Podcasts about foreign service

In this episode we take a deep dive into the Indo-Pacific region and what logistics Airmen should be aware of from a strategic and tactical perspective. If you are in PACAF, you absolutely do not want to miss this episode! David S. Maxwell is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is a 30-year veteran of the US Army, retiring as a Special Forces Colonel. He served over 20 years in Asia, primarily in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Colonel Maxwell served on the United Nations Command / Combined Forces Command / United States Forces Korea CJ3 staff where he was a planner for UNC/CFC OPLAN 5027-98 and ROK JCS – UNC/CFC CONPLAN 5029-99; he later served as the Director of Plans, Policy, and Strategy and then Chief of Staff for the Special Operations Command Korea. Following retirement, he served as the Associate Director of the Center for Security Studies and the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Colonel Maxwell is a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies, and on the Board of Directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, the International Council of Korean Studies, the Council on Korean-US Security Studies, the Special Operations Research Association, the OSS Society, and the Small Wars Journal. He earned a B.A. in political science from Miami University, and an M.A. in Military Arts and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and an M.S. in National Security Studies from the National War College. Colonel Maxwell teaches Unconventional Warfare and Special Operations for Policy Makers and Strategists.

What if one of the biggest measures of success in your job was how well you could build relationships through your influencing skills? Well, this was the case for this week's guest, Angie Bryan, who spent her career in the Foreign Service of the State Department, so she knows a thing or two about making connections in unfamiliar environments. Tune in this week to discover a plethora of influencing tips, the difference that connection has made in Angie's life, and her practical techniques for building relationships everywhere you go.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://significagroup.com/17

The latest visit to Turkey of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has put the Israel-Turkey relationship in the spotlight. Despite the continued tensions on a number of issues - from Turkey's hosting of Hamas to Turkish President Erdogan's aggressive rhetoric in the past against Israel - Ankara and Jerusalem have taken several steps to improve relations this year. Sinan Ciddi, the co-author of a recent piece in The National Interest titled “The Limits of Turkey's Charm Offensive”, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Erdogan's charm offensive with Israel, what's motivating Ankara to try and mend relations with Jerusalem, and whether this effort is, at best, window dressing on a cold peace.Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD's Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Read Sinan Ciddi and David May's latest piece in The National Interest: The Limits of Turkey's Israeli Charm OffensiveYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greek central bank chief: ECB should slow rate hikes, needs allies in inflation battleGreece urged to dig harder on phone surveillance scandalMEPs urge Greece to do more to investigate spyware scandalLearn about HALC's #NoJetsForTurkey campaign and take action here: https://hellenicleaders.salsalabs.org/nojetsforturkeyletter/index.html

How can reading a novel become an act of political rebellion? This is one of the important questions we take up with Azar Nafisi, author of the memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran. Azar's latest book is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times. In it, she focuses on the parallels and connections between the totalitarian mindset in Iran and totalitarian tendencies in the United States. Azar notes that tyrants and writers in both countries seek to recreate reality, tyrants by telling us that the truth is what they say it is, and writers by excavating the actual truth. “In Iran, like all totalitarian states,” Azar says, “the regime pays too much attention to poets and writers, harassing, jailing, and even killing them. The problem in America is that too little attention is paid to them.” The solution? “Reading literature and philosophy will teach you to have an independent mindset,” Azar explains. “It teaches you to be generous towards others, to not live on hate. … One of the things that is fascinating to me about fiction is that by structure, it is democratic. … A novel is comprised of different characters from different backgrounds–gender, race, ethnicity, religion. … The plot moves forward through creating tensions within and between these characters. Even the villain, even the bad guy has a voice of his own. So fiction becomes dangerous. These two aspects of it are anti-totalitarian: its democratic structure and its search for truth.” Azar Nafisi is the author of the multi-award-winning New York Times bestseller Reading Lolita in Tehran, as well as Things I've Been Silent About and The Republic of Imagination. Formerly a fellow at Johns Hopkins University's Foreign Policy Institute, she's taught at Oxford and several universities in Tehran, and she's currently Centennial Fellow at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. Azar's writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and The Wall Street Journal. Find us on Twitter (@bookdreamspod) and Instagram (@bookdreamspodcast), or email us at contact@bookdreamspodcast.com. We encourage you to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for information about our episodes, guests, and more. Book Dreams is a part of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you're listening to Book Dreams, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows about literature, writing, and storytelling like Storybound and The History of Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonnie Miller's professional experience spans five decades as a social worker, psychotherapist, educator, consultant, social activist, and trainer. She has extensive experience in countries experiencing war, genocide, and oppression of minorities.    Currently, as Oral Historian and Podcast Host, Bonnie interviewed 20 Foreign Service spouses in the Partners in Diplomacy project through the Association for Diplomatic Studies &Training (adst.org) and 16 Foreign Service family members for an AAFSW Oral History Project.   This episode is packed with knowledge, advice, & practical tips that you can apply to your life.    You'll learn about:   9:00– her portable career as a psychotherapist  10:20– handling traumatic situations while overseas  17:20– working in the mental health sector in Bosnia  21:15– celebrating the lives of women who she helped get out of sexual abuse 26:30– how to get more involved in your community & find deeper purpose while abroad  30:30– her research on the evolution of society on EFM's (eligible family members) & the support that's now given to them to fulfill their purpose  37:20– new trends of accompanying partners & resources to help them   Resources mentioned: Adst.org Partners in Diplomacy Her interviews for the AAFSW that will be available this fall  To gain further assistance as a global nomad transitioning through life, feel free to book a no-cost roundtable webinar this coming November 9th at 9 AM eastern time. Additionally, I'll be offering complimentary sessions from November 14th-18th where you can gain personalized advice from me!

Holden Triplett has extensive international and domestic experience in national security and intelligence matters, especially with respect to their impact on businesses and private enterprises. In addition to his work at Trenchcoat, Holden is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, where he teaches a course on Chinese Intelligence, Security and Influence. Holden left the FBI in mid-2020, after almost 15 years of service. In his last position, Holden was the FBI Faculty Chair at the National Intelligence University where he taught courses in Counterintelligence, National Security Law and Intelligence, and Chinese Intelligence and Information Warfare. In 2017, Holden was designated the Director for Counterintelligence at the National Security Council. While at the White House, he led the development of counterintelligence policy for the United States; drafting Presidential Directives and legislation to protect the U.S. government and the private sector from exploitation by foreign governments. Holden has substantial overseas experience. He served as the FBI's senior official in the People's Republic of China from 2014 – 2017. During his time in Beijing, Holden was the primary U.S. interlocutor with the Chinese security services on a number of cyber intrusion and economic espionage matters involving U.S. companies. Immediately prior, he was an FBI representative to the Russian Federation in Moscow for two years, where he engaged with the Russian security and intelligence services. Following the Boston Marathon bombing, Holden persuaded Russian security services to provide wide-ranging investigative support to the FBI. He conducted joint activities in Dagestan and other locations in the Caucasus. Holden previously served as the FBI representative to the Joint Task Force on Terrorism Financing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2008. Earlier in his career, Holden was assigned to the FBI's New York City office. In New York, Holden gained significant national security and intelligence experience, conducting sensitive investigations and enforcing over 300 federal statutes. In addition, he successfully led an effort to enhance the office's intelligence capabilities. Later, Holden managed a counterintelligence team of special agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and linguists dedicated to protecting the United States from a national security threat country. Find Holden here:

My guest today is Emily Cornell.I'm grateful to have Emily back for another conversation.  She first shared pieces of her journey on Episode 54 and I highly recommend listening to that if you haven't.Emily and I connected through the network of the Foreign Service, in which we are both spouses of US Diplomats.  Our paths also overlap at coaches and business owners finding creative ways to build our professional lives while moving around the world.Emily is a strategist + coach who helps women really show up authentically and unapologetically.Emily embodies this courageous work of showing up authentically, bravely sharing her stories to encourage others and help them know they are not alone.Today we delve further into the challenges of addiction, sobriety, and being in recovery.  We explore what it means to show up authentically in various situations, simultaneously being authentic to ourselves and attentive to the environment and those we're interacting with.  Ultimately, authenticity isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all experience. Emily is also in the midst of transitioning to a new home, living now for months with just a few suitcases of the family's belongings, finding new connections, continuing to grow a business from a new time zone, and all the other adventures (and occasional irritations) that accompany this experience of life in the Foreign Service!Her strategies for living into these changes and transitions are both practical and wise and relevant to all sorts of life changes we all might experience.Emily, thank you, for coming back on the podcast, for sharing more about your journey, your growth, your authenticity.  You shared in our first conversation how Stories saved your life and I'm so grateful to your commitment to sharing your stories so additional lives may be saved!Connect with Emily:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramMake Life Less Difficult

So, you like your job as a medical laboratory professional, but you're restless. You have dreams of a bigger life. One that allows you to serve others and satisfy your wanderlust. You might consider becoming a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist with the US State Department, a role that requires an affinity for travel, a passion for service, and a well-rounded background on the bench. On this episode of Inside the Lab, our host, Ms. Kelly Swails, is joined byMs. Danielle Forester, MLS(ASCP)CM, former Microbiology Specialist at Quest Diagnostics and current RMLS in Beijing, China, Mr. Dave Keddington, MLS(ASCP)CM, former Technical Supervisor at ARUP Laboratories and current RMLS in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Ms. Stacy Deckard, MLS(ASCP)CM, former Medical Technologist at Carle Foundation Hospital and current RMLS in New Delhi, India, to share their experiences working with the Foreign Service as Regional Medical Laboratory Scientists. Our panelists discuss the pros and cons of working as an RMLS, describing how they serve the diplomatic community, embassy staff and their local communities. They explore how being a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist impacts work-life balance and explain how the compensation package compares to working in a lab in the US. Listen in for advice on applying to be a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist and learn how becoming an RMLS gives you the opportunity to experience other cultures firsthand and expand your worldview. Topics Covered · How each of our panelists found out about working with the Foreign Service and what prompted them to apply· How a well-rounded background and experience in training prepares you to work as an RMLS with the Foreign Service· How RMLSs serve the diplomatic community, embassy staff and their local community· What Ms. Forester, Mr. Keddington & Ms. Deckard like best about working as a Regional Medical Laboratory Scientist· The most challenging aspects of working as an RMLS for the US State Department· How RMLSs and their families benefit from experiencing other cultures firsthand and expanding their worldview· How being an RMLS impacts your social life, personal travel and work-life balance· What it's like for the family members of Regional Medical Laboratory Scientists· How the compensation package for an RMLS compares to working in a lab in the US· Advice to anyone applying to be an RMLS in the Foreign Service Connect with ASCPASCPASCP on FacebookASCP on InstagramASCP on Twitter Connect with Mr. KeddingtonMr. Keddington on LinkedInConnect with Ms. DeckardMs. Deckard on LinkedIn Connect with Ms. SwailsMs. Swails on Twitter Resources USAJOBSCAP Inspector Tools and TrainingAffinity Groups at the US State DepartmentInside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

Reagan's War Stories: Fiction and Policymakers On this week's episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, Ian and Claude sit down with West Point professor Ben Griffin to discuss his new book, Reagan's War Stories: A Cold War Presidency. Together, we discuss how fiction shaped Reagan's policymaking, the role of science fiction authors in the missile defense debates of the day, and what place fiction can occupy in the midst of global turbulence. Also on this episode, Claude gives some crystal-clear advice to museums everywhere, and Ian sets up the next episode with a chilling preview of the world to come… Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.  Ben's book can be found here: https://www.usni.org/press/books/reagans-war-stories or on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Reagans-War-Stories-Cold-Presidency-ebook/dp/B09V33LLN8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Vikram Agrawal is a mission-driven, operationally-focused investment and management professional who believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to be successful, however they define success. Vikram is currently collaborating with Texan businessman and environmentalist Trammell S. Crow with a dual mandate focused on leading investments and catalyzing impact in environmental sustainability and resilience. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of American Resilience Partners (a Texas-based, entrepreneurial private investment firm) and supports the international non-profit EarthX as the Director of EarthxCapital (EarthX's team that has a mission to help raise awareness, educate, convene, and catalyze impact related to sustainability investment and business innovation). Vikram has 15 years of investment and management experience across several industry sectors in the United States and the emerging markets (Latin America & the Caribbean and Europe, Middle East, & Africa) through his prior roles with Citigroup (a global investment bank), International Finance Corporation (private sector arm of the World Bank Group focused on sustainable development), Patriarch Partners (a multi-billion dollar turnaround-focused private investment firm dedicated to saving American jobs by saving iconic American companies), and Prophet Equity (a middle-market private equity firm that makes control investments in strategically viable & underperforming companies). Vikram received his MBA from Yale School of Management, where he was a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Ethics and Leadership. He received his Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, where he studied International Political Economy, and is currently a member of the Board of Governors for the Georgetown University Alumni Association.

Afghanistan, India, Pakistan. Matthew Asada has been stationed across the globe, but his real passion was the recent assignment in Dubai for the 2020 Expo, along with his Michigan roots.Listen to our guest Matthew Asada as tells us about his compelling story of world travel and assignments for the U.S. Department of State, and a firsthand account of his role as the former Deputy Commissioner General at USA Pavilion at World Expo 2020 Dubai.  Matthew is a fourth generation Japanese-American and third generation public servant. He joined the U.S. Foreign Service as a political officer in 2003 and has literally been around the world.  Hear about his first love of expos and other global mega events since his time in South Korea.  He is currently instructing at USC Center for Public Diplomacy as well as doing some publishing. He is also interested in subnational diplomacy and recaps other anecdotes of his endeavors. He also recalls high school years in Rochester, Michigan. You can also read the transcript from our conversation.

On this episode, Misha speaks with Middle East expert Nicole Robinson who expounds on how MENA countries have responded to Russia's War in Ukraine and the reasons why. Ms. Robinson sheds some light on the future of the region as the conflict evolves and Russia's capacity to arm and feed its regional allies dwindles. Furthermore, she suggests that Russia's declining influence may allow for other actors to increase their influence in the Middle East region -- actors such as China, for example, which is one of the biggest recipients of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf. Ms. Robinson says it's unwise for the US to take a step back in the Middle East when it is geographically and strategically the region that is situated in between giants. This war is not only shifting great power competition, but also changing "how each of these countries think about their bilateral relationships." For more on Russia's War in Syria, listen to Ret. Col. Robert E. Hamilton's episode here: https://www.slavxradio.com/hamilton ABOUT THE GUEST https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQaNutVpZT13oUm_Eu8AovNN5d727uuySIXzA&usqp=CAU Nicole Robinson is a senior research associate in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation, focusing on Middle East Policy. She researches and writes on economic, security, and political challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa, with a particular focus on the Levant region. Among other topics, she has written on women's empowerment and domestic developments in Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen. Before joining Heritage, Nicole lived in Jordan for a year and half, studying at the University of Jordan and working at the Stabilisation Network and Near East Foundation.She is fluent in Arabic and is continuing to expand her knowledge about the Middle East. Nicole received her Master's Degree in Arab Studies from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Middle East Studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She was born and raised in Woodbury, Minnesota, and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 21st, 2022 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! CREDITS Assistant Producer/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Lera Toropin (@earlportion) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Assistant Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Ham Social Media Manager: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Katherine Birch Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel Music Producer: Charlie Harper (@charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Broke For Free, Shaolin Dub, "Karma" by Kazka) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Nicole Robinson.

The story of our very own Pete turns out to be interesting to our intern Lauren!  For Hispanic Heritage Month, Lauren (and Laura) interview Pete about the challenges he faced as a Latino when he joined the Foreign Service, and how he overcame them to become the highest-ranking Latino officer of his time. Hint: The system worked.  

Turkey's President Erdogan and Russia's President Putin met this week in Kazakhstan, where Putin floated a proposal to turn Turkey into an energy hub that could feed Europe with Russian gas. On Friday, Erdogan gave the project the green light, saying that Turkey and Russia had instructed their respective energy authorities to immediately begin technical work on Putin's proposal. This proposal raises concerns that Turkey will become even more dependent on Russia. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest proposal to turn Turkey into an energy hub for Russian gas to Europe, look into why Erdogan and Putin - who have met a few times since Russia's invasion of Ukraine - seem to need each other, and break down how this is viewed in Washington, DC. Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD's Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:‘No waiting': Turkey, Russia to act on Putin's gas hub offerWhy Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan need each otherEU official: East Med gas can wean bloc off Russian energyTurkey: new ‘disinformation' law could jail journalists for three yearsTurkey passes ‘disinformation bill' ahead of elections

On this week's episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, hosts Cory Hollon and Thomas Harper welcome special guest Jason Beck. Jason is a DoD civilian working in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. With NAVYCON on hiatus this year for logistical reasons, we've decided to record a series of shows featuring the people you would have heard at the convention. Jason leads us off with his presentation, Fragmented Power: Bounty Hunters and State Sovereignty in Star Wars and The Mandalorian. We discuss the role of state legitimacy, the monopoly of violence, and the liminal state of bounty hunters in the galaxy far, far away. Jason's paper is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S6o9PyueWa4KvtUV0aD7lDL76J7puOmojFy7HLf68T8/edit?usp=sharing Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh. Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJThe Joint Geeks on this episode are:  Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon on Twitter) and Thomas Harper (@thomasLharper on Twitter)  

As with many other wars and conflicts that grew out of the collapse of the Soviet Union, there is a much deeper history to what is going on between Azerbaijan and Armenia. You have to understand the historical context to understand why these two countries cannot get together and come to a lasting agreement over their border and what to do with Nagorno Karabakh. With a breaking of the ceasefire last month, and at least 300 dead, this region continues to see instability that has the potential to flare up again and again. For this episode we talk with Mary Glantz, a former US Foreign Service Officer and a current Senior Advisor to the Russian and European Center at the US Institute of Peace, about the intractable nature of this conflict. On a rare positive note, there is hope that a breakthrough in the peace process is closer than ever and there is a high likelihood that the United States could help push this over the finish line. Listen today to help better understand the drivers of this conflict and what the what is happening here!Dr. Mary Glantz was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service and was detailed to USIP as a State Department fellow prior to her retirement in 2022.Most of her 20-year career as a diplomat has focused on Russia, the former Soviet Union, and other countries of Europe and Eurasia. Previous overseas postings include Baku, Jerusalem, Estonia, and Kosovo. Dr. Glantz also has served as a Russia analyst in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research as well as on the Russia and Poland desks at the State Department. Prior to joining the State Department, she worked as an intern for the Special Adviser for Central and Eastern European Affairs to the Secretary General of NATO, serving in Moscow, Russia and Vilnius, Lithuania.Dr. Glantz received her bachelor's in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her master's in post-Soviet studies from the University of London's School of Slavonic and East European Studies, and a doctorate from Temple University with a specialization in military and diplomatic history. She recently completed a certificate in data science at Montgomery College.Donate Today to help support our ongoing series. 

In this second part of a two part series, Tanya dives deeper into her decision to leave the Foreign Service and blaze her own path in the world of real estate.  After being a solo agent for several years, Tanya discusses her experience going from single agent to team leader of Stateside Residential, a real estate team serving the DC area, as well as her most recent journey into launching a property management franchise.     Hear Tanya discuss: Considerations when deciding to leave the Foreign Service Following your inner compass when it comes to work  Pivoting from real estate investing to buying a business Why franchises can be an attractive way to become a business owner How to purchase a franchise, the process, and what to look for   …and so much more!    Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

Joseph Cirincione joins American Ambassadors Live! host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe discussing the current nuclear threat. What are the risks? What should be the appropriate response to each risk? How would nuclear war unfold in an isolated location and or globally? What response with inherent ramifications is warranted? Joseph Cirincione a national security analyst and nuclear security expert for the past 40 years. He is an adjunct faculty member at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He was appointed president of the Ploughshares Fund, a grant foundation focused on nuclear nonproliferation and conflict resolution. He has served on the International Security Advisory Board for Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of seven books, the most recent title: Nuclear Nightmares: Securing the World Before it is Too Late. Cirincione has also served as vice president for national security and international policy at the Center for American Progress. Ambassador Jim Rosapepe served as the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 1998 to 2001 and is a member of the CAA Board of Directors. He currently is Chairman and CEO of Patuxent Capital Group LLC and serves in the Maryland State Senate.

October 2022 marks the 10 year anniversary of the founding of Trailing Houses – the unofficial Facebook Group of the Foreign Service. Affectionately known as THOTUS, the group now numbers at around 23,000 members.Since its inception as a way for a few EFMs from Kathmandu to keep in touch after departing post, it's grown to be the first stop for questions, answers, information, sharing, and connection for folks serving in Embassies and Consulates around the world as well as those based “back home.”Trailing Houses is moderated by 5 admins: 4 EFMs (spouses of Foreign Service members) and a direct-hire FSO: Ed (E.M.) Dyer, Erica Meeks, Ricky Lynn, Lesley Beahm (who couldn't make the interview), and Kim Beauchamp. Collectively, they've served in: Abidjan, Abuja, Harare, Kathmandu, Khartoum, La Paz, London, Nairobi, Podgorica, Prague, Pristina, Tallinn, Tel Aviv, and, of course, D.C.In this exclusive interview, the Admins share with us the origins of Trailing Houses, how it's grown, where it's heading, and what they've learned from moderating a hugely diverse group who move around the world, trailing their houses with them....You can support the generous work of the Trailing Houses admins by contributing to their Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/trailinghouses

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. 1606 @Batchelorshow 1/4: The missing: 1/4  A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present, by  William Damon  Viewing our past through the eyes of maturity can reveal insights that our younger selves could not see. Lessons that eluded us become apparent. Encounters that once felt like misfortunes now become understood as valued parts of who we are. We realize what we've learned and what we have to teach. And we're encouraged to chart a future that is rich with purpose. In A Round of Golf with My Father, William Damon introduces us to the “life review.” This is a process of looking with clarity and curiosity at the paths we've traveled, examining our pasts in a frank yet positive manner, and using what we've learned to write purposeful next chapters for our lives. For Damon, that process began by uncovering the mysterious life of his father, whom he never met and never gave much thought to. What he discovered surprised him so greatly that he was moved to reassess the events of his own life, including the choices he made, the relationships he forged, and the career he pursued. Early in his life, Damon was led to believe that his father had been killed in World War II. But the man survived and went on to live a second life abroad. He married a French ballerina, started a new family, and forged a significant Foreign Service career. He also was an excellent golfer, a bittersweet revelation for Damon, who wishes that his father had been around to teach him the game.  We follow Damon as he struggles to make sense of his father's contradictions and how his father, even though living a world apart, influenced Damon's own development in crucial ways. In his life review, Damon uses what he learned about his father to enhance his own newly emerging self-knowledge.  Readers of this book may come away inspired to conduct informal life reviews for themselves. By uncovering and assembling the often overlooked puzzle pieces of their pasts, readers can seek present-day contentment and look with growing optimism to the years ahead.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: The missing: 2/4  A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present, by  William Damon  Viewing our past through the eyes of maturity can reveal insights that our younger selves could not see. Lessons that eluded us become apparent. Encounters that once felt like misfortunes now become understood as valued parts of who we are. We realize what we've learned and what we have to teach. And we're encouraged to chart a future that is rich with purpose. In A Round of Golf with My Father, William Damon introduces us to the “life review.” This is a process of looking with clarity and curiosity at the paths we've traveled, examining our pasts in a frank yet positive manner, and using what we've learned to write purposeful next chapters for our lives. For Damon, that process began by uncovering the mysterious life of his father, whom he never met and never gave much thought to. What he discovered surprised him so greatly that he was moved to reassess the events of his own life, including the choices he made, the relationships he forged, and the career he pursued. Early in his life, Damon was led to believe that his father had been killed in World War II. But the man survived and went on to live a second life abroad. He married a French ballerina, started a new family, and forged a significant Foreign Service career. He also was an excellent golfer, a bittersweet revelation for Damon, who wishes that his father had been around to teach him the game.  We follow Damon as he struggles to make sense of his father's contradictions and how his father, even though living a world apart, influenced Damon's own development in crucial ways. In his life review, Damon uses what he learned about his father to enhance his own newly emerging self-knowledge.  Readers of this book may come away inspired to conduct informal life reviews for themselves. By uncovering and assembling the often overlooked puzzle pieces of their pasts, readers can seek present-day contentment and look with growing optimism to the years ahead.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: The missing: 3/4  A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present, by  William Damon  Viewing our past through the eyes of maturity can reveal insights that our younger selves could not see. Lessons that eluded us become apparent. Encounters that once felt like misfortunes now become understood as valued parts of who we are. We realize what we've learned and what we have to teach. And we're encouraged to chart a future that is rich with purpose. In A Round of Golf with My Father, William Damon introduces us to the “life review.” This is a process of looking with clarity and curiosity at the paths we've traveled, examining our pasts in a frank yet positive manner, and using what we've learned to write purposeful next chapters for our lives. For Damon, that process began by uncovering the mysterious life of his father, whom he never met and never gave much thought to. What he discovered surprised him so greatly that he was moved to reassess the events of his own life, including the choices he made, the relationships he forged, and the career he pursued. Early in his life, Damon was led to believe that his father had been killed in World War II. But the man survived and went on to live a second life abroad. He married a French ballerina, started a new family, and forged a significant Foreign Service career. He also was an excellent golfer, a bittersweet revelation for Damon, who wishes that his father had been around to teach him the game.  We follow Damon as he struggles to make sense of his father's contradictions and how his father, even though living a world apart, influenced Damon's own development in crucial ways. In his life review, Damon uses what he learned about his father to enhance his own newly emerging self-knowledge.  Readers of this book may come away inspired to conduct informal life reviews for themselves. By uncovering and assembling the often overlooked puzzle pieces of their pasts, readers can seek present-day contentment and look with growing optimism to the years ahead.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: The missing: 4/4  A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present, by  William Damon  Viewing our past through the eyes of maturity can reveal insights that our younger selves could not see. Lessons that eluded us become apparent. Encounters that once felt like misfortunes now become understood as valued parts of who we are. We realize what we've learned and what we have to teach. And we're encouraged to chart a future that is rich with purpose. In A Round of Golf with My Father, William Damon introduces us to the “life review.” This is a process of looking with clarity and curiosity at the paths we've traveled, examining our pasts in a frank yet positive manner, and using what we've learned to write purposeful next chapters for our lives. For Damon, that process began by uncovering the mysterious life of his father, whom he never met and never gave much thought to. What he discovered surprised him so greatly that he was moved to reassess the events of his own life, including the choices he made, the relationships he forged, and the career he pursued. Early in his life, Damon was led to believe that his father had been killed in World War II. But the man survived and went on to live a second life abroad. He married a French ballerina, started a new family, and forged a significant Foreign Service career. He also was an excellent golfer, a bittersweet revelation for Damon, who wishes that his father had been around to teach him the game.  We follow Damon as he struggles to make sense of his father's contradictions and how his father, even though living a world apart, influenced Damon's own development in crucial ways. In his life review, Damon uses what he learned about his father to enhance his own newly emerging self-knowledge.  Readers of this book may come away inspired to conduct informal life reviews for themselves. By uncovering and assembling the often overlooked puzzle pieces of their pasts, readers can seek present-day contentment and look with growing optimism to the years ahead4

With shock upon shock hitting the world economy in the last three years, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva's customary opening speech to the Annual Meetings warned of a darker global outlook and emphasized the need for the world to come together to deal with the consequences. The speech was delivered to an audience of students at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and presided over by Dean Joel S. Hellman and Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia. Transcript: https://bit.ly/3MgciB9

The State Department, once a relative stranger to telework for most functions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, is taking steps to allow Foreign Service candidates to participate in some assessments virtually. Don Bauer, the chief technology officer of the department's Global Talent Management Bureau, said the bureau is “virtualizing everything” it does to assess Foreign Service candidates, in an effort to diversify its pool of applicants.

Ambassador Marcia Bernicat, the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent explains how the program works.

DragonCon 2022 Panel 2: Star Wars: The Law of War The Joint Geeks are back for Season 3, and this time we're live! This is our second panel from DragonCon 2022. Tom, Ian, and Cory are moderated by Clara and joined by a wonderful convention audience! We discuss the reasons for the law of war and delve into the case of the Death Star 2 plumbers. Legitimacy, proportionality, deterrence, and Cory's resemblance to R2D2 are all up for discussion!   Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.  Tom's contextual clips:  Toast to Operation Cinder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0urU5N5_OE&t=1sMon Mothma v. Saw Gerrera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYGhVX8VuQM Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Joel Wuthnow joins us to discuss emerging future trends in the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Dr. Wuthnow explains the key patterns of the structure of the PLA and how it has changed under Xi in the context of increasing emphasis on military modernization. He also discusses the potential impact of the 20th Party Congress on the PLA modernization process, believing that the Party Congress is unlikely to introduce dramatic changes, but we should pay attention to the new composition of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Lastly, Dr. Wuthnow comments on the implications of the key trends within the PLA, arguing the leadership reshuffle could affect the PLA's assessment of its readiness and capabilities and those of its adversaries.   Dr. Joel Wuthnow is a senior research fellow in the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs within the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the U.S. National Defense University and an adjunct professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His research areas include Chinese foreign and security policy, Chinese military affairs, U.S.-China relations, and strategic developments in East Asia.  

We've had some fun on the topic of political appointees. But here we have Charlie Rivkin, who served as a political appointee ambassador and assistant secretary of state and is also former head of the Jim Henson Company, now head of the Motion Picture Association. He brought managerial acumen, vision and a commitment to public service to the job, showing how much the Foreign Service can gain from a private sector leadership perspective. Just don't ask about the elevator.

Hurricane Ian is slamming the US right now. And more storms are likely to follow. The hurricane is rocking Florida's Gulf Coast and is causing massive damage. Meanwhile, weeks after Hurricane Fiona, much of Puerto Rico still doesn't have power. All of Cuba is without power.  And in Ukraine and Russia, the storms are also building. Massive storm clouds of war. And the threat, again, of nukes. And the scariest kind of storm of all. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has stalled out. And we were among the first shows to state that the Russians could lose, that the Bear had no teeth. And that message was echoed by all of our expert guests throughout our coverage of the conflict. From Malcolm Nance to Congressman Adam Kinzinger to Matt Gallagher. From Quan Nguyen to Nolan Peterson. The message was clear. And consistent. Ukraine can win this. But Russia will not go quietly this fall.  And for the Russians that means one thing and one thing only. Winter is coming. And the threat of Putin using nukes is growing. Like your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) has said since the beginning, this doesn't end until Putin is gone. And Putin won't go easy. So as his mobilization effort pushes his country to the brink of revolution, we have to revisit the greatest threat this situation presents. The nukes. And when it comes to all things nukes, there's only one guy you want to hear from. Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) is back. He worked on nuclear weapons policy in Washington for more than 35 years and is one of the top experts in the field. He was the Director for Non-Proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Threats, and co-author of Universal Compliance: A Strategy for Nuclear Security. He was the president of Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation. Taught at the Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service. He's one of America's best known weapons experts, appearing frequently in print and on FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, PBS, NPR and occasionally on Comedy Central. After joining us for Episode 141 - Nov. 18, 2021 and Episode 163 - March 28, 2022, Professor Joe is back to drop knowledge bombs about nukes. In an episode you don't want to miss. Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by Paul Rieckhoff is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's content for the 42% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans will continue to be your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.  -Get extra content, connect with guests, attend events, get merch discounts and support this show that speaks truth to power by joining us on Patreon.  -Read Joe's latest column in the Washington Post. - WATCH video of Paul and Joe's conversation here. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get great IA and Righteous merch.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. America's next great independent media company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features Zia Yusuf. He is Senior Vice President, Strategic Ecosystem & Industry Solutions at VMware. In this position, he leads the teams responsible for building joint horizontal and industry-centric solutions with the company's ecosystem partners across Dell, global cloud providers (Hyperscalers), global system integrators, and global ISVs. Zia chatted with us about his outlook on economic development, emerging markets, and the use of technology to benefit and enhance business as a competitive capability. He provides thoughts on reimagining how companies and customers operate in a changing world affected by enhanced digital transformation. Zia discusses how startups and large incumbent companies approach the adoption of new technologies, as they try to reconcile with the past while promoting advancement for the future. He also talks about how AI and ML are game changing technologies that are going to have a big impact on financial services.  --3 Takeaways:As we go into the future of multi-cloud, modern apps, and the edge, we need to more effectively invigorate different types of partners. There are a multitude of ways that we need to work with Hyperscalers to make sure that customers can get the full spectrum of multi-cloud solutions. We need to look at more verticalized solutions, so as you think about modern apps and edge solutions, we need to be more aware of the requirements and demands from a retail company versus a financial services company versus a healthcare company. SaaS Technology allows you to iterate much faster and much cheaper than ever before. Companies need to take advantage of that more. While many do to some degree, there is still not enough of an experimentation on the business model. Any company that wants to compete, whether it's a startup or a larger legacy company, needs to have a robust ecosystem strategy. You won't survive if you try to go at it alone. Partnerships, especially technology partnerships, for more established companies allow them capabilities to accelerate their pace of innovation rather than just building it themselves. --Key Quotes: “There are very significant technology innovations and changes that are happening in the financial services industry, maybe to some degree even more disruptive than are happening in other industries. And so, whether you are a large commercial bank, investment bank, mortgage house, whether it's blockchain or AI, or the advancements in mobile and robotic process automation, it's a very significant series of in some sense a perfect storm of these technologies coming together.” “People forget how foundationally our lives have changed in a relatively short period of time. I think technology has been in some sense that great equalizer. There's a lot of people in the world that still don't have access to their digital services. The digital divide is very real, even in the US, it is very real.” “Whether it's VMware or any other large tech company, you can only be successful if you truly leverage and put together a very significant ecosystem of complementary solutions.” “When you talk about a transformation journey, a lot of time is spent on a company's technology transformation, and it's important. A lot of time is spent on the business process transformation and the business model transformation, which is also super important. Not enough time is spent on the people side of it and the cultural transformation.” “I think the accounting and economics of how we run our lives needs to change. And, if that happens, people will understand the true impact of that. We are custodians of this planet for the next generation, and we're not doing a great job of it. Unfortunately, until many of us have more hard days in the summer than we've ever had before, and you have floods like in Pakistan and other parts of the world, hopefully that generates more change than not. It's an important piece of where VMware takes it seriously and seeks to play the role that it can. It's all our responsibility.” --Best Career Advice:“Think of your life as a career with a long arc, as opposed to a series of jobs and how do I get the next job? Am I getting a raise? Am I not getting a raise? Think a few years out and you'll think about the world differently.” --Bio:Zia Yusuf - Senior Vice President, Strategic Ecosystem & Industry Solutions at VMwareZia Yusuf joined VMware in 2021 as VMware's Senior Vice President of Strategic Ecosystem and Industry Solutions, responsible for building joint horizontal and industry-centric solutions with our ecosystem and alliances across Dell, global cloud providers (hyperscalers), global system integrators, and global ISVs. Prior to VMware, Zia was a Senior Partner & Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG)—serving as a core member of the firm's Technology Advantage, and Technology, Media & Telecommunications practices. At BCG, Zia worked with a wide range of technology clients on issues related to software, technology strategy, and the resulting go-to-market approach including pricing, ecosystem strategy, and digital transformation to drive growth. He also led the effort to establish the Silicon Valley office for BCG and was the global IoT lead for the firm. Before BCG, Zia was CEO of a leading IoT startup called Streetline, and an executive vice president at SAP where he served as head of the global ecosystem and partner group managing a network of 7,500 partners, SAP's award-winning online communities of innovation, and the $125 million SAP NetWeaver Fund. He also founded and led the SAP Corporate Strategy and Design Services team and has served as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Sutter Hill Ventures & Norwest Venture Partners. Zia started his career at the World Bank Group working on health care projects in Southern Africa and project finance projects in South and East Asia. Zia has also served as an associate consulting professor at Stanford University's Design “D” School where he taught classes on user-centric design and design thinking for large organizations to accelerate innovation. Zia has a passion to enable education for all and has served on several non-profit boards on the topic, including currently serving on the board for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. Zia holds a bachelor of arts from Macalester College, a master of science in International Affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. --For more information:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziayusuf/The Cube: Zia Yusuf, VMware | VMware Explore 2022

US lifts sanctions to increase internet access in Iran Jennifer Brody, U.S. Policy and Advocacy Manager at Access Now, discusses protests in Iran and internet blackouts amid historic unrest as well as U.S. government assistance   Revitalizing US Foreign Service Michael Polt, Ambassador-in-Residence at Arizona State University, details a new set of blueprints that he helped develop for revitalizing and modernizing the U.S. diplomatic service   US-Pacific Island Country Summit Michael Walsh, affiliate at the Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies at Georgetown University, discusses the summit in Washington with leaders from Pacific Island nations and the strategic importance of the region

Christine knows firsthand what a huge effect packout and delivery can have on your leaving and landing when posted abroad or returning home. In this interview, she recalls when she identified gaps in support during her first international move and describes how she came to create a business to fill that need.Now dubbed as the "PCS Doula" or "Consumables Concierge," Christine is on a mission to help ease the burden on families serving their country. At the same time, she's passionate about creating flexible job opportunities at fair wages for Foreign Service and military spouses. She also shares with us her lessons learned from serving two tours as CLO that have helped her as a business owner and that could help you get your next job. BIOChristine Lusk is passionate about supporting busy diplomats and their families through their transitions and while serving overseas.Being a diplomatic spouse, Christine quickly learned that there are a lot of logistics that get managed by families. Often figuring those out can be confusing, complicated, and difficult to manage with all of the other burdens of a move.DiploDash https://www.diplodash.com/ was created from Christine's own need to feel like she could delegate certain tasks to another person when she really needed time for more important priorities. DiploDash supports clients with their pack-out or delivery of household shipments, consumables and supplemental household shipments, strategy sessions for PCSing, and care packages to post.Even though Christine's undergraduate degree is in business, she never dreamed that becoming an entrepreneur was in her future. It seems there are many benefits to becoming a diplomatic spouse and having to start over again and again.At the end of the day, Christine's favorite part of owning DiploDash is knowing that her clients are getting the support they wanted to make their lives easier to manage during a move.DiploDash services include: - Consumables and Supplemental HHE shipments- Pack-Out and Delivery Support- PCS strategy sessions- Care packages to post.Learn more about DiploDash services & contact Christine at https://www.diplodash.com/contactFollow DiploDash on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/diplodash/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diplodashservice

The United States is not as sharp at diplomacy as it needs to be. That's the chief finding of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Earlier this year it published a series of policy and practice recommendations for the State Department. They focus on the idea of multilateral diplomacy. For highlights, we turn to two long-serving former ambassadors. Marc Grossman is vice chairman of the Cohen Group. Marcie Reis is now a national security consultant.

There's enormous debate about how much social media platforms should be doing to moderate extremist content. But that debate often lacks nuance about the many different ways that platforms can moderate and that moderation is not an all or nothing proposition. Daniel Byman is a professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and Lawfare's foreign policy editor. He recently published a paper for Lawfare's ongoing Digital Social Contract Research Paper series in which he lays out the many different ways that platforms can and do moderate content. Lawfare senior editor Alan Rozenshtein spoke with Dan about his research and how it can inform not just more but better moderation.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After building three successful businesses with her Navy SEAL former husband and business partner, Annie Yatch and her team now focus their coaching and training on trauma freedom, feedback systems and accountability processes that create the most sustainable fulfillment and success for entrepreneurs and their teams.    Her work moves companies, entrepreneurs, individuals, and teams to uncover the experience they want out of life and business, as well as the truth about why they haven't been able to access that fulfilling experience yet.    As an entrepreneur for the last 12 years and a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and Georgetown's Masters Program in International Security and Counterterrorism, Annie set out in the world to keep those she loved safe, but found a deeper passion and undeniable skill in helping entrepreneurs identify the subconscious lies that hold them back in all areas of life.   With hundreds of companies and hundreds of thousands of individuals irreversibly impacted by the processes and systems that she and Larry Yatch developed through SEAL Team Leaders, Annie is confident that every business owner has access to the solutions for every business problem as long as they're willing to start telling the truth. Her job is simply to help you find it.   Annie lives in Park City, Utah where she and her two boys (5, 7) are on the ski slopes together every weekend—and when clients and program members start to release those 80+ hour weeks to access their own version of weekend ski trips, that's her truest measure of success.    I met Annie personally during my travels in the US earlier this year, and I was blown away by her insight into the stories high performers and high achievers tell themselves on the journey of growth, accomplishment and progression.    From associations when we're younger, to struggles we normalise in our day to day lives, this is one of those episodes that's going to make you question your beliefs, rethink your behaviours, and take action on lifting your ceilings of potential.       Time Stamps    00:18 - The 4 key lies suffered by high performing individuals 01:11 - Lie #1: Productivity is essential for success 03:26 - Adrenalised response to stress  04:35 - Finding the balance in being productive 06:11 - Finding a space for creativity  07:02 - Taking a power nap  09:40 - How to address the feeling of overwhelm 10:15 - Imagine like a child  13:00 - Success is an emotional feeling  14:57 - Lie #2: It all falls on me  15:57 - What is effective delegation 20:09 - It's not about leading the way you want to lead 20:49 - Lie #3: Suffering or grinding is the fuel  22:31 - Trauma affecting mindset  25:06 - How do you rewire the association with trauma 26:54 - Lie #4: Comparison or competition is essential for growth  29:34 - Value your own personal journey  30:12 - 4 steps to the truth  33:36 - Why people struggle with connection  35:03 - The value in co-ordinating action  Book A Call To Start Your Journey!   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to “RNT Fitness Radio” and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts:     Apple Podcasts   Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   For any podcast suggestions, or if you'd like to get in touch, please do so on podcast@rntfitness.com here. We'd love to hear from you!    I'm very excited and proud to announce we've developed a brand new partnership with one of the world's leading premium supplement brands, Optimum Nutrition, where they'll be helping support our RNT members, and listeners of this podcast, on their journey of health, fitness and total transformation. With the world's #1 best-selling protein powder in their range, and a growing plant-based range, you can now use the code RNT20 to get 20% off in their US and UK stores. My personal favourite are their plant-based protein bars. I've literally done a 180 on protein bars since discovering these, and these were a game changer during my recent long stints in Bali and the US!   Resources:   Take the Transformation Quiz Our Book: Transform Your Body, Transform Your Life   Follow Annie Yatch: Email    Follow RNT Fitness:    Website Facebook Instagram YouTube Email   Follow Akash:   Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

This week we welcome Mike Bober to the podcast as he shares a bit about his personal story and tells Jim how he ended up in his current role as the President and CEO of the Pet Advocacy Network. After more than a decade in various political outreach roles, Mike now oversees all aspects of the pet care community's agenda at the federal, state and municipal levels for the pet trade's largest legislative trade association. He works to engage and educate elected officials on a variety of issues affecting companion animals and those who care for and about them. The Pet Advocacy Network's mission is to champion pets and responsible pet professionals with expertise and integrity. They envision a future with expanded opportunities to enjoy the companionship of healthy and well-treated pets, in which responsible pet care professionals are respected and seen as having the best interests of pets in mind. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe! Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net  Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.

The covid pandemic has brought into sharp focus the benefits as well as the challenges posed by the global supply chain related to the development of innovative new drugs. Paul Neureiter is the Executive Director for International Government Affairs & Trade Policy at Amgen. Before taking a role in ‘big pharma', Paul was the Senior Director for China Affairs for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and was part of the U.S. Foreign Service from 1987 to 2001. In this podcast we discuss how price controls for therapies can be a Faustian bargain, creating short term gain for long term losses, where patients are ultimately those who suffer the most. We also touch on the WTO and US Trade's decision to use TRIPs waivers to potentially pry open intellectual property rights for the mRNA technologies, and the broader implications of those decisions. As well, we highlight how the EU's approach to viewing biopharmaceutical innovation as a cost, and not as an investment, has had a demonstrably negative impact on their development of new, small, and innovative biotechnology firms like those driving US innovation and helping meet unmet medical needs for patients. Finally, we touch upon how Build Back Better can cause similar damage to the US innovation ecosystem as price controls have in the EU, and how China is quickly gaining on American biopharma innovation, and what that portends if the wrong political decisions are taken in the US Congress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Dogen, author of the instant Wall Street Journal bestseller “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom,” grew up thinking about money.  After spending his childhood as a Foreign Service kid at posts around Asia, he studied economics at William & Mary, and then took a job working at Goldman Sachs, where he dived head first into the world of finance.  In the midst of the 2009 global financial crisis, Sam started his blog “Financial Samurai,” which shared his personal wealth story and financial advice so others could achieve their own financial freedom.  After 2.5 years of blogging, Sam was able to leave his corporate job to be a full-time blogger. Financial Samurai now receives over one million visitors a month, and Sam has engineered a life where he works with who he wants to, where he wants to, when he wants to. “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom” spells out his formulas for how to determine what to buy, how much to spend, and how to get the most out of your paycheck to build your path to financial freedom.    Hear Sam discuss: Where one should invest their money How to maximize wealth building  Starting a blog that could eventually become your full-time job   …and so much more!    You can purchase “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom” on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/4xtv67k4   Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

Lara Center describes some of the changes she's seen in EFM careers and service over her 20+ year as a diplomatic accompanying partner. Hear her adventures volunteering to preserve the cultural heritage of the countries she's served in, and the ways she's overcome the lack of bilateral work agreements and a desire to find her own role outside of work in the mission. She also describes her many years of work with the Associates of American Foreign Service Worldwide, both as a chair of the SOSA committee and the most recent past president. If you don't know what AAFSW is doing to promote DC-based and global community for EFMs, provide support to EFMs in crisis or facing employment challenges, or to support EFM policies in the Department or in Congress, you need to listen to this episode! Lara Center has been part of the Foreign Service community since 2001 when her husband, Adam, began A-100. They have served overseas and domestically in Guadalajara, Caracas, Luxembourg, DC, Hanoi and DC. Currently, Lara's husband is serving an unaccompanied tour. Lara and Adam returned to Falls Church in 2019 with their son, David and daughter, Abigail. Lara has a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Management and Public Policy, Master in Public Administration and Master in Museum Studies.Lara worked as a museum consultant while living in Hanoi. Lara worked directly with the Vietnamese Women's Museum on new lesson plans, development of a Discovery Room and outreach to international schools.Lara was elected president of the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) in 2020 and served two years. She previously served on the Board of AAFSW from 2012-2016 and 2019-2020 as chair of the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad (SOSA) award. Lara is the 2009 recipient of the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad for her work at Luxembourg's National Museum of Military History.

Should you walk away? But your impact is you stayed. How do we assure when we look back on our careers that swallowed so much of our time, our energy, and our life that we had a positive impact? As Chief Investment Officer of Kestra Investment Management, Kara Murphy provides investment expertise and support for financial professionals. Prior to joining Kestra, Kara served as Chief Investment Officer at Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management and she was also CIO at AIG Funds. Kara earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a master's degree from the University of Chicago. Kristine Delano and Kara discuss how to be a force for good that inspires others in an industry of tough choices. From the devastation of 9/11, Kara shares with us how she found Career Impact. Follow on Instagram kristine.delano.writer . Visit www.womeninetfs.com to find additional support in the ETF industry. Go to www.kristinedelano.com for your Thrive Guide: a compilation of the most requested and insightful advice from our guests on Leadership and Advancement. Book recommendation: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

After graduating from Harvard with a B.A. in Government, Valeria Laitenin continued her studies for an M.A. Law and Diplomacy, International Negotiation/Conflict Resolution and Complex Emergencies, and went on to complete a ME.d., in Educational Leadership and Administration. Valeria's career in education has taken her to international positions in Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Slovakia and Ukraine. Currently, she works at the American Community School in Athens, Greece. You can reach out to Valeria through email at Valeria_Laitinen@hotmail.com.  Key points include: 12:28: Working in Slovakia 17:29: Moving to Ukraine 35:41: Being a part of the Foreign Service community