Madam Policy

Madam Policy welcomes champion and advocate for mental health services and LGBTQ+ rights as well as a fighter for all things Vermont, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT). Rep. Balint joins Madam Policy hosts Dee Martin and Ihna Mangundayao to discuss her key policy priorities for Vermont including housing, healthcare, and climate issues. Tune in as former middle school teacher, Rep. Balint, gives her take on whether teaching members of congress or teaching middle schoolers is more challenging. Tune in to hear more about the Congresswoman’s journey and the importance of being the first openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress. Want to know how Rep. Balint cultivates bipartisan support for some of the most critical issues facing our nation? Then listen now!

Madam Policy host, Dee Martin, welcomes the latest batch of Policy Resolution Group (PRG) interns for the Summer 2024 semester, Jenna Bolonik, Margaret Hecht, Cooper Henson, Jenny Hu, Margaret Hutt, Joelle Rosenthal, and Kyleigh Voity. Dee and the interns discuss the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity available during the internship, constantly seeking out opportunities to learn, and more! The interns also talk about their favorite moments from the in-person D.C. internship including a U.S. Supreme Court Tour and a U.S. Capitol Tour, newsroom tours including NPR and Fox News, and more! Want to hear about the interns’ favorite pieces of advice they received over the semester? Want to know what advice this next generation of policy makers would give to their 50-year-old selves? Then tune in!

In this special episode of Madam Policy, listen in as host Dee Martin speaks at the Feminist Equalitea, an event hosted as part of the Democratic National Convention (the DNC) by the Feminist Majority and the ERA Coalition. Dee and the other advocates and leaders at the Equalitea called on Congress to take the procedural steps needed to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment and enshrine equal protection under the law. Listen 🎧

In this episode of Madam Policy, entrepreneur and fashion industry veteran Wendy Rabin, Founder of Wrabyn Boutique (wrabyn.com), joins hosts Dee Martin and Joelle Rosenthal to explore fashion’s role in emboldening women and driving change. Wendy shares her insights on the evolution of the fashion industry, exploring topics such as the impact of clothing on confidence and personal branding through the lens of enclothed cognition. The conversation tackles several pressing issues in the industry including sustainability, the impact of sexism in design, and how women can claim a seat at every table through confident self-presentation. Need help building a timeless wardrobe or still confused about business casual? Want to know about the importance of buying better and wearing forever? Then tune in!

Leader in the “Food is Medicine” movement and nutrition advocacy space, Jean Terranova, Senior Director of Policy and Research at Community Servings, joins Madam Policy to talk about the future of nutrition and food security policy in the United States. Host Dee Martin and Jenna Bolonik sit down with Jean to discuss her work on the bipartisan Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Act, the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and an amendment of Medicare and Medicaid to include coverage for MTMs. Want to understand more about how Community Servings caters their services to people experiencing a wide range of health challenges and food preferences? Curious about the progress, challenges, and benefits of expanding access to MTMs? Wondering how to get involved in volunteering and advocacy for food security? Tune in to learn about these issues and more!

Expert in crisis communications and brand building, Anne Marie Malecha, CEO of Dezenhall Resources, sits down with Madam Policy hosts Dee Martin and Rebecca Brown to discuss how operations should drive high-stakes communications, the role of communications in politics and policy, and when and how a company should weigh in on hot button issues. Armed with a policy background and extensive experience advising clients on how to build strong brands, Anne Marie lays out critical questions companies should ask themselves before speaking about issues that affect their key audiences. Curious about the legal consequences of crisis communications? Wondering how a communications professional would objectively analyze Trump and Biden’s performances in the recent presidential debate? Give this episode a listen!

The Honorable Thea Lee, Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs (ILAB) at the U.S. Department of Labor, joins Madam Policy hosts Dee Martin and Ihna Mangundayao to talk about her important work influencing policy through economics and promoting workers’ rights globally. As a leader at the forefront of both domestic and foreign policy, Deputy Undersecretary Lee explains how economics and economic research inform her work in policy, from the seafood industry to child labor prevention, and the importance of putting workers’ rights front and center when creating workplace evaluation protocols. Want to hear the story of how Thea debated a Nobel Laureate during the NAFTA negotiations? Strategies to end forced labor and social auditing under authoritarian regimes? Then tune in!

Globally recognized environmental justice champion Jeanette Pablo, founder and CEO of the Climate Equity Foundation and previous director of the Climate Equity Initiative at the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), joins Madam Policy to discuss the intersection of environmental justice and climate change. Hosts Dee Martin and Ihna Mangundayao sit down with Jeanette to talk about her work negotiating high-stakes international energy frameworks, the importance of AANHPI voices in environmental justice, and global approaches to shaping inclusive policies. Curious about the role of optics vs. substance in treaty negotiations or the staggering language barrier in social services and climate justice? Tune in to learn about these issues and more!

Madam Policy welcomes world-renowned musher and literal trailblazer, DeeDee Jonrowe, to discuss her journey within the dogsledding world, leading to 32 Iditarod starts, 29 finishes, three second-place finishes, and a record setting run in 1998 of fastest time by a female. DeeDee joins hosts Dee Martin and Anna Karakitsos to discuss her incredible journey, including completing one of her Iditarod runs three weeks after finishing chemotherapy, her work with search-and-rescue dogs, and her role as a leader on animal humanitarianism. Want to learn more about animal search-and-rescue training? The importance of perseverance in the face of hardship? Then this episode is for you!

Trailblazer Eleanor (Ellie) Smeal, co-founder and president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, joins Madam Policy to talk about her lifelong dedication to achieving social, political, and economic equality for women worldwide. Mentor and friend, Ellie joins Madam Policy host Dee Martin, former Feminist Majority intern and now Board member. The two discuss the importance of the Equal Rights Amendment, Title IX, reproductive choice, and the what’s at stake in the 2024 elections. Want to know more about gender apartheid in Afghanistan? What the U.N. calls “crimes against humanity”? What could happen with mifepristone? The potential for young people to decide the elections? Then this is the episode for you!