Studio 2G Podcasts

April 30 marked the 100th day of President Trump's second term — a key milestone for gauging an administration's early success. This period offers a first look at the President's policy priorities and sets the tone for the next four years across the federal landscape. So, what's changed — and what's coming next in this new era of government? GovExecTV and top political experts break down the most significant policy shifts, workforce changes, and agency shake-ups since President Trump's return to the White House. From hiring freezes to structural overhauls, we'll explore what these early moves signal — and what federal leaders should be watching now to stay ahead.

Artificial intelligence and high-performance computing are evolving together, turning what was once impossible into reality. In the second episode of HPod, Matt Barry, chief operating officer at HP Federal, shares how government agencies can harness the power of these two swiftly advancing technologies while protecting and reinforcing government systems, data and supply chains.

s our world becomes more complex — and more digital — the supply chain is growing. While this is great news for innovation and development, it's also creating new targets for cyberattack. In this first episode of HPod, Tommy Gardner, chief technology officer at HP Federal and avid Nationals fan, delves into the intersection of supply chain, innovation and security — with a few baseball metaphors for good measure.

In the third and final episode of the Beyond Borders: The future of zero trust in government podcast series, experts from industry and government discuss the U.S. military and Defense Department's commitment to fully implement zero trust by 2027. Jon Morgan, systems engineer for ThunderCat along with David W. McKeown, DOD senior information security officer and deputy CIO for cybersecurity and Brian “Stretch” Meyer, senior director of Axonius Federal Engineering, highlight key challenges DOD faces, as well as its strategies to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and secure the nation's digital defenses. The discussion also delves into upcoming trends in cybersecurity and how DOD and civilian federal agencies can future-proof their operations, offering practical insights on adapting security measures in a constantly evolving threat landscape.

AI and cybersecurity are a perfect match, one that has the power to significantly enhance the way government systems detect and respond to threats. Integrating AI into zero trust frameworks elevates their effectiveness even further. AI is always active, consistently monitoring user behavior, network traffic and devices. It also gives agencies the ability to quickly tweak and improve security capabilities to stay one step ahead of threats.  In this episode of Beyond borders: The future of zero trust in government, Paul Blahusch, the chief information security officer at the Labor Department, Beau Nuanes, systems engineer from ThunderCat, and Christopher Hoesly, director of solutions engineering for BigID dive into practical tips and tricks federal agencies can use to maximize AI-boosted zero trust setups for increased security and efficiency.

As the sun sets over a remote military base, the quiet hum of drone rotors signals a shift in modern warfare. These drones, which began as simple consumer gadgets, now play crucial roles in military operations.  In this episode, Mark Valentine, president and general manager of global government for Skydio, and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk S. Pierce discuss how Skydio is leading advancement in defense technology with its highly autonomous and innovative drones. The experts delve into the company's initiatives in base security, asset inspection and ISR/battlefield applications, highlighting how the new X10D drones bolster the effectiveness and safety of military operations.

The NASA SEWP Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) vehicle aims to help federal agencies access funding for IT products and solutions, and under SEWP VI, the contract will include enterprise-wide ITC/AV services and program-level ITC/AV services. As technology evolves, leaders are increasingly focusing on the confluence of people, processes, and technologies. In this podcast episode, GovExec's Studio 2G will sit down with Joanne Woytek, SEWP Program Director at NASA to discuss the evolution of the SEWP GWAC and how people, processes and technology can shape the future of how public sector services are delivered to better meet the needs of the public sector.

By the end of fiscal year 2024, federal agencies must achieve significant zero trust cybersecurity milestones. They are tasked with improving identity verification with multi-factor authentication, encrypting data at rest and in transit, and advancing continuous monitoring and automated security. In this episode, experts from government and industry explore how agencies are progressing on this journey and discuss best practices to avoid potential pitfalls.

In this episode of The Federal Innovator Podcast, hosts George Jackson, vice president of events at GovExec, and Dr. Jennifer Sample, managing director at Accenture Federal Services, are joined by Amer Helmy, federal identity, credential, and access management manager at the U.S. Department of Labor, and Rayan Farooq, identity and access management lead at Accenture Federal Services, to discuss how emerging technologies are helping the federal government advance digital identity services. Check out what they have to say by listening to the full episode!

On this special bonus episode of "The Federal Innovator Podcast," host Troy Schneider, President of GovExec 360, sits down with government leaders and industry experts to discuss how generative AI impacts the federal government. In this episode, Troy is joined by Dr. Lynne Graves, Chief of the U.S. Air Force's Artificial Intelligence Division; Pritha Mehra, Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President for the U.S. Postal Service and Dr. Viveca Pavon-Harr, Director of Applied Intelligence Discovery Lab at Accenture Federal Services. Tune in to learn more about how you can leverage generative AI to create value for your agency!

With the amount of data in our world increasing, federal leaders are investing time and effort into building architectures designed to deliver better services. As new frameworks begin to emerge, how will these data architectures address the age-old challenge of data silos?  In this episode of The Federal Innovator Podcast, host, George Jackson, vice president of events at GovExec, is joined by Dave Mooney, services management section chief, cybersecurity division, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Dr. Jennifer Sample, managing director at Accenture Federal Services, to discuss how contemporary data frameworks are changing the way government agencies operate.

Nine strategies lie at the heart of the Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) 2023 National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan. In this episode, we'll focus on those nine strategies and how building generalist models can help the federal government achieve its goal of building models that promote and support American values.

New technologies are causing the physical and digital worlds to converge, creating an increasingly interconnected world where government decision-makers can deliver on their missions at speed and scale. In this episode, hosts Michael Thieme, Managing Director for the National Security Portfolio at Accenture Federal Services and George Jackson, Vice President of Events at GovExec, are joined by esteemed guest, Jill Marlowe, Digital Transformation Officer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to discuss the intersection of emerging technology and federal research.

As cloud computing increases and more federal data becomes available on-demand, many agencies are turning to the Internet of Things (IoT), in which they can instantly connect and exchange data via a network of interrelated physical devices with sensors, software and other technologies. IoT has allowed for military operations to take advantage of edge computing, environmental agencies to monitor the nation's carbon output, healthcare professionals achieve regulatory compliance and much more.  Although bringing critical federal missions onto the internet brings increased opportunity for innovation, storing critical information in this environment also invites a multitude of security risks. In this episode of The Future of Federal Data Strategy, host Camille Tuttii sits down with Jason Craig, chief technology adviser for WWT to discuss the current state of IoT in the federal sector, and how agencies can benefit from it while addressing its largest security concerns.

As federal agencies work to manage a rapid influx of data, they are turning to automation technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to help. However, due to limited budgets, already-strained IT teams and a negative perception, many agencies struggle to infuse AI into their data initiatives.   In this episode of The Future of Federal Data Strategy podcast series, host Camille Tuutti sits down with Nathan Manzotti, director of data and analytics for the GSA's Technology Transformation Services department and Bobby Rountree, who serves as the AI/ML leader at NetApp to delve into why automation technology is critical to the future of data management and how their organization is enabling next gen solutions like AI and ML to help agencies drive mission success.  Listen to their conversation by clicking on the full podcast episode below. And be sure to download and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or SoundCloud to take What AI and ML Mean for Data Management with you on your favorite device.

The recent shift to cloud computing has become a major asset for government agencies, proven to be cost-effective, increase workflow flexibility and reduce strain on IT departments. However, as more data and operations move from data centers to the cloud, there are also inherent security risks. Now more than ever, agencies must deploy tools and technologies built to enable trustless architecture  o protect mission-critical assets. In this episode of the Future of Federal Data Strategy podcast series, host Camille Tutti speaks with chief technology advisor for public sector cybersecurity at World Wide Technology, Paul Cunningham and Marisol Cruz Cain, director of information technology and cybersecurity at the Government Accountability Office to discuss security obstacles agencies face with cloud and how they can stand up the architecture needed to inject trustless security models into operations.

Earlier this year, the Department of Energy (DOE), alongside the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), released an interactive playbook detailing risk mitigation strategies for artificial intelligence. Aptly titled the AI Risk Management Playbook (AIRMP), this asset contains hundreds of examples and strategies for public sector organizations.  On the final episode of “Security Stories: A Look Inside How Federal Agencies Ensure Mission Security," a podcast sponsored by NetApp and TD SYNNEX, our host Troy Schneider, president of GovExec 360, is joined by special guest Bobby Rountree, AI/ML leader for NetApp Public Sector to discuss what government organizations need to know as AI grows in importance, and how can they incorporate the strategies found in the AIRMP to support ethical, scalable AI.

Malicious threat actors often view schools as easy and profitable targets due to their use of legacy technology and willingness to pay ransoms. This school year, it's time to send hackers back to the drawing board. On this episode of “Security Stories,” a podcast from NetApp, Troy Schneider, President of GovExec 360, sits down with Allen Magsipoc, principal systems architect at HighPoint, and Bob Burwell, chief technology officer for State, Local Government and Education at NetApp, to discuss defense-in-depth techniques for the hybrid multi-cloud environment.

From ransomware to phishing scams to nation state threats, state and local governments today are up against a veritable cybersecurity gauntlet. Moreover, as we move toward data-driven government, the need to keep threats at bay is compounded by the need to keep sensitive government and constituent data secure. In fact, in a recent survey of state CIOs, cybersecurity was ranked the top enterprise risk for state governments in 2022. As state and local governments look at ways to improve data security, what should they know and who should they turn to, to lend a hand? In this episode of "Migrating to the Citizen-Focused, Secure Cloud," we speak with Mark Belluz, Managing Director at CAS Severn about the rising complexity of cybersecurity attacks and how state and local government entities can partner with industry to improve data security.

As state and local governments continue to move toward digital government, there's no doubt that cloud has become an essential tool to enable the user-friendly, services constituents want and to streamline operations to improve mission success. But while cloud holds the ability to revolutionize government operations and skyrocket innovation, cloud migrations are no easy feat, particularly for state and local governments that often have limited resources and shoestring IT staff. Migrations require a plethora of new skills, cost assessments, tools and more that require expertise to navigate and execute successfully. In this episode of the "Migrating to the Citizen-Focused, Secure Cloud Podcast," we'll speak with Matt Cozzolino, Senior Solutions Architect at IVOXY Consulting about how state and local government organizations can successfully tackle cloud migrations, typical pitfalls and how vendor partners can aid agencies in their efforts.

On this episode of the Migrating to the Citizen-Focused, Secure Cloud podcast, host Camille Tuutti sits down with Michael Kedik, vice president of product management at Xigent Solutions, an IT consulting partner for organizations embarking on an IT improvement journey to achieve business goals via a result-driven IT approach. The two discuss insights into the current SLED market from an IT perspective, the challenges the public sector is facing, and how they can strategically adopt technology to arm themselves for the future.

In recent years, agencies have begun rapidly moving their data and workflows to the cloud to better accommodate the evolving federal workforce. And as they mature their IT environments to meet more complex needs and outpace the increasingly sophisticated threatscape, advanced cybersecurity solutions like zero trust architecture are imperative to secure mission critical assets. However, although they have made significant progress, limited budgets and already-strained IT departments can hinder implementation and leave agency systems vulnerable. So, how can agencies ensure they implement zero trust efficiently and effectively with the correct technical requirements? In this podcast episode, host Camille Tutti and James Ebeler, Chief Technology Officer at ThreeWire Systems, answer this question by outlining the steps agencies can take to successfully implement zero trust architecture, and examine the future of zero trust for agencies.

While cloud infrastructure can streamline workflows and bolster data storage for agencies, most must plan implementation around legacy systems. As a result, they are faced with an overwhelming decision between the variety of cloud frameworks — such as hybrid or multi cloud — to best accommodate their complex infrastructures and ensure they are taking full advantage of the technology. But with so many options available, how can agencies know what cloud environment is right for them? In this episode of The State of Federal Cloud podcast, host Camille Tutti and Ryan Nelson, market intelligence and analytics manager at immixGroup, delve into the advantages and disadvantages of the different cloud systems available to agencies, how they can determine what infrastructure is right for them and how industry partners can help them leverage cloud to optimize mission success.

Amid increasingly complex and sophisticated cyberattacks, the Department of Defense — whose sectors manage highly confidential data in the cloud on a day-to-day basis — are taking every necessary step to ensure their cybersecurity postures are effective and up-to-date. Internally, they have instituted solutions like Comply-to-Connect (C2C), a comprehensive framework designed to increase cybersecurity efficiency across all DoD's operational environments. But they are also extending these rigorous standards to outside organizations. In order to ensure their numerous industry partners are equipped with the security protocols necessary to handle information critical to our nation's safety, the DoD implemented Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) — compliance requirements that allow the DoD to determine whether a potential partner has the framework necessary to work with vulnerable and controlled data. In this podcast episode, moderator Camille Tuutti speaks with Devin Henderson, founder and CEO of DH Tech about the benefits of the department taking cybersecurity measures to the next level with C2C and CMMC, key challenges they face with implementation, how agencies and contractors can implement CMMC effectively, and how these frameworks will impact their mission now and in the future.

Digital transformation is a buzzword in government — due in part to the pandemic, countless agencies across the federal government have started moving their services online and transforming into modern, digital institutions. Despite the clear benefit of digital transformation, as new technologies enter agency IT stacks, it's also important to consider the risks, particularly with cyber attacks on the rise. Security Stories: A Look Inside How Federal Agencies Ensure Mission Security, a podcast sponsored by NetApp and Presidio Federal, seeks to uncover how federal agencies are securing their networks against these increasing threats while still prioritizing innovation. On the inaugural episode, host Troy Schneider, president of GovExec Media, is joined by the Department of the Air Force's Principal Cyber Advisor, Wanda Jones-Heath, to discuss how the Air Force is securing its network against malicious actors.

Data-driven: It's a buzzword any government or IT leader has heard countless times. As our world becomes more technology-driven, agencies have at their fingertips the data they need to make more informed decisions. The challenge for agencies today, however, is not in gathering that data, but in storing, sorting, analyzing and nurturing it through the entire data lifecycle until it is ultimately transformed into useful insights. So, how can agencies build a thoughtful and strategic underlying infrastructure that can enable government IT teams to securely store and manage data? That's exactly what host Troy Schneider, General Manager for Government Technology Brands at GovExec will discuss with IBM's Federal Ecosystem Lead Katharyn White and Presidio Federal's Senior Vice President of Operations Brian Johnson in this podcast.

Today's government agencies are undergoing a large-scale transformation. Evolving needs, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic — and a laundry list of other national and global events — have put more pressure on agencies to modernize their IT. Today, cloud has become a tool that empowers transformation and innovation, especially as agencies optimize their hybrid workspaces in a post-COVID world. But what will this cloud-driven future actually look like? Introducing the Federal Cloud Forecast, a podcast produced by GovExec in collaboration with VMware and Presidio Federal, where we take a look at how cloud will impact the government of the future. Here, host Camille Tuutti sits down with Robert Riegle, senior director of solutions engineering and sales at VMware to discuss cloud adoption, to discuss IT modernization and the changing hybrid workforce. Together, they delve into how agencies can overcome hurdles to cloud adoption and what tools and services can help them do so.

It's no secret that cyber threats are on the rise. As the government becomes more digital, combatting those threats becomes even more critical to the U.S. government's ability to thrive and serve constituents. The Cybersecurity Executive Order, released in May 2021, seeks to help agencies pave the way to more secure systems. To help agencies understand how to meet the requirements of the executive order — and why it's crucial to do so — host James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec, speaks with two of ServiceNow's experts: Vice President of Business Development Robert Walker and Lead for SecOps Federal Sales Jeff Lacorte.

The first priority of the President's Management Agenda challenges government agencies to become a model employer, hiring a workforce that reflects the nation's diversity and providing employees the support they need to succeed. Recruiting and retaining the best and brightest requires tools and services that are modern, intuitive, mobile and similar to those they use outside of the workplace. James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec, delves into these requirements and what it takes to bring them to life on the second episode of the Transforming Government Experience podcast. Joining him to talk through the first priority is ServiceNow's Principal Digital Strategist for DoD & the Intelligence Community and Senior Principal Product Success Manager for Employee Workflows, Kevin Hall.

The federal government interacts with millions of people each day, providing vital services during some of the most critical moments in people's lives. Too often, however, people must navigate a tangled web of government websites, offices and phone numbers to access the services they depend on. Recent guidance from the federal government aims to change that. The Biden administration's Management Agenda Vision and the Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience — both launched in late 2021 — aim to improve how government agencies interact with citizens. On this episode of Transforming Government Experience, James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec, is joined by ServiceNow's Field Chief Technical Officer for State and Local Government Chris Dilley and Federal CTO Jonathan Alboum to discuss what it takes to improve the citizen experience and the extraordinary impact it can have.

Like any organization, government only works well when people and parts are aligned. The larger the organization, the more difficult this is to achieve, which is one of the many reasons why the government has struggled with information silos for years. On the contrary, a common operating picture can help agencies reduce friction, improve accountability, and meet the requirements laid out in the President's Management Agenda. On this episode of Transforming Government Experience, host James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec, is joined by ServiceNow's Global Head of State, Local and Regional Government Solutions Tom Yeatts and Enterprise Architect John Spirko to discuss what it takes to improve the business of government — and the tools needed to help streamline project management.

The New York State Department of Labor recently launched an Excluded Workers Program with the aim to bring financial relief to thousands of workers across the state who lost income during the pandemic and did not qualify for government-issued COVID-19 benefits. In an amazing effort, the NYDOL set up a new eligibility program in just 12 weeks and approved over $850 million in benefits for distribution in the first month. But new programs also mean new challenges, and the NYDOL needed to not just ensure that funds were being distributed, but that they were reaching the right people. How did they do it? With the help of Artificial Intelligence. By tapping technologies from Google Cloud and data science software Quantiphi, the NYDOL was able to launch a cloud-based user-friendly and streamlined application program that helped to ensure benefit integrity. That's what host James Hanson, Group Publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec will be digging into on this episode of AI: Gov Reimagined. James will be speaking with Denise Winkler, strategic business executive for Global Public Sector at Google Cloud and Taylor Cyr, managing director of Public Sector/Higher Education at Quantiphi. We'll be discussing how Quantiphi is helping the NYDOL spot fraud and abuse in the Excluded Workers Program — and how agencies can use cloud-based AI tools to help safeguard constituent benefits. Check out what they have to say by listening to the full episode

There's a mass exodus happening among today's workforce. According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a record 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021. The “Great Resignation” — or the “Big Quit” as some are calling it — has shaken nearly every industry, including public sector. The average time to hire federal employees is around 100 days, and contributing to the delay is legacy systems. In the era of COVID-19 and the expansion of remote work, employee experience is an essential mode of operation. Introducing "The Talent Imperative,” a podcast from GovExec in partnership with Salesforce, where we dig into the ways government leaders can attract and retain employees during this turbulent time. Here, host and President of GovExec Constance Sayers sits down with Casey Coleman, senior vice president of Global Public Sector Digital Transformation at Salesforce, to discuss how agencies can leverage tools and best practices to enhance the employee experience. Check it out.

As the need for unemployment insurance swept the nation, benefits agencies across the country stepped in to provide aid to those in need. Meanwhile, new legislation and inefficient legacy systems created a perfect storm for errors or fraud, meaning many benefits didn't reach those who truly needed it. To reduce improper payments and streamline the system, agencies need a way to analyze applications and identify potential errors. Modern AI solutions can offer an answer. To help wade through and analyze applications, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission tapped an AI-based solution from data analytics company SpringML. Making use of Google Cloud tools, the solution uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to uncover suspicious patterns, detect fraud and improve verification. So, how did the OESC make use of AI and ML to improve benefit integrity? On this episode of the AI: Gov Reimagined podcast, James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec, catches up with Denise Winkler, strategic business executive for Global Public Sector at Google Cloud; Arun Natarajan, director of Cloud & Platform Partners for SpringML; and Shelley Zumwalt, CEO and Executive Director at OESC. Check it out!

Innovative ideas on their own are just that. It takes thoughtful, influential leaders to consistently connect innovators with the funding and resources they need to grow their ideas into high-impact products. Jennifer Shieh, chief scientist and program manager for the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Investment and Innovation, is one such leader. Shieh focuses on connecting startups and small businesses with funding agencies and resource vehicles across the country, with the aim to transform high-risk, high-impact technologies into marketable products and services that solve problems. On this episode of The Federal Innovator podcast, a podcast for and about the innovators taking on the biggest challenges in the federal government — and making change that is more human, simple and enduring — hosts Tim Irvine, managing director and Accenture Federal Studio lead, and Stephanie Wander, acting director at the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center speak with Dr. Shieh about her role, the importance of small businesses in the U.S. and what it takes to build an effective innovation pipeline.

Understanding obstacles to the COVID-19 vaccination is key for public sector leaders looking to run an effective vaccination program. With the aim to better understand these obstacles and redistribute resources more effectively, the State of California is tapping into the wide array of public sector feedback. With Google Cloud's enterprise sentiment analytics approach, in partnership with Syntasa, the California Office of Digital Innovation is tapping into these data sources and organized constituent sentiment in a way that could support a number of vaccine distribution stakeholders, from the Office of Emergency Services' ability to plan mobile vaccination sites, to the Department of Public Health's ability to run effective social media campaigns, among others. In this episode of AI: Gov Reimagined, host James Hanson, group publisher for Federal and Technology Markets at GovExec speaks with two innovators at the California Office of Digital Innovation, JP Petrucione, deputy director of communications and insights, and Jeffrey Marino, the agency's insight's product lead as well as Google Cloud's Public Sector Head of Customer Analytics Quinn Chasan about the California ODI's efforts to better understand constituent sentiment with the support of Google Cloud technologies.

In the world of AI, there's no quick fix for mitigating bias. Quite the opposite: To truly achieve insightful outcomes, today's government IT leaders must continuously check and monitor their data. Never has that been more important than it is today — at a time when the supply chain is especially vulnerable to attack. And with so many players in the government IT space, securing the supply chain will require all hands on deck. In this third and final episode of Machine Morality, we discuss how government agencies and their industry partners can more effectively protect their critical infrastructure. Check it out.

Maps are everywhere. Whether navigating to and from the office or analyzing location-specific threats from foreign adversaries, government and defense leaders rely on geospatial intelligence systems, or GIS, to glean real-time insights that help them to make decisions. These AI-powered digital maps offer visualizations and analytics many of us couldn't imagine just five or 10 years ago. But, as with all data-powered technologies, agencies need to ensure they're tapping up-to-date, robust information to fuel their GIS tools and making use of best practices around data use and maintenance. For example, who is training the data used to populate these maps? And how are inherent and unconscious biases impacting their quality? That's the obstacle we'll tackle on this episode of Machine Morality, a podcast from Esri and GovExec's Studio 2G where we get to the bottom of some of government's biggest ethical AI challenges. On this episode, we'll hear from defense and industry leaders who spoke at the recent webcast, ”AI and Ethics: Integrity and Geospatial Analytics.” Check it out.

Today's government agencies are tasked with providing quality experiences and services to their constituents. More and more, that requires the implementation of AI and automated tools, from chatbots and virtual assistants to enhanced mapping and monitoring capabilities. These innovations empower government agencies to do more with less, and more importantly, provide citizens and staff with services where and when they need them. But there's a bit of a caveat here. While AI has all this potential, it also comes with a number of risks and challenges. Incomplete data sets and human error during the data training process can lead to biased algorithms. If we're not careful, AI can end up doing more harm than good. So, how can government agencies prevent these biases while continuing to innovate? Introducing Machine Morality, a new podcast from Esri and GovExec's Studio 2G, where we'll get to the bottom of some of government's biggest ethical AI challenges. In this three-part series, we'll listen in as experts on AI and ethics from government and industry alike discuss how defense and intelligence leaders can strategically implement the latest AI tools and technologies, while ensuring the technology is used in a way that serves all populations fairly and equally. This episode will draw from a recent webcast from Defense One and INSA, underwritten by Esri, titled “AI and Ethics: Mitigating Unwanted Bias” in which experts discuss some of today's most pressing hurdles for AI in government — and how we can begin to address them together. Check it out.

Health is all about building daily habits. Whether it's what we eat, how many hours of sleep we get or how often we exercise, the choices we make have a lasting impact on our overall wellness. With 2022 upon us, government employees are laser-focused on choosing health coverage that meets their needs. But the new year is also an opportunity to set new goals and build healthy habits for the year ahead. As we look to the future, Federal employees and retirees may not be aware that there are a number of activities included in their healthcare plans they can take advantage of right now to improve their health. From gym discounts to wellness incentives, there are a multitude of opportunities that exist for government employees looking to make the most of their health benefits. In this third and final episode of “Discussions in Federal Healthcare," a podcast from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, in collaboration with GovExec's Studio 2G, we'll discuss how government employees can take advantage of wellness incentives and programs.

The month of November tends to conjure up images of fall foliage, pumpkin patches and Thanksgiving dinner. But for federal employees, it also means it's time to start thinking about health benefits. Open season, after all, is right around the corner and it's only a matter of time before employees need to choose a health insurance plan for fiscal year 2022. But what do federal employees need to know about signing up for or renewing their health, dental and vision benefits this open season? That's the question our experts answer on this second episode of “Discussions in Federal Healthcare,'' a podcast from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, in collaboration with GovExec's Studio 2G, that aims to educate federal employees on healthcare benefits and services.

Innovation comes in many forms. And while it's easy to think of ingenuity in government as an upgrade to an aircraft or a new customer service, it could also look like an AI-powered light sculpture. This is exactly the case for The Smithsonian, which is on the verge of launching its “FUTURES” exhibit, the organization's first major building-wide exploration of the future, which weaves together art, technology and the human experience. On this episode of The Federal Innovator podcast, a podcast for and about the innovators taking on the biggest challenges in the federal government — and making change that is more human, simple and enduring, we'll be delving into the exhibit. Rachel Goslins, director of the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building, the newly renovated space which houses the FUTURES exhibit, joins co-hosts Tim Irvine, managing director and Accenture Federal Digital Studio lead, and Stephanie Wander, acting director and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center to discuss what innovation means to her, why she decided to pursue the exhibit, and what it takes to move innovation forward in the world of government.

Given the scale and complexity of many government agencies, a unifying purpose and silo-spanning collaboration is the foundation required to fulfilling their missions. But, getting stakeholders and subject matter experts in the same room to rally around opportunities and create that desirable future is no easy feat. This is especially true for the State Department's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations which is charged with connecting stakeholder and experts via secure, resilient facilities that support the State Department's objectives abroad. And during the pandemic, when experts were confined to their homes and travel was restricted, that challenge only became more urgent and complex. The State Department's OBO Technology Accelerator Program was tasked with bridging the gap — and they did just that. Making their world just a little bit smaller by piloting mixed reality headsets that allowed their experts to provide remote assistance to on-site workers via live point-of-view video calls. But what did it take to get this innovative technology up and running? And what is its future at the State Department? That's what hosts Tim Irvine, managing director and lead and Accenture Federal Studio and Stephanie Wander, deputy director and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council discuss today on this episode of The Federal Innovator, a podcast for and about the innovators taking on the biggest challenges in the federal government, and making change that is more human, simple and enduring. Joining to discuss those issues is Danilo Stapula, chief information officer for the Overseas Buildings Operations for the State Department and Erica Jaume, technology accelerator program manager at the State Department.

There's no doubt that 2020 proved an especially difficult year for job hunting. Millions of Americans filed for unemployment as businesses were forced to shutter locations or cut back on staff in order to accommodate health and safety requirements around the pandemic. Now, as vaccines continue to roll out across the country, governments and businesses everywhere are beginning to look out at the road to recovery. Much of that recovery involves getting the nation back to work — but in a vastly different work landscape than we've ever seen before So, how can state and local governments help constituents navigate this new world of work and help to bolster economic recovery? That's exactly what Quinn Chasan, head of customer analytics at Google Cloud, and Sarah Blusiewicz, assistant director of Workforce Development Services at the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training will be speaking about on this episode of AI: Gov Reimagined. Check it out!

When it came to understanding and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the globe called on the most advanced healthcare technologies available. Chief among these was artificial intelligence, which played a key role in tracing the virus and understanding its spread. As a result, AI's use in the healthcare field has advanced at a rapid pace, possibly compressing nearly two years' worth of digital transformation into just a few months. While the pandemic has both created and highlighted major AI advancements in the healthcare field, it's also brought to the fore the need to continue advancing the technology — and the gains that can be made in doing so. These advantages are already evident at the Defense Innovation Unit, which has contracted with Google Cloud to prototype an AI-enabled digital pathology solution that aims to improve predictive cancer diagnoses at select DoD facilities. On this episode of AI: Gov Reimagined, Dr. Niels Olson, the DIU chief medical officer and originator of the Predictive Health project, Dr. Craig Mermel, senior staff research scientist at Google Health, and Google Cloud's Head of Defense Intelligence Sales Scott Frohman, discuss the possibilities of AI in healthcare, the project the DIU is undertaking around predictive cancer diagnoses, and how AI and augmented reality can move the needle on patient outcomes and cost.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced major disruption into the way we work, live and interact with government, but not all those changes were negative. Today, many governments are looking to continue the technological disruption the pandemic instigated — rethinking how they go about delivering citizen services and evolving their systems to meet tomorrow's needs, as well as today's. Case in point is the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, or DWD which partnered with Google Cloud late last year following a major influx of applications to tap AI with the aim to speed the processing of unemployment claims as well as improve accuracy and reduce fraud. On this episode of AI: Gov Reimagined, Denise Winkler, Strategic Business Executive for Global Public Sector at Google Cloud and Amy Pechacek, Secretary-designee for the Wisconsin DWD, talk about that project, the department's plans to continue overhaulng its unemployment response and how AI can continue to disrupt and improve citizen experiences.

For the Defense Department, designing with the user in mind means designing for the warfighter, offering them the tools they need to protect and serve effectively. No one knows more about the importance of UX for the defense sector better than Colt Whittall, chief experience officer for the U.S. Air Force. On this episode of The Federal Innovator podcast, Whittall joins co-hosts Tim Irvine, managing director and lead at Accenture Federal Digital Studio, and Stephanie Wander, deputy director and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council to talk through what outstanding UX looks like, how bad UX can prove a barrier to mission success and what it takes to bring user-centric design to life for the federal government. Check out what they have to say!

As we look out at an uncertain future that many are calling the “next normal,” agencies need to consider how employees and data will remain secure in what will most certainly be a more digital future. Host and GovExec President Constance Sayers digs into those challenges with Intel's Federal Chief Technology Officer, Steve Orrin, on this episode of our Leadership Voices podcast, an ongoing series where industry experts offer insights, tips, and know-how to help government leaders solve their greatest challenges. Check it out to learn more about today's top security challenges for government — and what agencies can do to solve them!

Today, local governments everywhere face the same challenge: How to deliver billions of vaccines to those that need them, quickly, efficiently, and with finite resources. To do so requires intense and precise workflow management. So, what tools and techniques can prove useful in the quest to vaccinate the U.S. population? How can they effectively connect workflows and information across organizations and systems to effectively distribute, track and monitor vaccine distribution? And, as agencies look out at the next normal, what other types of tools will they need to safely and effectively manage a hybrid workforce and a more digitally savvy constituent population? Those are exactly the questions our host Constance Sayers, president of GovExec, will dig into on the first episode of The Digital Citizen with Chris Dilley, CTO for State and Local Government at ServiceNow and his colleague Tom Yeatts, Global Head of State, Local, and Regional Government Solutions. Check out what they have to say!

What does it take to manage a hybrid workforce without creating data silos that can hamstring agencies? And what types of platforms offer agencies the tools they need to meet today's challenges while allowing them room to modernize for tomorrow's needs, as well? Those are exactly the questions host and GovExec President Constance Sayers will dig into on today's episode of The Digital Citizen podcast. Joining her to talk through these challenges is Chris Dilley, CTO for State and Local Government at ServiceNow and his colleague Tom Yeatts, Global Head of State, Local, and Regional Government Solutions.

How can agencies capitalize on the investments and platforms they are making now in order to better serve the citizen and in the future? That's the question host and GovExec President Constance Sayers will dig into on today's episode of The Digital Citizen, a three-part podcast series from ServiceNow in partnership with Government Executive Media Group's Studio 2G. Joining her to talk through these challenges is Chris Dilley, CTO for State and Local Government at ServiceNow and his colleague Tom Yeatts, Global Head of State, Local, and Regional Government Solutions.