What's Working in Washington

April Ryan has been the sole African-American female White House correspondent for 25 years, serving five presidential administrations and reporting on critical urban issues. She is also the author of a new book called "Black Women Will Save The World," an homage to Black women's unrivaled contributions to America in the past, present, and future. On today's episode, April shares with Mark her his...

Frances Reimers is the CEO of Firestarter Communications, a sports marketing and public relations agency that helps athletes and coaches build their personal brand. On this episode, Frances joins Mark for a conversation about the changing economics of the sports world, including a major development that allows college athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness - something that in the past...

Jamie Edwards is the author of a travel blog called "I Am Lost and Found," site that grew from a personal record of her favorite adventures into an inspirational hub for other travelers. She explains how her blog encourages readers to explore the intersection of adventure and luxury through stories on where she's wandered, stayed, and feasted throughout the world. From stories of fantastic adventu...

Doug Anderson is the CEO and founder of DCA Live, a company that hosts engaging in-person and virtual events for the people and companies that are driving growth in the D.C. economy. His company has served the private equity, venture capital, tech, real estate, start-up and non-profit business communities since 2014, attracting over 35,000 business professionals. On today's episode, Doug shares ho...

Javier Saade is a founder and managing partner of Impact Master Holdings, a venture partner at Fenway Summer, and a long-time friend of the show. On today's episode, Javier and Mark cover a wide range of hot topics, including SPACS (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies), crypto, FinTech, and venture capital in the Washington D.C. area. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...

Gina Schaefer is the CEO and founder of a chain of hardware stores called A Few Cool Hardware Stores. In fact, there are more than a few - with a total of 14 locations throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia! On today's episode, Gina shares her inspiring story of success, explaining how a unique business model revitalized her urban community and changed hundreds of lives in the process. See Privac...

Patty Simonton, director of Bethesda Green's Be Green Business Program, believes that sustainable companies offer attractive returns to investors and to the planet. At Bethesda Green, Patty and her colleagues work to find, fund, and grow companies who are creating innovative and sustainable solutions to modern challenges. With Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) on the rise, you won't want...

Terry Hsiao is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Marymount University's College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology. On today's episode, Terry breaks down the complexities of cryptocurrency, blockchain, NFTs, and more, explaining how decentralized finance (DeFi), an emerging financial technology that removes third parties in financial transactions, may soon replace banks,...

Kelly Collis is the D.C. Marketing Manager at Alto, a VC-backed rideshare startup that uniquely employs professional drivers operating a fleet of branded vehicles. Unlike traditional rideshare services, which rely on independent contractors, Kelly explains how Alto's unique business model combines traditional employment and consistent branding to create a safe, luxurious, and reliable experience f...

Paige Hopkins is a reporter for Axios DC covering all things transportation, culture, and real estate. In today's conversation, Paige and Mark discuss the things that DC residents care about most. Paige explains what COVID did to DC real estate, reveals interesting elements of the DC social scene, and evaluates the effects of decreased metro ridership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

Mary Abbajay, President and co-founder of Careerstone Group, and Stefan Midford, President and founder of Capango, agree that the workplace is in the midst of a fundamental shift. From the restaurant and retail industry to corporate America, being physically present with colleagues and superiors is essential for career advancement. Don't miss this special mashup episode that compares, contrasts, a...

Richard Levick is the Chairman and CEO of LEVICK, a leading crisis management PR firm based in Washington, D.C.. Richard reminds listeners of the unsettling reality of media: that sometimes, the truth is made by the first person there. Richard describes how his firm advises companies who are struggling with PR issues in which their brand reputation, customers, or profits may be compromised, and ho...

Saba Tshibaka had just 10 seconds to pitch her startup to Pharrell Williams. Now, her company, Rendered, is thriving in the D.C. area and beyond. Listen to Saba’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey to learn how a simple love of thrifting blossomed into a successful sustainable business selling responsibly-sourced clothing and accessories. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...

This week’s episode of What’s Working in Washington is a special collaboration between two brilliant guests - David Goodfriend and Tom Donohue. David, current president of public policy advocacy firm The Goodfriend Group, and Tom, former CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Congress, exemplify how What’s Working in Washington can have very different meanings for very different guests. These two individuals...

Betsy Fischer Martin is the executive director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University in Washington, D.C.. She was previously the executive producer of NBC's Meet the Press for almost 23 years. Betsy is an expert when it comes to political candidates, their exposure to media and how to effectively present their message. She joins Mark for a conversation on the gender imbalanc...

Jonathan Aberman is the Dean of the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology at Marymount University and a long-time friend of What's Working in Washington. On this episode, Jonathan joins Mark for an insightful discussion on the changing role of higher education: what it costs, what it's worth, and what outcomes you can expect from your degree today. See Privacy Policy at https:...

This week's episode is a special mashup of two guests with exceptional success stories, Bettina Stern and Greg Vetter. They're both founders of their own fresh food startups, and really know what it takes to succeed in the food industry. Listen in for the "best of" each of their conversations with Mark, connected by their shared vision of delivering high-quality, fresh food to customers in D.C. an...

Ever wondered what the labels ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ really mean? How about the millions of bacteria that make up your daily probiotic? On this episode, we hear from Ivan Wasserman, one of the nation’s premier attorneys for health, wellness, beauty and other consumer products. As an expert in food law, Ivan untangles the complicated relationship between regulatory agencies, food manufacturers, an...

Josh Kligman is the cofounder and CEO of Yearly, a company that helps nonprofit organizations showcase their impact through digital annual reports. With 1.8 million nonprofits currently operating in America, it can be difficult for any singular organization to stand out. In this episode, Josh explains how Yearly helps nonprofits impress their stakeholders and inspire them to increase their financi...

Corey Briscoe is a managing partner and Chief Operating Officer at ABCD & Company, a full-scale marketing and events agency working with both corporate and nonprofit clients. Corey describes how corporations are getting into the conversation on current social issues, explains the importance of bipartisan infrastructure spending, and shares his hopes for the integration of separate multicultura...

Diane Tomb is the CEO of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), a national trade association consisting of title insurance agents, abstracters, and underwriters representing every county in America. An expert in the real property transaction industry, Diane describes the logistics of obtaining and protecting the title to your home. She reveals that every state has a set of unique documents de...

Karen Wawrzaszek is the D.C. regional president for BNY Mellon Wealth Management and a recognized thought leader in ESG (environmental, social, governance) investing. Karen joins Mark to discuss responsible investing and explain how she invests clients' money profitably while still considering social and environmental issues. She identifies common concerns of the rising generation of wealth owners...

David Jones is a founding partner at Capitol Council, a bipartisan lobbying firm located in Washington, D.C. On today’s episode of What's Working in Washington, David joins Mark to share his experience as a lobbyist and discuss current issues on the Hill. He weighs in on the subject of non-transparent campaign funding, where candidates and issues are funded by untraceable or “dark” money," enablin...

Tien Wong is the CEO of Opus8, a private investment, advisory, and conference management firm located in the Washington, DC area. On this episode of What's Working in Washington, Tien explains the differences in wealth and investing mentality on the East Cost versus the West, discusses what it means to be a venture capitalist, and shares how he separates the 'noise from the signal' in deciding whi...

It all started with a break-in: Greg Vetter’s neighbor simply could not get enough of Greg’s mother’s homemade lemon garlic salad dressing. Soon after, Greg found himself in a Whole Foods holding a Tupperware container of romaine lettuce pitching the world’s best dressing. Today, Tessemae’s Salad Dressings can be found in stores nationwide in delicious varieties from the original lemon garlic to e...