Gov Innovator Podcast

Gov Innovator Podcast


Latest Episodes

How results-driven contracting improved outcomes for Chicago’s most vulnerable: An interview with Lisa Morrison Butler, former Commissioner, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services – Episode #202
December 18, 2022

Too often, contracting is seen as a back-office function, even though many government programs are actually implemented with contracted service providers. In reality, contracting and contracting ref

Using mindfulness practices for greater self-awareness and self-improvement: Rabbi Marc Margolius, Senior Program Director, Institute for Jewish Spirituality – Episode #201
April 28, 2022

When we think about what skills leaders need to be successful such as making good decisions, regulating their emotions and stress, and forming strong and healthy relationships with others an impor

Career reflections from an evidence leader: An interview with Naomi Goldstein, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Episode #200
March 31, 2022

To celebrate our 200thinterview, we are joined by one of the most respected people within the evidence and evaluation field, Dr. Naomi Goldstein, to share reflections on her 21-year career at the Adm

Colorado’s nation-leading practices in using evidence to guide budget decisions: An interview with Sara Dube, Director, Results First Initiative, The Pew Charitable Trusts – Episode #199
March 17, 2022

Colorado is a leader in the U.S. in terms of using evidence to guide state budget decisions, so that dollars flow to programs that are effective. Its also a leader in terms of building evidence to be

How state tuition-free college programs are spanning political divides: An interview with Michelle Miller-Adams, Senior Researcher, Upjohn Institute – Episode #198
March 08, 2022

An important area of innovation within higher-education policy in recent years has been tuition-free college policies also known as Promise Programs designed to make college more affordable and ac

How Promise Programs are expanding college access, affordability, and degree attainment: An interview with Elizabeth Bell, Florida State University – Episode #197
March 01, 2022

Tuition-free college policies have become a cornerstone of policymakers efforts to expand college access, affordability, and degree attainment. The movement began at the local level with initiatives

Insights about building credible evidence in social policy: An interview with David Anderson, Vice President of Evidence-Based Policy, Arnold Ventures – Episode #196
November 23, 2021

Arnold Ventures launched itsevidence-based policy initiative in 2015 in large part to increase the number of social programs with strong evidence behind them. To do that, the team funds randomized co

How Minnesota’s impact evaluation unit supports evidence-based budgeting: An interview with Weston Merrick, Minnesota Management and Budget – Episode #195
November 16, 2021

Minnesota has been identified by several good-government organizations as one of the leaders in the nation on evidence-based policymaking. The Pew Charitable Trusts, for example, has notedthat Using

Insights on evidence use from Ohio’s Department of Education: An interview with Heather Boughton, Results for America – Episode #194
November 07, 2021

Ohios Department of Education is one of the leading state agencies in the U.S. in terms of its focus on helping and encouraging school leaders to use evidence-based educational strategies and support

Developing and using agency performance plans: An interview with Elizabeth Funsch, ArundelStat Manager, Anne Arundel County in Maryland – Episode #193
November 04, 2021

Anne Arundel County, Maryland, has a population of just under 600,000 and is south of Baltimore and East of Washington D.C., with the county seat being Annapolis. In 2018, under County Executive Steua