Former Fed Friday

In this Former Fed Friday episode, Shelley McGuire chats with Mark Junda , Executive Director of Digital Experience at TISTA Science and Technology Corporation and former senior acquisition leader at the VA. With over 20 years in federal service, including roles at the VA TAC, OMB, and USDS, Mark reflects on his journey driving procurement reform, building contracting vehicles like T4 and T4NG, an...

In this Former Fed Friday episode, Hunter Gros sits down with David Gonzalez Rice , Senior VP for Policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition and former Biden-Harris administration appointee. David shares his journey from nonprofit leadership into federal service—and back again—highlighting how his experiences in housing and homelessness shaped national policy. He opens up about the person...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, hosts Shelley McGuire and Hunter Gross sit down with Rob Brown , Senior Vice President of National Security Solutions at Alpha Omega and former CTO of USCIS at DHS. Rob shares his journey from the federal government to industry, reflecting on a decade of leading large-scale IT modernization efforts, cloud adoption, cybersecurity evolution, and building mission...

On this episode of Former Fed Friday, host Shelley McGuire sits down with Thomas Kessler , owner of Kessler Healthcare Consulting and former Senior Advisor at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity. With nearly 37 years of federal service, including 28 at CMS, Tom brings unmatched insight into program integrity, fraud prevention, and the evolving role of technology in Medicare oversight. Tom shares hi...

In this Former Fed Friday episode, Shelley McGuire chats with  Jeffrey Grant , President & Founder of Schedule F Healthcare Strategies and longtime CMS leader, to talk about life after 42 years in government service. From record-setting Marketplace enrollments and navigating tough transitions to building a consultancy that champions former CMS talent, Jeff shares his passion for people, progra...

In this Former Fed Friday conversation, Shelley McGuire sits down with Anita Allen , the fiery redhead you may remember as HHS’s long-time small business specialist for CMS and NIH, now freshly retired and stepping into life as an independent consultant. With over 35 years of federal service under her belt, Anita opens up about her journey, from navigating the sudden closure of much of HHS’s small...

On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire and Hunter Gros dive into the extraordinary journey of John Binks , former Chief of IT Management and Director of Air Operations at FEMA, now serving as Senior Director of Business Development at Titan Technologies. With 41 years of federal service under his belt, John brings unmatched insight into what it means to lead with purpose in both gov...

In this insightful conversation, Shelley McGuire sits down with Donald Bauer , former Chief Technology Officer for Human Resources and Global Talent Management at the U.S. Department of State and now a Partner at Strategic Results Consulting. From writing software for the space shuttle to racing stock cars, Donald dives into the serious business of federal HRIT reform and the lessons learned from...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros chats with guest  Augusto Cangahuala , Principal, Cynuria, who shares his inspiring journey from private sector communications to nearly a decade of federal service—and back again. With a background spanning sales, marketing, IT, and customer experience, Augusto carved out a unique path within agencies like the Peace Corps, EPA, and ACF. He reflect...

From CMS to CEO: Karen Shields on Purposeful Transition and Ethical Leadership In this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire interviews Karen Shields , a veteran with over 30 years in federal government service and current CEO of K Shields Health Tech Consulting. Karen shares her deep knowledge of transitioning from government roles to the private sector, emphasizing the importance of pers...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire sits down with Nicole Mayerhauser , co-founder and COO of Emerald One and a former federal executive with nearly two decades of service. Nicole shares her journey from economist at the Bureau of Economic Analysis to senior leadership at the VA, and now to entrepreneurship. She dives into the importance of outcomes-driven work, building meaningf...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire talks with Phil Surine , former CMS leader and managing President at Medkasa, about key shifts in federal healthcare programs. Phil explains how Medicare Advantage continues to expand, now covering over half of Medicare enrollees, and why contractors should track this trend closely.  He highlights the risk of chasing RFPs tied to declining prog...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, David Blackburn sits down with  Venkat Kodumudi , the Chief Technology Officer at Unissant and former senior leader at TSA. Venkat reflects on his nearly decade-long service at DHS, his smooth but eye-opening transition to the private sector, and the lessons learned along the way. With a deep sense of mission and humility, he shares advice for federal employee...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, host Shelley McGuire chats with Carol Sefret , a newly retired federal leader who spent 37 years at CMS, going all the way back to when it was HCFA. Carol reflects offers honest, practical advice for vendors hoping to work with the government. She explains why showing up unprepared is a nonstarter, what agencies are really looking for during meetings, and how...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, host Hunter Gros sits down with Patrick Eager , a Marine Corps veteran turned government leader and business executive. He is currently the Executive Vice President at Rexley. Patrick’s career spans critical roles in WMD response, federal IT leadership, and business development, offering invaluable insights into navigating both government and private sectors....

In this episode of the Former Fed Friday Podcast, Shelly McGuire sits down with Kai Miller , co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Emerald One, a woman-owned consulting firm serving federal agencies. With over 15 years in government service, spanning NASA to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Kai brings a rare blend of high-level federal insight and grounded leadership to her work. Emerald O...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, host David Blackburn talks with  Sonny Hashmi , Head of Global Public Sector at Unqork, who highlights the unique value federal employees bring to private sector roles. They excel in deep user research, cross-functional project management, and financial analysis but often struggle to translate these skills clearly to employers. Sunny urges companies to engage...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, host Shelley McGuire sits down with Traci Walker , Executive Director of the Digital Services Coalition and founder of Awkward Walker Consulting. Traci brings a fascinating perspective as a former federal contracting officer turned industry bridge-builder, with experience spanning from GSA to the White House and the U.S. Digital Service. She opens up about les...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, host Shelley McGuire welcomes Amy Giardina , former Director at the CMS Division of Payment Models and now VP of Business Development at Optum. Amy brings a rich background from both the public and private sectors, having shaped bundled payment policy at CMS and led geriatric care at Johns Hopkins. Amy dives into the key healthcare priorities of the current ad...

In this episode of Former Fed Fridays, Hunter Gross interviews Bill Pratt, an experienced IT leader who shares his journey from the Navy to leading IT transformations at DHS. Bill emphasizes the need for young professionals to enter government roles, learn from retiring employees, and take on leadership positions.  Bill also highlights the necessity of AI in government solutions, particularly at D...

In this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros chats with Mike Holmes , an executive recruiter specializing in helping senior civil servants, military personnel, and federal law enforcement officers transition into the corporate world. Mike shares his personal journey, from retiring as a lieutenant colonel in Army Military Intelligence to founding his own concierge recruiting firm. Mike breaks...

Making the leap from government to industry—and sometimes back again—can be a complex journey. In this episode of Former Fed Friday, David Blackburn talks with Ratima Kataria, a seasoned growth leader who has navigated both worlds with remarkable success. From her time as Deputy CIO at HRSA to her current role driving strategy for ICF’s Federal Health, Ratima shares invaluable insights on transiti...

On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Mike Pereira sits down with Robert Leahy , a retired federal executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in IT strategy, modernization, and operations at major government agencies like NASA, the IRS, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Now a Strategic Executive Advisor at Accenture Federal Services, Robert shares insights on navigating caree...

Thinking about retiring from federal service? Wondering how to transition smoothly into the private sector? On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire sits down with Monica Padron Harris , a former DHS acquisition expert turned entrepreneur. With over 30 years of experience, Monica shares her journey from government service to launching her own consulting firm, Procurement Pros. From fi...

From the depths of the ocean aboard a Navy submarine to the halls of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bill Ashton ’s career has been nothing short of remarkable. After 23 years in the Navy and 21 years in federal service, Bill dedicated himself to one final mission—ensuring that veterans have access to the benefits and opportunities they deserve. In this episode, Bill shares his unexpected path...