The Government Huddle with Brian Chidester

The One with the City of San Jose CIO

Jordan Sun, Chief Innovation Officer for the City of San Jose, CA joins the show to talk about how he ended up in government and what it’s like supporting citizens in the heart of Silicon Valley. We also discuss his work with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan supporting crisis response in the face of Taliban and ISIS attacks, how data is allowing him to personalize his service interactions with citizens, and how digital equity is key to the future of San Jose.

The One with the Department of Transportation CTO

Pavan Pidugu, Chief Technology Officer for the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration joins the show to talk about how data is changing the landscape of his organization. We also discuss his experience joining the government during the pandemic after leaving an executive role at Wal-Mart, how his background in CX has helped him in his current role, and what his technology priorities are for FMCSA over the next few years.

The One with the Army Corps of Engineers CIO

Dovarius Peoples, Chief Information Officer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joins the show to discuss how he is helping his organization become more data-driven through cloud modernization. We also discuss the cybersecurity challenges he faces in the role as the Corps adopts zero trust, how he manages the information needs of such a diverse, multi-theater organization, and how IoT is supporting mission outcomes.

The One with the NY Smart Cities Director

Youssef Kalad, former Director of Smart Cities for the State of New York & Program Director for NYCx joins the show to discuss how governments can more effectively leverage technology to support their citizen. We also explore the rise in cyber considerations IoT and digital services and how governments are navigating these challenges.

The One with the Strategic Communications Group CEO

Marc Hausman, CEO of Strategic Communications Group joins the show to discuss some of the key pillars of thought leadership campaigns when targeting government buyers that are more “enlightened” than ever before. We also explore some of the ways to deploy successful agency based marketing campaigns to the public sector, the best types of assets marketers should be prioritizing right now, and what marketers can expect in the coming 12 months.

The One with the TTS Technology Director

Aidan Feldman, Director of Technology for the Technology Transformation Service at GSA joins the show to discuss how his team is support the digital maturity of the U.S. Federal Government through emerging technology adoption. We also explore the role digital equity plays in his strategy, ways TTS is using data to drive modernization, and why how service design needs to be at the heart of government innovation.

The One with the Oman Smart City Lead

Laila Al Hadhrami, head of the national smart cities program from the Government of Oman joins the show to discuss how her smart city strategy impacts the overall Oman Vision 2040 agenda. We also explore ways that Hong Kong and other global cities have inspired their strategy, how security and AI impacts their IoT and data ecosystem, and what she sees as the future of smart cities globally.

The One with the City of Buffalo CSO

Oswaldo Mestre Jr., Chief Service Officer for the City of Buffalo, NY joins the show to discuss how the pandemic impacted citizen service delivery in the new normal. We also explore how he is looking to prioritize resilience as he builds out his future CX strategies, what collaboration looks like with his CIO and CTO at City Hall, and how data is playing a pivotal role in bringing inclusion and digital equity to the citizens of Buffalo.

The One with the U.S. Navy Seal Author

Leif Babin, former U.S. Navy Seal and the author of the best-selling book, “Extreme Ownership” joins the show to discuss the importance of leadership to public and private sector organizations. We also explore how to leverage ‘The Laws of Combat’ and a ‘Mindset for Victory’ while balancing potential leadership dichotomies, plus tactical ways to implement some of these principles into your own organizations.

The One with the New America Fellow

Ayushi Roy, a Fellow at the New America Foundation and Director, State & Local Technology at 18F joins the show to discuss how technology is supporting digital equity in citizen service deployment. We also discuss how governments are prioritizing CX, where organizational leadership should focus when deploying a digital transformation strategy, and lessons she has learned throughout the pandemic.