The Buzz with 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.
Episodes
188 episodes
Navigating Federal Tech: Scrum Mastery and Agile Principles at ACT-IAC Academy
In this episode we're in conversation with Manjit Singh, the president and founder of Agilious and an instructor at ACT-IAC Academy. They delve into the importance of agile frameworks, particularly scrum, for government IT acquisition and moder...
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31:02
Collaboration at the Core: Inside ACT-IAC's Cyber COI
We get to talk to Ken Adams, the Chief Strategy Officer at Foxhole Technology and the long-serving Industry Chair of the ACT-IAC Cyber COI. Ken shares his career journey, insights into the collaborative dynamics within the gov tech community, a...
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37:37
ICYMI: Keynote Fireside Chat, Transformation Reimagined (part 2)
In this engaging session, Steve Boberski, Public Sector Chief Technology Officer for Genesys, introduces James McCament, the first Digital Transformation Officer for CBP. The discussion highlights James' extensive experience in federal service ...
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34:57
ICYMI: Keynote Fireside Chat, Transformation Reimagined (part 1)
In this insightful fireside chat, Joe Adamo from SAIC and Dr. Kelly Fletcher, Chief Information Officer of the United States Department of State, discuss the Department's ongoing digital modernization efforts and the role of technology in globa...
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32:15
The Future of Customer Experience (CX) in the Public Sector
We get to talk with Lee Becker, Senior VP and Executive Advisor for Public Sector and Healthcare at Medallia, to discuss the evolving role of customer experience (CX) in government. Lee shares his journey from being a Navy corpsman to becoming ...
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33:41
Camino de Santiago to Government Tech
In this episode of the Buzz we get to talk to Todd Hager, the Vice President of Strategic Advisory at Alpha Omega. Todd reflects on his extensive career journey, starting from his early tech roles in the hotel industry, transitioning to governm...
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20:17
Relaunching Partners 2026: Building Tomorrow's Leaders Today
DJ Dart, Chief Strategy Officer at Inadev, and Marisa Roinestad, recently retired after 25 years in federal service, discuss the relaunch of ACT-IAC's Partners 2026 program. They share their personal journeys and experiences that shaped their l...
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1:07:50
ICYMI: AI Revolution in the Acquisition Life Cycle AI Acquisition Forum- 2025
This panel discussion, moderated by Joanie Newhart, Associate Administrator for Acquisition Workforce Programs at the Office of Management and Budget, delves into the impact of AI on the acquisition lifecycle in government agencies. The panel i...
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51:54
ICYMI: Opening Keynote AI Acquisition forum
In this episode, Kareem Fidel of CGI Federal introduces Zach Whitman, Chief Data Scientist and inaugural Chief AI Officer at GSA, who discusses GSA's AI strategies and initiatives. Whitman elaborates on the practical experimentation and deploym...
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32:12
From Molecular Oncologist to Team Strategist: Trust the Collaborative Journey
In this episode of The Buzz, LM Bennett discusses her transition from bench science to team science at the NIH and NCI, co-authoring a field guide, and her new book, 'How to Succeed at Collaborative Research: A Practical Guide for Teams.' The c...
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49:50
Building Collaboration in Government: Insights with Acquisition COI
In this episode of The Buzz, Scott Simpson, the acquisition COI Government chair at ACT-IAC, shares his unexpected journey into the governmental acquisition field. We delve deep into Scott's experiences, the crucial role contracts play, and the...
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39:17
Fellows Speaker Series: Small Business
Fellows-only panel focused on small business success in the GovCon space. Whether you're looking to grow, partner, or simply gain deeper insight into the current landscape, this episode is your chance to learn from leaders who have built, scale...
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1:12:36
Leadership and Collaboration Strategies in a Hybrid World
In this episode of The Buzz podcast by ACT IAC, the focus is on our Voyagers program, a leadership development initiative aimed at emerging leaders across federal government and industry. We get to talk with Ankur Saini, CTO at the Federal Moto...
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34:39
ICYMI: Closing Keynote - AI Acquisition Forum 2025
In this final keynote, Jeff Sage, Director of Enterprise Service and Analysis Division at NASA's Office of Procurement, discusses the integration of AI in NASA's procurement processes. Introduced by Andrew McAllister, Jeff elaborates on NASA's ...
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20:37
ICYMI: Enabling the Workforce to Capitalize on the AI Opportunity
This episode features a panel discussion on the role of AI in workforce development within federal agencies at the AI Acquisition Forum 2025. Led by David Vennergrund, Vice President for AI at GDIT, the panel includes distinguished guests: Andr...
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34:55
Human-Centered Design in Government: COI's Journey from the former Soviet Union to Qualtrics
In this episode of The Buzz, host Yohanna Baez speaks with Sydney Heimbrock, the Chief Industry Advisor for Public Sector at Qualtrics and co-chair of the ACT-IAC's COI (community of interest) on talent. She shares her extensive career journey,...
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43:50
Exploring Digital Health Technologies in Federal Research
In this episode of The Buzz, expert guests delve into a new white paper by the ACT-IAC Health Community of Interest titled 'Digital Health Technologies in the Federal Health Research'. The discussion covers the intersection of technology, healt...
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50:10
ICYMI: Health Innovation Keynote Fireside Chat
In this keynote and fireside chat, Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) discusses his vision and efforts for making America's children and families healthier. Gradison highlights the P...
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20:30
ICYMI: Health Innovation Summit Closing Keynote
In this episode, Angela Wilson from Alpha Omega introduces the keynote speaker, Colonel Kris Saling, a US Army officer and talent strategist. Colonel Saling shares insights into her work modernizing workforce strategy, integrating AI into talen...
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27:06
From Engineering to Federal Contracting: A Mid-Career Voyage
In this episode of 'The Buzz from ACT-IAC,' host Yohanna Baez delves into the professional journey of Eric Ritz, a mid-career professional working with Accenture Federal Services for 15 years. Eric shares his experiences before, during, and aft...
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24:32
Live at Emerging Tech Demo Day: Insights from Next Phase Solutions
Insights from the Emerging Tech Demo Day at the Carahsoft Conference and Collaboration Center in Reston, Virginia. Joined by Warren Miller, Corporate Chief Architect at Next Phase Solutions, and Lisa Wolff, the President and CEO, the episode de...
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39:51
Exploring the Integrated Value Network
The Integrated Value Network (IVN), a transformative tool for effective governance. Joined by guests Basil White, a senior informaticist, and Beth Martin, a user experience and digital services expert, the discussion highlights the significance...
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46:43
Innovators Unite: ET&I Conference Highlights Part 2
We are still live at the Emerging Tech and Innovation Conference, talking with amazing folks, like, Elizabeth McNamara, Health IT Innovation Officer at Next Phase Solutions Services, Virginia Huth a 30-year civil servant who is now CEO of Vanal...
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22:41
Innovators Unite: ET&I Conference Highlights Part 1
In this episode of The Buzz, we broadcast live from the 2025 Emerging Tech and Innovation Conference, featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders like Destinie Harris from Maximus, Jeff Mercurio from OnPoint Consulting, and Ratima Kata...
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21:28
ICYMI: Top Strategies from Leading Private Sector Contact Centers
*NEW EDIT* In this episode, panelists from industry share their strategies and experiences for improving contact center operations. The session is moderated by Crystal Philcox, a former federal executive at GSA and IRS. Topics discussed include...
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41:08