The Government Technology Insider Podcast

In the latest episode of the Government Technology insider podcast, Joseph E LoCurto, Federal Senior Solutions Specialist at Verizon Business, joined Lucas Hunsicker to explore the transformative benefits of Fixed Wireless Access.

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Dixon, Senior Principal of Military Health Technology Consulting Services at Maximus, to discuss how the Defense Health Agency (DHA) can take a digital first approach to improve military health service delivery.

In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker deliberates these themes with Bryan Schromsky, Managing Partner of 5G Public Sector at Verizon Business Group. In their conversation, Schromsky highlights how 5G technology offers the DoE a ubiquitous infrastructure, capable of supporting dynamic use cases across its vast facilities. The robust coverage and low latency of 5G can enhance both day-to-day operations and advanced research initiatives.

The discussion explores the practical adoption of fixed wireless access as a versatile solution for both remote and backup connectivity, enabling crucial activities like meter reading and scientific research. Furthermore, the shift from BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to GID (Government Issued Device) underscores the importance of agency-owned devices in ensuring operational efficiency and security. Schromsky emphasizes the critical role of collaboration between industry, academia, and government in continuing to drive wireless innovation forward.

In this episode, we sit down with Bob Ainsbury, Chief Product Officer at Granicus, to discuss how data can be a powerful driver for transforming federal customer experiences.

In the ongoing discourse surrounding the use of AI, the world stands at a crossroads. While some herald AI as a transformative force, poised to revolutionize various domains, others harbor concerns about its potential to replace human roles. Amidst this debate, a profound realization emerges: the most impactful advancements in AI arise from a fusion of human ingenuity with machine learning (ML), embodying a human-centric approach. Rather than viewing AI as a threat to human relevance, forward-looking innovators recognize its potential as a tool for augmenting human capabilities. By prioritizing the development of human-centric AI/ML solutions, the federal government is working toward a future where technological progress harmonizes with human intellect and judgement the power of AI lies not in its capacity to render humans obsolete, but in its ability to amplify and enhance our collective potential.

In the second part of this Government Technology Insider podcast, Amir Bagherpour, PhD, Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services, rejoined host Lucas Hunsicker to further explore the dynamic world of cybersecurity, focusing this time on the symbiotic relationship between human expertise and AI/ML tools.

Bagherpour highlighted the critical role of AI and ML in automating repetitive tasks, enhancing threat detection, and accelerating the cognition process for cybersecurity professionals. As agencies explore the human-centric AI/ML solutions currently available, industry partners play a vital role in driving innovation and facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies within the federal government. As cybersecurity continues to be a primary concern, collaboration between government agencies and industry partners is essential in fortifying defenses to ensure the resilience of critical systems against evolving cyber threats.

The October 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence marked a significant milestone in the federal government’s embrace of AI technology in combating cyber threats. As the cyberthreat landscape continues to evolve, attackers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, including stealth operations, identity theft, social engineering, ransomware, and supply chain attacks. In response to these challenges, agencies are using AI and ML-powered cyber tools to triage threats and simplify the decision-making process, supporting enhanced judgement and actions recommended by SOC engineers. By harnessing the power of AI-driven analytics, agencies can transition from reactive firefighting to proactive threat anticipation. Identifying better ways to harness AI and ML technologies and improving data intelligence applications are crucial steps in this endeavor.

In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker delves into the realm of proactive cyber defense with Amir Bagherpour, PhD, Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services. Together, they explore how advancements in AI and ML not only empower agencies to anticipate, understand, and mitigate cyber threats more effectively but also enhance the judgment capabilities of cybersecurity professionals. The discussion underscores the urgency for agencies to move beyond conventional defense mechanisms, especially as geopolitical tensions add complexity to the threat landscape.

Growing support for worker’s rights, including work-life balance and improved access to healthcare, has led state governments to consider the ways in which they support workers and how those services can be improved. 13 states plus the District of Columbia have taken steps to support community health by adopting and implementing Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs, which allow workers to take protected paid leave to care for a family member or address their own medical concerns. Data from the states with active programs has demonstrated their efficacy and necessity, but their unique design and implementation requirements mean that many states are unsure of how to move forward.

In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, we spoke with Admira Makas, Director, Paid Family and Medical Leave at TCS – Tata Consultancy Services, to discuss PFML’s potential health and economic outcomes, the benefits it can have for employers, and how more states can take the next step toward PFML implementation.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was designed to provide citizens with transparency into government operations and play a critical role in maintaining public trust. However, government agencies face many challenges fulfilling FOIA requests, which often undermine trust in government even further. How can government agencies overcome these challenges – from cybersecurity concerns to siloed data infrastructures – to simplify the fulfillment of FOIA requests quickly and accurately? To answer that, Government Technology Insider talked with Amit Dungarani, Vice President of Growth Enablement and Amy Hilbert, Executive Vice President of Government Solutions at Casepoint to discuss how federal agencies can navigate legacy challenges using innovative technology to simplify FOIA requests.

Federal healthcare agencies have been working diligently over the last few years to modernize service delivery to improve patient outcomes and experiences. Before health agencies can modernize, they must first overcome challenges around data interoperability to improve the future of patient care. Government Technology Insider talked with Monica Rosser, Health Market Lead at Maximus, to discuss how agencies can navigate the challenges of public health to modernize successfully.

Federal government agencies, academic institutions, and industry partners have dedicated time, resources, labor and funding to keeping ahead of an increasingly complex technical landscape. The Federal 100 Awards, considered the most prestigious awards for the federal IT community, present an opportunity to recognize the leaders driving that innovation forward.

For this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, we invite a guest host, Dale Smith, Director of UI and Workforce Programs at TCS – Tata Consultancy Services, to speak with Andrew Stettner, Director of the Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization at the United States Department of Labor. In February, Stettner was recognized for his work at the Department of Labor with his induction into the Fed 100 Class of 2024.

In today’s conversation, Smith and Stettner discuss the significance of the Fed 100, developments in the unemployment insurance (UI) space, and the work Stettner is doing to continually improve how states can deliver UI programs, support their constituents, and mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse.