Next Future Today

Episode 34 Recap: "The Accidental Healthcare Policy Expert" with Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at Infocap.AI and Jeffrey Grant, Founder and President, Schedule F Healthcare Strategies.

This week, Dan sat down with Jeff Grant for a candid and insightful conversation about the fascinating evolution of healthcare policy, innovation in public health, and the power of following opportunities - even when they’re unexpected.

From Navy to Healthcare Operations – Jeff Grant’s Journey

Jeff Grant’s path to public health was anything but straightforward. After his stint in the Navy with plans for academia, Jeff pivoted to public administration. He found himself swept into healthcare operations during the Clinton administration’s push for reform. His knack for operations and systems thinking took him into the heart of CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), where he tackled major shifts like the Balanced Budget Act and risk adjustment in Medicare. Jeff’s story is a reminder that sometimes, saying “yes” to the unforeseen creates the best opportunities.

Innovation Means Raising Your Hand

The conversation highlighted how innovation in public service is often about willingness to jump into the breach - even when the path isn’t clear. Jeff and Dan discussed the difference between military and civilian career paths, emphasizing that, unlike the military’s clear roadmap, public sector careers reward opportunists and bridge builders who aren’t afraid of risk or ambiguity.

Bridging Policy, Technology, and Operations

Jeff shared war stories of bridging visionary policy with practical technology - like developing the National Provider ID, which eventually became a cornerstone for billing across Medicare, Medicaid, and private sectors. It’s a vivid example of radical reimagination made real by necessity and adaptability.

The Push for Simplicity: HR-1 and Medicaid Work Requirements

Another timely topic was the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR-1) and its impact on Medicaid and ACA coverage. Jeff unpacked the complex new work requirements, highlighting their operational challenges for applicants (like proving employment in a world dominated by gig work and independent contracting).

Dan and Jeff discussed how technology, AI, and usability principles (think: “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steve Krug) can help streamline processes but also introduce new layers of complexity and privacy concerns.

Skills Over Industry: Reinventing Your Next Future

Wrapping up, Jeff dropped practical advice for those seeking purposeful change in their careers. Focus on the skills you bring to the table - operations, data, startup mentality. If you’re feeling “stuck,” consider a career coach or self-assessment. The trick isn’t just domain knowledge, but transferable skills and knowing what makes you tick.

Connect with Jeff Grant

Interested in digging deeper or connecting with Jeff? You can find him at Schedule F Healthcare Strategies (schedf.com), or email him at info@ (at) schedf (dot) com.

He’s also active on LinkedIn for those who want to network or continue the conversation here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-grant-480aaa19/

What’s Next?

If you’re navigating your own “Next Future,” remember: opportunity often shows up disguised as uncertainty. Embrace your generalist tendencies, seek out innovation, and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. And as always, tune in to Next Future Today for more stories that inform, inspire, and ignite possibility.

Subscribe for future episodes, and thanks for being part of our community!

Stay curious, stay connected, and shape your next future - today!

Connect with Dan at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankeldsen/

Learn more about Infocap at

✅ Is innovation just for the tech geniuses—or can anyone shape the future?

✅ On the latest episode of Next Future Today, host Dan Keldsen dives into democratizing innovation with Larry Gioia, PwC’s Emerging Tech Leader.

✅ Discover how PwC is reinventing itself, empowering 75,000+ employees, and building a culture where new ideas don’t just come from the top.

✅ Takeaway: Real innovation starts with trust, agency, and a little reverse mentorship—because your next big idea might come from the newest voice in the room. Ready to be part of the next future? Listen now! 🚀

Bonus Content:
10 Innovation Maxims Every Leader Needs to Know

1. Trust Over Speed
Moving fast is good—but never at the expense of trust. Integrity and reliability are the cornerstones of lasting innovation.

2. Everyone Innovates
Innovation isn’t just for experts. Every team member, from new hires to senior leaders, can offer valuable ideas.

3. Reverse Mentorship Rocks
Younger voices bring unique insights. Pairing veterans with new talent sparks creative solutions and fresh perspectives.

4. Make Space for Agency
Empower people with the autonomy and tools they need. Trust teams to make smart decisions—within the right guardrails.

5. Show, Don’t Tell
Don’t just talk about innovation. Build, demo, and share real progress—fast. Move from ideas to action.

6. Collisions Create Magic
In-person team time isn’t just nice—it accelerates serendipitous problem-solving and the birth of probable ideas.

7. Organized Chaos Wins
Structure is key, but allow for productive chaos. Innovation thrives where art, science, and a little luck meet.

8. Shorter Sprints, Sharper Focus
In a fast-moving world, one-week sprints beat two. Ship quickly, iterate often, and adapt as you go.

9. Focus on Probable
Everything’s possible with new tech—but filter for what’s probable and impactful. Don’t chase shiny objects; pursue what matters.

10. Build Open Communities
Invite everyone in. From internal forums to knowledge sharing, community drives continuous learning and better solutions.

Ready to build your next future today?
Share this post, tag someone who needs these maxims, and follow for more actionable insights from Next Future Today!

00:00 "Driving Innovation Through Collaboration"
05:59 "Technology, Innovation, and Transformation"
08:31 Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose Drive Engagement
10:05 Empowering People Through Agency
13:06 Embracing Innovation and Collaboration Spectrum
17:01 Driving Enterprise-Wide Innovation
20:27 "Leveraging Innovation for Work-Life Balance"
24:43 "Horizon 2: Concept to Reality"
27:58 "Growing Interest and Community Impact"
31:39 "Driving Innovation at PwC"
33:46 "Upskilling and Cultivating Innovation"
37:00 "Value of In-Person Collaboration"

🌟 LIsten in on an insightful episode of NextFutureToday with May Cheng, Acting CIO at the International Trade Administration, hosted by Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at infocap.ai.

May shared her powerful experiences leading transformation in the federal government—including guiding an entire agency to a digital, virtually paperless environment in just nine months!🚀

Here are 3 key takeaways you don’t want to miss:

• Change Management Is People Management: Technology isn’t the hardest part—success hinges on clarifying roles, building trust, and ensuring every key player is engaged and accountable. Even 1% non-participation from crucial stakeholders can derail progress.
• Start Small and Iterate: May’s approach combined agile, rapid incremental development with strong project management fundamentals—piloting with a small group, adapting quickly, and letting word-of-mouth drive adoption across 23 states.
• Turn Resistance Into Advocacy: Work with early adopters but also listen to skeptics. May’s story shows that the loudest critics often become your best champions when their pain points are acknowledged and addressed.

If you’re driving digital transformation—especially in complex organizations—this episode is a must-listen. It’s a masterclass in leading with empathy, resilience, and strategy.

NextFutureToday Ep. 30: Dan Keldsen & Jack Crawford - You're Thinking Too Small about AI

Welcome to another episode of Next Future Today! In this episode, host Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at infocap.ai, sits down for an inspiring conversation with Jack Crawford, CEO and co-founder of mVara, and former leader at Wells Fargo, Cognizant, and Datalog AI—not to mention his early days in the US Air Force. Dan and Jack pull back the curtain on the rapidly evolving world of AI, challenging the idea that most of us are thinking too small and too slow when it comes to artificial intelligence.

If you’re wondering how AI is transforming the business landscape—from Fortune 1000 giants to mid-sized companies and even main street dog groomers—this episode is packed with real-world insight. Jack shares lessons learned from navigating regulated industries and speaks candidly about why experimenting with generative and agentic AI is mission-critical for organizations of every size. You’ll hear why hackathons might just beat out traditional proof of concepts, how human-centric automation can safeguard our humanity, and how a culture of experimentation can give your team the competitive edge.

Whether you’re an executive trying to future-proof your company, a knowledge worker eager to level up, or just AI-curious, this episode promises fresh perspectives, actionable advice, and some compelling stories about why “waiting” is no longer an option in today’s AI revolution. So get ready to have your thinking stretched—and maybe even supercharged—by two experts who have been living on the cutting edge of tech for decades. Let’s dive in!

9 questions covered in this episode of NextFutureToday

Why do many organizations struggle to prioritize Information Governance fundamentals?

What successful change management strategies have you witnessed or experienced in your work? (And if the answer is never, what would you change?)

What tactics might help "sell" the value of good data practices to different parts of an organization? Hint: It's not just the "data scientists" who should care.

Role of AI in Exposing Data Weaknesses: Can you think of examples where introducing new technology revealed underlying problems that had gone unnoticed?

What are the pros and cons of using maturity models as a benchmark for your organization, and how can you ensure honest self-assessment?

Why do you think culture plays such a big role in the success or failure of an information governance initiative?

Heavily regulated industries like healthcare or finance tend to take information governance more seriously due to the financial and legal penalties that loom overhead. Should non-regulated industries be equally concerned, and if so, why? 

What steps should organizations take to minimize bias when implementing AI? Is that an #infogov process?

What practical advice would you give for crafting a compelling business case in support of information governance?

00:00 AI Challenges in Regulated Industries
05:00 Embracing Diverse Industry Perspectives
07:13 Unexpected Career in Librarianship
09:48 Information Governance Challenges
14:39 Tailor Communication to Your Audience
17:13 Data Quality: Foundation for Success
19:21 Choosing Models for Business Goals
25:20 AI's Impact on Data Governance
29:44 Gen Z's Desire for Instant Answers
33:20 Building a Persuasive Business Case
34:15 Effective Leadership in Governance

Today on Next Future Today, Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officefr at infocap.ai sat down with Chris Surdak, Chief Transformation Officer at IRPA.ai, to unpack the real-world challenges of automation and AI in the enterprise.

We explored why context and resilience are crucial for success, why most IT projects actually fail, and how embracing pragmatic futurism can give your business a serious edge.

If you want actionable insights on leveraging automation, AI governance, and making smarter decisions with your data, this episode is your must-listen. Dive in to learn how to future-proof your organization—starting right now!

Welcome to another episode of Next Future Today! In this installment, host Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at InfoCap.ai, sits down with Dr. Lamont Black, founder of Wide Open Ventures and research fellow with the Filene Research Institute—a groundbreaking think tank focused on advancing credit unions.

Together, they dive deep into what makes credit unions unique, exploring their cooperative roots, the critical role of innovation, and how technology like AI and blockchain are shaping the future of member-driven financial services.

You’ll discover the inspiring journey of Dr. Black, from his days at the Federal Reserve through his pioneering work in credit union research. Dan and Lamont get candid about legacy core banking systems, the importance of storytelling in financial services, and the evolving relationship between credit unions and their members—especially in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Packed with compelling stories, thought-provoking analogies (including a clever Credit Union "Christmas Carol" story), and practical insights, this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the future of community banking and financial innovation.

Want More?

• Connect with Dan Keldsen on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/dankeldsen
• Learn more about Infocap's Human-Centric Automation approach - www.infocap.ai
• Connect with Dr. Lamont Black on LinkedIn or visit LamontBlack.com - linkedin.com/in/lamontblack
• Check out Wide Open Ventures’ newsletter for ongoing insights

Thank you for being part of our growing community of innovators, dreamers, and credit union champions. Stay tuned for more perspectives on the future of financial services!

Join host Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at infocap.ai, for an enlightening interview with leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry on the principles of "Flexible Leadership." In this episode, you'll learn how to balance consistency and adaptability, tackle uncertainty with confidence, and apply frameworks like Cynefin to real-world leadership challenges.

Highlights include:
- The idea of "flexors"—balancing opposing leadership strengths
- How context should guide your leadership approach
- The importance of mindset, skill set, and habit set for long-term change
- Practical tips for leading teams (and yourself) through chaotic times

Whether you’re responsible for a team or your own personal growth, get actionable strategies to help you become a more effective, flexible leader.

Connect with Kevin and Dan:
- Kevin Eikenberry: kevineikenberry.com
- Dan Keldsen (host): linkedin.com/in/dankeldsen
- Learn more about Infocap: infocap.ai | [email protected]

Don’t miss this episode if you want to level up your leadership and thrive in a changing world!

Welcome to another exciting edition of *Next Future Today* and the reboot of the podcast, fresh for 2025!

I'm your host, Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at Infocap AI Corp, and I'm thrilled to share insights from our recent episode featuring Craig Le Clair, VP of Research at Forrester Research.

If you're interested in what the impact of automation (including many flavors of AI) is going to be on your own career or your business, Craig's insights are just what you've been looking for.

For a quick glimpse - we cover...

1. Introduction
    * Host introduction: Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at Infocap and host of Next Future Today
    * Guest introduction: Craig Le Clair, VP Principal Analyst at Forrester Research
2. Overview of the Episode Topic
    * Reboot of Next Future Today
    * Focus on human-centric automation
    * Craig Le Clair’s book: Random Acts of Automation
3. Discussion on Automation
    * Impact of automation on different worker classes
    * Types of automation: physical and digital
    * Examples: robots for physical tasks, various forms of digital process automation
4. Perspectives on Work and Automation
    * Different career paths and impacts on jobs from automation
    * Four classes of workers affected by automation: digital elites, middle workers, human touch workers, and work-life pioneers
5. Concept of Pragmatic Futurism
    * Dan’s approach to being a pragmatic futurist
    * Importance of adapting to future trends
6. Craig’s Keynote and Career
    * Craig's presentation at UiPath
    * His professional background and approach to technology analysis
7. Insights from Craig’s Book
    * Books written by Craig: Random Acts of Automation, Invisible Robots in the Quiet of the Night
    * Themes of the latest book
    * Timelessness and relevance of the insights provided
8. Defining Worker Classes
    * Digital Elites
    * Middle Workers
    * Human Touch Workers
    * Work-Life Pioneers
9. Critical Thinking and Skills Development
    * Importance of workers developing critical thinking
    * Skills for adapting to automation
10. Discussion on Change Management
    * Inefficacy of traditional change management
    * Need for embedding change management into the workforce
11. The Role of Grit and Constructive Ambition
    * Encouraging workers to have grit and constructive ambition
    * Recommendations for workers navigating automation
12. Conclusion and Contact Information
    * Final thoughts from Craig


⏰ Timecodes ⏰
00:00 Automation's Impact on Workforce
03:06 "Pragmatic Futurism and Humor"
06:58 "Tech's Fast Pace & Worker Adaptation"
09:40 Navigating Complexity in Workflow
14:37 Future Job Trends and Adaptations
17:14 Consulting and Change Management Critique
20:10 Critical Thinking in Automation Era
23:04 Prioritize People, Not Profits
26:44 AI and Gig Economy Shift
30:14 UiPath Interest Leads to Farming Insights
34:01 Underground Job's Unique Camaraderie
35:30 "Pragmatic Futurism: Act Now"
38:32 "Anticipating 'Random Acts of Automation'"

Welcome to another exciting edition of *Next Future Today*!

I'm your host, Dan Keldsen, and I'm thrilled to share insights from our recent episode featuring Alan Cassinelli, Brand and Product Marketing Manager at Blaze.ai.

This episode is a goldmine for anyone interested in harnessing the power of podcast appearances for personal branding and thought leadership!

Episode Highlights:

Strategic Outreach Tactics:
Alan reveals his innovative approach to securing podcast spots, including how he strategically identified and contacted the CEO of a competitor by utilizing Spotify to filter by podcast appearances.

Crafting the Perfect Pitch:
Learn how Alan developed concise, compelling pitches by focusing on unique deep knowledge areas, such as Harvard Business School experiences and remote work philosophies, rather than direct company promotion.

The Power of Preparation:
Discover Alan’s advice on the importance of media training and using bullet points to plan key talking points and calls to action for podcast appearances.

4-Stage Pitching Process:
Alan outlines his methodical four-stage process for successfully pitching podcasts – from researching to developing a tailored offer, executing outreach, and following up effectively.

Tools for Success:
Gain insights into how Alan uses Airtable to maintain a database of influential contacts and track outreach efforts, ensuring sustained and informed engagement.

Podcast Marketing Strategy:
Understand the strategic choice of guest appearances as a top or middle of funnel marketing strategy designed to build trust and showcase personality to a wider audience.