Smart Women, Smart Power

In April, Host Kathleen McInnis sat down with the Honorable Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of National Defence. The pair discussed a variety of issues important to Canadian defense policy including: Canada’s military posture amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, defense in the Arctic, and the importance of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). In addition, they discussed Minister Anand’s pr...

Host Kathleen McInnis sat down with Lara Seligman, a defense reporter at POLITICO, where she covers the Pentagon. The pair discussed her fruitful career in journalism, in addition to her experience reporting on the fall of Afghanistan in 2021.

In this episode, Host Kathleen McInnis sat down with Shelly O’Neill Stoneman, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for BAE Systems, Inc, for a conversation on her incredible career. The pair discussed Shelly’s time in government before joining BAE Systems, including her role in repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” while the Special Assistant to the President from 2009 to 2011. 

Host Kathleen McInnis was joined by Erin Clancy, Public Policy Manager for Strategic Response Policy at Meta and formerly a Political Advisor and Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State. Together they discussed Erin’s involvement in rescuing the White Helmets out of Syria in 2018, as well as what it’s like to be out in national security. #PrideMonth

Host Kathleen McInnis sat down with the Honorable Shawn G. Skelly, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, for a conversation on her role as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)). In addition, she discussed her decision to endorse the recommendation to require women to register for the Selective Service Sys...

Host Kathleen McInnis spoke with Elizabeth Shackelford, Senior Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and former career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, about her time as a Foreign Service Officer in South Sudan. Together, they looked at her role in extending the United Nation’s patrol and protection of women against South Sudanese security forces.   Please be advised this epis...

In this episode, host Kathleen McInnis sits down for a candid conversation with MP Galyna Mykhailiuk, a Member of the Ukrainian parliament, and Sevgil Musaieva, Editor-in-Chief of Ukrainska Pravda, Ukraine’s largest online newspaper. The discussion is an in-depth look at the reality on the ground in Ukraine, from horrific war crimes to humanitarian catastrophes.   Content Warning: There are conver...

In this episode, Suzanne Spaulding officially passes the Smart Women, Smart Power (SWSP) microphone over to the new director of SWSP, Dr. Kathleen McInnis. But first, Suzanne discusses Kathleen’s fruitful career, her vision for the future of SWSP, and the other work she is planning on tackling while at CSIS.

Suzanne Spaulding was joined by Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker for a conversation on Elizabeth’s incredible career path serving in the CIA, NSA, and the State Bar of California, among other leadership roles. In addition, they discussed public trust in the justice system, as well as what it means to be a mentor.

CSIS Senior Associate Nina Easton spoke with the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Dr. Stacey Dixon for a discussion on the greatest intelligence challenges facing the world today. In addition, the PDDNI discussed her remarkable career path, how the IC is being positioned for the future, as well as how they are promoting competitiveness and innovation.

In the final episode of our Women’s History Month SWSP x Girl Security series, Suzanne Spaulding sat down with Girl Security scholar Amanda Kay and Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit Assistant General Counsel Kemba Eneas Walden. The group discussed diversity and inclusion in the cybersecurity field, digital crimes, and more.

In the third episode of our Women’s History Month SWSP x Girl Security series, Suzanne Spaulding shared the microphone with Girl Security scholar Kelly Huang who interviewed cybersecurity professional and dual Harvard Georgetown MPP/JD Candidate Winnona DeSombre. The group discussed cyberattacks and defense, as well as different pathways to a career in cybersecurity.

In the second episode of our Women’s History Month SWSP x Girl Security series, Suzanne Spaulding is joined by Ilinca Drondoe, Girl Security Scholar, and Molly Kellogg, Gender, Climate and Security Advisor at the United Nations Environment Program. The group discusses the intersection of climate, gender, and security, as well as steps to take to get more involved in climate action.

 In celebration of International Women’s Day, Suzanne Spaulding was joined by the Honorable Michèle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, for a conversation on gender equality and sustainability challenges. In addition, they discussed her participation in an unofficial delegation to Taiwan amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the role China is taking on during this crisis.

In the first episode of our Women’s History Month SWSP x Girl Security series, Suzanne Spaulding is joined by Girl Security scholar Rachel Rochford and retired career diplomat Ambassador Laura Kennedy. The group discusses past and present international relations issues, the role of Foreign Service Officers, and Ambassador Kennedy’s incredible career path.

This week we partnered with #SharetheMicInCyber, where Suzanne Spaulding spoke with Zinet Kemal, Associate Cloud Security Engineer at Best Buy and author of a new children’s book, “Oh, No…Hacked Again!” and Juliet "Jules" Okafor, CEO and Founder of RevolutionCyber. They discussed what led them to the cybersecurity field, their legal backgrounds, the work they do today, and more.

China continues to make headlines, from the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China-Russia relations, and the humanitarian crisis in the Xinjiang region to the future of Taiwan. Suzanne Spaulding spoke with Dr. Bonny Lin, senior fellow for Asian security and director of the China Power Project at CSIS, where they discussed these headlines in more depth.

Suzanne Spaulding spoke with Liz Schrayer, President and CEO of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), whose work focuses on strengthening America’s civilian-led tools — development and diplomacy — alongside defense. The pair discussed the work of the coalition, the role of the U.S. in foreign policy issues, and the value of bipartisanship.

Strategic challenges from Russia and China, the one-year anniversary of January 6, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic set the stage for the defense and security outlook of 2022. Christine Brazeau hosts the next-gen women associates of the CSIS International Security Program, Rose Butchart, Catrina Doxsee, Devi Nair, and Makena Young, for a conversation on national and international security challen...

On the end of the year episode, host Suzanne Spaulding spoke with CSIS experts Dr. Katherine Bliss, Rachel Ellehuus, and Marti Flacks on security and foreign policy challenges the world faced in 2021, from the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines to the fall of Kabul, as well as what to expect in the upcoming year.

Beverly Kirk says farewell to the Smart Women, Smart Power podcast as she departs CSIS in December after five years as the podcast's host. We are excited to announce the new interim director of Smart Women, Smart Power, Suzanne Spaulding. Suzanne is currently a senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and Interna...

In the ninth episode of our new Women in the Military series, host Beverly Kirk spoke with U.S. Air Force Colonel Jenise Carroll who is currently the Commander of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The pair discussed her innovative work with community leadership near the base to provide affordable housing for military families, as well as her work on diversity and inclusion.   

In the eighth episode of our new Women in the Military series, host Beverly Kirk spoke with U.S. Army Reserves Major Asha Castleberry-Hernandez who is currently a senior advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the State Department. The pair discussed defending democracy abroad, strategic competition in the Middle East, and how the United States should engage in the region.

In the seventh episode of our new Women in the Military series, host Beverly Kirk spoke with retired U.S. Marine Corps LtCol Amy McGrath, who has dedicated her life to public service, from the battlefield to running for public office.  She discussed her new book “Honor Bound,” the lessons she has learned as a military officer turned politician, and her work on leadership development for women with...

In the sixth episode of our new Women in the Military series, host Beverly Kirk spoke with two of CSIS’s Military Fellows – Army Colonel Danielle Ngo, who most recently served as Executive Officer for the U.S. Army Office of the Inspector General, and Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Macander, former Battalion Commander of 1st Combat Engineer Battalion. They discussed breaking barriers, the need...