From Principles to Practice: Governance Actions That Amplify Human Agency

Submitted by on Tue, 04/28/2026 - 09:29

This blog is part of a multi‑essay series developed in collaboration with the National Academy of Public Administration, authored by Academy Fellow David A. Bray. The blog outlines practical steps for governments to ensure technology expands human agency by emphasizing human‑AI collaboration, preserving choice, and using targeted, flexible governance approaches..

Leadership Stories from the Edge of Uncertainty: A Conversation with Pete Behrens

Submitted by on Mon, 04/27/2026 - 16:30
What if the biggest leadership challenge today isn’t strategy, talent, or even technology? What if it’s uncertainty. Why are traditional leadership models breaking down? What is the difference between leading with authority and leading with trust? Why, in today’s environment, is leadership less about control and more about courage. Join host Michael J.Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Pete Behrens, author of Into the Fog: Leadership Stories from the Edge of Uncertainty.
Broadcast Date: 
Monday, April 27, 2026 - 11:00
Author: 
Pete Behrens
Audio: 
Audio icon peter_behrens_author_podcast_abc.mp3

Supporting Weather Risk Mitigation Using Voluntary Carbon Markets

Submitted by on Mon, 04/27/2026 - 10:38

Blog Authors: Thiago Muller, James Balzer and Roger Spitz

By showcasing innovative, collaborative, and technology-enabled solutions, the Future Shocks initiative surfaces practical strategies for preparedness, response, and adaptation across five key domains: emergency management, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, sustainability, and workforce development.  

The Innovation Adoption Kit - A Data-Driven Playbook for Enterprise IT Modernization in Government

Submitted by on Fri, 04/24/2026 - 17:26

Blog Co-Author: Sara Sayyar, Consultant, Federal HR and Talent Transformation, IBM

That question anchored a recent roundtable  -- hosted by the Foundation for American Innovation and the IBM Center for The Business of Government -- that brought together senior technology, policy, and research leaders from across federal, state, and local government, alongside experts from academia and industry.

Weekly Roundup - April 20-24, 2026

Submitted by on Fri, 04/24/2026 - 13:54

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & AGENTIC TECHNOLOGY

From Promise to Delivery: Dr. Paul Lawrence on the Mission of Serving Veterans

Submitted by on Fri, 04/24/2026 - 11:21

Not many government leaders return to an institution carrying the same sense of mission and unfinished business as Dr. Paul R. Lawrence. Recently, I spoke with him on The Business of Government Hour in his current role as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  A role he had accepted, by his own telling, because the pull of what remained undone was simply too strong to ignore.

Transforming the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: A Conversation with Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of VA

Submitted by on Mon, 04/20/2026 - 10:07
What does it take to lead one of the largest and most complex service organizations in the federal government? What are the VA’s most urgent priorities? How is VA reducing its claims backlog? What will it take to get electronic health record modernization right? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Broadcast Date: 
Monday, April 20, 2026 - 10:04
Author: 
Dr. Paul Lawrence
Audio: 
Audio icon dr_paul_lawrence_podcast_ab.mp3

The Gap Between Hope and Execution: Rethinking the American Safety Net

Submitted by on Thu, 04/16/2026 - 10:27

Clarence Carter has spent 34 years watching the same heartbreak repeat itself. A family in crisis walks through the door of a government office. They need help: real, sustained, life-changing help. What they get instead is a form. Then another form. Then a phone number. Then another office. By the time the system has finished processing them, the moment of intervention has often passed.

Reforming the Human Services Safety Net: A Conversation with Clarence Carter, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Human Services

Submitted by on Mon, 04/13/2026 - 11:18
What would it take to redesign it for outcomes, not just compliance? How is Tennessee leveraging data, digital tools, and emerging technologies like AI to transform the delivery of human services? What can we learn from the new book, Our Net Has Holes In It? Join host Michael J. Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Clarence Carter, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Human Services and author of Our Net Has Holes In It.
Broadcast Date: 
Monday, April 13, 2026 - 09:53
Author: 
Clarence Carter
Audio: 
Audio icon clarence_carter2_podcast_abcd.mp3

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