Brian J Matos

This episode is a thank you message to the listeners and a recap of the topics covered so far in Season 2 that include issues being discussed on this show well before they emerge in legacy media coverage. Brian emphasizes the importance of understanding big global trends and the benefits of staying ahead of the next big story, so you can confidently make informed decisions for yourself, your business, your family and your community. Some of the topics covered first on this program that emerged into mainstream consciousness include the path to the presidency for women (discussed before the nomination of Kamalas Harris for President in the U.S.), cybersecurity issues (discussed before the CrowdStrike outage), the threats posed by artificial intelligence (discussed before new EU AI laws took effect), demographic changes (discussed before it became a social issue discussed in election campiagns acrosss North America and Europe), and populism and nationalism in Europe (discussed before the major elections of 2024 across the contient). Brian invites listeners to catch up on past episodes because it is never too late to catch up, get informed and reigniate your curiosity about the world around you.

You can find all epsiodes, past and present on the main show website: http://www.brianjmatos.com/

Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

Rishi Iyengar, the global technology reporter for Foreign Policy Magazine, joins Brian for a conversation on the US-China cyber rivalry and the strategic objectives of both countries in cyber space. He explains that the US sees itself as a cyber defender, focusing on critical infrastructure protection, while China has shifted its tactics to become a disruptive cyber actor. The discussion also covers the US-China competition in AI, with the US aiming to win the AI race and China prioritizing AI development. The discussion extends to the TikTok controversy, Europe's approach to the US-China rivalry, and the challenges of cyber warfare and quantum computing.

Prior to joining FP, Rishi spent six years at CNN Business as India editor in New Delhi and a technology writer in San Francisco, as well as two years reporting for Time magazine from Hong Kong. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Fergusson College in Pune, India, a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University, and is an alumnus of the Young India Fellowship.

To learn more about Rishi:

• Foreign Policy Magazine bio and articles: https://foreignpolicy.com/author/rishi-iyengar/
• X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Iyengarish

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Catherine Reyes-Housholder, PhD, joins Brian for a conversation about women in positions of political power in Latin America and beyond, particularly their rise to the presidency.

Catherine is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Science within the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She is also an Associate Researcher at the university's multi-disciplinary Center for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES). Catherine earned her PhD in Government from Cornell University in 2017.

In this episode, we explore the different routes women take to win the presidency, such as through major challenger parties or incumbent parties when nominated and endorsed by outgoing leaders. The discussion includes commentary on the diverse political landscape across Latin America, the role of gender quotas in increasing women's representation, and the challenges faced by women once they achieve leadership positions. Reyes-Housholder highlights the lower approval ratings that women presidents tend to receive compared to their male counterparts and the double standards they face. She also previews upcoming elections to watch in Latin America.

Brian and Catherine talk about the reasons why the United States of America has not yet had a female head of state, including the gendered nature of the American presidency in the eyes of voters, media bias, and the failure of major parties to nominate women.

Catherine also passes along advice for aspiring politicians, particularly women, including maintaining moral integrity, building institutions, and surrounding oneself with a trusted inner circle.

To learn more about Catherine and her work:

• Website: www.reyes-housholder.com
• Company Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-reyes-housholder

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Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

As the need for mental health care services continues to rise across the world, access to the system of care continues to be a major challenge. A shortage of mental health care providers combined with confusion about how to seek help in a complex, often siloed care system has led to needless suffering for individuals and families. Ben Carrington, a cancer biologist turned entrepreneur, joins Brian for a converation about the use of artificial intelligence in expanding access to mental health care services. Ben discusses his journey into the field of digital health and his work at Limbic AI, a company that builds clinical AI "front-door" solutions for mental health conditions. Limbic's mission is to make mental health care available to everyone everywhere. Their solution is an intake and assessment support tool, a chatbot that helps individuals refer themselves to mental health services. The tool also provides clinical decision support to clinicians, helping them make more informed triaging decisions.

Carrington highlights the challenges in the mental health care system, such as the lack of therapists and barriers to access, and discusses the importance of personalized and secure AI in improving patient outcomes. Ben and Brian discuss the unique challenges of building and growing a dynamic team that brings together clinical experts with leading technologists and cutting edge AI developers. The team at Limbic have implemented cross-functional knowledge sharing sessions and have established fundamental processes to unify these vastly different disciplines. While AI can provide diagnostic information and support in triaging, the team believes that the delivery of mental health care will always require the clinical judgment and reasoning of a clinician.

As the demand for mental health care increases, Limbic is seeing more adoption and acceptance of digital tools in the healthcare system. They are also investing in localization to address cultural barriers and ensure that their services are accessible to different communities. The team believes that AI can play a role in the treatment plan, but it will always require clinical supervision and the involvement of clinicians. They are optimistic about the future of mental health care and the potential for digital health technologies to meet the increasing demand.

To learn more about Ben Carrington and Limbic AI:

• Website: https://limbic.ai/
• X: @Limbic_ai
• Company Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/limbic-ai/mycompany/
• Ben's Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carrington/

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Matthew Solomon, a filmmaker and conflict resolution expert, joins Brian for a conversation about his documentary, Reimagining Safety, and the growing demands for new approaches to ensure public safety. Matthew shares his personal experiences growing up in a diverse community and witnessing differences in how local police interacted with his friend groups. He explains how his background in sociology and anthropology, as well as the events of the Rodney King beating and the LA riots, shaped his passion for social justice and eventuall led to his decision to make the documentary.

In addition to previewing the content of the film, Brian and Matthew delve into the concept of public safety, including what the term means to different individuals, neighborhoods and towns.

Matthew highlights the importance of a holistic public safety definition, which includes access to resources, mental health support, and deep community engagement. He also emphasizes the need to address the systemic and societal challenges of reforming the criminal justice system in the United States as well as other, similar justice systems around the world. Matthew and Brian discuss the role of mental health care and social services in public safety and debates over how to increase funding and resources in these areas. He encourages individuals to get involved in their communities and build connections with others as a way to promote public safety.

To learn more about Matthew Solomon, his film and his work:

• Consulting website: https://www.matthewsolomonconsulting.com/
• Reimaging Safety Movie Site: https://www.reimaginingsafetymovie.com/
• Twitter: @mattytheglue and https://x.com/ReimagSafety
• Facebook: Reimagining Safety Movie
• Instagram: @mattytheglue and @reimaginingsafetymovie

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While the world watches in amazement as the best athletes on Earth compete for the top global prizes in their respective sport, there are criminals lurking in the shadows of these events and behind the scenes.

Joining Brian to discuss the dark sidelines of these international competitions is Claudia Villa. She is an International Safeguarding Specialist & Consultant with experiences working in humanitarian and sport safeguarding, including International Sport Federations, National Governing Bodies, Sport Governance and Management as well as Major Event Hosting.

As a Safeguarding Advisor, Claudia ensures that the Centre for Sport & Human Rights' safeguarding governance, systems, policy and procedures are implemented effectively across the organisation. Claudia also advises on safeguarding best practices across different projects that the Centre for Sport & Human Rights is undertaking. In addition, Claudia is part of the Council of Europe pool of international experts on safe sport and International Safeguards for Children in Sport working group.

In this conversation, Brian and Claudia cover a range of human rights issues related to major sporting events inlcuding the exploitation of athletes and event workers as well as criminal groups who target attendees, tourists and immigrants as well as children and other vulnerable people.

Claudia highlights the need for awareness and prevention measures, as well as the importance of establishing clear jurisdiction for law enforcement and collaboration among a complex web of stakeholders. She emphasizes the need for clear policies, procedures, and independent oversight to protect athletes, fans, local populations and workers. She also discusses the role of attendees and sponsors in promoting safeguarding protocols.

To learn more about Claudia Villa and her work:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-villa-757a9a41/
• Website: https://www.sporthumanrights.org/about-us/who-we-are/claudia-villa

Human Trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of someone for the purposes of compelled labor or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Where a person younger than 18 is induced to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion. Victims can be anyone from around the world or right next door: women and men, adults and children, citizens and noncitizens alike.

If you live in the United States, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to:

• GET HELP and connect with a service provider in your area;
• REPORT A TIP with information on potential human trafficking activity; or
• LEARN MORE by requesting training, technical assistance, or resources.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a national, toll-free hotline available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The Hotline is not a law enforcement or immigration authority and is operated by a nongovernmental organization funded by the Federal government.

Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line. The Tip Line is accessible internationally by calling 1-802-872-6199. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE HSI, including those related to human trafficking.

If you suspect someone in your community may be a victim of human trafficking or abuse, the U.S. State Department has compiled a full list of resources including the ones listed in this description: https://www.state.gov/domestic-trafficking-hotlines/ and most countries around the world have set up sites with similar resources for their constituents.

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Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

Nick Denning, Diegesis CEO, joins Brian for a second conversation on the current and emerging challenges in cybersecurity that every leader needs to know to protect their organization and the public should be aware of. Season 1, Episode 6 was the first converstion for those who want a refresher.

In this conversation, Brian and Nick discuss the increasing publicity of ransomware attacks and data breaches, as well as the challenges businesses face in protecting themselves from the growingh threat. They explore the impact of cyber attacks on insurance programs and the difficulty in obtaining insurance coverage for ransomware. They also discuss the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, the potential risks and benefits of generative AI, and the need for explainability in AI decision-making. The conversation touches on the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures, such as the United Kingdom's Cyber Essentials framework, and the advantages of moving business data to "the cloud" for enhanced security.

As a reminder, Nick is the CEO of Diegesis, a UK-based tech consultancy supporting organizations looking to develop, integrate or migrate legacy systems to the latest, cutting-edge frameworks. His team also delivers a cyber security management platform called Cyber Security Policy Monitor (CSPM) to help small and medium sized businesses set up appropriate and cost effective security policies.

A mathematics graduate, Nick started his career serving as an Officer in the British Army leaving the Royal Signals as a Captain after 8 years' of service, spend three years at Logica, then the UK's leading system house before starting his first company Strategic Thought Group, in 1987. STG floated on AIM in 2005 to develop their risk management product Active Risk Manager, used by Lockheed Martin to manage risk on the Lockheed Martin F35 development.

As a company director with his broad background of software development, consultancy, entrepreneurship and business leadership, Nick is well qualified to discuss all aspects of modern cybersecurity risks. He guides organizations large and small on digital transformation, the management of associated risk and how to delivery great business outcomes while placing security by design at the heart of all projects. He is a strong supporter of the UK government Cyber Essentials scheme, for which certification is available for organizations worldwide, promoting CE through sales of CSPM.

To learn more about Nick Denning, his company and his work:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nickdenning
• Twitter: @NickHDenning
• Websites: http://www.diegesis.co.uk and https://policymonitor.co.uk/

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Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

Brian interviews David Evan Harris, a Chancellor's Public Scholar at UC Berkeley and a continuing lecturer at the Haas School of Business. The main topic of the conversation is the race to safeguard against the risks of artifical intelligence misuse. David teaches courses including AI Ethics for Leaders; Social Movements & Social Media; Civic Technology; and Scenario Planning & Futures Thinking. Harris is an affiliated faculty member with the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS); Center for Latin American Studies; Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership (EGAL); and the Business and Public Policy Group at UC Berkeley. In this episode, Brian and David discuss the current state of AI adoption and regulation. A key topic of conversation is the "dual use" of AI and the need for regulations to address both its civilian and weaponized applications. Harris emphasizes the importance of catching up with AI development and implementing guardrails to prevent misuse. He also discusses the regulation race between China and the European Union. In terms of AI's impact on democracies, Harris expresses concerns about deepfakes, AI-generated content, and the use of encrypted messaging platforms for election interference. The conversation covers the use of encrypted messaging platforms for disinformation, the controversy at OpenAI regarding governance issues, the balance between profit motives and ethics in AI companies, and the need for regulation in advanced AI development.

In his previous role at Meta (formerly Facebook), David managed teams of quantitative and qualitative researchers working on responsible AI, social impact, and civic integrity. During his close to five years with the company, he and his teams covered topic areas including AI fairness and inclusion; AI governance and accountability; global election integrity; misinformation; coordinated inauthentic behavior; hate speech; human rights; political violence; harassment and online safety for activists, journalists, and politicians; community organizing; civic participation; racial justice; authoritative information; volunteering and non-profit organizations.

At the Institute for the Future (IFTF), he served as research director, leading research on the future of media, philanthropy, governance, international development, and social movements from 2008-2018. Harris studied at the University of São Paulo (MS, Sociology) and UC Berkeley (BA, Political Economy of Environment & Development). As a student, he was an intern at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and a confidential assistant at the Office of Management and Budget, Natural Resources Division.

To learn more about David Evan Harris:

• UC-BERKLEY BIO: https://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/harris-david/
• X: http://www.twitter.com/davidevanharris
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidevanharris/

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Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

Brian interviews Matthew Ebert, founder and principal of Ebert Educational Consulting and a former Baltimore Public School principal, about the state of the education system in the U.S. Matthew has 20+ years of experience in education, primarily focused on school leadership in urban settings. Matthew's consulting is grounded in his experiences as a teacher, director of academic innovation, academy leader, and a decade of successful leadership as a public charter school principal. The conversation starts with an overview of the fundamental structure and philosophy of the American education system including the distinction between neighborhood schools and charter schools as well as the role socio-economic factors play in determining school environment quality. Brian and Matthew explore the question of whether the current American education system is capable of meeting the demands of the modern economy. Matthew and his consulting firm emphasize the importance of focusing on teacher care and development as a vital part of improving student achievement, especially in large, urban school districts. This topic is covered before the discussion shifts to addressing the challenges and opportunities in under-resourced schools and the need for improved early childhood education options tailored to the needs of diverse students. Other topics include classroom size, tailoring education to students' strengths, the impact of technology in classrooms, the rise of homeschooling, and the multifaceted role of schools beyond education in modern society. The conversation concludes with a focus on school safety, curriculum development, and the questions to ask political candidates about their views on education.

To learn more about Matthew Ebert and his consulting practice, visit his website and social media pages:

• WEBSITE: https://eberteducationalconsulting.com/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/eberteducationalconsulting/
• X: https://twitter.com/eberteducation
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebert-educational-consulting/

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Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos

Brian interviews Jennie Chan, a Chinese medicine practitioner, Qigong (pronounced chee-guhng) instructor and founder of Spectra Wellbeing, a wellness company promoting the practice of Qigong in individivual and group settings.

Brian and Jennie explore her personal story from high-powered, high-stress finance professional to traditional medicine practitioner. In this conversation, Jennie explains the different aspects of traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, herbal remedies, and physical practices like Tai Chi and Qigong and their observed and potential benefits to our overall health.

Qigong, specifically, is a mindfulness practice that combines movement, breathwork, and meditation to nurture and cultivate vital energy (qi). The practice can be particularly beneficial for managing health and wellness in high-stress environments.

Jennie stresses the importance of adjusting diet and general exercise along with the unique benefits of movement therapy in promoting overall physcial, mental and emotional health by helping people achieve a state of relaxation and calm. She also explores the role of sound in healing and the integration of Qigong routines into daily life. The discussion also highlights the complementary nature of traditional Chinese medicine with Western medicine and the growing interest in Qigong as an alternative healing practice outside Asia.

To learn more about Jennie Chan visit her website and social media pages:

• WEBSITE: https://spectrawellbe.com/
• INSTAGRAM: @spectrawellbe
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/spectrawellbe/
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spectra-wellbeing/

Find more episodes like this at http://www.brianjmatos.com/

Question for Brian? Email: [email protected] or DM on Twitter @BrianJMatos