Transition Team

Joe Madden

Transition Executive Director

Joseph Carlos “Joe” Madden has spent the past eight years guiding Harris County elected officials through their transitions, helping incoming leaders move from election to governing. He brings more than two decades of experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including senior leadership roles in the Texas Legislature and Harris County government.

His work spans shaping and advancing legislation, coordinating emergency response, and managing government operations. Elected officials, their senior staff, and community leaders seek his counsel on sensitive, high-stakes policy challenges, drawing from his deep understanding of how local, state, and federal policy fit together.

Today, Joe consults on government operations, public policy, emergency management, and communications across Texas. He was born and raised in Houston and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Hon. Ernest Bailes

Transition Co-Chair

Ernest Bailes is a fifth-generation East Texan, rancher, businessman, and former member of the Texas House of Representatives, where he served four consecutive terms representing House District 18 from 2017 to 2025.

Raised on his family’s dairy and beef cattle operation in Shepherd, Texas, Bailes developed a lifelong connection to agriculture and rural communities. A graduate of Shepherd High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University in 2004.

Following graduation, Bailes founded Repro Select, an agricultural services company specializing in advanced reproductive technologies for cattle and whitetail deer producers throughout the south-central United States. His experience as a rancher and business owner helped shape his approach to public service and continues to influence his professional endeavors.

In 2025, Bailes established EB4 Construction, expanding his business interests into residential and commercial construction and real estate development.

Bailes remains actively involved in business, agriculture, and his East Texas community. He and his wife, Courtney, a schoolteacher, reside in Shepherd with their two sons.

Ryan Pollock

Transition Co-Chair

Ryan Pollock serves as Executive Director and Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas State Building and Construction Trades Council, where he represents affiliated construction unions and works on issues affecting the skilled trades, workforce development, infrastructure investment, and major construction projects across Texas.

In his role, Ryan works with labor, government, industry, and community stakeholders on policies and project agreements designed to ensure that large-scale investments create high-quality jobs, expand registered apprenticeship opportunities, and support a reliable pipeline of skilled workers.

A licensed journeyman electrician and member of IBEW Local 520, Ryan came to his role from the trades himself. He is a sixth-generation Texan.

Tamala Barksdale

Senior Advisor

Tamala Barksdale serves as Senior Advisor to Gina Hinojosa’s transition team, helping translate Texans’ priorities into the incoming administration’s agenda. She is a partner and Chief Strategy Officer at madeXus, a creative and brand firm, where she helps clients understand complex audiences and develop strategies that advance their business goals.

Barksdale served as an at-large trustee for the Austin Independent School District from 2010 to 2015. Alongside Hinojosa, she helped balance the district’s budget, cut the tax rate, and meet state accountability standards. Her public service also includes Austin’s School Health Advisory Council and the joint committee of the City of Austin, Austin ISD Board of Trustees, and Travis County Commissioners Court.