Cloud Smart is one of several initiatives underway to boost IT modernization at the Department of Homeland Security. This approach is not only helping DHS better manage and access data, it's also empowering the workforce to make decisions in their environments at a faster pace. DHS CTO David Larrimore has created a Chief Technology Officer Council that will restructure the CTO role to be more grounded in federal IT management. DHS has also leveraged the Cyber Talent Management System to hire a m...
May 10, 2023•44 min•Season 6Ep. 9
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) welcomed a new head of information security in 2023. With over 25 years of experience in enterprise-level digital transformation across federal government, CISO Michele Thomas highlights some of the lessons learned throughout her career, what led her to the agency and how she plans to better secure critical information and systems, as well as advance her unit’s security strategy.
Apr 26, 2023•37 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Women tech leaders across government and industry gathered at GovCIO Media & Research’s annual Women Tech Leaders Summit to discuss how to recruit more women for government tech jobs, market the government mission and government job perks more effectively, and inspire the next generation of women tech leaders through mentorship. This special episode dives into speaker insights from the Defense Department, VA, HHS, FBI and more.
Apr 17, 2023•29 min•Season 6Ep. 7
A State Department-supported effort is bringing together powerful geospatial and satellite data visualization tools to document and assess the impacts of Russia’s war on Ukraine. At the heart of the data behind this effort is Susan Wolfinbarger, team lead for State’s Location-based Observations for Conflict Analysis, Trends, and Evidence (LOCATE) in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. Wolfinbarger details how her interests in geography led to her researching human rights and now...
Apr 11, 2023•28 min•Season 6Ep. 6
At the beginning of the year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released its AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) along with an AI RMF Playbook and an AI RMF Roadmap to guide the future of artificial intelligence development. Chief of Staff of the agency’s Information Technology Laboratory Elham Tabassi explains the framework’s collaborative development and how it incorporates trustworthiness considerations into the design, development, use and evaluation of AI products,...
Mar 30, 2023•14 min
Data touches every aspect of IT, which makes the chief data officer a jack-of-all-trades. SOCOM CDO Dan Folliard is laser-focused on getting SOCOM data-ready for advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). He also discusses how data readiness improves an organization’s overall cybersecurity posture.
Mar 15, 2023•41 min•Season 6Ep. 5
In part two of this interview, National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL) Science-based AI/ML Institute (SAMI) Technical Director Kelly Rose discusses the foundational resources and workflows she’s creating to enable access and partnerships for tech and AI tools. She details how open-source principles and security protocols will be key enablers to responsible AI for environmental missions in the research community.
Mar 10, 2023•29 min
The National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL) Science-based Ai/ML Institute (SAMI) is accelerating applied technology development for clean, efficient and affordable energy production. SAMI Technical Director Kelly Rose breaks down how the institute is using responsible AI in support of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) environmental and social justice strategic objectives. Rose explains how NETL is democratizing access to data through the FAIR data principles and the Energy Data eXchange (E...
Mar 03, 2023•27 min
The Marine Corps is undertaking largescale modernization of its technical capabilities. As Deputy Commandant for Information Lt. Gen. Matthew Glavy puts it, all capabilities cannot be executed without tech especially in an ever-changing environment. Glavy discusses the efforts around computing at the edge, the foundational standpoint of information ahead of the upcoming Marine Corps Warfighting Publication-8 and what all this means for cyberspace operations.
Feb 21, 2023•10 min
DISA’s Hosting and Compute Center (HaCC) is addressing challenges to various cloud capabilities across the Defense Department. Part of this means enhancing the overall customer experience of acquisition and breaking down silos across teams. HaCC Customer Experience Lead Kayne Kreitzer talks everything CX, including the tools that are helping the community navigate the challenging environment of cloud computing and acquisition such as the Account Tracking and Automation Tool (ATAT) and the DISA A...
Feb 16, 2023•9 min
The age of information superiority is more than cybersecurity. For Department of the Navy CIO Aaron Weis, it’s the “golden requirement” to securely move any data from anywhere to anywhere, paving the way for programs like Project Overmatch in the Defense Department’s JADC2 concept. Weis discusses the potential game-changing impacts to data as we know it with technologies like Starlink and emerging foundational AI, as well as how he’s viewing these in the context of the Navy’s approach to tech an...
Feb 16, 2023•15 min
As the Department of the Air Force prepares to release its own zero trust plan just three months after the Pentagon released a department-wide five-year zero trust strategy, Air Force CIO Lauren Knausenberger is focused on reducing technical debt and elevating software factories to bring the Air Force into the future. Software factories can play a role in the implementation of the Defense Department’s Joint All-Domain Command-and-Control (JADC2) concept and integration of the recently awarded Jo...
Feb 15, 2023•59 min•Season 6Ep. 4
NIST and the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force recently released new AI frameworks, which dovetail with the White House’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and the Defense Department’s Responsible AI Strategy. These AI guidance documents outline how to approach AI innovation in an ethical, responsible manner, but also how to develop AI algorithms effectively to meet mission needs. Join our editorial team to learn about how these frameworks and initiatives are impacti...
Feb 01, 2023•27 min•Season 6Ep. 3
2023 will be a major year for the Department of Energy (DOE), which is in the process of implementing new investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. DOE is standing up 60 new programs, and aims to direct 40% of federal investments to underserved communities under President Biden's Justice40 Initiative. From her time as CIO for the EPA to her current role as Energy CIO, Ann Dunkin has been dedicated to sustainability missions. Dunkin breaks down what the future of clean energy will look ...
Jan 18, 2023•31 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) cloud leader Sharon Woods kicks off the new year with an in-depth conversation about the role Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) will play in various concurrent cloud modernization efforts across DOD. She also dives into her journey from law school to defense IT, and offers advice for young women pursuing tech and national security careers.
Jan 04, 2023•31 min•Season 6Ep. 1
The National Science Foundation has a powerful mission to engage and promote innovation within the scientific community. Key to that is enabling a culture that centers around people, not just technology. A longstanding public service leader, CIO Dorothy Aronson says staying up-to-date with the latest technologies is critical to an agency’s success. But getting there means having a flexible IT governance process while also prioritizing people’s happiness. Aronson also highlights HOPPER, an innova...
Dec 21, 2022•25 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Connectivity is an essential component to everything in our daily lives. 5G and Wi-Fi are key enablers for all missions including data access and sharing, data analytics, communication, file transfer, logistics and more. Both 5G and Wi-Fi have separate applications, but both are necessary to ensure seamless operations. ID Technologies and Dell Technologies are tackling this convergence opportunity in the federal government. Jim Rousseau and Chris "CT" Thomas join us to break down the differences...
Dec 19, 2022•37 min•Season 5Ep. 16
As the year comes to an end, we bid adieu to our beloved Flywheel Fridays. Join our co-hosts Deputy Editor Kate Macri and Staff Writer/Researcher Sarah Sybert as they reflect on the most memorable moments and headlines of the year, such as the passage of the PACT Act for veterans, the Defense Department's new zero trust strategy and more. We also discuss leveraging lessons learned from the show for new and improved episodes coming your way across GovCast, CyberCast and HealthCast in 2023.
Dec 02, 2022•14 min
The Department of Veterans Affairs is placing the veteran at the center of every digital service. With the expansion of benefits following the passage of the PACT Act and new tools like VA's Health and Benefits mobile application, customer experience plays a critical role in how veterans access their services. VA's Chief Experience Officer John Boerstler joins us to explain how his agency is listening to the veteran to develop successful digital services and build trust across the community VA s...
Nov 23, 2022•23 min•Season 5Ep. 15
It’s been a busy year for the federal family as agencies accelerate IT modernization efforts. Join Staff Writers Sarah Sybert and Katherine MacPhail at the Thanksgiving dinner table for reflections on the outcomes of those efforts and what they’re thankful for this year. They’ll unpack major initiatives like automation, DEI&A in the workforce, cybersecurity, CX and climate resilience.
Nov 18, 2022•12 min
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ first permanent Chief Data Officer Kshemendra Paul announced last month that he would be leaving VA to become the Department of Energy's new assistant inspector general for cybersecurity assessments and data analysis. Paul reflects on his time as VA CDO, including developing VA's Data Strategy and Roadmap, and left a few words of advice for his successor.
Nov 09, 2022•17 min•Season 5Ep. 14
GovCIO Media & Research has been hard at work covering key events and conferences to keep you informed. Join Deputy Editor Kate Macri and Staff Writer/Researcher Sarah Sybert for our top federal tech takeaways on CyberSatGov, VHA's Innovation Experience (iEX) and FedHealthIT's Women in Leadership Awards. They'll dive into the latest trends around cybersecurity, satellites, encryption, health care innovation and the federal workforce.
Nov 04, 2022•15 min
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently launched its Vision 2022 strategy, which outlines how the agency will approach its widespread IT modernization and digital transformation. Longstanding leader in software and tech development who was behind salvaging HealthCare.gov, CIO Kurt DelBene discusses the agency's continued focus on transparency, the user experience and breaking down silos across the enterprise.
Nov 02, 2022•28 min•Season 5Ep. 13
From 2012 to 2021, data center closures and optimization brought government an estimated 6.6 billion in cost savings and avoidances. Data center and energy management also play a key role in sustainability targets and the Biden administration’s goal to hit net-zero emissions by 2050. General Services Administration (GSA) Director for the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) Thomas Santucci discusses the significant strides made by this program, which sunset from the Federal IT Acquisition ...
Sep 21, 2022•18 min•Season 5Ep. 12
A lot happened in federal IT over summer 2022. Join senior researcher Kate Macri and staff writer/ researcher Sarah Sybert for a recap of some of the top headlines you may have missed on vacation, including updates on the PACT Act, green IT acquisition, JADC2, federal leadership changes and more.
Sep 02, 2022•15 min
From streamlining digital services to incorporating plain language, the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) Office has been working to modernize processes and improve user experience for the 10 million students it serves every year. Margaret Glick, FSA CIO, dives into how her office is working with schools to enhance the aid process and strengthen cybersecurity practices. To sign up and receive FSA’s new cybersecurity newsletter, listeners can email FSASchoolCyberSafety@ed.gov Publi...
Aug 25, 2022•23 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Leaders from across government are turning to strong DevSecOps strategies to shake up the status quo and increase the speed of software development. Our Digital Services: Disruptive DevSecOps virtual event brought together many of these innovators to talk agile methodology, infrastructure support and security, and more. Staff writers Sarah Sybert and Nikki Henderson join Flywheel Fridays to break down the highlights and key takeaways from the virtual event.
Aug 19, 2022•17 min
DAV's 2022 National Convention in Orlando featured an all-star lineup of speakers from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including all three undersecretaries from the agency's benefits, memorial and health arms, as well as Secretary Denis McDonough. The event also happened just days before President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law. Senior Researcher Melissa Harris and Staff Writer Sarah Sybert discuss the top takeaways from the convention and report how these leaders will prepare for an...
Aug 12, 2022•17 min
President Biden's recent executive order on diversity, equity, inclusion and access calls on federal agencies "to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the nation." Department of Veterans Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dewaine Beard, as VA's No. 2 tech chief, discusses how his agency is implementing new workforce initiatives to drive a diverse, innovative culture. He also unpacks VA OIT's tech modernization and "vision-first" priorities ahead.
Aug 09, 2022•27 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Federal IT modernization is a continuous process, and agencies are focusing on the different avenues and strategies they need to pursue to seek improved IT capabilities. Senior Researchers Kate Macri and Melissa Harris break down the top takeaways of the July 28 Blueprints of Tomorrow event featuring civilian and defense federal agencies and their work around data management, foundational tactics, workforce development and more.
Aug 05, 2022•11 min
