Profiles in Public Service

In 2022, James Wright and Tiffany Russell helped initiate a groundbreaking three-digit voice and text hotline, the 988 Lifeline, that enables individuals in crisis to access trained counselors 24/7 via calls, texts or online chats. In this episode, they are joined by Jennifer Battle, the vice president of community access and engagement at the Harris Center, one of Texas' largest providers for individuals with behavioral health and developmental needs. Together, Wright, Russell and Battle discuss how the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration collaborates with and supports more than 200 crisis centers across the nation, delivering tailored mental health services to diverse communities. The Partnership for Public Service is recognizing Wright and two of his colleagues as finalists for a 2023 Service to America Medals® award.   Additional Resources: Learn more about 988. Learn more about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about the 988 Implementation Guideline Playbooks. A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.

Michael Boyce is a leading innovator at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, heading up a team that spearheads groundbreaking technological advancements related to asylum filing and overseas refugee cases. In this episode, he is joined by Arianna Miller and Kimberly Odom, two asylum officers working for USCIS who discuss their core responsibilities, the new innovations that are transforming the asylum process, and how federal leaders like Boyce use technology, customer feedback and more to improve the experiences of those seeking refuge in the U.S. A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.

Since November 2021, public servants have collaborated across state, local and federal government to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—a once-in-a-generation investment of $1.2 trillion to repair, renew and reinvigorate the country's aging infrastructure. Asma Mirza joins "Profiles in Public Service” as a deputy for implementation management at the White House, where she supports senior advisor to the president, Mitch Landrieu, on carrying out the new infrastructure law. To date, 32,000 projects and counting have been implemented across 4,500 communities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories. Kevin Donahue, the city administrator for Washington, D.C., has worked with Mirza and her team at the White House to implement a more equitable infrastructure within the city, including through the creation of the D.C. Build Back Better Infrastructure Task Force. Mirza and Donahue discuss how federal leaders are convening state and local actors to transform our nation's physical infrastructure, improve access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis and more. Additional Resources:  Learn more about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.  Explore the interactive map of projects by neighborhood across the U.S.A.  Learn more about the DC Build Back Better Infrastructure Task Force.  A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.

Jason Broughton and Dominick Spinelli are “living a librarian's dream” at the Library of Congress' National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Broughton is the director of the NLS after a long career in librarianship, education and workforce development. Spinelli serves as the head of the NLS' Collection Development Section, where he leads a team of librarians to build a catalog of accessible reading materials and support a nationwide network of nearly 100 partnering libraries and outreach centers. Broughton and Spinelli discuss how they leverage feedback from library patrons to help ensure that individuals across the nation, including people with disabilities and veterans, can obtain accessible print and reading materials that meet their needs. Additional Resources: Learn more about the Marrakesh Treaty.  NLS resources for Veterans.  Learn more about ⁠Learning Ally's Audiobook Solution⁠ program.    A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives involves much more than debating policy and voting on legislation on Capitol Hill. It also requires a great deal of listening to and engaging the constituents living in local districts.   Rep. Sylvia Garcia joins this episode of “Profiles in Public Service” alongside Enrique Garcia, a constituent services representative from her district office in Houston, Texas. In 2019, Garcia became the first Hispanic member of the Houston congressional delegation and one of the first two Latinas to represent Texas in Congress. Previously, she worked in various roles in the Texas state government, and as a social worker and legal aid lawyer. Enrique and Rep. Garcia will talk about their work to increase trust in the federal government by delivering excellent customer service to their constituents and meeting the diverse needs of the communities they serve.    Additional resources: Learn more about Representative Sylvia Garcia.  Read more about Representative Garcia office's involvement in getting justice for constituents Vanessa Guillén and her family.  Learn more about the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.  Representative Garcia's Youth Advisory Council.  A full transcript of this episode can be found here.

Civic technology is critical to addressing some of the nation's toughest challenges, from the opioid crisis to disaster relief and more. Today's “Profiles in Public Service” guest, Drew Zachary from U.S. Census Bureau, describes how the federal initiative she co-founded, The Opportunity Project, uses cross-sector collaboration and open federal data to design technology that supports communities across the country. Susanna Pho is a startup founder and a former participant in The Opportunity Project's Design Sprint Challenge competitions, during which she partnered with federal agencies to use her company's software that helps local governments and communities better adapt to the effects of climate change. Quentin Cummings is a climate analyst at the Federal Emergency Management Agency whose earlier work in government informed Pho's 2022 Design Sprint Challenge project to strengthen collaboration between federal and local governments to aid in their preparedness for flood risk and response to natural disasters in their communities. Zachary, Pho and Cummings discuss how using federal data and partnering across sectors allows them to support local economies, expand opportunity and rebuild trust in government in communities across the country.   A transcript of this episode is available here. Additional Resources:  Learn more about The Opportunity Project.  Watch the 2023 The Opportunity Project Summit.  Learn more about Susanna Pho's company, Forerunner. 

Two leaders committed to ensuring equity in both federal and local environmental justice initiatives join “Profiles in Public Service” to speak about their collaborative efforts to address public health issues for communities on the West Coast and beyond. Laura Ebbert works in the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 9 office based in San Francisco, where she leads environmental justice, equity and policy programs. Lauren Boitel runs ImpactNV, a statewide sustainability nonprofit and coalition builder in Las Vegas, Nevada. A recent recipient of the EPA's environmental justice grant program, ImpactNV is using federal funds to support transformational investments to improve air quality and mitigate the impact of severe heat on predominantly Latinx communities in East Las Vegas. Ebbert and Boitel describe how listening to the lived experiences of community members is leading to more equitable statewide and federal solutions to environmental justice concerns.  Additional Resources:  Learn more about the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement program  Find updates about the Buen Aire Para Todos project led by ImpactNV.  A full transcript of this episode is available here.

The third season of “Profiles in Public Service” is off to an exciting start as we highlight all that our federal government does to strengthen local communities across America.  In our first episode, Craig Buerstatte, a program and policy leader at the Economic Development Administration, shares how he and his team managed to equitably distribute $3 billion in American Rescue Plan funding to 780 projects that assist local communities in creating more robust and resilient regional economies. These efforts included the EDA's $500 million Good Jobs Challenge, led by Lauren Starks, and benefited organizations like the Illinois-based nonprofit, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, led by Patrick Combs.   Buerstatte, Starks and Combs discuss why they work in public service, what they have learned about enabling economic development at the local level, and how they have built community-informed projects that bring together diverse partners to support the U.S. workforce.  A transcript for this episode is available here. Additional Resources:   Learn more about the EDA's distribution of American Rescue Plan funding.  Learn more about the Good Jobs Challenge.  Press Release: U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $18.5 Million to Strengthen Workforce Training Programs in Chicago, Illinois, Through American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge. Read more about Service to America Medals Winner Philip Rosenfelt.

“Profiles in Public Service” is honored to have Rep. Andy Kim from New Jersey's 3rd District join us as the final guest of our second season. Congressman Kim is committed to empowering a greater belief in service, democracy, and a more mission-driven government. In 2018, Kim chose to apply his unique combination of experiences working as a career public servant at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Pentagon, the State Department and the White House National Security Council to run for a seat in the House of Representatives. Once elected, he became the first Korean American Democrat elected to Congress. In this episode, Congressman Kim discusses his professional journey in public service, what he is doing to build greater trust in government among not only his constituents, but among all Americans, and his proposed legislation to aimed at “supercharging national service” and creating more pathways for all to enter government work. Resources mentioned during interview Learn more about Congressman Andy Kim. Learn more about the Truman Fellowship Program. Remember Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Legislation to Supercharge National Service. Service Spotlights in New Jersey's 3rd District.

Paloma Adams-Allen, the deputy administrator for management and resources at the U.S. Agency for International Development, is responsible for ensuring that the agency has the technological, financial, and human resources to deliver on its mission—in other words, for advancing the success of USAID's people, partnerships, and processes. Working in support of Administrator Samantha Power, Adams-Allen speaks to the agency's ongoing initiatives to build a more diverse, inclusive, and accessible workforce and her office's efforts to encourage young professionals, students and leaders of color to pursue career opportunities with USAID. She also discusses the process of forming partnerships with local development organizations, civil society organizations, and community enterprises across the world to be more responsive to the needs and priorities of the international communities USAID supports. A complete transcript is available here. Additional Resources: Read Deputy Administrator Paloma Adams-Allen's bio. Learn more about the partnering organizations that work with USAID. Learn more about the DEIA Achievements of USAID including the Respectful, Inclusive, and Safe Environments (RISE) Learning and Engagement Platform. Careers with USAID. Learn more about USAID's Minority Serving Institutions Program.

The government is filled with public servants leading in technology, innovation, and improving government customer experiences for the public. On this episode we hear from Brian Whittaker and Amber Chaudhry, who are not only two such leaders, but also share a passion for creating support networks for emerging public servants from a diversity of backgrounds. Whittaker is the founder of Humans of Public Service, an organization and project he started to share the stories of public servants from across the country on social media. One of the first people interviewed by Humans of Public Service was Chaudhry, an emerging government leader and current Customer Experience Lead at the Department of Housing and Urban Development where she works to implement a more human-centered approach to government customer service. She is also the founder of Muslim Americans in Public Service and a former Presidential Management Fellow. A transcript of this episode can be found here. Reach out to Brian Whittaker and Humans of Public Service: Check out the stories of public servants featured on Humans of Public Service. Learn more about the Partnership's Federal Innovation Council. Reach out to Amber Chaudhry: Learn more about Muslim Americans in Public Service. Learn more about the Presidential Management Fellowship. Learn more about opportunities with AmeriCorps.

Samantha Sutton, a 2022 Service to America Medals® Emerging Leader finalist and current Political Advisor for the United States Mission to the United Nations, shares her story of working in diplomacy as a career civil servant who started as an intern with the State Department. Sutton has worked on Middle East peace issues across three different presidential administrations and has provided important continuity during transitions to advance peace in the region. Sutton joined Profiles in Public Service from Israel where she was most recently serving as chief of staff to Ambassador Tom Nides, alongside Fred Wilson, the U.S. Embassy to Israel's first Chief Diversity Officer. Wilson led efforts to encourage greater dialogue among senior leaders, embassy staff, and the diverse communities Mission Jerusalem works alongside. Sutton and Wilson discuss their accomplishments and challenges working on the Israel-Palestinian conflict as well as their suggestions for emerging leaders interested in pursuing international relations and diplomacy work through the federal government. This episode is the fourth of four highlighting some of our 2022 Service to America Medals® finalists. Nominate an outstanding public servant for a 2023 Sammies medal today through our nomination form! Tune in on November 23rd at 8 pm on Bloomberg Television and the Partnership's YouTube Channel linked in our show notes. A transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional Resources: Reach out to Sam Sutton and Fred Wilson on LinkedIn. Learn more about internships and fellowships at the Department of State. Learn more about the United States Mission to the United Nations.

The peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to another, or from a first to second term, is the cornerstone of American democracy. In this episode of “Profiles in Public Service,” Rachel Klein-Kircher and Loren DeJonge Schulman are joined by three practitioners and experts on presidential transitions who discuss the major challenges the Biden-Harris team had to overcome during the toughest transition in modern U.S. history, how a new administration identifies, recruits and nominates the right people to fill the nearly 4,000 presidential appointee positions who serve across government, and lessons that can be learned by examining the complex process that is fundamental to our democracy. Our expert guests include: Gautam Raghavan, the current director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel for the Biden Administration and a former presidential team lead for Biden-Harris transition. David Marchick, author of, “The Peaceful Transfer of Power: An Oral History of Presidential Transitions,” a joint project between The University of Virginia Press, UVA's Miller Center, and the Partnership for Public Service, released in October 2022. Valerie Smith Boyd, current director of the Partnership's Center for Presidential Transition. A full transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional resources: Purchase “The Peaceful Transfer of Power: An Oral History of Presidential Transitions.” Read Valerie Smith Boyd's blog post about the importance of chronicling presidential transitions. Learn more about the Center for Presidential Transition. Listen to Transition Lab, a podcast from the Partnership for Public Service. Learn more about the White House Personnel Office. Submit your resume to serve as a political appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration. Explore internship opportunities at The Executive Office of the President. Apply to be a White House Fellow.

Hear from one of our incredible 2022 Service to America Medals® finalists, Craig McLean, who spent four decades at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration transforming our nation's ocean exploration efforts to better understand how changes in ocean activity relate to global warming, severe weather and marine life. McLean is also joined by Benjamin Friedman, the agency's longest serving deputy under secretary for operations, who oversees the programmatic and day-to-day management of NOAA's national and international operations. McLean and Friedman discuss NOAA's ongoing commitment to scientific integrity and strengthening public trust in government, as well as why those interested in protecting the environment and our oceans from the effects of climate change should explore federal careers. This episode is the third of four highlighting some of our 2022 Service to America Medals® finalists. Nominate an outstanding public servant for a 2023 Sammies medal today through our nomination form! A complete transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional resources: Read Craig McLean's Service to America Medals finalist bio. Read Benjamin Friedman's bio from NOAA. Learn more about NOAA. See opportunities for students at NOAA. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program.

As we honor the 21st anniversary of September 11th, we will be hearing from Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals® finalist Rupa Bhattacharyya, who revitalized the federal program responsible for awarding claims to victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks, including the families of those who were on site or responded that day, as well as people who lived, worked or went to school near the attack sites. Serving as the special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund at the Department of Justice from 2016 until 2022, Bhattacharyya and her team transformed the fund from an under-resourced, limited and short-term endeavor into a unique long-standing federal program with an unlimited pool of funding. Bhattacharyya discusses how she overcame enormous challenges to ensure that the program continues to meet its obligations to the 9/11 community, expand its outreach to eligible claimants, and have sufficient funding through 2090 to compensate those whose health may be affected even decades later. This episode is the second of four highlighting some of our incredible 2022 Service to America Medals® finalists. Nominate an outstanding public servant for a 2023 Sammies Medal today through our nomination form! A transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional resources: Read Rupa Bhattacharyya's Service to America Medals finalist bio. Learn more about the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Learn more about The World Trade Center Health Program federal health program. Watch Jon Stewart's testimony for expanding funding for benefits for 9/11 first responders. Read a message from Special Master Bhattacharyya.

Today's “Profiles in Public Service” guests have provided care to communities across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Service to America Medals® finalist Suma Nair launched a major federal initiative to ensure that community-based health centers could access lifesaving resources to adequately respond to COVID-19. Ian Munar from International Community Health Services in Seattle, Washington, and Noah Nesin, the chief medical officer at Penobscot Community Health Care in Penobscot, Maine, witnessed the tremendous impact that Nair's program at the Health Resources and Services Administration had on the individuals and families they serve, many of whom are from populations experiencing economic, geographic, cultural, linguistic or other barriers to accessing high-personalized health care services. These three public servants discuss their experiences working in community health care, and why collaboration between federal and local leaders is critical to improving health equity in America. This episode is the first of four highlighting some of our incredible 2022 Service to America Medals® finalists. Nominate an outstanding public servant for a 2023 Sammies Medal today through our nomination form! A complete transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional resources: Read Suma Nair's Service to America Medals finalist bio Find a health center in your community. Opportunities at HRSA for Early-Career Professionals Learn more about HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care. Learn more about International Community Health Services in Seattle, WA Learn more about Penobscot Community Health Care in Penobscot, Maine. Read more about the legacy of Theresa Knowles from PCHC.

Co-hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher speak with two experts about how agencies are working to improve their performance and transform their customer experience efforts as outlined in the President's Management Agenda—the Biden administration's overarching vision for building a more effective federal government. Our guests include Robin Carnahan, the current administrator of the General Services Administration, and Robert Shea, a national managing principal of public policy at Grant Thornton Public Sector and a former public servant. Carnahan and Shea unpack how and why the President's Management Agenda is created, what is unique about the current administration's priorities, and why every interaction that an individual has with the government—from accessing benefits to securing natural disaster aid—is an opportunity to build public trust and prove that government works. A complete transcript is available here. Additional resources: Check out the Partnership's research, solutions, and impact stories about efforts to build public trust in government and improve customer experiences. Robin Carnahan's bio. Learn more about the Tech Modernization Fund and Cloud.gov as mentioned by Administrator Carnahan. Robert Shea's bio. Listen to the FedHead's podcast hosted by Shea to hear more about government management from government leaders and public policy experts.

Stuart Ishimaru and Jacinta Ma, two longtime civil servants, join “Profiles in Public Service” to discuss their careers advocating for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce both inside and outside of government. Ishimaru and Ma worked together at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to uphold civil rights and enforce federal laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace. Both guests discuss their decisions to apply their law training to pursue “good guy work” in the federal government and with policy advocacy nonprofits, how increased diversity and representation has impacted both the federal workforce and their careers as Asian Americans, and how the EEOC continues to expand its reach and access to its resources for populations and communities across the country. About our Speakers: Stuart Ishimaru worked as a former commissioner at the EEOC, nominated by President George W. Bush in 2003, and as acting chairman of the agency under President Obama. Jacinta Ma served as a former senior advisor to Ishimaru while he was acting chairman and is now the current director of the Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs at the EEOC. A full transcript is available here. Additional Resources: Watch Ishimaru's testimony before Congress in support of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. Follow @USEEOC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

"Profiles in Public Service" takes a comedic turn with guests Jon Wolf and Jon Cohen, partners at Fair Point Productions, who discuss their work as the executive producers of “The G Word with Adam Conover,” a new comedy docuseries on Netflix. “The G Word” explores the many ways our government works behind the scenes— from monitoring our food production and predicting the weather to treating serious diseases and more. Wolf and Cohen shared what they learned about how individuals can make an impact on government and in their communities, the benefits and challenges of using comedy to amplify messages about our government, and what it was like to work with President Barack Obama, who is featured in the show. Fair Point Productions produced “The G Word” in partnership with Barack and Michelle Obama's company, Higher Ground Productions. Additional Resources Watch the trailer for The G Word and view the whole series on Netflix! Read “The Fifth Risk” by bestselling author, Michael Lewis

Most young people do not understand the full breadth of government jobs available—or that there are public service careers for nearly every academic major and course of study. In this episode, Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier moderates a conversation at the 2022 SXSW EDU conference on the federal government's talent ecosystem and how to recruit and retain the next generation of public servants. Listeners will hear from three incredible speakers working in the federal government and career services about how young people can find their entry point into the public sector and how federal leaders can reduce barriers to working in public service, particularly for underrepresented groups including those with disabilities. Episode speakers include: Kiran Ahuja, the director of the Office of Personnel Management Director who leads recruitment and talent management for the federal government and its more than 2 million employees. Tara Duprey, a career and professional development leader at George Washington University's Center for Career Services. Callie Higgins, a materials research engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Higgins is a winner of the 2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals'® Emerging Leader award, given to young federal employees who make important contributions early in their federal careers. A complete transcript of this episode can be found here. Additional Resources: Refer to the Partnership's Go Government site to learn more about applying to opportunities to work in the federal government, how to use USA Jobs and more! Learn more about The Pathways Program which offers federal internship and employment opportunities for current students, recent graduates and those with an advanced degree.

Partnership Vice President of Leadership Development Andrew Marshall joins co-hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Elda Auxiliaire, to discuss the Partnership's new Public Service Leadership Institute. Marshall discusses the institute's goals to amplify public service leadership through policy recommendations, research and commentary, to create a shared standard of effective federal leadership around the Partnership's Public Service Leadership Model, and to provide federal leaders and offices with world-class training programs and custom offerings. To date, Marshall and his team have helped tens and thousands of federal employees working at all levels of our government become more effective leaders. A complete transcript of this episode is available here. Additional Resources: Watch the launch event of the Public Service Leadership Institute. Head to the Public Service Leadership Institute Website. Learn more about the Public Service Leadership Model. Roadmap for Renewing our Federal Government.

Carrie Stokes and Sawyer McCarley speak about how digital mapping tools and technologies shape decisions about providing humanitarian assistance in developing countries.

Washington Post journalist Lillian Cunningham joins co-hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher for a conversation on how to lead in government during normal times and times of crisis, as well as why the study of public service leadership is critical for our nation's public servants. Cunningham is the creator and host of The Post's “Presidential,” “Constitutional” and “Moonrise” podcasts. As an editor and reporter of the newspaper's “On Leadership” section that explores leadership and management challenges in the public and private sectors. Additional resources: Lillian Cunningham's podcasts “On Leadership,” The Washington Post The Partnership's Public Service Leadership Model Interested in learning more about employment opportunities in the federal government? Check out the Partnership's Go Government website. A transcript of this episode can be found here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first episode of our second season features a panel discussion headlined by several of our 2022 Service to America Medals finalists, a group of exceptional public servants who have dedicated their careers to improving the health, safety, and security of our country. Event speakers shared their insights on why public trust in government matters, what agencies are doing to bridge the trust gap and what leaders can do to motivate a new generation to enter public service. The event—hosted by the Partnership for Public Service as part of Public Service Recognition Week—was moderated by Margaret Talev, managing editor for politics at Axios and CNN political analyst, and included remarks from Partnership President and CEO Max Stier as well as Shalanda Young, the newly appointed permanent director of the Office of Management and Budget. A complete transcript of this episode can be found here. 2022 Service to America Medals finalists from panel: Mitch Zeller, former director at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products Kyle Armstrong, former supervisory special agent at the FBI Bob Fenton, Region 9 administrator at FEMA Resources mentioned during the episode: Public Service Recognition Week 2022 Activities Trust in Government Report Service to America Medals finalists and People's Choice Voting Follow the Partnership for Public Service on social media: Twitter @publicservice Instagram @rpublicservice LinkedIn Check out the “We The Partnership” Blog See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Presidential transitions are always a difficult process, but the 2020–21 transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden was particularly arduous due to a combination of crises facing the country. This included the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic downturn, a nationwide reckoning on race, the outgoing president's unwillingness to accept the election results and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In this week's episode, former Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-DE, former Gov. Chris Christie, R-NJ, and Stanford law professor Anne Joseph O'Connell join PBS NewsHour anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff for a conversation about lessons learned from this challenging transition. Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transition, joins co-hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher to provide context on our new report analyzing the Trump-to-Biden handoff.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jamie Rhome has revolutionized the way the government tracks and predicts storm surges. In this episode, Rhome, a storm surge specialist at the National Hurricane Center, talks about why effective public communication is critical to hurricane preparedness, how his work has built public trust in the government's weather forecast, how the NHC has adapted to COVID-19 and why Hurricane Katrina was a wake-up call for the way the center operated. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we're giving you a front-row seat to the nation's premier awards program honoring excellence in government: The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals®—or the Sammies, for short. You'll hear President Joe Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Geoff Bennett of NBC News and a host of others recognize exceptional public servants doing remarkable things for our country, from driving America's wireless revolution to designing the basic structure of the COVID-19 vaccine. To learn more about this year's finalists and winners, visit servicetoamericamedals.org. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, discusses the Army's past work to control infectious diseases, his efforts to develop a new vaccine that protects against a range of coronaviruses and what his team is doing to prepare for the next pandemic. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Victoria Brahm arrived as the new acting director of Wisconsin's Tomah VA Medical Center in 2015, she encountered declining staff morale, high employee turnover and an organization in crisis that was failing to fulfill its mission. In this episode of Profiles in Public Service, Brahm discusses how she overcame these challenges to ensure that veterans at Tomah receive the care they deserve and the medical center's leading innovations in pain management.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Best-selling author Michael Lewis explains how shutdowns—and shutdown threats—affect government's ability to keep us safe, manage risks and tackle our most pressing challenges. He also shares the story of Arthur Allen, a former Coast Guard oceanographer who was deemed an inessential employee during the 2018-2019 shutdown even though his groundbreaking search and rescue work had saved thousands of lives over a 35-year career. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, talks about launching the organization in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the bright spots in the federal response to COVID-19, why an effective government is critical to our democracy and what's next for the Partnership as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week marks 20 years since a series of terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001. Mark Jacobson, who was serving in the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the building and Mr. John Sherman, a duty officer in the White House Situation Room, reflect on what the day was like, how public servants stepped up in the aftermath of the attacks and how 9/11 shaped their commitment to public service.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bob McDonald, former secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Andrew Marshall, vice president of leadership development at the Partnership for Public Service, discuss why good leaders are the key to a good government. McDonald and Marshall discuss leading in the public sector versus the private sector, the impact and evolution of the Partnership's leadership development work and how strong leaders can help rebuild public trust in our most important democratic institution. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reps. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and William Timmons, R-S.C., talk about their work on the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, a group striving to make our nation's legislative branch more effective, efficient and transparent. Kilmer and Timmons discuss how and why the committee formed, the major issues it tackles and how it fosters bipartisan problem-solving in an era of congressional gridlock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Monica Hawkins and Charles D. Eldridge, two leaders at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, discuss the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative, a groundbreaking program that provides housing vouchers and other forms of assistance to young people aging out of foster care. Hawkins and Eldridge discuss why they launched FYI, its impact on at-risk youth and what others in government can learn from their work. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Washington Post reporter Lisa Rein talks about her distinguished career covering the federal government, her favorite stories and how President Biden has approached the federal workforce differently than his predecessor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher speak with Mary Gibert and Gail Lovelace, two former leaders at the General Services Administration, about ensuring smooth presidential transitions, getting more young people into public service and managing historic transfers of power—from the first conducted after 9/11 to our most recent one in 2020. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher talk to Ian Brownlee, acting assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, about the State Department's recent efforts to rescue more than 100,000 Americans stranded abroad at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brownlee shares stories from the front lines of this unprecedented multi-agency campaign, discussing the challenges it posed across government, the lessons it provides for future rescue operations and the bureau of consular affairs' unheralded work in serving the American people. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Washington Post columnist James Hohmann talks to Dr. Fiona Hill, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, and former Ambassadors to Ukraine William B. Taylor and Marie Yovanovitch about why young people should go into public service, the importance of the career workforce and the state of our democratic institutions. Then, hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher offer their perspectives on the discussion. This conversation was hosted by the Partnership for Public Service on May 6, 2021, as part of Public Service Recognition Week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher talk to Drs. Gary Gibbons and Eliseo Pérez-Stable from the NIH about their groundbreaking efforts to tackle COVID-19 health disparities. The two leaders discuss the importance of diverse vaccine trials, what the pandemic has taught them about promoting health equity and the latest vaccine acceptance rates in underserved communities. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher talk with three NASA leaders about how the agency thrived in the midst of unprecedented challenges over the last year, from the return of manned spaceflight from American soil to new achievements in Mars exploration. These leaders share how they have built a culture of innovation and success, and NASA's vision for the future.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Profiles in Public Service tells the compelling stories about the unsung public servant leaders who have driven government's most important accomplishments.Co-hosts Loren DeJonge Schulman and Rachel Klein-Kircher help break down common myths about government by highlighting the critical ways in which federal employees have demonstrated bold leadership to protect our health, safety and general well-being. In an age when people continue to hold negative views about government—but also rely on it to solve big problems and crises—the stories we share promise to rebuild public faith in the nation's largest public organization.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.