Brungardt Law's Lagniappe

Maurice A. Brungardt
  • 5.0 (6)
  • GOVERNMENT

A little extra perspective from Brungardt Law conveyed through conversations with individuals of various backgrounds exploring the interplay of practices, policies, and laws with decision making and leadership. An opportunity to learn how to navigate towards productive outcomes as well as appreciate the journey through the experiences and observations of others.

  1. 1D AGO

    Decision-Making Across Institutions: A Conversation with Tim Davis

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." In this episode, we hear from retired U.S. Ambassador Timothy Davis whose career encompassed the Foreign Service and the Marine Corps. Whether he was leading our diplomatic mission in Qatar, serving as executive assistant to several U.S. Secretaries of State, or guiding troops in the field, Ambassador Davis shares lessons learned from over 30 years of public service. Ambassador Davis reflects on the evolution of leadership from the military to diplomacy, where authority gives way to influence, persuasion, and long-term strategy. He offers candid insight into what it means to lead when outcomes are uncertain, decisions have consequences, and success often depends on navigating institutional culture as much as external threats. Ambassador Davis discusses transitioning from military decisiveness to diplomatic patience; how timing, luck, and institutional awareness shape career trajectories; State Department dynamics; misconceptions about the Middle East; as well as the relevance of culture and subnational diplomacy to New Orleans. A conversation on leadership, service, and perspective grounded in experience at the highest levels of government, yet deeply personal in its reflections on purpose and growth.

    1h 7m

  2. APR 28

    Before Jazz, There Was Opera: A Conversation with Sofia Riggio

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." New Orleans has long been a mix of tradition and innovation in the arts. From its early role in shaping opera in the New World to its continued influence across musical genres, the city remains a place where history and ingenuity meet. It is where artists find their means of expression. In this episode, we explore what it takes to build a creative life in the city with Sofia Riggio, a New Orleans–based conductor and soprano whose work reflects both deep classical training and a commitment to contemporary expression. Originally from New York City, Sofia brings a multidisciplinary and linguistic background in operatic and musical theatre performance, combined with experience as an educator working with students of all ages. A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, where she became the first student to complete a master’s degree in conducting. Sofia serves as Co-Director of Symphony of New Orleans (SONO) and choirmaster of The Voices of New Orleans (VONO), where she leads both choral and orchestral performances that blend professional excellence with community accessibility. She represents a new generation of artists navigating multiple roles while maintaining a cohesive artistic identity. Together, we discuss the discipline required to master an art form, the adaptability needed to evolve within it, and the influence of a place in shaping both artistic direction and opportunity. What does it mean to honor tradition without being confined by it? How do emerging artists sustain themselves creatively and professionally? And in a city like New Orleans, how does community shape not just performance, but purpose? This conversation offers a thoughtful look at the mindset and vision required to sustain a life in the arts, while highlighting the broader cultural ecosystem that makes such a path possible.

    1h 16m

  3. APR 21

    Trauma Comes In Many Forms, As Does Healing: A Conversation with Kemmi Sadler

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." In this deeply candid conversation, former Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Kemmi Sadler reflects on a 26-year career spanning local law enforcement, post-9/11 deployments, and high-risk diplomatic assignments overseas. From an officer-involved shooting just days into her law enforcement career to the devastating loss of a colleague in Iraq, Sadler shares how trauma, often unrecognized in the moment, accumulates over time. Yet, this is not just a story about service, it is a story about what happens after. Kemmi discusses survivor’s guilt, moral injury, and the culture of compartmentalization within the first responder community. She explores the long-delayed realization that the job had changed her, and the difficult process of confronting what had been buried for decades. Now the author of From the Badge to the Vine, Kemmi discusses her unconventional path toward healing, the role of vulnerability in leadership, and her goal to create a wellness retreat in the Ozarks for first responders carrying invisible wounds. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is not one-size-fits-all, and that acknowledging the need for it may be the most important step of all.

    1h 18m

  4. APR 14

    Dignity, Dialogue, and Decision-Making: A Conversation with Harry Thomas

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." From a childhood in Harlem and Queens to the highest levels of American diplomacy, retired U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. reflects on a career defined by leadership, resilience, and service. In this conversation, Ambassador Thomas shares how early family influences, lessons from mentors, and firsthand experiences in global crises shaped his approach to decision-making. Ambassador Thomas is a former U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe, and has held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State, including Director General of the Foreign Service and Executive Secretary. He currently serves as a Senior Kissinger Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute. Ambassador Thomas offers candid insights into the realities of diplomacy: balancing American values with strategic interests, engaging difficult counterparts, and leading teams through uncertainty. He also speaks to the personal sacrifices of Foreign Service life, the importance of empathy in leadership, and the enduring belief that most people around the world seek dignity, opportunity, and a voice in their future. This episode is a lesson in leadership grounded in decades of lived experience at the intersection of policy, people, and global events.

    57 min

  5. APR 7

    Culture is Infrastructure and People: A Conversation with Raelle Myrick-Hodges

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." In cities like New Orleans, culture isn’t a luxury—it’s infrastructure and people. Sustaining that infrastructure and retaining the people requires more than creativity. Culture demands leadership, financial discipline, and a willingness to confront hard truths about institutions, communities, and ourselves. In this episode, Raelle Myrick-Hodges, Executive Director of the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans (CACNO), engages in a candid and deeply personal conversation about the realities of leading a cultural institution. She shares her unconventional path from a self-taught artist navigating neurodiversity to founding Azuka Theatre and ultimately stepping into leadership at one of our most prominent arts institutions. Raelle offers a frank look at the pressures facing organizations like the CACNO, from financial constraints and staffing challenges to the lingering weight of institutional history and public perception. Raelle leads beyond the CACNO to explore broader questions: What do arts institutions owe their communities? Why are artists often undervalued as leaders? And how can cities like New Orleans better harness their cultural capital as both an economic engine and a source of civic identity? Throughout, Raelle challenges assumptions—about passion, leadership, and even what it means to be an artist—while emphasizing a central idea: artists are not simply entertainers; they are problem-solvers, builders, and essential contributors to how society functions. This conversation is about people, institutions, and a city that continues to define itself through creativity, risk, and reinvention.

    1h 22m

  6. MAR 31

    From Global Strategy to Local Impact: A Conversation with Mark Wells

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." For years now, transnational activities are increasingly originating at the local level. Foreign relations in furtherance of economic interests are no longer the sole purview of the diplomatic functions of the national government or its embassies abroad. In today's current geopolitical and technological climate, local and state governments are rightfully motivated to be their own advocates on the global stage proactively pursuing opportunities beneficial to their residents rather than await for invitations facilitated at the national level. Sharing his insights regarding the advancement of foreign policy objectives through traditional diplomatic engagements and furtherance of local interests in the international arena is Mark Wells. A former career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Mark previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and held senior diplomatic postings across Latin America and the Middle East, including as Deputy Chief of Mission in Colombia and Peru. Now Director of Global Trade and Investment at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Mark leads efforts to attract foreign investment and expand the state’s international economic footprint.  From navigating complex international environments to attracting major investment at the state level, this conversation offers a practical look at how global dynamics translate into real-world impact at home.

    1h 15m

  7. MAR 26

    The Longest Mural in the U.S.: A Conversation with Jamar Pierre

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." Although leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, we tend to focus on the squares, circles, and triangles while overlooking the trapezoids and rhombi. Although artists are profound influential sources of societal change and positive direction, society tends to equate leaders with those who wield power, possess wealth, or enjoy fame. Nonetheless, artists display a unique understanding of their environment and singlehandedly undertake initiatives many would balk at.  Jamar Pierre is an artist and educator in New Orleans leading the Tchoupitoulas Art Corridor whose mission is to complete what will be the longest mural in the U.S. and provide continuous art education. Jamar leads us through his development as an artist and his singular focus to convey the cultural history of New Orleans through transformation of a concrete flood wall into a visual, colorful tapestry capturing people and events.

    57 min

  8. MAR 19

    We Negotiate to Avoid Catastrophe: A Conversation with Jennie Gromoll

    "Send a text sharing your thoughts about the episode." What does it take to prevent catastrophe in a world where the stakes include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons? This conversation explores the quiet, often unseen work of negotiation that has helped reduce global threats over decades—from Cold War arms control to the dismantlement of weapons programs in regions of conflict. Through an insider’s perspective, the episode examines how trust, verification, patience, and human relationships shape outcomes in high-stakes diplomacy, and why preserving institutional knowledge across generations may be as critical as the agreements themselves. Our guest, Jennie Gromoll, has four decades of experience in U.S. and international weapons of mass destruction (WMD) policymaking. Jennie worked on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons negotiations and dismantlement of WMD programs. She promotes cross-discipline solutions across the international security field, and preserves lessons learned through archival documents and related oral histories. She is a Senior Fellow associated with Sandia National Laboratories, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), and the Odesa Nonproliferation Center (OdCNP). She is on the Board of Trustees of the British American Security Information Council (BASIC).

    1h 14m
See All (38)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

A little extra perspective from Brungardt Law conveyed through conversations with individuals of various backgrounds exploring the interplay of practices, policies, and laws with decision making and leadership. An opportunity to learn how to navigate towards productive outcomes as well as appreciate the journey through the experiences and observations of others.

Information

  • Creator
    Maurice A. Brungardt
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Brungardt Law's Lagniappe
  • Show Website
    Brungardt Law's Lagniappe