The Department of Defense faces a new cloud challenge that could reshape how the federal government buys technology. Former Pentagon Deputy CIO Rob Carey joins Francis to unpack why the traditional contracting process is slowing innovation — and why the government can’t afford to spend “years and years and years” buying future-looking tech through outdated procurement models.

Carey dives into the Pentagon’s five-phase cybersecurity risk management construct, explaining how artificial intelligence is both a promise and a problem in defending government systems. He discusses the balance between security and affordability, the role of human oversight in cyber operations, and the ever-evolving cost-benefit equation of protecting sensitive data.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

Former Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, Margaret Weichert, joins Francis to break down what happens after a government shutdown — and why the hardest days may come once the doors reopen. With federal employees preparing to return to work, Weichert warns that the road back to “normal” is anything but smooth.

Weichert shares lessons learned from the 2019 shutdown, including how critical early coordination between operating functions was in speeding recovery — and why those lessons need to be applied right now. She explains how furloughs ripple through service delivery, from SNAP benefits to IRS operations, and how delayed or missed deadlines can create long-term programmatic strain.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

In this episode of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, the gears of government are grinding to a halt — and the aftershocks are just beginning. As agencies brace for and recover from a federal shutdown, former Federal CIO Suzette Kent, now CEO of Kent Advisory Services, joins Francis to break down the three critical concepts every leader must master to get government back on track: people, risk, and what’s “on the clock.” Kent reveals how to prioritize the citizens and federal employees most affected, assess hidden vulnerabilities that emerge when offices go dark, and manage the time-sensitive tasks that can make or break mission success once operations resume. Drawing on her firsthand experience navigating the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Kent shares real-world lessons on cross-agency dependencies, payroll chaos, contractor disruptions, and cybersecurity blind spots that can spiral out of control if not addressed immediately.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

On this edition of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, the future of federal work gets personal — literally. Imagine joining the federal government and being assigned your very own agentic AI assistant — one that stays with you throughout your entire career. It helps with your HR questions, training reminders, and even job recommendations, all tied to your unique federal ID and email. Former OPM Chief Information Officer Melvin Brown joins Francis to explore how this idea could revolutionize federal employment, turning decades-old systems into intelligent, adaptive tools that grow alongside each employee.

Brown explains why post-shutdown recovery isn’t just about restarting operations but reimagining them. From modernizing back-office HR systems to creating enterprise-wide consistency, Brown emphasizes empathy, agility, and “strategic triage” as key to rebuilding smarter. He also argues that government IT modernization isn’t about technology alone — it’s about transforming the business of IT with unified strategies, cloud migration, and data standardization.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

This episode of Fed Gov Today, sponsored by Broadcom, dives into the critical front line of modern defense—endpoint security. Francis talks with Garrett Lee, Regional Vice President for Public Sector in Broadcom’s Enterprise Security Group, about how the Department of Defense is rethinking cybersecurity from the ground up. Lee explains that in today’s digital battlespace, the most vulnerable target isn’t always the jet in the sky but the laptop in the hangar.

You’ll learn how the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is tackling this challenge by automating lower-level cyber tasks and deploying endpoint detection solutions that work across massive, complex environments—including those without constant internet access. The conversation explores why “good enough” security isn’t enough, how compliance often falls short of true protection, and what zero trust really looks like in action.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

On this edition of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, former NASA Chief Data Officer Ron Thompson sees a potential silver lining in the ongoing government shutdown — a chance to rebuild. Ron reflects on lessons from the 1995 shutdown and explains why today’s federal leaders have a unique opportunity to modernize their operating models. He shares how agencies can use this disruption as an inflection point to realign missions, rebuild trust, and bring in transformative technologies like AI and automation to deliver better outcomes for citizens.

You’ll learn how leaders can support frazzled teams returning from furlough, providing empathy and stability while embracing innovation. Ron argues that automation shouldn’t be feared but embraced as a tool to elevate human work, not replace it.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

Francis sits down with George Kaczmarskyj, Principal for Government and Public Sector at EY, to discuss how federal agencies can transform their workflows with automation and AI—without falling into the trap of “automating a mess.” You’ll learn how early automation efforts often rushed to apply technology to outdated or inefficient processes, and why success today depends on stepping back to reassess and redesign before automating. He highlights how a process-first mindset, rather than a tool-first approach, enables agencies to eliminate unnecessary steps, optimize outcomes, and ensure that humans remain involved where it matters most.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.