The Government Huddle with Brian Chidester

The Honorable Victor Dominello, former New South Wales Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government and current CEO and co-founder of the Future Government Institute (FGI) joins the show to unpack FGI's framework for how government evolves, from Government 0.0 through Government 4.0. Together we explore why most governments remain stuck in the "clutter era" of 2.0, and why the leap to 3.0...

Amita Prabhu, Senior Engagement Manager with Adobe’s Public Sector Digital Strategy Group joins the show to unpack the findings from the 2026 Digital Government Index (DGI)—Adobe’s annual benchmark of digital maturity across U.S. state governments. This year’s report saw AI readiness added to the index as the digital “front door” shifts from traditional search and government websites toward AI-gen...

Bill Gemza, Deputy CISO and VP of Cybersecurity and Threat Management at Veeam joins the show to explore the growing gap between cyber confidence and proven resilience across federal agencies. Together they unpack why having a recovery plan isn’t the same as knowing it will work when an attack hits—and how AI is making that challenge even more complex. They discuss the rise of “shadow AI,” gaps in...

Mike Hurt, Group Vice President for U.S. Public Sector at ServiceNow joins the show to unpack findings from a new research report on AI adoption across civilian and defense agencies. Together we explore what separates a successful AI deployment from a science experiment, detail the governance infrastructure needed to define where AI makes decisions and where humans stay in the loop, and then discu...

Evan Meyer, GovTech entrepreneur, community advocate, podcast host, and self-proclaimed "civic ninja" joins the show for a thought-provoking conversation about civic engagement, public trust, and the future of local government. Drawing on his experience spanning technology startups, neighborhood leadership, public service, and civic innovation, Evan shares his perspective on why trust in governmen...

Amanda D'Amico, Senior Director of Market Planning for Fraud and Eligibility Solutions at LexisNexis Risk Solutions joins the show to discuss why operational execution—not just understanding policy—will determine success ss Medicaid agencies prepare for the implementation of H.R. 1. We dive into how agencies can balance program integrity with continuity of coverage by modernizing outreach, improvi...

Kate O'Neill, globally recognized tech humanist, strategic advisor to Fortune 500 companies, and author of What Matters Next joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, ethics, and what it truly means to lead with humanity in the age of intelligent machines. We discuss her early days as one of Netflix's first 100 employees to frame what "future readiness" looks like for organizations tod...

Tom Marlow, Managing Director at Dark Wolf Solutions joins the show to discuss the evolution from opportunistic cybercrime to full-scale cyber warfare. Together we break down why today's adversaries aren't just after financial gain, they're positioning inside critical infrastructure, waiting. From the Salt Typhoon intrusions to water treatment plant exploits, the targets have shifted to the very s...

Chris McDermott, Head of Social Security Solutions at LexisNexis Risk Solutions and former federal government leader joins the show to explore the evolving intersection of modernization, customer experience, identity verification, and public trust in government services. Together we unpack why modernization is no longer optional, how agencies can balance security with accessibility, and what it ta...

Regan Riddoch, Senior Director of Product Marketing for GovCon Solutions at Deltek joins the show to unpack findings from the newly released 2026 Deltek GovCon Clarity Study and how AI is transforming the industry. Together we unpack why AI is transforming proposal development and how speed without trusted data creates compliance and credibility risks. We also dive into what the shift toward firm-...

Tim Miller, Global Field CTO and Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at Dataminr joins the show to discuss the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape and what it means for governments and critical infrastructure. Drawing on insights from Dataminr’s latest cyber threat report, he unpacks the widening gap between rising cyber threats and limited cybersecurity staffing with threat actor alerts up 225% ye...

Alan Metzler, Vice President of Department Homeland Security at ITC Federal joins the show to unpack one of the most pressing challenges in government today: aligning emerging technologies with mission outcomes. He shares an insider’s perspective on the complexity of the Department of Homeland Security with agency’s diverse, overlapping missions discusses how all Federal agencies can move beyond “...

Chris Townsend, Global Vice President of Public Sector at Elastic joins the show to explore the evolving intersection of cybersecurity, AI, and data strategy in government. We dive into the shift toward continuous Authority to Operate (ATO) and why real-time, always-on security is becoming essential in an era of AI-powered threats. We also break down how both adversaries and defenders are leveragi...

Sean Clifford, Quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and former Heisman Trophy candidate at Penn State University joins the show to explore leadership under pressure and why those lessons are directly applicable to today’s public sector challenges. As government organizations navigate transformation, workforce shifts, and increasing complexity, this conversation highlights the core leadership tra...

Mark Bentkower, Principal Technologist, Americas at Veeam Software joins the show to unpack what data resilience really means for public sector organizations. Together we explore the shift from traditional compliance checklists to a resilience-first mindset built on zero trust, automation, and cross-functional alignment. He also shares insights into how agencies can move beyond siloed operations a...

Lou Eichenbaum, former Chief Information Security Officer at the U.S. Department of the Interior and current Federal CTO at ColorTokens joins the show for a deep dive into the evolving world of federal cybersecurity. We dive into firsthand insights on what it really means to balance mission enablement with effective risk management and why today’s CISO must act not just as a security expert, but a...

Crosby Burns, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer for Marin County, California joins the show for a candid and forward-looking conversation on what digital innovation really means in government today. Together, we explore how a service-first mindset can help governments balance security, accessibility, and trust in an era increasingly shaped by AI, bots, and new digital entry points. We also di...

Tony Scott, former Federal Chief Information Officer under President Barack Obama and current President & CEO of Intrusion joins the show to give a candid, inside look at how the CIO role has evolved across government and industry—from back-office IT leadership to becoming a critical connector across mission, policy, technology, and organizational strategy. Tony reflects on his time overseeing...

Brenden Elwood, Vice President of Market Research at CivicPlus and a City Councilor in North Bend, Washington joins the show to unpack the latest insights from CivicPlus’ nationwide resident research. We explore what drives citizen satisfaction and trust in local government, from proactive communication to transparent service delivery. We also discuss how accessibility and user experience directly...

Emily Ferris, Director for What Works Cities at Results for America joins the show to discuss how artificial intelligence is impacting cities and what to expect in the future.

Suzanne Boyd, CEO of Anthro-Tech and a pioneer in human-centered design joins the show to share her journey from growing up in a family of entrepreneurs to founding Anthro-Tech in 1997, by blending her love of anthropology with technology to improve lives through thoughtful design. We unpack the evolution and institutionalization of human-centered design, its impact on government and private secto...

Peter O’Donohue, CTO at Tyto Athene, and Gaurav “GP” Pal, Principal at Stack Armor join the show to unpack the future of federal compliance, security, and cloud modernization. From automating risk management frameworks to balancing mission urgency with cybersecurity, the discussion dives into how government and industry can partner to drive efficiency, accountability, and continuous monitoring. Fi...

Dan Wolf, former Deputy CIO for the Commonwealth of Virginia and current Director of State Programs for the Alliance of Digital Innovation returns to the show to unpack some of the most pressing issues shaping state and local government today. From the surge of artificial intelligence legislation sweeping all 50 states, to the rise of cybersecurity mandates like New York’s reporting requirements a...

Dustin Haisler, State and Local Government expert and President of e. Republic joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving landscape of state and local government. Together, we dive into the findings from the 2025 Adobe Digital Government Index and explore the tension between rising citizen expectations and governments’ ability to keep pace. From AI adoption and accessibility ma...

Chris Cullerot, Vice President for Technology and Innovation at iTech AG joins the show to unpack the massive savings potential outlined in a recent GAO report—over $100 billion—through better IT asset management and consolidation. He shares real-world examples of how federal agencies are addressing duplicative systems, overcoming change management hurdles, and building scalable platforms that imp...