Start At Zero

Creating simple cybersecurity solutions is important so people will use them. Abhijit Verekar presents James Leslie, a cybersecurity professional and the Chief Information Officer at Cambridge Housing Authority. What people need right now are solutions, not tools. Because they may have all the tools they need but not know how to use them. That’s why human-focused, in-user training is crucial. Anot...

How do you take a system inundated with outdated technology and bring it back to efficiency? You begin a transformation through technology, that’s how. In this episode, Abhijit Verekar gets into an informative conversation with Ivory Mathews, CEO of Columbia Housing, about transforming an antiquated system into a modern, efficient one. Ivory shares the experiences that led to her coming to work wi...

Cybersecurity and enterprise risk may sound like business buzzwords, but they are absolutely crucial to the stability of businesses. With the continuing rise of cyberattacks on businesses, not having a cybersecurity plan is setting yourself up for failure. In this episode, Abhijit Verekar discusses these two crucial elements with Avero Advisors’ Senior Manager, Robert Kornovich. With over two deca...

Internally, the noise is always going to be there in the Government IT—every department has its say. How do you cut through the noise? Today’s guest is Joe LaCroix, the IT Director in the town of Farragut, Tennessee. Joe discusses with Abhijit Verekar how talking to the executive management about the goals of the entire town is an essential first step. Then you try to put the pieces in place for t...

Although rarely talked about, the public housing industry is more than just brick and mortar. In its more profound sense, it is about community building and connectivity. Joining Abhijit Verekar is the Executive Director at the Morristown Housing Authority in Tennessee, Sean Gilbert. He talks about the process of modernization in housing, especially in this time of the pandemic, how to maximize pu...

Most people tend to become a generalist first before diving into being a specialist. So what does it look like when a specialist becomes a generalist? In this episode, Abhijit Verekar invites someone who is on this path. He talks to Christopher Liersaph from Union County, NC, about how he transitioned from being a document management domain specialist to becoming an IT director-level generalist. C...

The public housing industry must not always be about providing amenities to everyone. Instead, it must also be about building communities where people can connect with one another safely and sound. Joining Abhijit Verekar on how this mission can be integrated into the industry is author and advocate for affordable housing and national housing policy reform, Eugene Jones Jr. Eugene shares how PHAs...

A great city manager who pushes its city forward brings innovation at the forefront of what they do. Greg McClain, City Manager for the City of Maryville, Tennessee, is nothing short of being innovative. When he was at the City of Alcoa, he got rid of a T1 line and strung up the first fiber optic cable in the county, keeping it from being left behind. In this episode, he joins Abhijit Verekar to t...

The job of a city manager, for the most part, goes unsung when talking about the scene of local government, but their impact is much greater than people tend to give them credit for. Their invisible hand guides steady progress in a city and makes sure that the day-to-day operations of a city go as smoothly as possible. C. Seth Sumner is the City Manager of Athens, TN. He sits down with Abhijit Ver...

A lot of times, effective leadership entails stepping out of the limelight and away from all the glamor to be able to focus on building the best foundation for your organization to work efficiently. Kimberly Bailey, the Chief Information Officer for the City of Memphis, TN, is such a great leader. She has been able to lead her team successfully, even in a situation where everybody is forced to mak...

Internet and information technology are key factors that cities these days must possess. From various city departments to residential areas, the need for connecting everyone to the web has become a necessity. In this episode, Abhijit Verekar interviews Theogene Melancon, the City Manager of Dayton, Texas. Intending to use tech to make smarter decisions and processes for their city, Theogene talks...

More than helping you become more efficient and get a lot of work done, innovation is all about providing a higher level of service to others. In this episode, host Abhijit Verekar invites Bob Wilson, Assistant City Manager of the City of Johnson City, TN, to discuss how a smart city needs only to do that and not necessarily by having the latest and most advanced technologies. Here, they talk abou...

The term circuit court is usually applied to trial courts of general jurisdiction. Its core concept requires judges to travel to different locales to ensure wide visibility and understanding of cases in a region. However, with the current lockdown procedure right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physically meeting in court poses a challenge. Joining Abhijit Verekar and co-host Mike Caffrey on tod...

A city that thrives is a city that knows how to innovate. In this episode, Abhijit Verekar talks with Brian Platt about how he is fulfilling his role as the City Manager/Business Administrator and the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Jersey City, New Jersey. He talks about what innovation means for cities and shares some of the biggest successes in his municipal career. Putting technology...

City managers and administrators are the key people who connect elected leadership and professional staff to serve a community well. That is why taking on this job is no easy feat. Fortunately, with great people on the position, the vision to serve and build a great community is within reach. Eric Stuckey, City Administrator of the City of Franklin, TN, speaks with host, Abhijit Verekar, about the...

In this technological world, the public sector should find the smartest ways to leverage the latest technology in its efforts to extend quality service to its constituents. What differentiates a smart city from others is not its possession of the most sophisticated technological advancements, but its way of figuring out how to efficiently use what is available to it. In this episode, Abhijit Verek...

When organizations or cities innovate, more often than not, the reason is to provide a better experience for the people. Taking this to one of the busiest facilities in any parts of the world, Abhijit Verekar talks to Trevis Gardner, the Vice President of Operations for the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority in Knoxville, Tennessee and the CIO for the Airport Authority. Here, Trevis shares w...