The Buzz with ACT-IAC

ACT-IAC

Welcome to The Buzz with ACT-IAC – your source for the hot topics and top issues affecting the federal technology market. Join us each week to hear insights from government and industry leaders, stay informed on the topics facing government, gain access to thought leadership and valuable reports. Subscribe to follow us on your favorite podcast platform. 

  1. 7H AGO

    ICYMI: Rural Health Transformation 2026: Turning Policy into Scalable Innovation

    Health Innovation Summit ICYMI episode, features a panel on Rural Health Transformation, moderated by Avery Muse, following a DocuSign/Microsoft “Medicare Connect” demo showing verified digital ID, secure record access, consent signing, appointments, claims status, and transportation support. Panelists from HHS, CMS, cybersecurity, and DocuSign discuss rural challenges: 20% of the U.S. is rural, staffing can be 60% or less, 180+ rural hospital closures since 2010, and one-third of rural patients drive 25+ miles for care, with rural areas leading in chronic disease. They explain the $50B CMS-managed program, state applications and allocations, CMS oversight via a PMO, spending guardrails across 11 categories, and clawback authority.  A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    54 min

  2. APR 30

    Leadership Under Pressure: Jared Peatman on the 20th Maine, Gettysburg, and Public Service Lessons

    The episode features historian and leadership educator Jared Peatman discussing his book A Hell of a Regiment, a 10+ year research project on the 20th Maine and its pivotal role at Gettysburg as a story of ordinary civilians rapidly becoming an effective unit under national stakes. Peatman explains his lifelong interest in Civil War history, why the 20th Maine’s rank-and-file stories matter, and how training under West Point–trained Adelbert Ames, motivation to build a reputation back home, and trust enabled performance. He highlights Joshua Chamberlain’s transferable skills, communication, empathy, and lifelong learning, along with his handling of the Second Maine mutineers, persuading most to reengage and providing crucial manpower at Gettysburg. The conversation covers Little Round Top’s tactical significance, the bayonet charge decision under time pressure, and the veterans’ postwar hardships, memory-making, and commemoration. Peatman also promotes a June 3rd ACT-IAC “Small Bites” event tied to the book release. A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    51 min

  3. APR 23

    ICYMI: From Insight to Impact: AI-Driven Decision Making for Leaders

    ACT-IAC’s 2026 Health Innovation Summit featured a panel on mission-critical AI decision-making across CMS, FDA, and NCI. Panelists described AI’s growing day-to-day role, including secure NIH-wide tools, productivity gains (reported time savings), and reducing administrative friction like performance reviews, emphasizing impact occurs when AI is embedded in workflows with “human in the lead.” The session closed with vendor guidance: show products via video, be future-focused, lead with data-sharing and tool strengths, and bring a “total package.” A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    57 min

  4. APR 16

    Leadership at Scale: Gary Washington on Modernizing Federal IT and Managing Change

    Proud to have Gary Washington on today's show. He is a former Air Force member, longtime federal IT leader, and former USDA CIO (eight years), now Chief Strategy Officer at ACT-IAC. Washington recounts his career across agencies including Treasury, HHS, FDA, OMB, and USDA, and explains how military discipline shaped his emphasis on documented plans, accountability, and trust. He discusses common resistance to change in large organizations, USDA’s shift from decentralization toward centralization, and implementing the White House-driven IT Modernization Centers of Excellence through inclusive, business-driven governance, performance measurement, workforce education, RPA training, and results such as deactivating 37 data centers and consolidating networks and end-user support. A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    28 min

  5. APR 9

    ICYMI: Unifying Data to Build Customer Profiles

    A panel discussion from CX Summit event, on unifying customer data to deliver seamless service across channels. Panelists describe diverse customers and the consequences of siloed data, including repeated identity verification, poor experiences, and high stakes errors like incorrect benefit payments or misdirected medications. A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    39 min

  6. APR 2

    ICYMI: The Role of Humans in an Increasingly AI-Centric Service World

    CX Summit panel discussion on the role of humans in AI-driven service delivery, defining “human in the loop” (active review in workflows) versus “human on the loop” (oversight and intervention when flagged). Panelist also discuss adoption approaches, emphasizing employee trust, governance, readiness, and change management. A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    52 min

  7. MAR 26

    Closing the Gap Between Curiosity and ROI: AI Training Series

    Stephanie Hubka, founder of Protos Learning, who has spent 20 years designing human-centered learning strategies and has trained leaders in 50+ countries, is working with ACT-IAC on the business value of AI training for non-technical leaders. Hubka argues organizations often treat AI as either a magic fix or an existential threat, when it is better understood as a capability amplifier that requires humans in the loop. She emphasizes anchoring AI training to real work and quick wins, using everyday language instead of jargon, and building data literacy without turning everyone into analysts. Successful adoption depends on psychological safety, experimentation, and trust, with learning teams acting as strategic partners who understand the business. She shares how ChatGPT quickly drafted an outline but failed to create a quality, human training experience, reinforcing that transformation is ultimately about people. Stephanie's passion for training is equaled only by her love of exploring the globe; an avid traveler, she has visited all 7 continents, 70 countries, and all 50 US states. AI Training Series: From Turing to ChatGPT: The Evolution of AI | ACT-IAC A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    45 min

  8. MAR 19

    Government Contracting Success: Shak McCants on Leadership

    Shak McCants, the newly appointed 2027 Voyagers Chair and CEO of MacMore. Shak shares her inspiring journey from a part-time office manager to CEO, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, hard work, and a commitment to people. She discusses her vision for the Voyagers program, her career growth, and valuable insights into building lasting government and industry relationships. Shak's candid perspective on maintaining company culture, flexible leadership, and creating job opportunities makes for an enlightening discussion perfect for anyone navigating the GovCon space. As she prepares to lead the new Voyagers class, Shak aims to instill the qualities of being a flexible change agent in upcoming leaders. A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine | ACT-IAC Summary - A Hole in One with ACT-IAC Voyagers Program | ACT-IAC Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on LinkedIn or visit http://www.actiac.org. Learn more about membership at https://www.actiac.org/join. Donate to ACT-IAC at https://actiac.org/donate.   Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells Courtesy of Epidemic Sound (Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)

    38 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Buzz with ACT-IAC – your source for the hot topics and top issues affecting the federal technology market. Join us each week to hear insights from government and industry leaders, stay informed on the topics facing government, gain access to thought leadership and valuable reports. Subscribe to follow us on your favorite podcast platform. 

Information

  • Creator
    ACT-IAC
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    211
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Buzz with ACT-IAC
  • Show Website
    The Buzz with ACT-IAC

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