Behind the Podium

In this episode of Behind the Podium, host Jasper Appleton interviews Rachel Lockett, the 2020 Twin Cities Center Enterprise CIO of the Year and keynote speaker for the 2024 GOVIT Leadership Summit and Symposium. Rachel discusses her 27-year career in technology leadership, highlighting her passion for public speaking, which she attributes to her background in theater. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing people in technology, especially in the age of AI, and shares insights on her writing process for her book The Technology Doesn't Matter. Rachel also touches on how her experiences during the pandemic and a particularly impactful keynote speech motivated her to finish the book. She expresses her excitement for upcoming speaking engagements and the 2024 GOVIT Summit.

The podcast “Behind the Podium” features host Jasper Appleton interviewing Christopher Hine, Director of Customer Engineering at Google, discussing his journey in IT and advocating for the public sector. They delve into topics like Christopher’s experience in writing a movie, the impact of generative AI on education, and the importance of institutionalizing innovation in the government sector.

Key Insights

• Christopher Hine’s background includes a diverse set of experiences, from IT to movie writing, showcasing the importance of creativity and problem-solving in his career.
• The discussion on generative AI highlights its potential to revolutionize education by providing personalized learning experiences and enhancing student outcomes.
• The focus on institutionalizing innovation in the public sector underscores the need for government organizations to adapt to new technologies and improve service delivery.
• Christopher emphasizes the significance of human-centered design in leveraging AI tools effectively to address complex societal challenges.
• The podcast promotes upcoming government IT symposiums and encourages listeners to explore innovative solutions for improving public services.
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How has Christopher Hine’s diverse background influenced his approach to problem-solving in IT and advocating for the public sector?
• Christopher Hine’s experiences in IT and movie writing have shaped his perspective on creativity, communication, and innovation, allowing him to tackle challenges in the public sector effectively.

The podcast episode features a conversation between host Jasper Alvinson and CEO and co-founder of Clockwork, Nancy Lyons. Nancy discusses her journey into public speaking and consulting, her approach to retaining audience engagement, the challenges of creating a harmonious work environment during COVID, the importance of vulnerability and acceptance in the workplace, and her vision for a future work environment based on mutual trust and understanding.

Key Insights

• Nancy’s background in theater has influenced her approach to public speaking and making business lessons engaging.
• She emphasizes the importance of connecting with the audience, being relatable, and representing diversity in leadership roles.
• Nancy believes that fear, judgment, and hierarchy are barriers to creating a healthy work culture.
• She advocates for a workplace that values emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and shared goals.
• Nancy promotes her book “Work Like a Boss” as a resource for challenging traditional work norms and empowering individuals to confront their fears and treat others well.

Welcome to Behind the Podium, a podcast series by Fusion Learning Partners, where you get exclusive insights from top speakers before or after they hit the stage. Join your host, Jasper Appleton, as we explore what drives these individuals and uncover fresh perspectives on crucial topics. In this episode, we welcome Dr. Verna Price, a human potential expert, who shares her journey from the Bahamas to Minneapolis, emphasizing community, collective culture, and the power of connection. Dr. Price discusses her work in promoting racial dialogue and empowering women and people of color in IT, underscoring the importance of cultural representation and collective growth.

Behind the Podium is a podcast by Fusion Learning Partners, hosted by Jasper Appleton. The show offers listeners a chance to hear from speakers beyond the podium, providing insights into their lives and expertise. In this episode, chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley discusses his career, the influence of New York's chess scene, the evolution of chess with technology, and its growing popularity in esports. He also touches on life lessons from chess, the importance of innovation, and the value of learning from losses.

 In this episode of Behind the Podium, host Jasper Appleton interviews Thomas Fisher, director of the Minnesota Design Center and an expert in urban design. They discuss the impact of pandemics on urban design, the importance of equitable access to digital infrastructure, and the principles of design thinking for creating a better world. Fisher emphasizes the need for inclusivity and equity in urban planning, the reimagining of physical spaces in a post-pandemic world, and the potential of the sharing economy to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.

 In this episode of Behind the Podium, host Jasper Appleton interviews Karen Rewalt, a product manager at IBM specializing in government health and human services. Karen discusses her role in enhancing products for social programs that support citizens in need, particularly during the challenges brought on by COVID-19. She shares her career journey, which began with aspirations to become a pediatrician and evolved through various technical and business roles, ultimately leading to her passion for product management. The conversation highlights how COVID-19 has prompted government agencies to prioritize digital transformation, particularly through cloud computing, to rapidly deliver critical social services. Karen emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs, applying design thinking, and collaborating across teams to build solutions that truly help people. 

In this episode, Jasper talks with Dr. Jonathan Reichental, a top CIO and keynote speaker at the upcoming 2025 GovIT Leadership Summit.

Dr. Reichental, an expert in IT and smart cities, discusses his diverse work, including his consulting business, adjunct teaching roles, and authorship. He highlights his dedication to projects with positive social impact and shares insights on his recent books, particularly those aimed at children, like “Exploring Cities” and “Bedtime Rhymes.” Dr. Reichental emphasizes the importance of engaging young minds in understanding and appreciating their cities through fun and educational content.

He also addresses the challenges and opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which merges digital, physical, and biological worlds. He discusses the role of AI, climate change, and how city leaders can prepare for these transformations. His company, Human Future, focuses on using technology for social good and sustainable practices.

Jessica O. Matthews is the Founder & CEO of Uncharted Power, an award-winning, full-service power and data infrastructure company. The Company’s proprietary suite of technologies enables it to build, own and operate decentralized power infrastructure for communities with various applications for edge colocation, power, and sensing. Developing technologies in energy generation, transmission and storage, the Company also has mastered harnessing kinetic energy, enabling it to engineer consumer products for Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and various international governments. The Company was founded by Jessica when she was only 22 years old.

Jessica was invited by President Barack Obama to the White House to represent small companies for the signing of the America Invents Act in 2012. In 2016, she raised the second-largest Series A ever raised by a black female founder in history and was selected to ring the NASDAQ opening ceremony bell, representing all Forbes 30 Under 30 alumna.

Jessica’s research and career centers around the intersection of disruptive technology, renewable energy, human behavior, and the psychology of self-actualization. A dual citizen of Nigeria & the U.S., Jessica has a degree in Psychology and Economics from Harvard University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is listed on over 10 patents and patents pending—including her first invention of the SOCCKET, an energy generating soccer ball, at the age of 19. Her list of accolades includes Fortune’s Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs, Forbes 30 under 30 list, Inc Magazine 30 under 30, and Harvard University Scientist of the Year.

 Innovation is not an initiative or a task force—it is a way of operating. To successfully ride the modern seas of change and ambiguity, leaders must cultivate a culture designed for innovation. Blending wisdom from top leadership practices, neuroscience, and applied improvisation, this session will equip you with the 4 key practices of innovative cultures. We’ll explore the key behaviors that change-oriented teams use to build bridges to greater value and the strategies that change-resistant teams use to defend the status quo. 

Andy Zimney is a Principal Advisor and Team Performance Coach at Employee Strategies, Inc.—a boutique firm in Minneapolis that partners with leaders to create highly effective work cultures. He has two decades of experience in the conference room as an organizational executive and on the stage as a professional improviser. Andy has lead learning seminars and coached teams from a wide variety of industries across the country to help them adapt to change and support more innovative cultures.