The GovNavigators Show

Adam

Welcome, everyone, to the The GovNavigators Show - a government focused show that won’t make you seasick. We hope to enlighten and enliven your week with news and insightful, entertaining guests all on the topic of government management.Check out more at www.govnavigators.com 

  1. 6D AGO

    Pop-up Episode: Mele Kalikimaka from the GovNavigators!

    In this special Christmas pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam close out a truly wild year in government with reflections, gratitude, and a well-earned holiday sendoff. We raise a glass to the remarkable career of Gene Dodaro, who is retiring after more than five decades of public service, including 15 years as Comptroller General of the United States. Additionally, we've got an update on all the year-end developments affecting the federal workforce, including holiday leave, pay adjustments, military compensation decisions, and the ever-present tension between appropriations law and executive branch flexibility. We wish you all a happy holidays, and we'll see you in 2026- Mele Kalikimaka! Show Notes: GAO:  Comptroller General Gene Dodaro's final testimonyDodaro's "exit interview" with Government ExecutiveNDAA: Summary

    10 min

  2. DEC 15

    Nick Hart on the Power of Good Data in Government

    This week, the GovNavigators sit down with our good friend Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on why government data matters more than most people realize, and why it so often goes unnoticed until it’s at risk. Nick walks through the launch of the People’s Data 100, a new initiative designed to surface and celebrate the most valuable public-sector data assets. He explains how fragile these “invisible infrastructure” systems can be, why low public engagement puts critical datasets at risk of elimination, and what it really takes — people, resources, and data hygiene — to keep high-value data usable, trustworthy, and fit for purpose. The conversation also explores the state of data governance heading into 2026, including implementation of the Evidence Act, responsible and ethical data use, and the upcoming launch of the Data Foundation’s Evidence Act Hub, aimed at making it easier for agencies, researchers, and the public to navigate the federal evidence ecosystem. In the news, Robert and Adam unpack the release of the administration’s long-awaited President’s Management Agenda, debate what its slimmed-down framework signals for federal priorities, and break down new developments on AI governance, federal real estate optimization, and the always-moving pieces of year-end legislation and management reform. Show Notes: OMB: President's Management Agenda (Finally!) EO: Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence Data Foundation: Evidence Act HubPress ReleasePeople's Data 100What's on the GovNavigators Radar: Dec 16-17: SAP Public Sector Summit Dec 16: AGA’s Smart Start Breakfast ForumForum IT 100 Awards Dec 17: AGA’s Wake Up Wednesday: Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs: Process Mining in Government

    30 min
  3. The Lending Brief: Kate Aaby on Breaking Silos and Modernizing Federal Lending

    DEC 10

    The Lending Brief: Kate Aaby on Breaking Silos and Modernizing Federal Lending

    In this episode of The Lending Brief (sponsored by Allocore), former SBA CFO and Associate Administrator Kate Aaby joins to unpack what it really takes to manage and modernize one of the federal government’s largest loan portfolios. Drawing on experience at OMB, in the private sector, and on the front lines of pandemic lending, Kate reflects on lessons learned from moving $1 trillion in assistance to small businesses, and what’s still holding federal credit programs back. She discusses why performance and risk management should be inseparable, how fragmented eligibility systems erode trust, and why true modernization will require CFOs, CIOs, and program leaders to work together across agency lines. The conversation explores the need for shared platforms, better data transparency, and a cultural shift toward collaboration, all to better serve borrowers and safeguard taxpayer dollars. Want more from The Lending Brief? Check out The Lending Brief Newsletter

    15 min

  4. DEC 8

    Saving the Tech Modernization Fund with Ross Nodurft

    This week, the GovNavigators welcome Ross Nodurft, Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation, for a timely conversation on the future of federal IT modernization and the urgent fight to save the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) before its December expiration. Ross breaks down how the TMF has quietly become one of the federal government’s most effective tools for paying down tech debt, funding everything from Treasury network modernization to AI-powered disability processing at Social Security. He explains why TMF doesn’t require new appropriations to survive, where bipartisan momentum stands on Capitol Hill, and what agency leaders, industry partners, and advocates can do right now to push reauthorization across the finish line. In the news, we've got GAO’s alarming findings on fraud in CMS’s healthcare subsidies, the Justice Department’s investigation into the SBA’s 8(a) program, and new momentum behind the SAMOSA Act, which would overhaul how agencies buy and manage software. Show Notes: TMF: More on the importance of renewal GAO: CMS healthcare subsidies report SBA: Investigating 8(a) participants SAMOSA: Act advances in the House What's on the GovNavigators Radar: Dec 9: ACT-IAC Disruptive Technology Forum Dec 11:  State IT Modernization Summit (Virtual)ATARC CIO Summit

    25 min

  5. DEC 1

    Sairah Ijaz on Rebuilding Government Through Better Processes

    This week, the GovNavigators sit down with Sairah Ijaz, Managing Director at Celonis and former federal CIO to talk about her path from a GS-5 intern with a clipboard to one of the most influential technology executives in government. Sairah shares how early roles at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Social Security Administration, and GAO shaped her obsession with process improvement, and why that made her move to Celonis such a natural next step. She reflects on major transitions at HUD, including financial system migrations, data-driven decision-making, and the sometimes chaotic reality of inheriting undocumented processes and shrinking institutional knowledge. The conversation dives deep on where AI is actually delivering value in government (and where it isn’t), how agencies can operationalize AI in back-office functions, and why understanding real workflows is essential to transforming federal operations, especially in a moment of leadership churn and rapid change. Show Notes: Genesis Mission: EO AGA: CFO Survey What's on the GovNavigators Radar: Dec 1-3: PSC Vision Conference Dec 4-5: ACT-IAC's in DC

    27 min

  6. NOV 24

    Pop-up Episode: Happy Thanksgiving from the GovNavigators!

    The GovNavigators drop in with a special Thanksgiving pop-up to talk shutdown aftershocks, the rocky restart for federal employees and contractors, and what the latest CR means for the months ahead. Robert and Adam also recap the launch of the GovNavigators Network and touch on OPM’s new executive-training curriculum and Congress’s surprisingly light work schedule. A quick holiday check-in full of federal-management insights and a little gratitude for the GovNavigators community. Show Notes: GovNavigators Network Launch: Press Release OPM: New Development Programs Memo What's on the GovNavigators Radar: Dec 4-5: ACT-IAC's in DC

    8 min

  7. NOV 17

    Love Rutledge on Life After DOD and the Future of Federal Talent

    This week, the GovNavigators welcome Love Rutledge, host of the Fed Upward Podcast and recently retired Senior Executive from the Department of Defense. From her start as a GS-7 working two jobs to leading readiness and talent initiatives at the Pentagon, Love shares lessons from 25 years in federal service—and why she’s optimistic about what comes next. The conversation covers the latest DOD acquisition reforms, the perennial push for a clean audit, and the need for smarter, more flexible civilian personnel systems that make it easier to bring great people in (and back) to government. Plus, Love talks about how the challenges of paid parental leave inspired her to start Fed Upward and why so many feds are now seeking community through peer-to-peer networks. Also this week: the government reopens after 43 days, a new Center for U.S. Lending launches under Doug Criscitello, and the White House issues an executive order to improve benefits delivery for American families. Show Notes: SOW (née Secretary of Defense): Acquisition demo Center for U.S. Lending: Launch What's on the GovNavigators Radar: Nov 18: DefenseOne’s State of Defense Business Acquisition Summit  Dec 4-5: ACT-IAC's ELC in DC!

    28 min
  8. The Lending Brief Podcast: Ben Wallace on Modernizing Federal Loan Systems

    NOV 12

    The Lending Brief Podcast: Ben Wallace on Modernizing Federal Loan Systems

    Welcome back to The Lending Brief, brought to you by the GovNavigators and sponsored by Allocore. The Lending Brief shares stories of innovation, challenge, and impact in federal lending. In this episode, Allocore Managing Director Ben Wallace joins to discuss how government lending programs can finally catch up to the scale and speed of modern finance. Throughout our conversation, Ben breaks down what it really takes to modernize loan origination and servicing across agencies like SBA, USDA, DOE, and VA. He shares insights from decades of federal financial-system reform, lessons from recent platform integrations, and the steps needed to make lending both efficient and equitable. Want more from The Lending Brief? Check out The Lending Brief Newsletter

    20 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Welcome, everyone, to the The GovNavigators Show - a government focused show that won’t make you seasick. We hope to enlighten and enliven your week with news and insightful, entertaining guests all on the topic of government management.Check out more at www.govnavigators.com 

Information

  • Creator
    Adam
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The GovNavigators Show
  • Show Website
    The GovNavigators Show

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