Episodes
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Christina is a powerhouse. She has spent over two decades tackling challenges in global development through an ever-sharpening focus on youth employment. She's here today to share the why and the how - from her father's improbable capture of the American dream, to her own journey as a co-founder and CEO. She believes with a fiery passion that identifying and upskilling young talent and aligning their potential to the needs of industry is the most direct way to solve for so many problems that derive from high youth unemployment. Her methods reveal her business savvy, but her mission comes straight from her life and her love of philosophy. She's committed to helping raise the tide and lift all ships.
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Gil Gillenwater is the founder of the award-winning Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, which has reimagined border philanthropy, empowering communities through reciprocal giving and shared dignity since 1987. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards for volunteerism and philanthropy, and one of his projects was selected by former President Bill Clinton as a featured initiative at Clinton Global Initiative, a gathering of the world’s leading thinkers, philanthropists and changemakers.
Gil is an Arizona native, a lifelong student of Eastern philosophy and meditation, a black belt in Kenpo Karate, and a wilderness adventurer reaching 75 countries. His time spent studying with remote Tibetan lamas and mystics inspired a philosophy of enlightened self-interest that now guides his approach to social change with Rancho Feliz.
Gil is joining the show to share his personal philosophy around Service, including the parts he thinks we generally misunderstand. He's telling is what he means by "enlightened self-interest," why he thinks we fall victim to misguided compassion, and how he is reimagining development with dignity.
Learn more about Rancho Feliz here: https://ranchofeliz.com/
And check out Gil's new book, Hope on the Border: https://ranchofeliz.com/hope-on-the-border/
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Episodes manquant?
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CJ Pine is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, teaching about the United Naitons Security Council. He previously worked as a civil servant at the U.S. Mission to the UN, and at the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
CJ is here to dispel myths about peace studies, explain how (and why) countries negotiate at the UN, and tell us all about his childhood misadventure selling lemonade in China. His experiences as a "third culture kid" shaped the way he looks at the world, and approaches conflict management. This is a master class in multilateralism and a delightful chat with a person whose brilliance is only surpassed by his kindness.
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Ambassador Barbara Leaf is a career public servant with over 3 decades of experience, most recently serving as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, where she was responsible for the U.S. relationship with 18 countries from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula. She's a frequent guest on media outlets as an expert on the Middle East, but she's here to speak candidly about her life and career. She shares a bit about her childhood, reflects on experiences (and moments of career malaise) that taught her important things about herself, and describes how healthy relationships with other countries directly benefit Americans. In a parallel universe, she may have opened a little book shop, but it's hard to even imagine her not crossing the globe and meeting with foreign dignitaries. She is whip smart, serious about her work, and refreshingly open about the reality of life in the Foreign Service.
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Dr. Corey Holmes is a diplomat, an academic, a father, an author, a friend. He is here to talk less about his achievements (there are many!) and more about the questions, observations, and new discoveries that are shaping this chapter in his life. We discuss male friendships and vulnerability, the divine (and exhausting) experience of fatherhood, the exercise of writing, and the moments that shift your course in life.
His book (Golf, Cigars, and Scotch: Balancing Fatherhood, Friendship, and Fine-Living) is a tribute to his friends and a gift to his son. It's available through Kindle Unlimited, and in Paperback and Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Cigars-Scotch-Fatherhood-Fine-Living/dp/1535601418
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Jon Temin works across government, research and the non-profit sector to advance democracy, good governance, conflict resolution, and US-Africa relations. He is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Johns Hopkins University SNF Agora Institute, where he is researching the future of U.S. democracy assistance. Previously, he was the Director of the Africa programs at Freedom House and at the US Institute of Peace, a member of the US Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff, and Vice President of Policy & Programs at the Truman National Security Project. He shares his thoughts on what makes good writing, what we should know about truth and reconciliation, why the crisis in Sudan has not received the attention it deserves, and why he's spending his time thinking about sub-national diplomacy and democratic resilience.
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Amanda Van Dort is a McCain Institute American Democracy and Technology Fellow, and an Adjunct Professor for Johns Hopkins and GWU teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on issues related to Women, Peace, and Security. She's also a former diplomat, most recently serving the Department of State as Chief of Staff in the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues, building on her background advancing the rights of women globally and addressing the needs of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. Amanda is spending her post gov era hitting the books and thinking big thoughts on the roots of American democracy, revisiting documents drafted by the founding fathers, and studying their cultural influences to better understand not just what they said, but what they meant. We're talking about her path into government service, her thoughts on what it means to go "back to basics," her elevator pitch for why gender matters, and our shared assessment of whether the public education system prepares kids to engage with the most critical questions of our time.
Links to a few of Amanda's top reads:
First Principles by Thomas Ricks: Buy on Thriftbooks
Our Declaration by Danielle Allen: Buy on Thriftbooks
Sex and the Constitution by Geoffrey Stone: Buy on Thriftbooks
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Katrina "Kat" Fotovat is Co-Founder of Peace Pays, a global initiative that harnesses artificial intelligence to prevent violence, strengthen democratic resilience, and advance women-led peacebuilding worldwide. Kat is a former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues with over 30 years of experience in fragile settings, overseeing more than $5 billion in programs supporting democracy, human rights, and marginalized populations. Today, she's harnessing her wildly impressive experience, her incredible network, and her indomitable spirit to tackle old challenges with new tools - and as always, she's turning problems into propportunities.
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Russell York is the Founder and CEO of Cosmo Technologies - one of the fastest growing family tech brands, creating purpose-built, safe devices that help kids stay connected, while giving parents peace of mind.
Russell joined me for a conversation about tech, parenting, and the public good. We discuss the pervasive techxiety that is driving our parenting strategies; the need for ethical tech leadership and real solutions; the essential nature of an outdoor childhood; cultivating resilience; creating a values-first business model; and so many other topics that are top of mind for parents, policymakers, and people interested in the public good. Join me for an honest and reflective chat with this homeschooled 4H kid, who blazed his own trail from intel analysis in Afghanistan to building a kid-safe smartwatch.
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Kristen Cordell serves as Grand Challenges Canada's inaugural Senior Director for Policy and Learning. Before joining GCC, she held senior roles at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of State, and USAID. Her commitment to service and support of U.S. geopolitical objectives has earned her awards from the Secretary of State, and USAID Administrator. She's a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a true thought leader, an innovator, and a creator. Kristen joins us to talk about lessons learned from the many seasons of her career (from the field, to the halls of the White House) and to share her thoughts on the future of service. She's thinking through how to create productive and satisfying portfolios, how to build resilience into public service careers, and how to live in alignment with your values. And she's also here to help me convince Dr. Becky to join me on the show :)
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Alexa Dominique Pascual is a Sustainable Development Goals Global Ambassador with the UN Association of the United States of America, and the DMUN Foundation's Head Observer to the UN, World Bank, and IMF. That's a lot of acronyms. What does it mean? It means Alexa leads American youth delegations weighing in on topics like global governance, economic cooperation, and AI regulation. She's participated in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on International Tax Cooperation and spoken at high level UN events. She's shattering assumptions about how and where young people can shape policy by demonstrating that young leaders are not just activists; they are negotiators and researchers and... tax experts!
And what prepared Alexa to engage in citizen diplomacy and multilateralism? Why of course, her background as an acrobat with Cirque du Soleil!
Listen in to learn how she moved from literal tightropes to metaphorical ones, and follow Alexa for a steady stream of inspiring content and sound advice for young leaders!
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People have all kinds of reactions to a radical upset to their lives and careers, and they're all valid. But I'm always especially fascinated with people who not only find new avenues, but who create new paths, learning to pave as they go.
Deborah Cook Kaliel is that kind of person. Following the dismantling of USAID and the abrupt end of that nearly 20 year chapter in her career, Debbie moved quickly to form Crisis in Care - an organization dedicated to filling the gaps left by USAID by supporting lifesaving HIV services across the globe. On this episode, she's sharing her background, her path into public service, her experiences working as a Senior Local Partnerships advisor for USAID, and her journey into the brave unknown as a former fed and Co-Founder of Crisis in Care. Listen in for important tips on creating a nonprofit, finding funding, and getting creative about spreading the word.
If you're interested in learning more about Crisis in Care, or better yet, supporting their work through Global Giving, visit their site or reach out to Debbie: https://www.crisisincare.org/our-team
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We're here as Ambassadors for the Normies.
Just two sisters, from a working class family that celebrated wit and cultivated irreverence, and above all else, primed us to be as constructive as we are critical. We're talking about the American Dream (myth or not?); socioeconomic status, privilege, and opportunity; career pathways; odd jobs and big goals; idealism and practicality and the call to serve; environmental justice; frustration and mistrust of government; and our basic customer service expectations. We're recapping Shan's journey from riding on sedated sheep (for science!) to combatting lead poisoning in underserved communities, with a lot of academic milestones along the way.
This is the episode for govvies AND non-govvies. It's the story of a middle class American family, striving to make ends meet and do a little good along the way. And I'm biased, but Shannon Wolf has navigated every step with authenticity and courage. There's just something cool about her.
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Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau is a career diplomat, previously serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, as Senior Advisor and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Kyiv, and in several other overseas postings. She has served on the National Security Council and NATO's international staff, and now she's the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the Bush Institute in Texas. Elizabeth originally trained as a journalist, and then, following 9/11, answered the call to public service. She continues to engage with the tough issues in a way that empowers leaders to make informed decisions, and citizens to hold informed views. Elizabeth is sharing her reflections on an amazing career, her tips on coping with stress (snacks!), and her vision for this next chapter in her service story.
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Annie Leverich is the Founder of First Light Coffee, a Maryland-based coffee company rooted in giving back. She also runs First Light Media, which offers Communications and Consulting services, drawing on her extensive experience leading the press team for USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance; in Comms roles with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and UN World Food Programme; and before that, as a journalist.
Annie's story - and the soulful work she's doing every day - speaks to the power of service as a mindset, not just a job. Now she's serving up delicious coffee, with a side of thoughtful reflections and a dash of community reinvestment. She's my favorite kind of entrepreneur.
Access First Light Coffee, First Light Media, and Sunrise Dispatch: https://sunrisedispatch.substack.com/
Listeners of the Public Service Project can use the following discount code for 15% off their first order of First Light Coffee: PSP2026
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The Honorable Alex Wagner is a recent Air Force Assistant Secretary, a former Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Army, an expert on nuclear and conventional weapons policy, a current Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a recovering lawyer, a South Pole adventurer, a Californian by birth and Washingtonian by choice. Today's conversation, recorded mid-December 2025, is an honest reflection on topics ranging from calculated career risks to military misconceptions, and the essential functions carried out by the National Guard. Alex's clarity, wisdom, and humor are not to be missed. Tune in to hear from the "high flying lawyer and human capital hero" (AI's perfect summary) - the one and only Alex Wagner.
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Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley reflects on her remarkable public service journey spanning three decades, and shares her unfiltered thoughts on some of the most challenging and rewarding moments in her very public diplomatic career. She passes along some wisdom on resilience and dignity in unfriendly spaces; on walking away when it's time to go; and on sustaining a decades long marriage through seasons of personal and professional change. Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley still wakes up each day feeling inspired and motivated to contribute to the American project, and we're honored to have her participate in the Public Service Project.
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Laurel Rapp is the Director of the U.S. and North America Programme at Chatham House, and she brings to this position all the wisdom and experience accrued through her nearly two decades of public service at the Department of State, the National Security Council, the United States Senate, and nonprofits.
Laurel began her international affairs career as a Rotary Fellow researching voting attitudes in Morocco at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and went on to join the State Department covering Middle East issues during the Arab Spring. She talks about what it was like being a new officer covering a geographically small but strategically important country like Bahrain at such a complex moment in history, and then goes on to share her thoughts a wide range of topics, from the role of the United Nations, to the function(s) served by the Secretary's Policy Planning staff. Finally, we take an unfiltered look at the uncomfortable but necessary tension existing when many unique individuals come together to advance (and sometimes question) shared objectives, and it was an absolute joy and honor to have Laurel join me to unpack these challenging topics.
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Nate Fick is an investor, CEO, Marine, author, and the first U.S. Ambassador for Cyberspace and Digital Policy. He's also a father, husband, brother, leader, and devoted American citizen. In this episode, he shared reflections on his idyllic childhood, his decision to join the Marines, his experience leading one of the first American units in both Afghanistan ('01) and Iraq ('03) and his decision to write his New York Times bestseller, One Bullet Away.
Nate has spent his career moving between public service and the private sector, and he shares his perspective on innovation, culture, sovereignty, solidarity, and being the least popular dad in school.
If you're grappling with questions around how to foster innovation with appropriate safety guardrails, or how to advance the U.S. national interest without having to go it alone, this is the conversation for you.
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Katelyn Choe is a very recently retired Foreign Service Officer, who served 25 years in places like South Korea, the Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and most recently as Diplomat in Residence for Southern California, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa. Katelyn's first experience with the U.S. government occurred when she and her family applied for their Immigrant Visas at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, and remarkably, she found herself back on the other side of that window decades later. Katelyn's career is full of too many remarkable stories to capture in 30 minutes, but her message - that any and every background is relevant to the project of diplomacy - comes across loud and clear. It was a privilege to record this moment of reflection in the sacred pause between an incredible service journey, and what lies ahead.
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