The GovNavigators Show

Welcome back to The Lending Brief, brought to you by the GovNavigators and sponsored by Allocore . The Lending Brief shares stories of innovation, challenge, and impact in federal lending. In this episode, Allocore Managing Director Ben Wallace joins to discuss how government lending programs can finally catch up to the scale and speed of modern finance. Throughout our conversation, Ben breaks dow...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Ted Kaouk , former Federal Chief Data Officer and (as Adam puts it) the godfather of the federal CDO community. Now founder of Generative Work AI , Ted joins the hosts to discuss how generative AI is transforming the way organizations think, learn, and lead. From his “30 AI apps in 30 days” challenge to lessons from building the CDO Coun...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, ACT-IAC CEO Dave Wennergren sits down with Robert and Adam to talk about how ACT-IAC and similar organizations are staying the course through the recent big shifts in the federal management and technology.  Throughout sweeping cost-cuts, shifting priorities, and the AI wave, Dave and everyone on his team have been helping government and industry chart a path fo...

Welcome to The Lending Brief, a brand new show brought to you by the GovNavigators and sponsored by Allocore . The Lending Brief shares stories of innovation, challenge, and impact in federal lending. Our first guest is Doug Criscitello , former CFO at HUD and SBA, and now a fellow at Arnold Ventures . Doug unpacks how the federal government quietly became one of the world’s largest lenders, and w...

This week on the GovNavigators podcast, Robert and Adam sit down with the newest member of the GovNavigators team, Chief Strategy Officer Hilery Sirpis ! Hilery shares her insight gained from her 27 years helping government contractors connect with public-sector audiences. She shares with the navigators about her love for the state and local market, lessons from launching Route Fifty , and how suc...

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Gordon Gillerman , former Director of the Standards Coordination Office at NIST , to talk about how standards and testing programs quietly keep the federal government and the products it relies on running safely and efficiently. Gordon shares how collaboration between government and industry helps ensure innovation, interoperability, and public trust. Show Note...

This week on the GovNavigators, we bring you a special episode from Celonis’s Process Intelligence Day. we’re taking you inside Celonis Process Intelligence Day—where government and industry leaders shared how data-driven insights are reshaping public sector operations.  Robert and Adam talk with Colin Wardlaw , Gary Wang , Aubrey Vaughn , and Sairah Ijaz about what it takes to modernize legacy sy...

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Oliver Wise , former Chief Data Officer at the Department of Commerce and now Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University. Oliver discusses his experience leading data initiatives across Commerce, including efforts to make federal data usable in an AI-driven world, and explains how local governments can harne...

This week, the GovNavigators sit down with John Marshall and Steve Goodrich of the Shared Services Leadership Coalition to chart the past, present, and what’s next in federal shared services, from payroll consolidation and NASA’s model to today’s QSMOs and a legislative plan to turn modernization from pilots into standard practice. Show Notes SSLC : Shared Services Leadership Coalition NSSC : NASA...

Robert and Adam are sailing solo on this special episode of the GovNavigators Show, featuring an in-depth discussion of recent developments from OPM, OMB, GAO, and more. With the end of the fiscal year fast approaching, the GovNavigators are here to make sense of the storm. Hold on tight! Show Notes:  OPM: New Guidelines for Performance Reviews OMB: Updates to A-11 GAO: New Video Events on the Gov...

This week, the GovNavigators welcome back Charles Cooper of Brumidi Group for a frank look at Congress’s crowded to-do list. From looming shutdown risks, rescissions, and the fight over appropriations to the fate of healthcare extenders, the farm bill, and other expiring programs, Charles explains why the path forward is rockier than ever—and where bipartisan opportunities may still emerge. Show N...

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Anne Meeker , Deputy Director of the PopVox Foundation , for a conversation on making Congress work better. From the overlooked power of casework to AI’s role in shaping legislative oversight, Anne shares how small reforms can strengthen trust and improve service delivery across government. Show Notes OMB: Circular A-11 Circular A-129 GSA: New   ServiceNow Deal...

In this special Labor Day pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert reflect on the importance of the labor movement, tease some big news for the Navigators family, and preview what’s ahead as Congress returns to town. With the fiscal year’s end approaching, expect debates over rescissions, reconciliation, the NDAA, and the President’s Management Agenda—plus the looming possibility...

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Jason Miller , Executive Editor at Federal News Network , for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of federal acquisition and IT leadership. From the long-awaited FAR overhaul and GSA’s contracting shifts to the evolving role of the federal CIO, Jason unpacks what these changes mean for agencies, industry, and small businesses alike. Show Notes OMB:  Improp...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert sit down with George Guszcza , President and CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences, along with Tom Scott and Paul Firth of Alvarez & Marsal, for a timely discussion on modernizing federal real estate. From shifting work patterns and aging infrastructure to public-private partnerships, our guests highlight the challenges and oppo...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam meet with Darren Ash , former federal CIO of multiple agencies, most recently at the Department of the Interior. Ash shares wisdom gained over an expansive career in government, including how IT innovation can transform public service. Show Notes NEW EO: Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking GSA: Adding Leading AI Software to Award Schedule...

Karen Lee , co-founder of FedsForward, joins the GovNavigators to talk about her journey through federal service, the challenges of transitioning in and out of government, and how her organization is building scalable tools to help civil servants navigate career change. Show Notes FedsFoward Website The Data Foundation FCC Rural Healthcare Program Upcoming Events August 5, 2025 Data Foundation’s E...

This week, the GovNavigators sit down with Brian Friel , Co-Founder of BD-Squared , for a discussion on how federal procurement looks in the age of consolidation. An expert in procurement data, Friel offers great insight into how past efficiency efforts have led us to this administration's push to rid the federal government of duplicative and unnecessary contracts.  Show Notes: Leadership sha...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Nick Mastronardi , founder and CEO of Polco  and a former Air Force economist, joins the show to talk about transforming local government with data. Nick shares his journey from national security to civic tech, explains how cities are using performance metrics to make better decisions, and reveals what 400 jurisdictions have taught him about trust, ROI, and the...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert dive in with Eric Leckey, former Associate Administrator for Mission Support at FEMA, about the state of emergency response management. With hurricane season upon us and the administration considering big changes to the agency, Eric reveals how FEMA has adapted overtime, and offers valuable insight into what may be on the agency's horizon....

This week on the GovNavigators Show, former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel joins us to unpack the Trump administration’s rapid-fire push to modernize the IRS—and what gets lost when speed outruns strategy. Drawing on decades of federal service, including senior roles at OMB and DOJ, Danny reflects on his team’s detailed IRS transformation plan, contrasts it with today’s approach, and raises big que...

The GovNavigators prepare for Independence Day weekend in this special pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show. Unfortunately, leadership in Congress likely won't be enjoying the fireworks, as the administration insists everyone stay in town until the "Big, Beautiful Bill" is on the President's desk. Meanwhile, Russ Vought calls for a shakeup in federal auditing, and HUD gets...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Karen Kerrigan, head of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, shares insights from 30 years at the forefront of small business advocacy. From tax uncertainty and regulatory challenges to the promise of technology and smarter federal procurement, Karen breaks down what small businesses need now—and what policymakers can do to help. Show Notes  SBE:...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Doug Criscitello , Program Integrity Fellow at Arnold Ventures , returns to unpack the resurgence of impoundment in the federal budget discourse. Doug sheds light on the Impoundment Control Act’s history and relevance, explains why the GAO is investigating 39 potential violations, and breaks down the tension between Executive authority and the Legislature’s pow...

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Soraya Correa , President and CEO of National Industries for the Blind and a longtime leader in federal acquisition, joins the show to reflect on her career and what's next for procurement reform. Soraya shares stories from her time building the Procurement Innovation Lab at DHS, offers a no-nonsense take on the FAR overhaul, and explains why empowering co...