The Public Service Project

The Public Service Project

di Cait Dallaire

Governo Società e cultura

Stagione 2

On Sacrifice and Celebration with Ambassador Tim Davis

Ambassador Tim Davis' career and life have been extraordinary. He carries with him a collection of memories and experiences that are reminiscent of Forrest Gump, and he also shoulders the weight of loss, grief, and trauma. He's honest about all of it, and at the end of the day, the word he chooses to describe it is celebration. His career has been a celebration of life, a challenge, an adventure, and a profound expression of humanity. His credentials are cool: Recent U.S. Ambassador to Qatar, former Executive Assistant to Secretaries of State Blinken and Pompeo, Consul General in Basra, Special Assistant to Secretary Clinton, Special Presidential Envoy to counter ISIL, and proud U.S. Marine, from a family of veterans. His experiences are unbelievable: from the great pirouette around President Obama, to meeting the late Pope Francis. But his honesty, courage, and vulnerability - particularly in sharing about his experience with trauma and the way it shaped his relationship with work - that's what makes this conversation special. My sincere thanks to Ambassador Davis for participating in this project, and for a lifetime of sacrifice, celebration, and service.

On Heritage and Helping Professions with Christian Loubeau

Christian Loubeau is a former U.S. diplomat, Teach for America public school teacher, and Associate Commissioner in NYC’s Department of Design and Construction. His diplomatic overseas postings included Haiti and Cuba, while his domestic postings included the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in NY, and the Office of Mexican Affairs in Washington, DC. His story is rooted in his multicultural upbringing, his experience being raised by parents in helping professions, and his perseverance - because if at first you don't succeed, apply, apply again! Chris is kind, funny, honest about the gifts and challenges that came along with his work, and clear-eyed about his personal goals and redlines. His warmth and humility are palpable, and he's openly sharing his public service journey, from his "aha" moment in the hills of Lebanon, to his current practice of service outside government. You'll want to be friends with Chris after listening to this one - and he'll probably welcome it!

On Survival and Foreign Assistance with Jessica Benton Cooney

Jessica Benton Cooney is a Senior Strategic Communicator and Storyteller who most recently ran the Communications team for USAID's Bureau of Democracy. Human rights, and Governance. She served with USAID overseas in Afghanistan and Liberia, and before that, with the Peace Corps in El Salvador. On this episode, Jessica is sitting down with us to share the tale of her near death experience in Liberia, her miraculous survival, and her decision to return to Liberia on her own terms. She's also passing along her wisdom on the art of storytelling, particularly when interviewing human rights activists and democracy defenders. AND her cat even weighs in on the power of intuition. We're just a couple of elder millennials, trying to make sense of the world. You don't want to miss this one! For more on Jessica's experience with cerebral malaria and the importance of foreign assistance programs like the Presidential Malaria Initiative, read the article that prompted me to contact Jessica: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5265538-i-survived-cerebral-malaria-but-millions-of-others-wont-without-american-leadership/amp/

On Briefing Books and NextGen Policy with Alia Awadallah

Alia Awadallah is a former U.S. Government official and Policy Analyst focused on the Middle East and Defense Policy. Alia most recently served on Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo's senior leadership team, and before that, as Policy Team Lead and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army. What's extra cool is the fact that Alia has not only worked for the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and State, but also worked on campaigns, at think tanks, AND she found time to create the NextGen Initiative of Foreign Policy for America, because she wants other young leaders to have what they need to launch careers in foreign policy, as well. Alia is the quintessential public servant, and she's giving us a glimpse into the experiences that made her who she is.

On Staff and Stewardship with Vedant Patel

Vedant Patel is a seasoned communications professional, most recently serving as a Spokesperson for the Department of State, and before that, for the White House. On this episode, Vedant walks us through his pivot from aspiring doctor into the world of politics, which initially stressed his parents as much as you'd imagine. He gracefully responds to my probing questions into the future of the Democratic Party, and then we spend some talking about the distinct (and ideally, mutually supportive) roles of political appointees and career public servants. Finally, I ask Vedant the question I have always wondered about being a spokesperson: Doesn't it totally suck being grilled by the press? His answer is unsurprisingly diplomatic.

Stagione 1

On Adaptive Learning and the American Dream with Dr. Dafna Rand

On the final episode of Season 1, Dr. Dafna Rand (Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Fellow at MIT's Center for International Studies, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor) takes us on a journey through space and time, from Europe in the 1930s to Lexington, Massachusetts in the optimistic eras of the 1700s and the 1990s. Through her powerful storytelling, Dr. Rand offers her extensive foreign policy expertise, and a thoughtful, self-reflective, clear assessment of what could change and how if we were to do a little whiteboarding exercise for U.S. foreign policy. We talk about diplomacy as an art and a science, and the need for metrics to drive adaptive learning. Dr. Rand is brilliant, humble, and captivating, and she still believes so deeply in the American dream. This is the perfect end to this season, and bridge into the next.

On Vision and Strategy with Greg Pollock

In this episode, I'm talking with Greg Pollock: Adjunct Professor and former civilian leader at the Pentagon. He shares his thoughts on the implications of climate change on global security, the economic opportunities in climate adaptation, and the need for a clearer strategic vision guiding U.S. foreign policy. We touch on many doomy topics without losing hope that we can better align with our values, better design our vision, better innovate and adapt and practice what we preach.

On Truth and Democracy with Orna Blum

Orna Blum is a recently retired Foreign Service Officer and strategic communications leader with expertise in public diplomacy, media relations, democracy building, and crisis management. She's a creative with #policycred, and she's here to share her own public service story, her thoughts on the ingredients required for a healthy democracy, and her advice on prioritizing and protecting your mental health - especially in public service careers. Listen up if you're mid existential crisis. I promise you'll feel inspired and seen.

On Risks and Resiliencies with D. Wes Rist

D. Wes Rist is a kid from rural Pennsylvania who thought he'd be a doctor, but instead, decided to build a career and a life focused on atrocity prevention. He's worked everywhere from the American Society of International Law, to the Department of State, to the USC Shoah Foundation, and though his work may have taken him far from home, his public service journey has always been rooted in his family, his community, and his upbringing. The world is currently experiencing the highest levels of armed conflict witnessed since the end of WWII, so we're lucky to have Wes here to tell us a bit about the factors that increase the risk of atrocities, and the resiliencies that prevent them. If you're into the idea of averting catastrophe, listen in.

On Growth and Defining Moments with Ned Price

Ned Price served most recently as Deputy to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and before that as State Department Spokesperson. He has also been the Director of Policy and Comms at National Security Action, a Special Assistant to President Obama, a CIA Senior Analyst and Spokesperson, and an NBC News Analyst and Contributor. That's not even his entire professional history, but you get the gist: Ned has lived a life of service, and he's built an incredible career navigating and talking about tough issues. In this episode, Ned reflects on being raised to seek adventure, being shaped by the experience of witnessing 9/11 unfold from his college dorm, and navigating his way from the CIA to Spokesperson - from Spook to SPOX. He encourages us to embrace imperfection as a feature of our democracy, as we endeavor to form a more perfect union, and he shares his optimism about the next generation of public servants.

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