The Government Huddle with Brian Chidester

187: The One with the Federal Platform Playbook

Mia Jordan, Global Go-To-Market Executive at Salesforce and former USDA Chief Information Officer, and Josh Millsapps, CEO of Millsapps, Ballinger & Associates join the show to explore the importance of platform strategies over one-off projects to ultimately drive strategic value for government agencies. Together, we unpack what is driving the rising appetite for change across federal agencies and how to strike the balance between pragmatism and bold innovation. Finally, they offer tactical advice for government leaders navigating leadership turnover, workforce challenges, and policy shifts — emphasizing why it’s time for agencies to “run with scissors” and move fast, even amid ambiguity.

186: The One with the Global National Security Experts

Dr. David Bray, Former Chief Information Officer of the Federal Communications Commission and CEO at Lead Do Adapt Ventures, and the Honorable Ellen McCarthy, former Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research join the show for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the evolving landscape of data, digital trust, and national security. We unpack how the explosion of connected devices, AI-generated content, and synthetic data is reshaping decision-making, security, and public trust at every level of government and society and explore challenges from authenticating digital content to decentralizing emergency response, and the urgent need to empower individuals and local communities in the face of complex, rapidly changing information ecosystems.

Breaking the Huddle: The State of Social Services - Navigating Change to Preserve Critical Programs (Part 3)

Andrew McClanahan, Senior Director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions for Government Relations rejoins for Part Three of the conversation around government program integrity and we tackle the urgent "so what" in today’s government assistance landscape — what can agencies actually do to strengthen their fraud, waste, and abuse defenses amid tightening budgets, AI-driven bot attacks, and mounting operational pressures? We also unpack practical, tech-enabled strategies for modernizing fraud prevention frameworks, streamlining verification processes, and improving both customer experience and staff retention.

185: The One with the Fortinet Global CISO

Jim Richberg, Head of Cyber Policy and Global Field CISO at Fortinet rejoins the show for a timely discussion on the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and we unpack AI’s unprecedented energy demands, its implications on national infrastructure, and the critical cybersecurity considerations government agencies must navigate in this new era. Jim also shares his "Three Rules for Government Technology Transformation," and we explore why education and clear procurement strategies are vital to responsible AI rollout in public sector programs.

Breaking the Huddle: The State of Social Services - Navigating Change to Preserve Critical Programs (Part 2)

Andrew McClanahan, Senior Director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions for Government Relations rejoins for Part Two of the conversation around government program integrity and he unpacks the increasing state responsibilities for service delivery and the tough financial balancing acts agencies face while grappling with program reforms, fraud prevention, and privacy protection. We also discuss Medicaid work requirements, SNAP eligibility controversies and the politics of data sharing and we tackle the practical realities and policy debates shaping public assistance programs today.

184: The One with the “AI First, Human Always” Author

Sandy Carter, Author of the new book “AI First, Human Always Author” and the Chief Operating Officer of Unstoppable Domains joins the show to dive into the inspiration behind her latest book and shares why empathy and people-first strategies are essential for the future of artificial intelligence. We also unpack topics like AI trust gaps around the world, the critical role of human oversight in AI implementations, how small businesses and governments alike can embrace emerging tech, and why AI’s real value lies in transforming — not replacing — human jobs.

183: The One with the BeyondTrust Chief Security Strategist

Kevin Greene, Chief Security Strategist for the Public Sector at BeyondTrust joins the show for a critical conversation on the evolving cybersecurity landscape in government. Together, we explore the mounting pressures government agencies face from increasingly sophisticated threat actors—and the urgent need for a proactive, threat-informed defense strategy. He also shares his perspectives on the critical role of identity security, the complexities of zero trust adoption, and the emerging role of AI and automation in cyber resilience.

Breaking the Huddle: The State of Social Services - Navigating Change to Preserve Critical Programs (Part 1)

Andrew McClenahan, Senior Director of Government Relations at LexisNexis Risk Solutions and former program leader at the Florida Department of Children and Families joins the show to dissect the growing concerns surrounding program integrity and fraud mitigation in federal and state benefit programs. We dive into what’s happening on Capitol Hill—from executive orders and agency mandates to the shifting dynamics of federal-state collaboration—and discuss the implications of recent USDA guidance on eligibility oversight, performance standards, and funding threats for underperforming states—particularly as pandemic relief funds dry up.

182: The One with the Former Octo COO

Jay Shah, former Chief Operating Officer of Octo and now Strategic Advisor at Technomile joins the show to explore how small and mid-sized companies can scale effectively and thrive amid federal market shifts. We also unpack his personal journey from helping build Octo from the ground up to navigating multiple acquisitions and get his candid perspective on the evolving landscape of government contracting, particularly the increasing focus on performance-based acquisition, innovation, and the rising expectations for industry to deliver differentiated value. Finally we dive deep into how tools like Technomile’s platform are equipping businesses to capture growth opportunities with precision, optimize resource alignment, and meet the moment of generational disruption in federal procurement.

181: The One with the Government Workforce Strategist

Mika J. Cross, Public Sector Workforce Transformation Strategist and former Government Executive joins the show to explore the evolving dynamics of the modern government workforce and together we unpack the critical issues surrounding return-to-office mandates, skills-based hiring, generational shifts in workplace expectations. We also dive into what it truly means to build a resilient, future-ready government workforce PLUS the role of data literacy, the challenges of leadership development in the public sector, and how both public and private organizations must adapt to keep pace with the rapid evolution of work.