led enterprise operations supporting a 57,000-employee workforce, overseeing human resources, procurement, facilities, and organizational performance. As Chief Sustainability Officer, he focused on turning climate commitments into measurable results. Under his leadership, DOT increased its zero-emission vehicle inventory by more than 1,000 percent, expanded EV charging infrastructure across the agency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations, and secured federal funding to further reduce carbon pollution nationwide. He is particularly proud of helping align operational systems with broader environmental goals.

Earlier in his career, Phil held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where he worked at the intersection of policy, operations, and public impact.

Phil is excited to join The Partnership Project because of its unique role in supporting environmental campaigns and coalitions. He looks forward to partnering with staff to strengthen shared services, modernize internal systems, and help ensure projects can focus fully on advancing climate solutions, clean energy, and environmental resilience.

Phil lives in Washington, DC, and is especially pleased to be working again with Alicia after first collaborating more than twenty years ago.