What the pandemic taught the U.S. government about getting payments out quickly to the right people, in the right amounts, while trying to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. And what still needs to be done to prevent fraud and distribute payments quickly in the event of a future national emergency. Listen to the discussion with David Mader, former OMB controller, now with Deloitte’s federal government practice.

From MRIs to lasers to electron microscopes—quantum technology is already part of our daily lives. The U.S. has long been the global leader in quantum, but other countries –especially China—are investing in research and making rapid advances. What does the U.S. need to do to maintain its leadership in quantum and what role can policy play in sustaining our strategic competitiveness? Listen to the discussion with Celia Merzbacher of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium and Stu Solomon of Connected DMV.

The pandemic had a huge and lasting impact on the federal workforce and the workplace. Telework and hybrid work are here to stay. Meantime, the ability to recruit qualified and diverse candidates is more important than ever—with baby boomers retiring, and a talent gap in critical areas like cybersecurity. Listen to the discussion with Gene Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government Accountability Office.

The pandemic had a huge and lasting impact on the federal workforce and the workplace. Telework and hybrid work are here to stay. Meantime, the ability to recruit qualified and diverse candidates is more important than ever—with baby boomers retiring, and a talent gap in critical areas like cybersecurity. Listen to the discussion with Gene Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government Accountability Office.

The Pentagon’s 2022 National Defense Strategy emphasizes the need to focus on China and to bolster deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. Technology plays a key role in countering the Chinese—from cyber to AI, to quantum and hypersonics. Meantime, our defense acquisition process needs to incentivize innovation, and to move with more speed and flexibility. Listen to the discussion with Michele Flournoy, former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy; and Keoki Jackson, Senior Vice President and General Manager for MITRE’s National Security Sector.

The COVID pandemic caught the U.S. and the world off guard in 2020. Nearly three years later are we prepared for the next biological threat? Do we have strategies for developing treatments and vaccines and the supply chains to deploy them? Hear from Dr. Julie Gerberding of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health; Dr. Matthew Hepburn, who leads pandemic preparedness for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and Dr. Monique K. Mansoura of MITRE. Mansoura co-led a team that developed MITRE’s 10-point action plan on sustaining a biopharma industrial base to enhance our health, economic and national security. Hepburn leads a White House team that recently published a progress report on the nation’s pandemic preparedness.

The principles of agile government include Innovation, leadership, creating networks and using an evidence-based approach. How can federal agencies develop and execute policies that embrace agility while serving citizens? Insights from Ed DeSeve of the National Academy of Public Administration and the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

What should federal agencies focus on when it comes to delivering better services to taxpayers? What policies have been effective, and what more can be done to support agency leaders? Insights from Ken Corbin, Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer at the IRS, and customer experience consultant Martha Dorris.

How can the federal government foster a culture of innovation—with an eye on delivering better citizen services and driving the economy to compete on a global scale? MITRE’s Jim Cook discusses technology, acquisition, and management issues with Josh Marcuse, former Executive Director of the Defense Innovation Board, now with Google Cloud.

Improving cybersecurity is a Biden Administration priority—outlined in detail in a 2021 Executive Order. Karen Evans, Managing Director at the Cyber Readiness Institute and former CIO at the Department of Homeland Security, discusses what’s different about this administration’s cyber strategy and how it’s being implemented so far.