Forking Off

Forking Off
  • 4.6 (9)
  • Government
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast by former feds who got the fork out of government service. In 2025, hosts and former FBI intelligence analysts Jill and Philip Fields joined the exodus of public servants leaving federal service under the deferred resignation program. Conflicted over what to do next, they began encountering other recently departed feds fighting to find their voice. They started Forking Off as a platform to lift them up, preserve the public record, and document the destruction of American governance. Join us the last Tuesday of every month as we share their stories.

  1. 12h ago

    Danielle Carnes Decries the Ugly American

    Growing up in a small town in rural Northern California, Danielle Carnes longed to travel the world and make it a better place. She remembers visiting her grandma's house and seeing an old 1970s world map on the wall with pins showing all the places her grandfather had visited for work. She imagined traveling to new places and wondered about the different people she might meet. While studying international relations at UC Davis, Danielle traveled to Ghana for her study abroad, and it was life-changing. She chose Ghana because it was one of the only affordable programs for a kid from rural America. The people she met told her she didn't act like other Americans; she was different. That's when she realized less affluent people like her don't usually get these opportunities. This experience pushed Danielle to her work at USAID where she served as a Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Officer in Guinea. After the 2024 elections, Danielle thought her work at USAID would continue as it had since the Obama administration. She knew there might be changes because of Project 2025 and DOGE, but Danielle was excited about DOGE. The thought of improving government efficiency was alluring. Danielle quickly realized government efficiency was not the goal. DOGE was a political revenge machine, and USAID was first on the chopping block. This realization was striking given her roots: Danielle grew up in a conservative, evangelical Christian household. She had been a Republican in her younger adulthood. She interned at the Heritage Foundation. But, Danielle is quick to point out, the party moved away from her, not the other way around. Since being forced out at USAID, Danielle has remained active in her community and continues to look for ways to continue public service. She attends the Quaker meeting in Washington, DC. She's a volunteer at the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department and is taking EMT training. Danielle is interested in political writing and engagement and has considered running for office. Highlights & Topics: Civic Roots: Hear how growing up in rural Northern California, a faith-based upbringing, and a life-changing study abroad experience in Ghana shaped Danielle's commitment to public service. Federal Service: Danielle's path from a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) data analyst under the Obama administration through her time as a Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Officer in Guinea and Sierra Leone. DOGE Illusion vs. Reality: Why Danielle initially welcomed efficiency efforts, only to realize DOGE was operating as a political tool aimed at dismantling USAID and eliminating critical foreign aid. Political Evolution: Danielle reflects on her conservative roots, interning at the Heritage Foundation, and watching the party shift away from the principles she supported. Community Service: How Danielle is continuing her mission of public service through her Quaker meeting, EMT training, and volunteering with the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department. Rebuilding Democracy: Danielle's perspective on what real constitutional and systemic reforms would be needed for former civil servants to ever return to government. Additional Resources: Former Feds & Friends: Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn and check out the Former Feds & Friends channel on YouTube. Learn more about this episode on our website. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on Ko-fi, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, DOJ, USAID, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Danielle Carnes Decries the Ugly American

  2. Jun 30

    Jeffrey Sizemore Embarks on the Third Act

    Jeffrey Sizemore spent over two decades serving the United States, first as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer and later as a civil servant at the State Department. As the Senior Advisor on Atrocity Prevention and Deputy Director in the Office of Security and Human Rights, Jeff helped operationalize the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act. He built comprehensive curriculums and traveled globally to train foreign service officers on how to mitigate the risks of mass violence, identify warning signs, and understand what post-conflict justice looks like. When the second Trump administration began in 2025, Jeff watched as assistance for human rights programs was frozen and Reductions-in-Force (RIFs) gutted critical conflict, stabilization, and global criminal justice bureaus. Though Jeff was spared from the RIFs, his office was eliminated, and he was pushed toward a role focused on wielding human rights sanctions against judges and the International Criminal Court. Unwilling to compromise his moral standing or act counter to the very international accountability he had championed, Jeff made the difficult decision to resign in September 2025. Now in his third act, Jeff has taken his expertise to Brisbane, Australia, serving as the Mary Wing-Ming Lee Senior Human Rights Research Fellow at the Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the University of Queensland. He is also a regular host on the YouTube channel Former Feds & Friends, using pop culture and movies like Zootopia 2 to make sense of today’s global challenges. He continues his lifelong mission by educating the next generation of diplomats who will eventually be needed to rebuild these critical global initiatives. Highlights & Topics: Two Decades of Service: Jeff's journey from a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy—deploying to the Middle East and Pacific—to finding his calling at the State Department Operationalizing Prevention: How Jeff built an interagency curriculum to train foreign service officers on justice, human rights, and atrocity prevention under the Elie Wiesel Act Tearing it Down to the Studs: A firsthand account of the 2025 RIFs that eliminated entire bureaus dedicated to conflict stabilization, global criminal justice, and security Crossing the Moral Line: Why Jeff chose to resign rather than weaponize human rights sanctions against the international community The Third Act: Jeff's pivot to educating the next generation of diplomats in Australia and his advice for former feds looking to continue their mission at the state, local, or international NGO level Additional Resources: Former Feds & Friends: Watch Jeff and former guest Madeline Vellturo discuss democracy, stability, and atrocity prevention through the lens of pop culture Civic Match / Work for America: A resource for former federal employees looking to transition their specialized skills and expertise to state and local governments Learn more about this episode on our website. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on Ko-fi, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the State Department, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Jeffrey Sizemore Embarks on the Third Act

  3. May 26

    Michael Duffin Advocates for Feds

    Michael Duffin served as a senior policy advisor at the State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism for 12 years. When he received an invite for a 15-minute meeting titled "Update on the Reorganization," he never suspected it would mark an early end to his career. Michael helped stand up the Office of Countering Violent Extremism (CT/CVE), which led the Department's international engagement and assistance efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring acts of violence. His layoff was part of a wider 'Reduction-in-Force' that impacted 1,107 State Department employees. Since leaving federal service, Michael has taken up the fight for former feds by running for Congress in Virginia's 8th District. Michael is dedicating his campaign to public service and vowing to prioritize the reinstatement of all feds. He also pledged not to accept corporate donations or trade stocks while in office. As a result, Michael faces a huge battle on the campaign trail, but he remains committed to memorializing this moment in time and spreading the message that feds matter, and they're worth fighting for. Highlights & Topics: The 15-Minute Meeting: Hear Michael’s firsthand account of the shock of the reorganization, the "blacklisting" barriers for reentry, and the brain drain at the State Department.Dangerously Unprepared: How the loss of vital CVE programming and decades of experienced leadership leaves the U.S. vulnerable ahead of the 2026 World Cup and America 250 celebrations.The Trust Gap: Why a lack of trust between communities and the federal government severely compromises counterterrorism efforts, and what individuals should do if they see something suspicious at large gatherings.Memorializing the Moment: Why Michael walked out with a "Diplomacy Matters, Feds Matter" sign, his experience taking his story to The Daily Show, and what he hopes his children learn from his fight. Additional Resources: Duffin4VA: Visit Michael's campaign site to learn more about his platform and follow his journey.988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988. Learn more about this episode on our website. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on Ko-fi, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the State Department, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Michael Duffin Advocates for Feds

  4. Apr 28

    Elizabeth Ginexi Defends Science

    Elizabeth Ginexi served as a scientific program official at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for 22 years. During that time, she stewarded taxpayer investments in biomedical and behavioral research. An applied social psychologist by training, Liz's work spanned historic public health initiatives, from building the scientific framework for FDA tobacco regulations to developing non-pharmacological pain treatments for veterans. When the administration began dismantling NIH, Liz took an early retirement rather than comply with antiscientific directives. She's since become a fierce advocate for the Addiction Science Defense Network and scientists everywhere. She's put her analytic talents to work on Substack by writing about the internal collapse of the world's premier biomedical research agency. Highlights & Topics: Liz's Story: Hear Liz’s firsthand account of the coordinated communication freezes, grant cancellations, and assault on career scientists.Near-Term Risk: How the loss of nearly 5,000 NIH employees and the slashing of funding opportunities will gut an industry that generates billions for the U.S. economy.Long-Term Threat: Why the true cost of abandoning biomedical research won’t be visible until future generations lack critical treatments and cures.Call for Advocacy: Why scientists must embrace activism, and how the public and private sectors can step in to sustain U.S. innovation. Additional Resources: Stand Up for Science: Stand Up For Science is a political activism organization dedicated to defending and advancing America’s scientific ecosystem, a cornerstone of democracy, freedom, and progress.Union of Concerned Scientists: The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future. Learn more about this episode on our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on ⁠⁠⁠Ko-fi⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the NIH, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Elizabeth Ginexi Defends Science

  5. Mar 31

    Alec Chapa Builds Community

    Alec Chapa found his ideal role as a conciliator with DOJ's Community Relations Service (CRS). From a young age, Alec was interested in bringing people together to talk through conflict. He was fascinated by Gandhi's strategy of civil disobedience. In 2016, he participated in a private mentorship with Philosopharian in Astoria, Oregon, where he learned about empowering individuals and communities through philosophy. After running his own dispute resolution consulting business for several years, Alec found his dream job with CRS in 2024. When the second Trump administration began, Alec saw CRS sidelined and felt that he and his colleagues were being forced out of their jobs. When the second deferred resignation offer was presented in April 2025, Alec accepted it because he could not afford the risk of staying. After leaving CRS, Alec continued his life's work of helping groups work together more collaboratively, transparently, and effectively. He launched HousingShield, a new housing dispute resolution program, through his company Mosaic Collaborative Consulting. In this episode, we speak with Alec about the void left by the decimation of Community Relations Service and what we can do in its absence. We also provide listeners with actionable advice on how to engage local leaders, preserve digital evidence, and prepare for future reconciliation efforts. Highlights & Topics: Tracking the Exodus: Philip introduces Separation Anxiety, our new data project exploring separations across federal agencies between January 2025 and January 2026. The Legacy and Loss of CRS: A look back at CRS's history of averting violence after Bloody Sunday in Selma in 1965 contrasted against it's loss in 2025 and what that means for cities like Minneapolis. Whistleblower Complaints: Discussion of a recent whistleblower complaint by a former senior CRS official alleging the DOJ misled a federal court regarding the dismantling of the agency. Congressional Pushback: Highlighting Representative Jamie Raskin's letter emphasizing that CRS was built for moments of crisis and could have surged mediators to Minneapolis. Weaponizing 2339a: Concerns over the administration's willingness to pursue 2339a "material support to terrorism" cases against activists and non-profits rather than coming to the table for mediation. Revenge vs. Reconciliation: An argument for removing "retribution" from the journalistic lexicon when describing the administration's actions, identifying it instead as political revenge while advocating for true, measured reconciliation in the future. Historical Activism: Drawing parallels between modern social media and the historic information-sharing tactics of Martin Luther and Alexander Hamilton. Local Engagement & Documenting Injustice: A call to action urging listeners to engage with state and local officials, while also emphasize the importance of actively documenting injustice wherever it is found. Learn more about this episode on our ⁠website⁠. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on ⁠⁠Ko-fi⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠follow us⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Alec Chapa Builds Community

  6. Feb 24

    Dan Tully Talks Elections

    Dan Tully left the U.S. Department of Commerce in protest of the administration's destructive foreign policy approach. Dan's background as a Judge Advocate in the Army Reserve gave him experience advising on counter-Chinese influence efforts in the Indo-Pacific. While Dan was building an anti-corruption program for Ukraine's Ministry of Reconstruction, the administration abandoned critical partnerships, echoed Kremlin talking points, and berated Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House. Dan is now running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Chicago, Illinois, where he hopes to implement his Trump Accountability Plan and restore the rule of law by wielding Congress's power of inherent contempt and puncturing sovereign immunity for federal agents acting outside the scope of the law. As we approach the midterm elections, the election conspiracies of 2020 and 2024 are making a comeback alongside threats of voter suppression and intimidation from the White House and MAGA-sphere. In this episode, we cut through the noise of election conspiracies. We discuss how same-day voter registration led to false claims of "more votes than voters" during the 2024 elections. We also explain how a voter fraud prevention tool led to false claims of one state having "more registered voters than voting-age population." We round out our examination of election fraud conspiracies by explaining why the Election Truth Alliance's conspiracy theories masked as statistical analysis did not prove voter fraud in the 2024 presidential race. We discuss how misinterpreting academic research and ignoring important methodological distinctions to justify demands for hand counts doesn't begin to address the actual threats voters could face at the polls in 2026, such as the weaponization of federal law enforcement as recently seen in Fulton County, Georgia. As the executive branch tramples constitutional boundaries in an effort to centralize power, we discuss the constitutional remedies available to Congress, the States, and the People, as well as legislative proposals that would further strengthen checks on executive power, including the Bivens Act, the Universal Constitutional Remedies Act, and inherent contempt. Finally, we discuss historical precedents that allowed the States to regulate federal law enforcement activity within their borders. We highlight how first principles such as federalism and separation of powers create a system of governance designed to protect the rights of the people. We recently saw this system in action when the Supreme Court ruled on Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump in a 6-3 decision to reject the President's unilateral imposition of tariffs, which are reserved for the contemplative processes of the legislature. Read about Dan's platform on his website or connect with him on LinkedIn. Learn more about this episode on our website. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on ⁠Ko-fi⁠, and ⁠follow us⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the Department of Commerce, the Army Reserve, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Dan Tully Talks Elections

  7. Feb 9 ·  Bonus

    Allan Dinkoff Bears Witness

    Allan Dinkoff didn't plan to bear witness to the destruction of the civil service when he enrolled in the International Center of Photography's documentary photography program, but he couldn't ignore the story of civil servants targeted by the second Trump administration. Allan spent the last year interviewing and photographing over 65 civil servants across at least 19 federal agencies who left their jobs because of the administration. Through his project, Targeted: Portraits of Civil Servants Under Trump, Allan challenges the administration's claim that civil servants are just "collateral damage" caused by a need for efficiency. He tells stories of the resilience he witnessed while interviewing a cross-section of America, and how many of the employees pivoted to new roles. In the wake of Reductions-in-Force at the Department of Health and Human Services, Allan highlights the rapid response effort of wellfed to create a support network for fired feds, and the startup micro-bakery Gingersnap Jess Cookies. Allan's work didn't stop in DC though. He also traveled to Poland to interview former USAID employees who funded their own travel there to assist Ukrainian refugees. More recently, Allan made his way to sunny Los Angeles and sat down with Forking Off hosts Jill and Philip Fields for an in-person interview. Through our discussion, we explored the idea of what it has meant to be an American for the last 250 years and the existential threat authoritarianism imposes on that idea. Allan also delves deeper into our stories by asking some of the questions we never would have thought to ask each other. Check out Allan's portfolio on his website, or connect with him on LinkedIn. Learn more about this episode on our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider leaving a tip on ⁠Ko-fi⁠, and ⁠follow us⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Allan Dinkoff Bears Witness

  8. Jan 20

    Wake the Fork Up

    What the fork!? It's only been a year? This feels more like a post-mortem on the American Experiment than a year-end review. Yes, we're celebrating the fact that we survived an entire year of the second Trump administration's assault on democracy, but we're also bracing for the next three. Last year, we watched as USAID was decimated; domestic terrorists were pardoned; and truth was flipped on its head. This year, we're getting civically fit while embracing the reality that nobody is coming to save us. It's time to wake up, shake off our bias, weigh the facts, challenge authority, resist conformity, and demand accountability. It's time to go forth and do great things. We're not just doing pep talks though. We're sharing tools that everyone can use to navigate this new information environment and build more resilient institutions. Let's start by putting a label on what's really been happening to American society for the last year. The term that came to define Germany in the 1930s, Gleichshaltung loosely translates to synchronization or coordination, but the English language does little to capture it's ambition. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels' vision was synchronization "to the point where the whole nation will think in unison and there will be only one public opinion." It sounds alarmist to describe 2025 with such similarity to German Nazification, but the parallels are undeniable. The reservation comes from the first bias we must address, if we wish to remain a free society. Normalcy bias is often described as a cognitive bias that manifests as a tendency to underestimate the possibility of disaster, believing life will continue as normal, even in the face of overwhelming threats. Let's say it together. The threat is overwhelming. So, who's going to stop it? This leads us to our next bias. The Bystander Effect is a type of cognitive dissonance resulting from the diffusion of responsibility, wherein the more people who are present for an emergency the less likely any one is to intervene. We are seeing this play out across the globe. It's happening on the individual level when law enforcement officers ignore their duty to intervene in the presence of ICE's unchecked abuse of power. It's also happening at the global scale as governments struggle to address the rapid normative shift. Where do we start? The key to challenging the normalization of deviance is learning to spot deception. Even bad lies can greatly disrupt social norms. Identifying techniques to spot deception can make it easier to move forward with confidence. Let's look at a few. MOM: Does the individual have the Motive, Opportunity, and Means to deceive? POP: Is the deception consistent with Past Opposition Practices? MOSES: Is there a concern over the Manipulability of Sources? EVE: What can we learn from the Evaluation of Evidence? When we're told to believe a thing to be true while only being allowed a small subset of facts provided by an administration with a history of deceit, we must proceed with caution. If we can't rely on past sources of information, how can we build resilient institutions? We start by approaching the challenge from a different perspective called outside-in thinking. In addition to sharing the stories of those most closely affected by the administration's assault, we'll also be sharing more tips and practical examples of how we can all build resilience in the coming year. Learn more about this episode on our ⁠website⁠. If you enjoy Forking Off with us, consider supporting us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ko-fi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts. ---------- The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the FBI, the DOJ, the United States, or any past or current employers.

    Wake the Fork Up
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About

A podcast by former feds who got the fork out of government service. In 2025, hosts and former FBI intelligence analysts Jill and Philip Fields joined the exodus of public servants leaving federal service under the deferred resignation program. Conflicted over what to do next, they began encountering other recently departed feds fighting to find their voice. They started Forking Off as a platform to lift them up, preserve the public record, and document the destruction of American governance. Join us the last Tuesday of every month as we share their stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Forking Off
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Forking Off
  • Show Website
    Forking Off

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