Over the past decade, China sought to deepen its ties with the Pacific Islands. This includes an effort to expand its footprint in the region's media landscape.

Guest Biographies

Heidi Holz is a Senior Research Scientist in CNA's China Studies Program. Her research focuses on People's Republic of China (PRC) strategic communications, propaganda, disinformation, and other global influence efforts.

Genevieve Collins is a Senior Research Specialist in CNA's China Studies Program.

Further Reading

CNA Report: Understanding China's Footprint in the Pacific Islands' Media Landscape

This episode examines various depictions of emergency management in Hollywood movies and asks what the consequences are of inaccurate portrayals.

Guest Biographies

Heather Marshall is a Senior Research Specialist with CNA's Center for Emergency Management Operations.

Sydney Stewart is an expert in emergency management and homeland security, specializing in large-scale incident planning and response and resilience of critical community lifeline networks and infrastructure systems.

Further Reading

House of Dynamite Trailer

Twister (1996) Trailer DON'T LOOK UP trailer

This episode examines the effort to revitalize America's shipping and shipbuilding capacity in the context of the current crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

Guest Biographies

Bill Komiss is an expert in economic analysis of operational energy and infrastructure. He specializes in statistical modeling of military construction projects and facility life cycles, as well as structural modeling of energy supply and demand in wartime scenarios.

Josh Tallis is CNA's Future Fleet Coordinator and Director of CNA's Ally and Partner Affairs Program. He previously served as the scientific analyst to the Chief of Naval Operations.

Further Reading

The Economic Implications of Disruptions to Maritime Oil Chokepoints

With the inauguration of Péter Magyar, Hungary has a new prime minster for the first time in 16 years. This episode explores what this means for the nation and for Europe.

Guest Biographies

Julian G. Waller is an expert in Russian political-military affairs, elite strategic decision-making, adversary systems of governance, and civil-military relations outside the West. He is also a scholar of the politics of authoritarian rule, authoritarian political and social orders, and illiberal/postliberal ideologies globally.

Further Reading

Julian's Substack: Political Order(s)

This episode covers Balance, a learning game that helps law enforcement supervisors protect the emotional well-being of their officers.

Guest Biographies

Brittany Cunningham is an expert in scientific research and analysis and has more than a decade of experience designing, implementing and managing rigorous research studies and evaluations at the local, state and national level.

Geoff Smith is a former police chief and an expert on law enforcement and fire policies, operations and oversight. He has substantial expertise in technology, including deployment of in-car and body-worn camera systems, cell phone forensics, as well as active shooter training.

Further Reading

CNA—Balance: A Command Operations and Resilience Game

If you are interested in running Balance at your agency you can contact Brittany at [email protected].

This episode explores CNA's Arsenal of Policy wargame, which is designed to explore opportunities to strengthen, improve, and expand the US defense industrial base (DIB).

Guest Biographies

Sarah Fusco is a specialist in international and non-traditional security threats. Her work focuses on emergent security challenges such as increasing partner capabilities in maritime security and domain awareness, countering violent extremism, and analyzing complex challenges through wargaming.

Kaia Haney is an expert in African security, specializing in strategic competition on the continent and the African security environment. She has played a leading role in CNA wargames on the defense industrial base and the African operational environment.

Further Reading

CNA Report—Arsenal of Policy: Defense Industrial Base Wargame Final Report

Experts discuss how AI tools can address challenges in the field of criminal justice and how these tools can be used ethically.

Guest Biographies

Vivian Elliot is the Director of CNA's Center for Justice Research and Innovation. She is an expert in criminal justice and emergency preparedness. She specializes in law enforcement organizational reform; after-action analysis; training and technical assistance; and exercise planning, facilitation and evaluation.

L. Cait Kanewske is a Research Scientist in CNA's Center for Justice Research and Innovation.

Read by an AI generated voice.

Iran has a new Supreme Leader for the first time in almost 37 years, Mojtaba Khamenei. This episode explores his background, education, and ideology.

Guest Biographies

Michael Connell is an expert in Persian-Gulf security-related issues, the armed forces of Iran, U.S.-GCC security cooperation, and adversary cyber policy and strategy. He has served as CNA's Field Analyst to Naval Forces Central Command.

Further Reading

CNA Talks: Iran's Stability in the Aftermath of the Grand Bazaar Protests

CNA Report: The Evolving Russia-Iran Relationship

This episode examines how the ubiquitous presence of drones in the Ukraine War has shaped the conflict.

Guest Biographies

Samuel Bendett (@sambendett) is an advisor with CNA's Russia Studies Program. His research focuses on Russian defense and technology developments; uncrewed, robotic and autonomous military systems; artificial intelligence; and Russian military capabilities.