Driving Impact

Follow Driving Impact
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Have you ever wondered how Washington’s most influential policy leaders got their start? Driving Impact explores the personal and professional journeys of today’s most prominent policy trailblazers. Host Hadeil Ali, director of the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C, sits down with policy pioneers to dive into what drew them to their work, how their upbringings shaped their professional paths, and the moments that defined their careers.  

Center for Strategic and International Studies


    • Nov 19, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 33m AVG DURATION
    • 14 EPISODES


    More podcasts from Center for Strategic and International Studies

    Search for episodes from Driving Impact with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Driving Impact

    From Local to Global: Leading USAID's Global Mission for Impact

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 46:54


    Please join the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project (DLIA) for the sixth and final episode of Driving Impact Season 2 with Clinton D. White, Counselor of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Hear about his experience as the highest-ranked career Foreign Service Officer at USAID and his commitment to diversity and inclusion in global development.

    Commanding Change: From Military Service to Leading Veterans Affairs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 34:35


    Please join the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project (DLIA) for the fifth episode of Driving Impact Season 2 with the Honorable Tanya Bradsher. Hear about her journey in the military as a combat veteran and how she became the first Black woman to serve as Deputy Secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    How Admiral Levine is Transforming Inclusive Health | Driving Impact

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 34:09


    Have you ever wondered how Washington's most influential policy leaders got their start? Host Hadeil Ali explores the exhilarating personal and professional journeys of Washington's most prominent policy trailblazers.  Please join the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project (DLIA) for the fourth episode of Driving Impact Season 2 with Admiral Rachel L. Levine. Learn about her journey as the highest-ranking openly transgender government official, her service-oriented career, and her advocacy for equitable healthcare access for all Americans.

    A First-Generation American's Journey to Diplomatic Leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 41:01


    Learn the legacy of the first Indian American U.S. Ambassador to India and the highest-ranked Indian American diplomat.

    How a Peace Corps Volunteer Became Director with Carol Spahn

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 37:11


    Please join the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project (DLIA) for the second episode of Driving Impact Season 2 with Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. Hear about Director Spahn's journey from volunteering in Romania after the end of the Cold War to becoming the 21st Peace Corps Director and a renowned leader in the international development field.

    Driving Impact Season 2 Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 1:11


    Championing Gender Equality with Amb. Geeta Rao Gupta

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 36:04


    Have you ever wondered how Washington's most influential policy leaders got their start? Please join the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project (DLIA) for the first episode of Driving Impact Season 2. Host Hadeil Ali explores the exhilarating personal and professional journeys of Washington's most prominent policy trailblazers. This first episode features a dynamic conversation with Ambassador Geeta Rao Gupta about her role as Ambassador-at-Large for the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues, her career in India and the U.S., and her experience as the first woman of color in this position.

    Leading America's Military Readiness with the Honorable Shawn G. Skelly

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2023 51:02


    In the season one finale of Driving Impact, host Hadeil Ali welcomes the Honorable Shawn G. Skelly, Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, for a conversation on her 20-year service in the U.S. Navy and her leadership in guiding America's military readiness. The pair discussed her journey to becoming the highest-ranking trans official at the Department of Defense, her love of rock music, and the importance of harnessing diverse talent to advance America's national security priorities.  

    Conquering the World's Deadliest Diseases with Ambassador Mark Dybul

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2023 36:53


    Join our host Hadeil Ali for this week's episode on global health security with Ambassador Mark Dybul, former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The pair discussed Ambassador Dybul's travels to over 110 countries to fight three of the world's deadliest diseases and his controversial swearing-in ceremony as the first openly gay ambassador with the rank of Assistant Secretary of State.

    Navigating National Intelligence with the Honorable Susan M. Gordon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2023 43:05


    Join our host Hadeil Ali for this week's episode on national intelligence with the Honorable Susan M. Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence.  The pair discussed how a zoology degree led to a decades-long career at the CIA, her shock resignation in 2019, and why she thinks women can have it all. 

    The First Black Under Secretary of State with Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2023 31:41


    In this week's episode, host Hadeil Ali welcomes Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins for a conversation on how a little girl from South Bronx became the first Black Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, or “T” in the State Department. The pair discussed a day in the life of an arms control expert, bomb-sniffing dogs, and what inspired her to pursue all five of her academic degrees. 

    Revolutionizing Frontline Healthcare with the Hon. Raj Panjabi

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2023 45:44


    In this week's episode, Hadeil Ali sat down with the Hon. Raj Panjabi, former Special Assistant to the President and White House National Security Council Senior Director. They discussed Dr. Raj Panjabi's experience fleeing Liberia during the breach of civil war, how his own wedding led to the revolution of community healthcare, and what it was like being President Biden's top pandemic official. 

    The Art of Peacebuilding with Hon. Aaron S. Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2023 29:51


    The Hon. Aaron S. Williams served as the Director of the Peace Corps under President Barack Obama. On this episode of Driving Impact, the Hon. Williams sat down with host Hadeil Ali to talk about his upbringing on the South Side of Chicago, his journey from a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic to becoming Peace Corps Director, and how he met Nelson Mandela on his first day as USAID's Mission Director to South Africa.

    Driving Impact Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 1:10


    Claim Driving Impact

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel