Ameritocracy

In this week's episode of Ameritocracy, host Troy Edgar spoke with Dr. John Zangardi, CEO of Redhorse. Dr. Zangardi is a U.S. Navy veteran and Washington DC technology leader who previously served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at both the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. He has also been a mentor to Troy, and they had previously co-authored an article on the federal government's use of the Technology Modernization Fund.

The discussion centers on their shared experiences serving at the Department of Homeland Security and evaluation of the differences in organizational structure and the ease of implementing technology at DHS compared to the DOD.

Dr. Zangardi and Troy also explored the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in government operations and maintenance. The conversation concludes with their thoughts on consolidating AI responsibilities within federal departments under the CIO to streamline implementation and avoid bureaucratic delays.

Article referenced in this episode: "Adopting Generative AI: Pathways for Defense" - Business Executives for National Security

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week on Ameritocracy, Troy is joined in Washington D.C. by IBM's Federal Cybersecurity Services Leader Alice Fakir. They talk about their roles at IBM, focusing on the intersection of supply chain and cybersecurity.

Alice discusses how AI is transforming cyber defense strategies and explains the concept and purpose of a "cyber range" and how it is used for training cybersecurity professionals.

Lastly, Alice and Troy break down the policy role of the White House and the Department of Commerce and the importance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, better known as NIST. Alice provides a great overview of the careers available in cybersecurity and discusses the potential opportunities for our US veterans.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

Picking up from E57: "AI's Societal Shift", Troy and Barry delve deeper into AI's evolution. They explore job losses across all sectors, the ethics of AI-generated deceased loved ones, and the need for government regulation and personal adaptation to this rapidly changing technological landscape.

Sidebar Conversations is our monthly series where we dive into challenging topics, current events, explore faith, and much more. Expect fresh insights from familiar faces and new voices as we engage in candid discussions. Join us for open and honest friendship, embracing diverse perspectives.

Featured guest: Rev. Barry Richards is a dear friend and mentor. He currently serves the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Los Angeles, California.

Topics explored around Artificial Intelligence in this episode:

• Job automation

• Ethical implications

• AI regulations

• Role of government

• Digital afterlife

"The Ages of Globalization: Geography, Technology, and Institutions" by Jeffrey D. Sachs can be found here.

Articles referenced in this episode: "UK Stands to Lose 8 Million Jobs from AI." - Bloomberg and

"AI Can Recreate Loved Ones After They Die. Is That Good or Bad?" - Wall Street Journal.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week, host Troy Edgar met with Mike Burkenbine, CEO of the Becket Film Fund at the Ameritocracy L.A. Studios. Mike had recently returned from the Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes in France, who had invited him to speak about film financing on the main stage. We had a great discussion about his career and the focus of Becket Film Fund.

Mike is an expert in evaluating film and TV market trends, financial projections, demographics, and marketing and distribution strategies. He has been involved in the entertainment industry since the mid 1990's when he worked at Nielsen and developed an analytics platform that enabled studios to optimize acquisitions and greenlighting of films. This tool has been adopted by most major studios including The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and Sony.

Now leading the Becket Film Fund, Mike explains the industry's "Triple Conundrum" that producers experience. And he emphasizes the importance of people wishing to begin a career in the film industry to understand what they can offer that the industry needs.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week, host Troy Edgar met with Dan Nelson, Executive Director of Tax and Customs for Hyundai at the Ameritocracy L.A. Studio.

Dan shared his perspective on current policies that are having a significant tax impact on all corporations and the effect of the OECD's new 15% minimum global corporate tax rate. OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation & Development) is an international organization based in Paris, France and is comprised of 38 member countries, including the United States, which establishes tax rules for corporations to pay in all countries they are doing business.

Troy and Dan also discuss the loss of U.S. sovereignty over international tax cooperation and the taxation concerns of the digital economy.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

Sidebar Conversations welcomes back Barry Richards! This episode's topic is the ethical complexity of AI and the impact we are starting to see in society and the workforce.

Welcome to our monthly series where we dive into challenging topics, current events, explore faith, and much more. Expect fresh insights from familiar faces and new voices as we engage in candid discussions. Join us for open and honest fellowship, embracing diverse perspectives.

Featured guest: Rev. Barry Richards is a dear friend and mentor. He currently serves the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Los Angeles, California.

Topics explored around Artificial Intelligence in this episode:

• Technology advancements
• Ethical considerations
• Societal impact
• Job displacement
• Faith

Articles referenced in this episode: 'Suddenly There Aren't Enough Babies. The Whole World Is Alarmed.' - Wall Street Journal

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week, host Troy Edgar met with Mohammad Khan, Managing Attorney at MNK Law at our L.A. studio. Mohammad is a respected lawyer in the business world and he shares his insights on navigating the legal landscape of contract, labor, and employment law.

Troy and Mohammad discuss the three situations and questions entrepreneurs should consider when selecting legal representation for their startups and how the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) is impacting California employers. If you are facing a lawsuit or a legal situation for the first time, this is a must hear episode!

In closing Mohammad offers his perspective on California's economic future, he encourages business owners to stay informed, engage your elected officials, and importantly, be active in your communities to help implement change.

Recommended reading: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week, host Troy Edgar traveled to Santa Monica and met with Kara Bilkiss, Vice President of Mobile Commerce at Activision Blizzard. Kara and Troy worked together at Disney in 2013 and 2014 and continued to stay in touch.

At Activision Blizzard, Kara leads the mobile commercial strategy for franchises including: Call of Duty Mobile, Diablo Immortal, Warcraft Rumble, and Candy Crush Saga. In this episode, we talked about her career as a gaming executive and her previous roles at Skydance Interactive, Rogue Games, and Sony Pictures. We also discussed the $190B a year gaming industry and she also offers advice for aspiring game industry professionals, stressing the importance of hard work, resilience, and a willingness to learn.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

This week, host Troy Edgar dives into the life and contributions of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's founding fathers. Hamilton's life exemplifies that not everyone starts at the same place and sometimes you have to create your own opportunities.

In this episode, we'll explore how Hamilton built his success from immigrant to the first US Secretary of Treasury and how he laid the groundwork for the financial systems that continue to influence our modern economy.

Recommended reading: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow's acclaimed biography 'Alexander Hamilton'.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

We are celebrating one year of the Ameritocracy Podcast with a special anniversary episode! Join host Troy Edgar as he delves into the podcast's mission of exploring personal and professional growth, reflects on the past 52 episodes, and unveils Producer Sarah's favorite episodes. We want to hear yours too! Share your favorite Ameritocracy Podcast moment with us in the comments on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Ameritocracy™ is produced by Prospect House Media and recorded in studio locations in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.