Our government is operating in an era of threats to our democracy, increased partisanship and diminishing public trust – in recent polling by the Partnership for Public Service, only 36% of Americans have a favorable view of the federal government, compared with 58% who have an unfavorable view. At the same time, the federal government is implementing historic investments in infrastructure, climate resiliency and equitable economic recovery.

If we are not able to rebuild the relationship between government and the public it serves, we may miss out on this once-in-a-generation moment for transformational change. 

Join us for the Partnership’s first annual trust summit to discuss the current state of public trust in government, how federal agencies are working to change perceptions and the opportunity for leaders from government, philanthropy, entertainment, media and other sectors to begin rebuilding trust in our government and democracy.

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Date

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Time

9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT

Location

Partnership for Public Service
600 14th Street NW
6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Livestreaming of this event will be available. Login information for virtual attendants will be provided closer to the event date.

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Main Program Details

-Registration and light breakfast

-Welcome

A brief welcome message by Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier.  

-Keynote Fireside Chat: Transforming the Internal Revenue Service

The opening keynote will highlight the importance of trust in government through the lens of the Internal Revenue Service and the agency’s transformation efforts.

Moderator: Neil Irwin, Chief Economic Correspondent, Axios.
Speaker: Danny Werfel, Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service.

-Panel: Perspectives on Rebuilding Trust

Panelists will reflect on the opportunities for federal leaders to improve public trust, including by modernizing government operations and service delivery, better engaging the public, and doing more to tell the story of government’s impact.

Moderator: Sophia Cai, National Politics Reporter, Axios.

Panelists:    

• Amanda Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, US Agency for Global Media.
• Sue Fulton, Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Dr. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, Director, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.

-Breakout Discussions: Dive Deeper on Data & Communications Strategies

Participants will have a choice between two breakout sessions – one on data and one on communications strategies. This time provides space for attendees to learn and discuss challenges and opportunities with fellow attendees.   

Data Session:  

• Richard Coffin, Chief of Research and Advocacy, USAFacts.   

Communication Session:   

• Donna Garland, Deputy Associate Administrator for Client Engagement, General Services Administration. 

-Panel: Shaping the Public’s Relationship with Government

This conversation will explore why it is important to humanize the government and how federal agencies, the media, and other sectors can rebuild the public’s trust by countering harmful narratives about our government and the politization of civil servants.

Moderator: Eugene Scott, Senior Politics Reporter, Axios.  

Panelists:  

• David Bornstein, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Solutions Journalism Network.  
• Peter Lattman, Managing Director, Media, Emerson Collective.  
• Candice McFarlane, Chief Creative Officer, Cinereach. 
• David Shipley, Editorial Page Editor, The Washington Post.  

-Breakout Discussions: Dive Deeper on Data & Communications Strategies

Participants will once again have a choice between two breakout sessions – one on data and one on communications. This time provides space for attendees to learn and discuss challenges and opportunities with fellow attendees.

Public trust data session: 

• Monica Brezzi, Head of Governance Indicators and Performance Division, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Communications session: 

• Carrie Schum, Executive Vice President, Hattaway Communications.  

-Closing

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Questions?

Please contact Lindsay Laferriere at LLaferriere@ourpublicservice.org, if you have any questions about this program.

If you have any accommodation requests or questions about our COVID-19 policy, please contact Maggie Moore at MMoore@ourpublicservice.org.

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