Former Fed Friday

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Listen in as hosts Mike Pereira, Hunter Gros, Shelley McGuire, or David Blackburn, this podcast explores the journeys, challenges, and successes of transitioning from the federal workforce to the private sector.

  1. Legacy, Leadership, and the Leap Beyond Government with Calvin Mitchell

    MAY 8 ·  VIDEO

    Legacy, Leadership, and the Leap Beyond Government with Calvin Mitchell

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros and Shelley McGuire catch up with Calvin Mitchell, Senior Director, Acquisition Strategy and Engagement, GDIT, shares how an unexpected push from his mom launched a 20-year federal career that spanned weapons systems, disaster response, Capitol Hill, and the Department of Education, ultimately rising to Deputy Assistant Secretary. Along the way, he reveals the pivotal moments, bold decisions, and leadership lessons that shaped his path. Now on the industry side with GDIT, Calvin offers a candid look at the realities of transitioning out of government, debunks common misconceptions about federal procurement, and shares why relationships, not just resumes, are the key to success. He also opens up about what surprised him most on the other side, including the pace, the empathy, and the mission-driven mindset that still carries through. To connect with Calvin visit him on LinkedIn here. Learn more about GDIT by visiting their website here.

    31 min
  2. AI, Oversight, and Blind Spots: Rethinking Program Integrity with J29’s Ashley Badami Sponsored by vTech Solution

    APR 24 ·  VIDEO

    AI, Oversight, and Blind Spots: Rethinking Program Integrity with J29’s Ashley Badami Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, the conversation highlights Ashley Badami’s transition from CMS leadership into industry and her continued focus on program integrity with J29. Through a series of targeted questions, the hosts explore her perspective on AI’s role in detecting fraud, waste, and abuse, where current policies fall short, and what blind spots still exist in the system. They also ask her to weigh in on the effectiveness of different oversight approaches, prior authorization, prepayment, and postpayment review, and how each fits into the broader strategy. The discussion centers on Ashley’s unique vantage point as both a former CMS insider and current industry leader, offering insight into how the system works today and where it still needs to evolve. To connect with Ashley visit her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about J29 by visiting their website here. Don't know vTech yet? You should as vTech Solution is a trailblazer in the IT services domain with key offerings that include Digital Modernization, including Application Modernization; Managed Cloud infrastructure; and Cybersecurity. Learn more about vTech Solution here.

    14 min
  3. Inside Federal IT Modernization with Larry Bafundo Sponsored by vTech Solution

    APR 10 ·  VIDEO

    Inside Federal IT Modernization with Larry Bafundo Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros and Shelley McGuire sit down with Larry Bafundo, founder of Commonwealth Digital and a longtime leader in civic technology, government innovation, and digital service design. With more than a decade of experience across government, nonprofits, and the private sector, including roles as an SES-level leader, product leader at 18F and Code for America, and advisor to Fortune 100 companies, Larry brings deep expertise in digital strategy, human-centered design, and public-sector technology transformation. His career highlights include launching and designing Los Angeles County’s new voting system in 2016 and partnering with leading design firm IDEO on innovation initiatives. Drawing on Larry's broad experience across federal, state, and civic technology ecosystems, the conversation explores several key questions shaping government modernization today.  Larry weighs in on recent changes across the civic tech landscape, including the evolution of programs like 18F, USDS, and the IRS Direct File initiative, and what lessons the broader technology community should take away from those shifts. Finally, the conversation turns to his newest venture, Commonwealth Digital, where he is asked how organizations can become more outcome-driven in their technology investments and what challenges states and mission-driven organizations face as they navigate modernization with tighter funding and evolving policy environments. To connect with Larry, visit him on LinkedIn here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page. Thank you to our sponsor vTech Solution.

    22 min
  4. Better Solutions Start with Better Questions with Merri-Ellen James Sponsored by vTech Solution

    MAR 27 ·  VIDEO

    Better Solutions Start with Better Questions with Merri-Ellen James Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros and Shelley McGuire welcomes Merri-Ellen James, former CMS leader and now Client Relations Executive at RELI Group who shares insights shaped by more than two decades leading complex healthcare programs, technology initiatives, and fraud prevention efforts. Drawing on her experience across government and industry, she unpacks how effective problem-solving starts with strong communication, deep understanding of the environment, and taking the time to identify what you don’t know before jumping to solutions. The conversation explores the shift from federal to industry perspectives, the importance of aligning solutions with real agency constraints, and how cross-program collaboration can unlock smarter, more scalable approaches. From practical lessons on stakeholder alignment to the importance of continuously “checking back” on shared definitions and goals, this episode offers a grounded look at what it really takes to deliver mission-focused, sustainable solutions in today’s federal landscape. To connect with Merri-Ellen visit her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about RELI Group by visiting their website here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page. Thank you to our sponsor vTech Solution.

    22 min
  5. The Hidden Mechanics of Federal Acquisition with Mahesh Choksi Sponsored by vTech Solution

    MAR 13 ·  VIDEO

    The Hidden Mechanics of Federal Acquisition with Mahesh Choksi Sponsored by vTech Solution

    Mahesh Choksi joins the Former Fed Friday podcast with Shelley McGuire to share insights from more than two decades of experience driving procurement transformation and technology modernization across federal health agencies, including FDA, CDC, NIH, and CMS. Drawing on his time leading high-stakes initiatives and enterprise acquisition frameworks at HHS agencies, Mahesh discusses what contractors often misunderstand about how federal acquisition decisions are actually made—highlighting the internal processes, program office dynamics, and timing of engagement that shape opportunities long before an RFP is released. The conversation explores emerging acquisition trends across federal health organizations and where the biggest opportunities may lie in the coming years. Mahesh examines shifts toward modular, cloud-native, and interoperable platforms, as well as the growing role of data infrastructure and AI across agencies like VA, CMS, FDA, NIH, and DHA. He also shares his perspective on how procurement strategies, contract vehicles, and small business dynamics are evolving in the current federal environment. To connect with Mahesh visit him on LinkedIn here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page. Thank you to our sponsor vTech Solution.

    31 min
  6. Stop Chasing Shiny Objects: Winning in the New GovCon Era with Jaime Gracia Sponsored by vTech Solution

    FEB 27 ·  VIDEO

    Stop Chasing Shiny Objects: Winning in the New GovCon Era with Jaime Gracia Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Hunter Gros and Shelley McGuire have a conversation with ⁠Jaime Gracia⁠, former Federal Procurement Executive at the Department of State and now director at The Wolverine Group. He offers a look at what’s really changing in federal acquisition. With all the buzz around AI, FAR 2.0, and procurement reform, Jaime separates hype from reality. He explains why outcome-based contracting is gaining traction, but why most agencies won’t transform overnight. He dives into the gap between policy and execution, the continued influence of risk aversion, and the operational strain facing today’s acquisition workforce. Jaime also delivers practical advice for industry: stop chasing shiny objects, focus on quantified past performance, strengthen subcontracting and teaming strategies, and deeply understand how your target agencies actually buy. As consolidation grows and small business pathways evolve, positioning yourself as a safe, innovative partner is more important than ever. For companies navigating uncertainty in GovCon, this conversation provides grounded insight from someone who has led procurement from the inside and now helps shape its future. To connect with Jaime visit him on LinkedIn ⁠here⁠. Learn more about The Wolverine Group by visiting their website ⁠here⁠. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page ⁠here⁠. To view all of our podcast series, visit our ⁠podcast page⁠. Thank you to our sponsor ⁠vTech Solution⁠.

    35 min
  7. Still Serving the CMS Mission with Melissa Moreno Sponsored by vTech Solution

    FEB 13 ·  VIDEO

    Still Serving the CMS Mission with Melissa Moreno Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, Shelley McGuire welcomes Melissa Moreno, co-founder and principal of Medicare Knowledge Partners (MKP) and a longtime former CMS leader. After more than 15 years at CMS, spanning regulatory work, plan engagement, and agency-wide communications and training, Melissa shares how her deep institutional knowledge shaped her decision to launch MKP and continue serving the CMS mission from outside government. The conversation explores what it really means to transition from federal service into the contracting world, why former feds play a critical role in helping contractors navigate CMS programs, and how insider perspective can bridge gaps between policy intent and real-world execution. Melissa discusses the challenges contractors face when interpreting CMS priorities, the impact of recent organizational and leadership changes, and why the current environment presents a rare opportunity to leverage decades of institutional expertise now entering the private sector. To connect with Melissa visit her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Medicare Knowledge Partners (MKP) by visiting their website here.

    17 min
  8. Continuing the Mission: Kelly Murray on Critical Infrastructure and Risk Sponsored by vTech Solution

    JAN 30 ·  VIDEO

    Continuing the Mission: Kelly Murray on Critical Infrastructure and Risk Sponsored by vTech Solution

    On this episode of Former Fed Friday, hosts Hunter Gros sits down with Kelly Murray, former Associate Director for Chemical Security at the Department of Homeland Security and current President of Resilience and Risk Solutions, as well as a Principal at Deepwater Point & Associates. Kelly reflects on a career that spanned decades in homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, and public–private partnership, including her leadership of the globally recognized Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards program. The conversation explores what drew Kelly into federal service, how her career evolved from the private sector into government leadership, and what motivated her recent transition back into industry. Hunter asks what excites her most about this new chapter, particularly as government priorities shift and long-standing partnership structures change. Kelly also shares candid insights on navigating career transitions out of government, addressing common misconceptions about pace and workload, and reflecting on the emotional and professional challenges many former feds face when stepping away from public service. The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on rediscovering purpose, embracing change, and finding opportunity in uncertainty—all while continuing to serve the mission of protecting critical infrastructure and national security. To connect with Kelly visit her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Deep Water Point & Associates by visiting their website here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page. Thank you to our sponsor vTech Solution.

    20 min
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About

Listen in as hosts Mike Pereira, Hunter Gros, Shelley McGuire, or David Blackburn, this podcast explores the journeys, challenges, and successes of transitioning from the federal workforce to the private sector.

Information

  • Creator
    OrangeSlices
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Former Fed Friday