Podcasts Podcasts Shows Transition Lab Profiles in Public Service Transition Lab Transition Lab is a must-listen for anyone interested in developing a better understanding of what needs to happen before a president takes office or starts a second term. The second season of Transition Lab explores the connections between transition and democracy and provide analysis of the 2024 transition. August 20, 2024 What can we learn from the 2016 transition? With Ann O’Leary and Rich Bagger We remember the 2016 election as one of the most bruising, knockdown, polarized elections of our time, but behind the scenes, representatives for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were quietly preparing each candidate to transition into office. Today, we speak with Ann O’Leary, co-executive director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project, and Rich Bagger, leader… Listen August 6, 2024 Two parties, too many problems? With Lee Drutman Red versus blue, Republican versus Democrat, liberal versus conservative. Today’s politics are driven by intense partisan conflict, but things haven’t always been this way. In this episode of “Transition Lab,” we talk to Lee Drutman about how our two-party system and winner-take-all elections have inflamed our political divisions. Not to worry, though: He also tells… Listen July 23, 2024 Why should we care about government, anyway? With Eric Liu Once we leave high school social studies behind, government can feel distant, complex, impersonal and overwhelming. On today’s episode of Transition Lab, we talk with Eric Liu, co-founder of Citizen University. Eric established Citizen University to rebuild a civic culture in America and help individuals engage with one another across partisan lines and create positive… Listen July 9, 2024 How Fragile is American Democracy? With Archon Fung As the 2024 presidential election approaches, you can almost feel the tension rising in the air. Today on Transition Lab, we talk with Harvard professor Archon Fung about why political discourse today feels so rough, why our democratic institutions feel so fragile and what we might do about it. Archon Fung is the director of… Listen Load more Profiles in Public Service “Profiles in Public Service” tells stories about unsung public servants who drive government’s most important accomplishments. Our guests include both federal employees and those who directly benefit from their leadership and innovation to demonstrate what federal services and support can mean for local communities. In an age when people continue to hold negative views about government—but also rely on it to solve big problems and crises—the stories we share promise to rebuild faith in the public institution most critical to our democracy. December 1, 2023 A New Mental Health Lifeline for America In 2022, James Wright and Tiffany Russell helped initiate a groundbreaking three-digit voice and text hotline, the 988 Lifeline, that enables individuals in crisis to access trained counselors 24/7 via calls, texts or online chats. In this episode, they are joined by Jennifer Battle, the vice president of community access and engagement at the Harris… Listen November 17, 2023 Modernizing the Asylum Process Experience Michael Boyce is a leading innovator at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, heading up a team that spearheads groundbreaking technological advancements related to asylum filing and overseas refugee cases. In this episode, he is joined by Arianna Miller and Kimberly Odom, two asylum officers working for USCIS who discuss their core responsibilities, the new… Listen July 28, 2023 Building Bridges to Better Infrastructure Since November 2021, public servants have collaborated across state, local and federal government to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—a once-in-a-generation investment of $1.2 trillion to repair, renew and reinvigorate the country’s aging infrastructure. Asma Mirza joins “Profiles in Public Service” as a deputy for implementation management at the White House, where she supports… Listen July 14, 2023 Increasing Accessibility and Inclusion One Library at a Time Jason Broughton and Dominick Spinelli are “living a librarian’s dream” at the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Broughton is the director of the NLS after a long career in librarianship, education and workforce development. Spinelli serves as the head of the NLS’ Collection Development Section, where he leads… Listen Load more