Podcast appearances and mentions of ken jaques

Ken is the leader of the My Healthy Community movement in Canada. He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and offered medications as the primary treatment. Through exploring other options, he was also able to find other ways to manage his symptoms. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/healingispossible/support

Ken Jaques' health care advocacy was not planned. A diagnosis of crippling rheumatoid arthritis in 2008 exposed him to the medical system. And that exposure was an education. Ken is the first to point out that conventional medical care is part of the equation for health and that there are many options to creating your unique plan. Allopathic medicine, energy work, acupuncture and other modalities are all part of his approach. Listen in on this far ranging conversation about what creates health. Special Thanks to CVS Health for their support #BumpInTheRoad #Health  

A quartet of guests join host Ken Jaques to discuss their work at CIPE. They include Autumn Moore and Zoe Watkins from the Communications department, and Adam Goldstein and Mikra Krasniqi from the Policy and Program Learning department. This is the first episode in a series that will focus on emerging leaders at CIPE. They talk about their backgrounds, how they came to join CIPE, and their current work promoting democracy and economic opportunity around the world. Recommended resources: The Informal Sector: Facing Crisis on the Outside of the System Investigating Intersections: Spatial-Inequality, Incentives, and Informality Steps To Help the Underground Economy Survive a Pandemic Public Perception of Economic and Social Reforms in Bolivia Corporate Governance for Emerging Markets

Paola Galvez, 2020-2021 Open Internet leader and advisor to the Presidency of Council Ministers of Peru in charge of digital regulation, joins Democracy that Delivers host Ken Jaques and Anna Kompanek, Director, Global Programs, CIPE. This episode is part of a mini-series around President Biden's December 2021 Summit for Democracy. Specifically, they talk about the Open Internet Leadership program that CIPE helps run, and ways governments can encourage internet freedom and availability.   Relevant ressources: Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Session on "Forging Trust in the Digital Economy: A Consumer Perspective" "Developing and Deploying New Technologies with Privacy in Mind: A Case Study on Contract Tracing Applications in Latin America" by Paola Galvez

Scott Carpenter, Director of Policy and International Engagement at Google's Jigsaw, joins host Ken Jaques, CIPE Executive Director Andrew Wilson and Senior Program Officer Louisa Tomar. This is the first episode of a mini-series around President Biden's December 2021 Summit for Democracy. Specifically, they talk about how creating open and resilient digital spaces is a goal that touches all three of the Summit's themes: defending against authoritarianism; addressing and fighting corruption; and promoting respect for human rights.

The Democracy that Delivers “Women and Girls Empowered” (WAGE) mini-series spotlights the WAGE core partners' women empowerment projects. In the last of four episodes, our host Ken Jaques gets to know Search for Common Ground (SfCG) Research, Evaluation & Learning Specialist Aisalkyn Botoeva and Gender Advisor Nalini Rathnarajah. From conflict-sensitive initiatives in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Aisalkyn and Nalini share the unique challenges of advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda while addressing women's conflict-related needs and encouraging their participation in reconciliation processes.

Dr. Khin Mg Kyi, Dean of the School of Business at Pacific Adventist University, joins hosts Ken Jaques and Kim Bettcher for the Democracy that Delivers podcast Global Entrepreneurship Week mini-series final episode. They discuss ways to encourage young people to start their own businesses in Papua New Guinea, a country where CIPE is investing in a program to boost entrepreneurship. They also talk about ways to reduce unemployment in the country.

Steve Kimbu, Senior Lecturer at IBSUniversity in Papua New Guinea, joins the Democracy that Delivers podcast host Ken Jaques and CIPE Policy and Program Learning Director Kim Bettcher for the first of a two-part mini-series in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Kimbu teaches ways to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship at the university. “We need to go beyond teaching,” Kimbu says. He cites the success of a CIPE supported program that helps teachers and students apply classroom principles of accounting and management in the real world.

This two-part mini-series of Democracy that Delivers celebrates the winners of CIPE Africa's Women Economic Empowerment Contest. Our host Ken Jaques and Africa Program Associate Laura Maclay hand the second episode over to the Gambia Women's Chamber of Commerce (GWCC) CEO Beatrice Mboge to present the key hurdles met by women in business in the Gambia and the wide array of partnerships with nonprofit, private, and public sector organizations mobilized by CWCC to provide critical services and relief, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tom Fox, the extraordinarily prolific and knowledgeable host of the popular FCPA Compliance Report, talks about the link between two hot topics in the corporate compliance world - anti-corruption and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), in the latest episode of the CIPE Anti-Corruption & Governance Center (ACGC) podcast. Drawing on almost 20 years as an anti-corruption lawyer, Fox discusses the rise of anti-bribery enforcement around the world and explains why an increasing number of regulators, investors, and consumers are pressuring companies to make greater disclosures of anti-bribery standards, labor practices, and environmental impact. Fox also shares why the adoption of higher standards has accelerated dramatically during COVID-19 and how businesses can take meaningful steps towards ESG compliance by using the practices they already have in place. Fox is joined by hosts Ken Jaques, CIPE's Communications Director, and ACGC Program Officer Michele Crymes.

This two-part mini-series of Democracy that Delivers celebrates the winners of CIPE Africa's Women Economic Empowerment Contest. The first episode features the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (KNCCI) West Pokot Chapter, a shining example of the impact associations can have in support of women in business. KNCCI-West Pokot CEO I. M. Seth joins program host Ken Jaques and co-hosting Program Officer Ryan Musser to shed light on the unique barriers that women in this rural county face at every turn of entrepreneurship, from ownership rights, financial assistance, and market access, to safety, education, technology, and networks. Listen to how KNCCI-West Pokot and CIPE partner in advocating for businesswomen with local government and the business community, empower them with trainings, loans, infrastructure, and policy, as well as highlight their achievements.

Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) expert and ELEVATE Limited CEO Ian Spaulding joins the CIPE Anti-Corruption & Governance Center (ACGC) podcast this week to discuss the interplay between anti-corruption and new ESG approaches to managing global supply chains. Spaulding explains that ESG is ultimately about raising standards - for workers, for the environment, and for how companies are managed. When standards are low and companies underperform corruption and fraud can become pervasive as business leaders try to create shortcuts or hide poor results. Listen now to how ELEVATE helps supply chains establish and enforce high standards that support ESG and reduce corruption, and how governments, civil society, and international organizations are essential to supporting better outcomes in the private sector. Spaulding is joined by hosts Ken Jaques, CIPE's Communications Director, and Michele Crymes, Program Officer with CIPE's ACGC.

To report on Poland's democracy, host Ken Jaques is joined by native Poles Anna Kompanek, Director of CIPE's Global Programs, and Marek Tatala. Marek is the the newest member of CIPE's Free Enterprise and Democracy Network (FEDN), Vice President and Economist at the Civil Development Forum (FOR), and co-founder of both the Rule of Law and the new Economic Freedom Foundation in Warsaw, Poland. Despite their home country's previously exemplary economic and democratic transition, our guests tell of Poland's recently renewed struggles with rule of law, independence of the media, and political corruption. Listen to find out how civil society, businesses, intergovernmental institutions, and non-governmental coalitions such as Marek's Economic Freedom Foundation are working to protect this democracy in jeopardy.

Democracy that Delivers "COVID and Corruption In Latin America" mini-series cohosts Ken Jaques and Elena Padbury wrap up this recap of our recently released report. Last but not least of its country case studies is Brasil, presented by Laís Piasentini Oliva, Advocacy Analyst at the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC). Laís offers recommendations to reduce pre-existing corruption risks and, importantly, the perception thereof, as both intensify from pandemic-related legislative changes.

Democracy That Delivers host Ken Jaques partners with CIPE's Latin America and the Caribbean Program Officer Elena Padbury in a new mini-series behind the scenes of the recently released report on the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and corruption risks in Latin America. Cracking open the first of its three country case studies, Viviana Patiño from the Regulation and Economic Competition Program of Mexico Evalúa shares her findings on corruption in the Mexican electricity sector during the pandemic.

Democracy that Delivers kicks off a new mini-series spotlighting women's empowerment projects of the core partners of Women and Girls Empowered (WAGE), a global programming consortium to advance the status of women and girls. In this first of four episodes, our host Ken Jaques is joined by Center for International Private Enterprise colleagues Barbara Langley, Director of the Center for Women's Economic Empowerment, and Elena Ratoi, Program Officer in Moldova. They bring updates on the goals, accomplishments, pandemic challenges, and lessons learned from "Reducing Barriers to Women's Economic Empowerment", a multi-disciplinary program aimed at building an alliance of Moldovan women's business and civil society organizations.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques is joined by co-host Adam Sachs from CIPE's Global Team and Sheilah Birgen, The Cord CEO and 2020 Open Internet for Democracy Leader. The Open Internet for Democracy Leaders Program is a non-resident leadership program that empowers emerging leaders from across the globe to build their advocacy and organizing skills to protect internet freedom. Sheilah talks to Adam and Ken about opportunities for advancing data privacy and protection in Kenya, and together they explore how the lessons Sheilah learns there could be applied to initiatives in other local contexts.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques brings fan favorites CIPE Africa Senior Program Officer Lola Adekanye and Kroll Compliance Risk and Diligence Managing Director John Arvanitis back together again from across the globe to continue the fascinating discussion from Episode #269. This time, they discuss President Biden's Memorandum on Establishing the Fight Against Corruption as a Core United States National Security Interest, particularly its commitment to greater cooperation and accountability between governments, businesses, and civil society in the global implementation of rule of law.

For the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic on Democracy That Delivers, our host Ken Jaques gets the latest updates from CIPE's partner the Accountability Lab in Nepal. Our organizations work together in Nepal to strengthen a subnational environment of effective public-private sector partnerships. This episode's guests Bikin Ghimire, Communication and Product Manager, and Suvechchha Chapagain, Project Associate, speak on citizen-centric development, the Nepalese government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on business, as well as the challenges and opportunities presented by current digitalization trends in Nepal.

In honor of Pride Month 2021, our host Ken Jaques and CIPE's Asia-Pacific Program Officer Gibson Haynes invite Angel Romero, the Director for Partnership & External Affairs of the Philippines LGBT Chamber of Commerce, to join the podcast. Our organizations' partnership is CIPE's first program devoted to LGBTQI+ economic empowerment. Following up on our recent joint Manila Virtual Forum on Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality: "Recover with Pride", they discuss the challenges facing LGBTQI+ business owners and employees, both societal and economic, which effect us all, from the Philippines to the United States. Listen to learn how to help, not only this Pride Month but every month.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, the "Women in Business during the Pandemic" series brings our host Ken Jaques to Moldova once again. He is joined by co-host Natalia Otel Belan, CIPE Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia, as well as our guest Olga Melniciuc, National Consultant on Women's Economic Empowerment for UN Women Moldova and past President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs from Moldova (AFAM). Listen to find out how Ms. Melniciuc and fellow women in business in Moldova are making the most of digitalization in order to adapt to the challenges of female entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On this episode of Democracy That Delivers, our host Ken Jaques is joined by Sarwagya Raj Pandey, the Research and Advocacy Officer at Bikalpa - an Alternative, a public policy think tank based in Nepal in partnership with CIPE's Asia Pacific Team. They talk about his firsthand experience of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people of Nepal both socially and economically, notably for small businesses and the tourism sector. Beyond a story of loss, Mr. Pandey tells a story of human triumph through community, innovation, activism, and collaboration in the face of catastrophe.

On this episode of Democracy That Delivers, our host Ken Jaques takes the mini-series to Moldova with local CIPE Program Officer Elena Ratoi. They are joined by our guest, Angela Gladei, the President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs from Moldova (AFAM). AFAM partners with the Women and Girls Empowered (WAGE) program to build the capacity of women and girls in Moldova. Hear about Ms. Gladei's professional and personal experiences with regional challenges to female entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques and our co-host and Executive Director, Andrew Wilson, are joined by International Republican Institute's President, Dr. Daniel Twining. This discussion concludes our podcast series titled, The Future of Democracy. Dr. Daniel Twining explains the importance of both building and protecting democracies and how the four core institutes of The National Endowment for Democracy, CIPE, IRI, NDI, and Solidarity Center, each have a unique approach to democracy work.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers our host Ken Jaques and co-host Luiza Ayvazyan, a CIPE Program Officer located in Armenia, are joined by Elen Manukyan, Co-Founder & Program Manager at Fashion and Design Chamber of Armenia. The Chamber is a non-profit association founded in November 2017 by a group of Armenian designers with the mission to support Armenian fashion, design, and textile sector development. Listen to learn more about how the fashion and textile industries have been impacted by COVID-19 and how businesses are learning and adapting.

México Evalúa’s Laurence Pantin discusses her work on the Mexican judicial sector’s experience with digital technologies. Pantin is the author of “Guide to Good Practices on the Use of New Technologies for the Administration of Justice;” the report explores how Mexico adapted to COVID-19’s restrictions and delivered justice to its citizens. The report is part of México Evalúa’s Digital Justice Program, which has been at the forefront of research exploring how the new digital technologies are affecting and can improve Mexico’s justice administration. She joins our host Ken Jaques and co-host John Zemko, the Regional Director for CIPE's Latin American and the Caribbean team. 

In this episode of Democracy that Delivers our host Ken Jaques is joined by co-host Hannah Byrd, CIPE Program Associate for the Center for Women's Economic Empowerment, and former CIPE LIFE Project Coordinator, Nour Akkad. Nour describes how the LIFE Project recruited and incubated refugee women and shares success stories from the program. CIPE and a Consortium of international partners developed the Livelihoods Innovation through Food Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project. The LIFE Project launched the first food incubators in Turkey, where members from the refugee and host communities start and scale food businesses, contributing directly to their livelihoods and economic development in their communities. While incubators often struggle to attract women to their cohorts, almost 70% of LIFE entrepreneurs are women. Listen to learn more about how entrepreneurship creates economic and leadership opportunities for refugee women and how future programs can learn from the lessons of the LIFE Project.  

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers our host Ken Jaques and co-host Luiza Ayvazyan, a CIPE Program Officer located in Armenia, are joined by Lilit Asatryan, founder and President of Armenian Young Women’s Association (AYWA) and the founder of Women Entrepreneurship Network in Armenia. Listen to learn more about these two organizations that help women entrepreneurs access global business networks and develop entrepreneurial skills. 

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques and our co-host Anna Kompanek, Director of CIPE's Global Programs, are joined by Mercedes Bidart, CEO & Co-Founder of Quipu. Quipu is a new digital platform and app that builds community marketplaces to allow micro-businesses in the informal economy to trade without money while building creditworthiness. The goal is to facilitate commerce in neighborhoods and increase disposable income, solving the problem of visibility, cash flow, and injustice in access to capital. Listen to learn more! 

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers our host Ken Jaques is joined by Anti-Corruption & Governance Center Director Frank Brown and our guest Gary Kalman, Director of the U.S. Office of Transparency International. Gary Kalman is a leading voice in the U.S. for the concerns and priorities of the global anti-corruption movement. Prior to his current position, Kalman had been the executive director of The FACT Coalition. Listen to this podcast to learn more about Gary Kalman's experience and Transparency International's efforts in supporting and promoting the U.S. role in global anti-corruption efforts. 

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques is joined by our Executive Director Andrew Wilson and the Director of the Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment (CWEE) Barb Langley. CWEE is celebrating its third anniversary and Women’s History Month. Listen to this episode to learn more about CWEE’s history and future projects and initiatives.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques and our co-host and Executive Director, Andrew Wilson, are joined by Solidarity Center’s Executive Director, Shawna Bader-Blau. This discussion is the second podcast in our series titled, The Future of Democracy. Shawna Bader-Blau shares her insight on the events of January 6th, COVID-19, and how they both have shaped and changed the future of democracy and democracy work.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, our host Ken Jaques is joined by co-host, Maya Eristavi, the Center for International Private Enterprise’s representative in Georgia for the USAID-funded Economic Governance Program. Our guest, Natia Ninikelashvili, is an entrepreneur who founded Soplidan.ge. Soplidan.ge is an innovative online business that connects farmers and customers with an online shop and home delivery system. Listen to learn more about Natia Ninikelashvili’s insight on creating a digital platform and the lessons she’s learned as a businesswoman.

The events of January 6th changed the way we look at our democracy. Democracy work is more important than ever and our new series titled, The Future of Democracy, takes a deep dive into the ways we approach our work. Our host Ken Jaques and co-host Andrew Wilson, CIPE’s Executive Director, kick off the series with Derek Mitchell, National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) president. Listen to this episode to gain insight on the future of democracy and democracy support.

On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, Dr. Otto Scharmer, Senior Lecturer in the MIT Management Sloan School and co-founder of the Presencing Institute joins our host Ken Jaques and Co-host Anna Kompanek, Director of CIPE’s Global Programs. Dr. Scharmer explains his new way of thinking about leadership for social transformation. For more information on this topic visit his site and read his book “Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies”.

COVID-19 is disrupting supply chains and slowing economic integration around the globe. Nigeria is no exception. Still, the virus hasn't prevented free trade advocates in Africa from moving ahead. In this edition of Democracy that Delivers, Dr. Jonathan Aremu, a university professor and former official with the Central Bank of Nigeria, discusses the progress of the proposed African Continental Free Trade Area. He joins our host Ken Jaques and CIPE's Africa Regional Director Lars Benson.

Financial Times investigative journalist Tom Burgis, author of the recently released book, Kleptopia, and one of the brightest minds in global corruption, is the guest on the latest edition of the Democracy That Delivers podcast from the Anti-Corruption and Governance Center with CIPE hosts Ken Jaques and Frank Brown. Listen now to hear more about how Burgis' "nonfiction thriller" breaks down the technical complexity of foreign corruption and money laundering into the human stories of four individuals at the nexus of foreign kleptocracy, as well as a discussion about the damage corrupt foreign money inflicts on democratic institutions.

Gender mainstreaming and safeguarding is a growing area of focus in international development, governance, and the private sector.  In this podcast, CIPE's Ken Jaques is joined by two experts to discuss gender mainstreaming with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, and private-sector partner DHL, to discuss how it leads innovation and often finds solutions that can be cross-cutting among societal sectors and business. Candice White, joins us from the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation at theWorld Economic Forum, and Sarah Meinert joins us from DHL.  Read the Alliance gender paper and gender review of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement discussed in the podcast.

In this podcast, we are joined by Mark Antony Otwane, the CEO of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) in Uasin Gishu. KNCCI-Uasin Gishu is a CIPE Africa Associations Innovations Contest Winner. He, co-host CIPE Program Officer for Africa Ryan Musser, and host Ken Jaques discuss the chamber and its history, as well as the challenges that it has faced as a result of the pandemic.

Osman Cakiroglu, Project Director of the LIFE Project, joins host Ken Jaques to discuss the new ways the program is helping local entrepreneurs in Turkey impacted by the global pandemic. They also discuss the upcoming CIPE event with the consortium partners (register here) and the exciting launch of the LIFE Project Cookbook that is now available for purchase. All proceeds of the cookbook will go towards the LIFE Project. 

Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale is a managing director at Kroll, a division of Duff & Phelps, based in the Washington, D.C. office. Nicole has more than 25 years of executive-level experience and a unique viewpoint on global commercial and compliance matters from her extensive service in both the public and private sectors. She joins our host Ken Jaques to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and national security. 

Thilo Hanemman, a partner at Rhodium Group and leads the firm’s work on global trade and investment, joins host Ken Jaques to discuss the report “Mitigating Governance Risks From Investment in Southeast Asia” (read it here). He presents an overview of how Chinese Investments have changed, or not changed, over the years. 

Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein is a Nonresident Fellow with the Stimson Center, where he works primarily with the 38 North project, and serves as editor for its affiliate website North Korean Economy Watch. He is also an Associate Scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and a Doctoral Candidate at the Department of History at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is writing his dissertation about the history of social control in North Korea. He joins co-host Jane Kim, CIPE Program Officer for Asia and the Pacific and our host Ken Jaques to discuss North Korea and COVID-19. 

Brian Joseph is Vice President, Programs at the National Endowment for Democracy. He has over 20 years of experience working to advance democracy and human rights. He joins our host Ken Jaques to discuss COVID-19 and government's responses around the world. 

Dr. Ali Riaz is a well-known author, a Senior Non-Resident Fellow with the Atlantic Council, and a Distinguished Professor​ at the Department of Politics and Government of Illinois State University. He joins Regional Director John Morrell, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Bangladesh’s economy as well as some insight on other parts of South Asia. 

Sujeev Shakya is the Founder CEO of beed (www.beed.com.np), a Nepal based international management consulting and financial advisory firm that works in Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda, and the US. He joins Regional Director John Morrell, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Nepal’s economy.

Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir is a Professor of Economics at the Department of Development Studies of the University of Dhaka. He joins Regional Director John Morrell, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Bangladesh’s economy.

Professor Dr. S Akbar Zaidi is a Political Economist who has had nearly four decades of teaching and research experience in Pakistan and abroad. He joins Regional Director John Morrell, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Pakistan's economy. 

Laurence Todd, Director of Research at IDEAS (Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs) in Malaysia, joins host Ken Jaques. Todd visited CIPE's headquarters for an event on Chinese capital flows to Southeast Asian countries in December 2019 to pre-launch a report on the topic co-authored by Todd. Check out the newly published report.

This week, Carolina Acosta, Regional Representative for the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF), joins host Ken Jaques and co-host Florent Bakija, Program Officer for GATF. They discuss how trade facilitation can help developing countries like Colombia save millions every year (approx $14.3 million) if the Trade Facilitation Agreement is implemented. They also highlight how the work in Colombia has been a huge success, and how the project can be replicated in countries around the world. The harmonization of customs procedures is a huge opportunity for business and authorities, says Carolina Acosta. Read the full case study of GATF (and CIPE's) work in Colombia on this project with partner INVIMA: https://www.cipe.org/resources/colombia-making-trade-of-essential-goods-simpler-faster-and-more-cost-effective/

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by Martina Hrvolova and Ken Jaques. Martina shares a glimpse of her upcoming presentation at the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) 2019 Western Balkans Regional Conference. They discuss CIPE's approach to identifying and combatting corrosive capital through different governance structures, as countries are at different stages in their development, and the steps they are taking to recognize the threat. 

In this week's Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by José Raúl Perales, Deputy Director of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) at CIPE. Perales and host Ken Jaques discuss the beginnings of GATF's work with CIPE, and how trade and the private sector can work better together. They also discuss the first project the team at CIPE has closed out, and the great successes that have come out of it in Colombia: "It was a relatively small project, but the impact in monetary terms is 900% the investment that was made to implement the system." Jose Raul Perales recently did a CIPE Insights video interview about some more projects GATF is currently working on. Check it out: https://www.cipe.org/newsroom/cipe-insights-with-jose-raul-perales/

"You need an infrastructure spine to build an economy," says guest Gyude Moore in this week's episode of Democracy That Delivers. Gyude Moore is a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development, and former Minister of Public Works for Liberia. He joins Ryan Musser, Program Officer for Africa at CIPE, and host Ken Jaques, in an insightful discussion on the vast field of infrastructure development. They discuss a number of issues, including the presence and practices of leading bilateral lender, China, as well as the current gaps in infrastructure in the African continent and how that impacts the economy. 

Rick O'Sullivan joins host Ken Jaques and co-host Ryan Musser to continue their conversation about collective governance. During this session, they discuss the CAMP Matrix and its significance in explaining and understanding associations. Associations are not just about members. Members are only one of four core constituencies that associations need to engage to ensure their very survival. The other three, Customers, Allies, and Partners, are often overlooked but of equal importance to the success of an association.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by Rick O'Sullivan, who joined us for episode #157 of DTD. This podcast continues the conversation with co-host Ryan Musser, and host Ken Jaques. They examine the importance of civil society taking an active role in governing and not just advocating for government action through legislative or regulatory restraints.  During their conversation, they link  “third party governance” to self-sustaining CSO capacity, reducing corruption and countering the closing of civil society space.

We are joined by Ali Ayadi, CIPE’s Country Representative in Tunisia, to discuss the changing social, political and economic environment of the country. He and host Ken Jaques begin by discussing the recent passing of the late President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi. Ayadi then discusses some of the work CIPE does with partners such as the Jasmine Foundation and Institute Arabe des Chefs d’Entreprises  (IACE) to help boost youth entrepreneurship in the country, and how the office has been working with government, business, civil society to help pass reforms. One of such initiatives focuses on corruption, and how to help the business community identify top priorities to introduce reforms, noting that corruption is part of what keeps young people from being included in their national economy.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined remotely by author Richard C. Lyons. Lyons has been involved in printing, publishing, stage and television production throughout his professional career. His most recent work, "The DNA of Democracy," takes a historical look at the evolution of democracy through short essays differentiating distinct time periods. With host Ken Jaques, he discusses some valuable points about the current state of democracy, as well as what part independent businesses and corporations play in a democracy. "The DNA of Democracy" is volume 1 of a 2 volume work. Volume 2, "The Shadows of the Acropolis", is forthcoming in 2020. To learn more about the book and other works by Richard C. Lyons, please visit Lylea.com. "The DNA of Democracy" can be found wherever books are sold.

Zahid Jamil has over 20 years of experience a general law practitioner, where he specializes in technology (i.e. e-commerce, e-payments, and privacy), cybercrime and counterterrorism. Jamil has served as a cybercrime and cybersecurity consultant for the Council of Europe, the ITU-American Bar Association, the government of Pakistan, and is a member of the Commonwealth’s Cybercrime Experts working Group. He is a qualified barrister with primary practices in Pakistan and the UAE as a member of the Bar at the Dubai International Financial Center Court and the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and serves as a Special Legal Consultant to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In these capacities, he has drafted numerous pieces of legislation relating to cybercrime and cybersecurity. During this podcast, Jamil, along with Louisa Tomar, Program Officer, Global Programs, and host Ken Jaques, discuss trends in cybersecurity and cybercrime legislation around the globe. Jamil suggested ways to improve cyber readiness in countries still coming online and what small and medium-sized businesses can do to protect themselves. Tomar referenced CIPE’s Digital Economy Enabling Environment Guide: Key Areas of Dialogue for Business and Policymakers, which includes guidance for business and regulators on cybersecurity legislation.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques is joined by two experts in the field of “corrosive capital” in the Balkans. Martina Hrvolova is a Program Officer for Europe at CIPE, and Ruslan Stefanov is the Director of the Economic Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) based in Bulgaria, a longstanding partner of CIPE. Stefanov is also a member of the Free Enterprise and Democracy Network (FEDN) through CIPE. Stefanov and Hrvolova discuss CIPE’s corrosive capital work in the Balkans. Stefanov last joined Democracy That Delivers in the summer of 2018,  where he, along with other partners CIPE has in the Balkans, presented the results of their work on Russia’s economic presence in the region. In the first phase of this project (2017-2018), CSD and other CIPE partners from Balkan civil society and media came together to create analyses of Russian economic footprint in the Western Balkans. The results were launched at a U.S. Congressional Helsinki Commission Briefing. Stefanov discusses the work they have accomplished in the last year, and what some of the main challenges and successes have been thus far.

In this Democracy That Delivers podcast, host Ken Jaques is joined by Ryan Musser, Program Officer for Africa at CIPE, and Matthew McLean, Founder and President of Endsight Consulting. In this podcast, they discuss what the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is, what it does, and what criteria MCC looks at when considering funding for countries.  McLean has worked with country governments such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Niger, which has resulted in significant new funding for these countries by helping them qualify for MCC funding. Endsight Consulting is now releasing its "Country Performance Index" that ranks all 54 African countries on their attractiveness for private business and investment. McLean served 20 years in US Government service, including as a White House advisor in the Clinton and Bush administrations.  He was also Chief of Staff and Vice President of MCC during its growth years from 2005-2009. 

On this week's Democracy That Delivers, Ken Jaques is joined by CIPE Program Assistant for Europe, Connor Leach, and special guest, Rastko Petakovic. Petakovic is a Senior Partner at Karanovic Partners specializing in M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions), competition law, and business regulation. Petakovic is also a member of CIPE’s Free Enterprise and Democracy Network (FEDN) in Serbia. Since 2018, CIPE has been working with Libertarian Club Libek (LIBEK), an independent Serbian economic think tank, to enhance public awareness of common economic misconceptions in Serbia by creating a guidebook that examines the underlying economic challenges and puts forward a series of corresponding recommendations. Moving forward, CIPE and its partners will continue their efforts to promote responsible economic policies in Serbia through an enhanced outreach campaign, including on Talas.rs a newly created portal for economic news analysis.

Putin’s Dark Ecosystem is a report that Brian Whitmore, a Senior Fellow & Director of the Russia Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), is currently developing. This report is aimed at answering the question: Why do Russian malign influence campaigns work better in some places than others? On this Democracy that Delivers podcast, Brian Whitmore joins co-hosts Eric Hontz, CIPE’s Program Officer for Eurasia, and Martina Hrvolova, CIPE’s Program Officer for Europe, along with our host Ken Jaques. Together this group of experts discusses Russian malign influence campaigns and how they are developed to undermine democracies and lead people to not trust their institutions in order to achieve foreign policy goals. Russian influence campaigns work in nations that have vulnerabilities such as corruption or polarization, which make populations more susceptible to Russian propaganda and messaging. All thoughts and opinions of guests are their own, and do not represent CIPE's position.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques is joined by CIPE’s Gibson Haynes, and James Reston, a Washington, DC-based researcher, whose work focuses on human rights, corruption, internet freedom, and security. They define some of the risks that the LGBTI+ community face, as well as the intersection between discrimination and corruption. Some topics of discussion include: how inclusive workplaces have higher rates of employee engagement, how criminalization or low levels of protection lead to economic losses and less foreign direct investment, and some solutions for international corporations as well as local businesses moving forward.   Read James’ blog contribution “LGBTI+ Rights and Corruption: What’s the Connection?”      

For International Women’s History Month, Democracy That Delivers will feature podcasts for CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment every week of March. Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, Esq. is an ICT4D expert focused on East African trade and development. Jacqueline most recently served as the Executive Director of Financial Sector Deepening Uganda committed to improving financial market access and competitiveness. Jacqueline also founded and served as Managing Partner of Hoja Law Group and worked in executive-level positions in various African financial institutions including the Central Bank of Zambia. Jacqueline holds a Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne. She frequently speaks at conferences and opines in the media outlets such as the Financial Times, NPR, CNBC Africa, and others on matters related to investment in Africa. Her most recent article on Project Syndicate Banking on Refugees discusses uses of new technology for financial inclusion of refugees. During this podcast, Musiitwa, along with Louisa Tomar, Program Officer, Global Programs, and host Ken Jaques, discuss East and Southern Africa’s e-commerce readiness, financial inclusion, the digital gender divide, and opportunities and barriers to the 4th industrial revolution in Africa. Jacqueline previously shared her expertise with CIPE at the launch of the Digital Economy Enabling Environment Guide: Key Areas of Dialogue for Business and Policymakers in November 2018.

Women encounter similar struggles in both political organizations and business associations when attempting to enter these heavily male-dominated structures. Sandra Pepera Director for Gender, Women, and Democracy at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) is an advocate for gender mainstreaming women into positions of leadership, especially in politics and business. On this episode of Democracy that Delivers, Sandra Pepera joins Barbara Langley, Director of CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and host Ken Jaques, to talk about broader inclusion dynamics in politics and business. Sandra emphasizes that women represent a multitude of identities because women are 50% of all marginalized populations. Unfortunately, women, especially young women and women of color, often become victims of cyberbullying when expressing their political views online. Women leaders are particularly vulnerable to the weaponization of social media, but as we continue to challenge gender roles and expectations we can change the attitude and response towards women leadership.

For International Women’s History Month, Democracy That Delivers will feature podcasts for CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment every week of March.   Robin Runge is the senior gender Specialist at Solidarity Center, another core institute of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). She is an expert on the development of policies and laws domestically and internationally to address the impact that gender-based violence and other equality issues have on women in the workplace. The Equality and Inclusion Department at Solidarity Center works to empower women to be able to confront and challenge global systems that subject them to discrimination in the workplace. During this podcast, Runge, along with Barbara Langley, Director of CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and host Ken Jaques, discuss the effects of violence in the world of work. They discuss the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) new legally binding convention on violence in the workplace, which is expecting an upcoming vote in the summer. The convention would strengthen and advance the #MeToo movement in three important ways.

There is no doubt that anti-corruption practices are an important investment for companies of all sizes. Many transnational companies are investing both time and effort on anti-corruption and compliance for reasons such as fear of being fined, protecting their reputation, or simply believing it is the right thing to do.  In 2018, enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) was at a record high.   William Steinman, one of the leading FCPA lawyers in the U.S. at Steinman & Rodgers LLP, is joined by CIPE Global Program Director Anna Kompanek, and host Ken Jaques. Steinman believes that international business will improve if we continue to encourage and have conversations on anti-corruption practices and compliance with FCPA.

In this Democracy That Delivers podcast, James Muraguri, CEO of the Institute of Public Finance Kenya (IPFK), is joined by Lars Benson, Regional Director for Africa, and host Ken Jaques. IPFK is a current CIPE partner working on budget analysis and budget participation. This is a critical topic relating to advocacy and strengthening the voice of the private sector. Muraguri talks about the effects of devolution in Kenya, which is a form of decentralization that strengthens institutions and improves service delivery and citizen engagement regardless of where you live in Kenya. Corruption is still an issue that needs to be worked on, but Muraguri says that institutions are now much more committed to fighting it, especially on a county-level. “Devolution is the best thing that happened to Kenya, because what happened in the 50 years before devolution was that a huge section of the country was marginalized,” says James Muraguri.

Katrin Kuhlmann, President and Founder of the New Markets Lab (NML) and Lecturer on Law at Harvard University, joins co-host Marc Schleifer and host Ken Jaques in this week’s Democracy that Delivers. Kuhlmann dives into how NML  came to be, and how her early career working in the trade and development sectors shaped what it is today. NML is a non-profit law and development center, and has worked closely with CIPE to develop projects in the field of technology. A recent study co-authored between CIPE and NML titled Digital Economy Enabling Environment Guide: Key Areas of Dialogue for Business and Policymakers was recently released. “In the broader context of some of these pressing development issues, we asked ourselves how could you try to make a difference at an enterprise level, that would then translate all the way back up into these bigger policies?”

There seems to be a perception that democracy is on a decline, but Clay Fuller, a Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute feels this is incorrect. Democracy is not in crisis, instead, we have changed how we see and define it. In short, democracy is the game of rule, while autocracy is the game of survival.  Clay Fuller joins co-host John Morrell, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at CIPE and host Ken Jaques to talk about democratic and nondemocratic governments and how these systems are viewed today. Democracy can be defined as having uncertain political outcomes, having a focus on individual rights, and a focus on transparency and due process. Conversely, authoritarianism has more predictable political outcomes, more focus on collective rights, and a monopoly on political power with a lack of transparency. Listen on to learn more. 

Food is a common language and the Livelihoods Innovation through Food Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project understands the power gastrodiplomacy has of bringing everyone to the table. The LIFE project supports and encourages entrepreneurship, job creation and cross-cultural engagement in the food sector. Joan Nathan, Cookbook Author and Advisory Council member of LIFE Project, and Johanna Mendelson Forman, PhD, Distinguished Fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center and CIPE’s Consortium partner on the LIFE Project, join co-host Stephen Rosenlund and host Ken Jaques to discuss how the LIFE Food Enterprise Center (FEC) is building food businesses and creating sustainable livelihoods in Turkey. These efforts have transformative effects for refugees and their host communities by building relationships through food.

Many observers believe that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a vast, well-laid and finely orchestrated plan to extend Chinese hegemony over much of the developing world. However, some argue that the BRI is just a vision, not a coordinated plan. Andrew Davenport, Chief Operating Officer of RWR Advisory Group, joins Catherine Tai, CIPE’s Asia Program Officer, and host Ken Jaques to discuss the role the Belt Road has in promoting Chinese “corrosive capital.” They discuss the challenges that will likely become more intense in 2019 with regard to Chinese activity in the tech sector. Furthermore, Davenport mentions some of the work RWR has accomplished with their program IntelTrak, which is the most comprehensive global data set of Chinese and Russian business transactions to date.  

Darko Brkan, founding President of Zašto ne, joins host Ken Jaques and Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia Natalia Otel Belan in a timely discussion on the current political and economic landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and what some of the greatest barriers to progress are. Brkan shares his view about the integral position of civil society and the business community, and how Zašto ne’s work contributes to positive change in civic participation. Zašto ne, which means “Why Not” in Croatian, is a Sarajevo-based nongovernmental organization promoting civic activism, government accountability, and the use of digital media to deepen democracy. With CIPE’s support in 2018, Zašto ne launched a Tax Calculator and a Vote-O-Meter, aimed at helping to improve the citizens’ understanding of and interest in economic reforms.

Go around the globe in 30 minutes with Democracy That Delivers host Ken Jaques and three emerging leaders at CIPE: Victoria Tellechea-Rotta, Max Scherzer, and Tracey Fung. The Program Assistants share insight about top CIPE programs and innovations during 2018, as well as information about new endeavors.  Victoria flags ground-breaking anti-corruption and compliance work in Latin America and the Caribbean. Max discusses the transition CIPE has experienced with its various partners in Asia and the Pacific over the past year. Tracey, just back from Papua New Guinea, reveals new details about a cutting-edge women’s economic empowerment program there that may serve as a model in other countries.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques and guest host Marc Schleifer are joined by two guests known for their thought leadership in Impact Investing for a discussion on a recently published report developed in partnership with CIPE. Stephanie Marienau Turpin, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships at FHI360, and Tom Dente, President and CEO of Humentum, bring in their expertise to highlight the influence INGOs have through the emerging practice of Impact Investing, a new form of investment with the goal of yielding social return in addition to financial. Following the first innovative Amplify report, the recently published second iteration, titled Amplifyii: The Next Mile of Impact Investing for INGOs: expands on the role and influence that INGOs have had in Impact Investing. Turpin and Dente also discuss the emerging involvement of the global market in this unique investing model, thinking differently about driving long-term impact, and how this practice may be the most viable solution to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Amplifyii is a joint effort of more than 55 international nongovernmental organizations working together to bring the scale, skills, and resources of the international social sector to amplify the impact of impact investing.

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques is joined by Frank Brown, CIPE’s Director for the Anti-Corruption and Governance Center (ACGC), and guest Jonathan Rusch, lawyer and consultant on corporate-compliance issues, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Rusch is also the editor of Dipping Through Geometries, a blog focusing on law and compliance issues, and the retired Senior Vice President and Head of Anti-Bribery & Corruption Governance at Wells Fargo.   In this special episode, Rusch discusses how organizations, corporations, governments and leaders can achieve a culture of compliance. He also shares his insight on the four steps to moral ambition: compliance moral understanding moral maturity moral ambition

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques is joined by three guests with a strong and diverse background in women’s issues and programming. Valerie Dowling, the Director of the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Women’s Democracy Network, Barbara Langley, CIPE’s Director of the Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Marc Schleifer, former Regional Director of CIPE’s Europe, Eurasia and South Asia department.   Dowling and Langley discuss future plans for joint initiatives in women’s programming between sister institutes IRI and CIPE, stressing that the expertise provided can ensure economic and political empowerment go hand in hand to remove barriers for women around the world. Schleifer discusses his experience working with Selima Ahmad, a long-time CIPE partner who successfully began and now presides over the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI).

This week on Democracy That Delivers, podcast host Ken Jaques is joined by the CEO of Prozorro.Sale, Oleksii Sobolev, and co-host Caroline Elkin, Program Assistant for Eastern Europe & Eurasia. Sobolev discusses his work at Prozorro.Sale, an online platform for public auctions that won the 2018 International Anti-Corruption award from C5 Accelerate and USA Institute of Peace as part of The Shield in the Cloud Innovation Challenge. He describes Prozorro.Sale as “the most transparent auction system in the world.” Looking forward, he hopes to see their work in more regions in Ukraine, and one day around the world.  

Data transparency and access to open data sources have become increasingly timely issues around the world. CIPE Partner On Watch (İzlemedeyiz) is one of the leading organizations in analyzing data to help boost transparency and accountability that promotes capacity building and good governance in Turkey. Baybars Orsek, Chairman of On Watch Association, and Batuhan Ersun, General Coordinator of On Watch Association, join host Ken Jaques to discuss how their replicable association model helps make data more accessible to all citizens.

In this Democracy That Delivers podcast, host Ken Jaques is joined by guest Ann Marie Plubell, EMPEA (Emerging Markets Private Equity Association) Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, and guest host Eric Hontz, CIPE Program Officer for Europe and Eurasia. Ann Marie Plubell discusses the current investment climate in emerging markets, and highlights EMPEA’s approach to promoting the spread of healthy capital conducive to better markets, that increase participation in the economy and foster entrepreneurship.  

Nate Herman, Senior Vice President with the Supply Chain of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), joins host Ken Jaques and guest host Jeanne Cook for a discussion of Herman’s work on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Much of the conversation was spent dissecting various supply chain issues, including the importance of the safety of the product, timely delivery of the product, the workforce environment and quality, as well as traceability.   Herman also emphasizes the three priorities driving AAFA members to become more active in social compliance and similar matters: Legal liability, or complying with the law. Brand reputation in a 24/7 media world. He says: “[Companies] need to be doing the right thing because consumers expect it” The premise of doing the right thing: “Most companies want to do the right thing because it’s good for their business, and in the long-term, good for their bottom line.”   This special Democracy that Delivers podcast is part of an ongoing series organized by CIPE’s Anti-Corruption & Governance Center.

This week, on Democracy that Delivers, CIPE’s Program Officer for Global Programs, Louisa Tomar, joins hosts Ken Jaques and Pamela Kelley-Lauder to discuss the upcoming launch of a new Digital Economy Guidebook co-authored by CIPE and New Markets Lab. Tomar provides some insight as to what CIPE does in the area of digital economy, and why this guidebook is so instrumental when discussing regulations, legality, compliance obligations, and more within the field. She discusses the use of this guidebook, and how CIPE will be co-hosting public-private dialogue forums with local partners to engage business, government and civil society in dialogue on digital transformations in emerging and frontier markets and building a more inclusive digital economy.

Dr. Wenhong Chen, of the University of Texas at Austin, joins Catherine Tai, Program Officer for Asia and the Pacific, and host Ken Jaques in a lively discussion about the future of the technology industry in China. Chen discusses the Chinese strategy for recruiting global talent in the development of prominent apps, both for small enterprises and tech giants like Ali Baba. She explains Chinese government’s strategic influence in promoting job and educational opportunities to fill the famed “AI Gap,” averaging 5 million jobs. Looking forward, Chen says to expect heated competition in Southeast Asia as the region’s market becomes increasingly attractive to Chinese tech giants with a global strategy for the country’s digital transformation and expansion.

The Center for International Private Enterprise’s Assistant Program Officer for Africa, Ryan Musser, joins hosts Ken Jaques and Pam Kelley-Lauder for a discussion on Zimbabwe. Musser illustrates the current situation in Zimbabwe following their recent election cycle, and explains some of the important work CIPE  has accomplished with the informal sector in the country.

On this week’s Democracy that Delivers podcast, CIPE’s Senior Program Officer for South Asia Jennifer Anderson sits in for Ken Jaques to conduct an engaging interview with Ali Salman on the wake of Malaysia’s election upset. After 61 years, Malaysia’s ruling coalition was defeated in the ballots. Salman begins by sharing his experience working on the topic of religion and liberty as a founding member and now CEO of the Islam and Liberty Network, eager to establish a global program to share Islam’s foundations as a proponent for free-trade and market economy. Anderson and Salman then discuss the surprising political change in Malaysia and the role of IDEAS (Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs) in changing the way citizens view government performance, as well as the role of anti-corruption efforts in the region.

On the latest Democracy that Delivers podcast, FHI 360’s Phil Psilos talks about “The Atlas of Innovation for Economic Stability”. Psilos is the non-profit organization’s Asia-Pacific Technical Director for Economic Development and Innovation. Along with host Ken Jaques, and guest host Marc Schleifer, he highlights key entrepreneurial processes, new mobile technologies, and data-driven tools that are fostering stability in fragile and emerging economies. Psilos shares his favorite stories about dozens of innovation projects around the world and explains how his research on entrepreneurial inclusion has progressed over the years.

On this week’s Democracy that Delivers podcast, CIPE’s Ken Jaques and Anna Kompanek sat down with incoming CEO of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, Gerry Zack to discuss how fraud and compliance issues have evolved over the last 30 years. Zack has spent more than 30 years providing services involving the prevention, detection, and investigation of fraud, corruption and noncompliance.

In this latest Democracy that Delivers podcast, Anatoly Motkin, the founder and president of StrategEast, joined CIPE’s Ken Jaques and Maiko Nakagaki to discuss the growth of digital economies in the former Soviet Union. Motkin talks in-depth about the how the recent legislation in Belarus called Decree #8 “On the Digital Economy,” is designed to spur growth in the IT sector through various tax breaks. He also discusses how countries such as Belarus seem to be more advanced in the growth of digital economies than others in the region.

For insight on how some governments are encouraging change in the public and private sectors, CIPE’s Ken Jaques and Tim Ridout interviewed Renato de Oliveira Capanema, Brazil’s Director for Integrity and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Transparency and Office of the Comptroller-General.

Samy Boukaila, the founder of Algeria’s first think tank, CARE, recently sat down with CIPE’s Ken Jaques and Brenna Curti to explain why economic diversification is so critical for the nation and how his organization has pressed the message.

If the intro surprises you, stick with us -- we're welcoming Ken Jaques and Julie Johnson from the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) -- one of the podcast clients of Human Factor Media. They're now up to their 65th show with 7000 listeners! CIPE works to encourage democracy with the aim of making the countries safe for private businesses. The organization is currently working on 100 projects in 50 countries and strives to collaborate with and amplify other groups working towards similar missions.

It's not odd to see Ken smiling. In fact, it's how I most see his face. When he says hello, he's smiling. When you chat with him, his smile invariably creeps up on his face. His smile is infectious and just makes you feel better to be around. What Ken's smile hides is his battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the pain that can travel around his body like that rogue garden gnome.

Have you ever gone through a situation in your life where you've decided to make the huge decision not to accept status quo? Meet Ken Jaques, a successful Burlington businessman, who decided that the health care system didn't have enough wellness in it to overcome the amount of illness. In this two part intro, we'll meet Ken and discuss his time spent in IT consulting and knowing what it takes to grow a successful business and how he's taking on the current health care model.