Government Matters

Training military troops in cultural literacy

Baktash Ahadi, former combat interpreter for U.S. and Afghan Special Operations forces, discusses his perspective that the United States military lacked important cultural understanding of the Afghan people

Identifying and mitigating bias in artificial intelligence

Michael Akinwumi, chief tech equity officer at the National Fair Housing Alliance, explains how artificial intelligence can perpetuate discrimination and how it can also be used to address it

Reviewing OMB guidance for zero-trust architecture

Mark Forman, executive VP of Dynamic Integrated Services, discusses what is involved in the new zero-trust mandate from the Office of Management and Budget

The latest on homeland security priorities

Michael Chertoff, co-founder and executive chairman of The Chertoff Group, former DHS secretary, touches on each of the major threats facing the Department of Homeland Security and provides recommendations for the current secretary

Addressing health disparities at new HHS climate office

Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, explains disparities in the negative health effects of climate change and her office’s plans to address them

The impact of the pandemic on the future of the U.S.

Thomas Wright, senior fellow and director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, discusses his view that Covid-19 came at one of the worst possible moments and describes a proposal to prepare for future crises

Addressing issues of trust at the CDC during the pandemic

Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looks back at the CDC’s role in the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenge of building public trust

Modernizing Army aviation with Future Vertical Lift program

Major General Walter T. Rugen, director of the Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team for the U.S. Army, and Brigadier General Robert Barrie, program executive officer of aviation in the U.S. Army, discuss the transformation of Army aviation through the Future Vertical Lift program

The impacts of a continuing resolution on DoD spending

Elizabeth Field, director of defense capabilities and management issues at GAO, discusses her team’s findings about the true effects of operating under a CR for the Defense Department

The latest on ransomware attacks for federal agencies

Ron Marks, president of ZPN Cyber and National Security Strategies, discusses new Treasury Department sanctions for preventing cyber criminals from profiting from ransomware attacks

The intersection of climate change and security risks

Erin Sikorsky, director of The Center for Climate and Security, explains the national security implications of climate change and the role of the intelligence community in mitigation

Sammies finalist combats misinformation with Trust & Safety Team

Zack Schwartz, division chief of the IT Service Management Office at the Census Bureau, discusses how his team successfully prevented the spread of misinformation about the 2020 Census

The latest on NASA’s moon landing mission for 2026

Col. Pam Melroy (USAF, ret.), deputy administrator of NASA, and Karla Smith Jackson, senior procurement executive, deputy chief acquisition officer and assistant administrator for procurement at NASA, discuss planning for NASA’s sustainable moon landing mission and eventual Mars landing

Recruiting early-career technologists for federal workforce

Caitlin Gandhi and Masha Danilova, co-founders of U.S. Digital Corps, discuss the goals of a new fellowship for technology innovation work in the government

Implications of vaccine mandate for federal contractors

Robert Shea, National Managing Principal for Public Policy at Grant Thornton, and Eric Crusius, Partner at Holland & Knight, discuss information that has and hasn’t yet been provided about the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees and contractors

Providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after evacuation

Lisa Curtis, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, discusses how the United States can provide humanitarian assistance to Afghans without supporting the Taliban regime

The role of China in Afghanistan after U.S. evacuation

Yun Sun, senior fellow and co-director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, discusses the implications of growing Chinese influence with the Taliban for U.S. security

Evaluating the effectiveness of the F-35 program

Valerie Insinna, Air Warfare Reporter at Defense News, discusses balancing the F-35 aircraft with competing weapons priorities in the Air Force

Building allied armies with U.S. military

Rachel Tecott, Assistant Professor at the U.S. Naval War College, discusses her views on why multiple United States security force assistance efforts have been unsuccessful

Reviewing the role of DHS for counterterrorism

Ellen Gilmer, Senior Reporter at Bloomberg Government, shares insights from Department of Homeland Security leaders about how the department has handled multiple challenges since its establishment

Preparing for potential continuing resolution for contractors

Greg Giddens, partner at Potomac Ridge Consulting, discusses implications of a continuing resolution, the likelihood of a government shutdown and ways contractors can effectively prepare

The relationship between Covid-19 and climate change

Alice Hill, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the federal government’s role in addressing climate change and the importance of preparation

Strengthening government collaboration with new CIP

Terry Gerton, president and chief executive officer of NAPA, discusses what her organization’s new Center for Intergovernmental Partnerships will do and what prompted its establishment