The Point and the Pushback

Episode Overview: In this insightful episode, we welcome back Marc Mealy for another deep dive into the Southeast Asian socio-political and economic landscape. As the first-ever guest on The Point and the Pushback, Marc set a high bar in Season One, Episode One, and now returns to update us on the evolving dynamics within the ASEAN region. Featured Guest: Mr. Marc Mealy Marc Mealy, a seasoned expe...

In this episode, I am honored to have with me a man whose career is a tapestry of service, leadership, and global impact. He has spent over 30 years serving in places that rarely make the news but are important nonetheless.  Joining us this evening is Mr. James T. Ham, a name that resonates with so many here in Washington for his dedication and exemplary service in government. James has recently r...

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to a brand new season of 'The Point and the Pushback.' It's been a while since we last connected, and I'm thrilled to kick off season two with a mission that's both simple and profound – to introduce you to remarkable individuals whom I believe you should know. For our season premiere, I am honored to have a dear friend of mine for the past 2...

We will be back real soon with season #2. Stay tuned!--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support

Ladies and Gentlemen (Listeners both new and old): Season 2 of The Point and the Pushback is coming to you real soon! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcast and STAY TUNED! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support

Listeners, You've been missed but I want you to know that Season 2 of The Point and the Pushback will be back soon!  Please listen wherever you get your podcasts and do not forget to subscribe.  Stay tuned for Season 2 and a continuation of the journey through my database. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support

It is week 15 and we are at the end of season one of The Point and the Pushback.  This week's show is a tribute to all of the talented musicians who contribute so much to the sound and character of the show. One of the goals that I had for the show was to do something very different for Washington DC.  I wanted the show to sound like nothing that I was hearing in the "Podcasphere" a...

On this week’s show we explore the professional journey of one of the many people living and working in Washington as foreign professionals. We hear about the professional journey and experiences of my guest who was born in Malaysia, educated in the United Kingdom and the United States, but has worked her way up the career ladder here in Washington DC.A refreshingly diverse and different perspecti...

This week we travel to Brooklyn to meet my profile of the week, Ms. Nicole M. Lazarre.  She is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for the Urban Resources Institute, the largest domestic violence shelter provider in the United States. Prior to her role at the Urban Resources Institute she served as General Counsel to the National Urban League, one of the legacy civil rights organizati...

In fiscal year 2019, the US government awarded over $590 billion in federal contracts.  The federal government and all of its many departments and agencies have robust procurement programs used to purchase everything from paper plates to stealth planes, from simple screws to space satellites.  There are many "heavy hitters" who get awarded these lucrative contracts every year but there a...

Welcome to Episode 11, “The Producer’s Cut,” a look back at 10 weeks of The Point and the Pushback. We rewind and revisit some of the favorite cuts selected by the producer and host of the show. The “Producer’s Cut” is also a way to say thank you to all of the previous guests and thank you to the committed listeners. It is also a way to allow new listeners to sample the show and encourage them to...

On this week's show we are joined by my profile of the week, Ms. Jenny Town. Jenny is a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and the Director of Stimson’s 38 North Program. Her expertise is in North Korea, US-DPRK relations, US-ROK alliance and Northeast Asia regional security. Ms. Town is also an expert reviewer for Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Index, where she previously worked on th...

This week we are joined by my Profile of the Week, Ms. Tonija Hope Navas, Director of the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University.  Tonija brings over 20 years of professional and lived experiences in international exchange, international education, and programs management. In Episode 9, her professional and life experiences shine bright throughout our discussion about he...

In this episode we continue our narrative journey through the trials and tribulations of Black citizens seeking to exercise their full political and civil rights as citizens in the United States of America.  In this episode we journey from darkness into the light and witness the growing political participation and power of Black Americans.  We open the episode with darkness and faint hope about th...

Joining me on this week’s show is Mr. Kenneth Goodwin Jr., Managing Partner and Founder of Jeanensis Capital Management. In this episode Ken takes the listeners on a fascinating journey through the highlights of his career taking us down to the floor of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, around Japan, and then along for the ride on Wall Street. He is an early adopter of the cryptocurrency revolution, finte...

In honor of Black History Month we travel back to rural Mississippi to meet a force of nature and an immovable advocate for voting rights and justice. My “Profile in Courage” and my “Profile of the Week” is Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer. She began life in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta but brutal and tragic events would eventually take her to the 1964 Democratic National Convention held in Atl...

This week we meet Mr. Paul Kavinoki, Senior Advisor at Bradley, Arant, Boult, Cummings, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama. Paul walks us through his career journey here in Washington and discusses his decision to leave Washington for Birmingham. He takes us on a tour of his new home city and tells us what it is like to be a “two-cities” powerbroker at this stage of his career. We also dive into the theme...

My profile of the week and guest this week is Ms. Maia Hunt Estes, who recently served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Anthony Brown (Maryland - 4th District), and as his Chief of Staff when he was the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. She is now at Invariant government relations firm in Washington DC.Please join me as I discuss the career and life journey of Ms. Maia Hunt Estes.--- Support this...

This week we leave Washington DC behind and head out to Los Angeles for a conversation about technology, Japan, and gaming — and saying NO to life in Washington! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support

This week we talk to Mr. Eric Ham, co-creator and executive producer of the digital TV show The Political Junkies. TV. about his professional journey in Washington DC. In addition to being the profile of the week, Eric also offers his views on a few of the major issues of the past week. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support

Mr. Marc Mealy, the Senior Vice President for Policy at the US-ASEAN Business Council joins The Point and Pushback to discuss his professional journey in Washington DC and discusses the significance of Southeast Asia, business council and trade associations and his views on the things that the incoming Biden Administration should do to re-engage the ASEAN region. Dewardric McNeal, The host of the...

A new inside Washington podcast that will explore the many challenges, highlight the many opportunities, and seek to discover the myriad intersections of people and politics, policy and pop culture in an increasingly interconnected world.--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dewardric-mcneal/support