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Empathy Affect — Government
Empathy Affect

On Empathy Affect, we explore the human side of government. We get to know the real people in government who serve us. We learn about their missions, the people they serve, and the true impact of their work. In each episode, we’ll speak with real people about how they weave empathy into the policies and programs of government.

Copyright: © 2025 Empathy Affect

Latest Episodes:

S3E11: What Can Pennsylvania Teach Us About Why Rural Health Is the Health of America? Oct 02, 2025

Rural communities are the backbone of America—growing our food, fueling our economy, and sustaining traditions that reach far beyond county lines. But in Pennsylvania, as in much of the country, rural health is under strain. Provider shortages, rising rates of chronic disease, and shrinking access to specialty services like obstetrics (maternal health) leave families and entire towns at risk.

Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health Director Lisa Davis has spent more than 30 years working to address these challenges. In this episode, Lisa shares how rural communities and state leaders are finding creative solutions to ensure care is within reach—from deploying community health workers to expanding telehealth and more. These strategies and innovations reveal a bigger truth: rural health is inseparable from the nation’s health.

Lisa Davis has directed the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health since 1999, providing leadership on networking, coordination, and technical assistance across the state’s rural hospitals, health clinics, training programs, and community partners. She has previously held roles at Penn State’s Department of Health Policy & Administration. Her work history spans a range of public health fields, including nutrition, mental health, substance use recovery, and correctional health.

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S3E10: From Research to Recovery: How the VA is Changing PTSD Care Sep 04, 2025

PTSD is often called the “invisible wound” of military service. For many veterans, it shows up in nightmares, sudden triggers, or the feeling of being constantly on edge, making everyday life feel like another battlefield. But there’s hope: PTSD is treatable, and recovery is possible.

Since 1989, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD has been the world’s leading resource for understanding and treating this condition. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Paula Schnurr, the center’s executive director, about how science becomes healing—through groundbreaking research, innovative therapies, and real stories of veterans reclaiming their lives.

Dr. Paula Schnurr is the executive director of the National Center for PTSD and had previously served as deputy executive director of the center since 1989. She is also a professor of psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and the editor of the Clinician’s Trauma Update-Online.

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Explore the National Center for PTSD

Learn more about PTSD through AboutFace

Contact the Veteran Crisis Line if you’re a veteran in crisis or concerned about one

S3E9: Florida’s Strategy for Resilient Homes and Insurance Stability Aug 07, 2025

As storms grow stronger and insurance becomes harder to access, Floridians are looking for answers—and support. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) is working to stabilize the insurance market while giving homeowners the tools to build resilience before disaster strikes.

Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky discusses the launch of new wind mitigation resources, the expansion of the My Safe Florida Home program, and how Florida is investing in smarter, safer homes through inspections, grants, and homeowner education. He also explains how these efforts are helping to attract more insurers back into the state and keep premiums manageable.

Whether you’re a homeowner navigating insurance decisions or a policymaker seeking scalable solutions, get insight into how state-led strategies can empower people to protect what matters most.

Mike Yaworsky has served as Florida’s insurance commissioner since March 2023. Prior to his position his was the vice chairman of the Florida Gaming Control Commissioner and was OIR’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2021. Prior to joining OIR, Yaworsky served as legal counsel for the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.

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Explore My Florida Home to apply for a free inspection or grant

Keep up to date with OIR’s resources, information, and more

S3E8: Redefining Recovery in California: San Francisco’s Public Health Approach to SUD Jul 03, 2025

Stories around substance use disorder (SUD) have too often been framed around crisis and moral failing. But SUD is a health condition—no different from heart disease or cancer—and it deserves public response rooted in care, not stigma. San Francisco is working to change that narrative. Through evidence-based treatment, innovative telehealth programs, and groundbreaking stigma-reduction campaigns like Living Proof, the city is reimagining recovery and how public health can meet people where they are.

Dr. Jeffrey Hom, Medical Officer for Science and Policy in San Francisco’s Department of Public Health Substance Use Services joins us to discuss how storytelling can shift public perception, and accessible services can guide people onto paths of recovery. The conversation is a reminder that recovery becomes possible when health systems lead with both science and empathy.

Dr. Jeffrey Hom is the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Substance Use Services Medical Officer for Science and Policy. He previously served as medical director for the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction and has lectured for Jefferson Health and the University of Pennsylvania.

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Learn more about San Francisco’s Night Navigator and street care programs

Hear from people recovering from SUD in San Francisco through Living Proof

S3E7: The Palm Beach Playbook for Person-Centered Recovery Jun 05, 2025

Palm Beach County, Florida, was the epicenter of the state’s opioid crisis for many years as pill mills and malfeasance plagued the county’s communities. Since 2017, the county has been addressing the crisis, forming an advisory committee, appointing a drug czar and shifting its response toward a strategy centered on long-term recovery. With opioid settlement money to allocate over the next 20 years, the latest plan looks to spend 90% on social determinants of health—like job training, stable housing, and community support—and 10% on acute care.

This paradigm shift is rethinking traditional approaches to addressing substance use disorders (SUD), placing recovery at the heart of government response. Palm Beach County Drug Czar John Hulick joins this episode to discuss this bold action and how other local governments can draw from the county’s playbook to inform their own work on SUD.

John Hulick was Palm Beach County’s Office of Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders senior program manager and drug czar. He began serving in this position in 2018. He previously had focused on policy in New Jersey, being tapped to serve as former Governor Chris Christie’s executive director of the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and serving as policy advisor to the governor for Human Services, Children, and Families in the Office of the Governor. He is an individual in long-term recovery and has also supported his daughter throughout her journey in recovery from addiction.

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Read the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Plan

S3E6: Informed Is Empowered: How NYC Is Simplifying Data for the Public May 01, 2025

How do you turn complex environmental health data into something people can actually use—and trust?

In this episode of Empathy Affect, we talk with Matthew Montesano, senior director of data communication at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy. Matthew leads the team behind the city’s Environment & Health Data Portal, a public-facing platform that unpacks key environmental health topics—like air quality, heat, and traffic—and distills complex data into clear, accessible information New Yorkers can use to understand their environment and protect their health.

We explore how thoughtful design, clear communication, and human-centered strategy can transform government data into trusted sources of information. This episode dives into how cities can meet the public’s expectations for clear, actionable information.

Matthew Montesano is the senior director of data communication at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy. He was previously the immunizations program communication lead for the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health and led the development and maintenance of the Minnesota Public Health Data Access Portal. He has experience in community organizing, grant writing, and health communication.

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Explore NYC’s Environment & Health Data Portal

S3E5: Simulation Saves Lives: How DHA Trains Combat Medics for the Battlefield Apr 03, 2025

On the battlefield or in an emergency, military health professionals must make life-or-death decisions under extreme pressure. So how do they prepare to step into a high-pressure trauma scenario without putting real lives on the line? Enter medical modeling and simulation, where virtual reality, augmented reality, high-fidelity mannequins, and other cutting-edge technology are integrated into training to give military health professionals the reflexes and experiences they need to save lives when it matters most.

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) Defense Medical Modeling and Simulation Office (DMMSO) identifies and adopts these training technologies for the Military Health System. In the latest Empathy Affect episode, DMMSO Chief Ruben Garza shares how advanced simulation tools are strengthening medical readiness and ensuring military medics are prepared for anything.

Ruben Garza is chief of the DHA DMMSO. He has served in the military for 37 years—first in the Air Force as a medical technician, then standing up a modeling and simulation program in the Air Force. He has since helped centralize joint defense medical modeling and simulation training at DMMSO.

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S3E4: The Road to Resilience: Georgia’s Playbook for Emergency Response Mar 06, 2025

Americans rely on safe roads, railways, and transportation infrastructure every day, so what goes into keeping them resilient and reliable both on the day-to-day and during emergencies? We explore this question with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Assistant State Emergency Operations Coordinator Matt Needham, learning how his team protects Georgians during snowstorms, hurricanes, and other emergencies in collaboration with agency partners. Learn what it takes to keep our communities resilient in the face of extreme weather and hazards in this episode's conversation.

Matt Needham is the GDOT assistant state emergency operations coordinator. He has dedicated more than 20 years of his career to serving Georgians at GDOT, first serving as a civil engineer working on roads and infrastructure before transitioning to emergency operations.

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Explore 511 GA to get the latest on traffic conditions in Georgia

Stay up to date with GDOT alerts and travel information

S3E3: A State Blueprint to Build Resilience Feb 06, 2025

Disasters like the wildfires in Southern California have destroyed homes, displaced people, and are costing the country hundreds of billions of dollars to recover. It raises the question: how can we proactively invest to protect our communities from the impacts of extreme weather and natural hazards? Washington State has looked to answer this question through its Climate Commitment Act (CCA). Passed in 2021, it has generated and reinvested $500 million across the state to reduce emissions and leverage technology to mitigate harmful and large-scale wildfires and other disasters. We speak to Joe Nguyen, one of the legislative proponents of the CCA, to discuss the program’s impact across Washington State and how other states could adopt similar initiatives to keep their communities safe and resilient.

Joe Nguyen is the director of Washington State's Department of Commerce. He was elected to the Washington State Senate in 2019 and was chair of the Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee. He also served as vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee.

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Learn more about the Climate Commitment Act

S3E2: How VA Built 80% Trust With Veterans Jan 02, 2025

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created its Veterans Experience Office (VEO) in 2015 with the goal of integrating a customer experience (CX) approach to veteran care, benefit, and service delivery. Since the office’s launch, VA has measured that veteran trust in the department has grown from 55% to 80%. Because of VEO’s collaboration with VA's administrations, veterans have been able to more easily navigate VA websites, have more streamlined and empathy-driven medical care, and more. Denise Kitts, VEO’s enterprise measurement and design executive director, helped stand up VEO and has been a key player in improving how veterans, their families, and their caregivers interact with VA. She joins us in this episode to learn how CX has transformed the way veterans can get the service they need from VA and the role CX plays in building trust with veterans.

Denise Kitts is the VA VEO executive director of Enterprise Measurement and Design. She rejoined VEO in 2022 after helping establish the office in 2015. She is responsible for the VA Qualitative and Quantitative Data Strategy and for deploying VA’s Trust Survey, along with other operational and program-level surveys. She was chief data technology officer for the chief technology officer prior to rejoining VEO.

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Learn more about the Veteran Trust Report

S3E1: Clearing the Air: How CDC is Protecting Us From Tobacco Dec 05, 2024

Although the United States has made great strides in reducing tobacco-related disparities, commercial tobacco use is still the leading cause of today’s biggest health challenges.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) has been leading tobacco prevention, cessation, and control. The office's director joins us to discuss the progress the team has made in decreasing tobacco use, as well as the challenges and work ahead.

While CDC has found that smoking and e-cigarette use are down, new nicotine products threaten progress. OSH works to protect future generations by addressing these evolving threats to reduce preventable tobacco-related death and disease in the United States.

Dr. Deirdre Lawrence Kittner is the director of OSH. She has more than 20 years of public health experience, with a focus on global tobacco control, tobacco and health behavior science, and preventative policy development. Previously, she worked at the National Cancer Institute and served as deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products' Office of Science.

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Read the new Surgeon General report on prevention and control strategies to reduce tobacco-related disparities.

Find resources to help quit smoking.

Explore the Empower Vape-Free Youth and Tips From Former Smokers campaigns.

S2E12: Vote with Confidence: One Agency's Work to Secure Every Vote Nov 01, 2024

The 2024 election season brings fresh and complex challenges to election systems across the country—from mis- and disinformation to threats to security. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) serves as a federal election hub, providing resources, training, grants, and support to our state and local election administrators, helping them prepare for this election so that voters can cast their ballots with confidence. For our Season 2 finale, EAC Commissioner and current Chairman Ben Hovland discusses the hard work that’s gone into developing secure, resilient election administration and systems. So, whether you’ve voted early or plan to vote on Election Day, tune in to discover how the EAC is ensuring every vote counts!
Ben Hovland is a commissioner and the current chairman of the EAC. He has served as co-chair of the Election Infrastructure Subsector's Government Coordinating Council and chair of the Joint Subsector COVID-19 Working Group, coordinating pandemic response among state and local election officials, federal partners, and the private sector. His career in elections spans over 20 years, including as acting chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and deputy general counsel for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office.
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Visit vote.gov or helpamericavote.gov to plan to vote or learn to become a poll worker
Discover video guides for voting and more about how the EAC is building election readiness

S2E11: NCI's Research to Prevent Breast Cancer Oct 03, 2024

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women behind skin cancer, with approximately 13.1% of women estimated to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is pioneering research to understand how we can better prevent breast cancer and promote risk reduction. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, NCI Division of Cancer Prevention Breast and Gynecological Cancer Research Chief Dr. Brandy Heckman-Stoddard about cutting-edge solutions in cancer prevention and how you can talk to your family and doctors to stay ahead in protecting your health.
Dr. Brandy Heckman-Stoddard has led the Breast and Gynecological Cancer Research Group in NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention for 6 years. She is also currently the acting chief of the division's community oncology and prevention trials and is the project scientist for breast cancer and uterine cancer for the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network. She has been with NCI since serving as a cancer prevention fellow in 2009.
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Explore NCI's Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool

Learn more about breast cancer on NCI's website

Learn about mammograms and recommendations for screening

Explore oncological clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCORP, and NCI's other programs.

S2E10: Recruiting for a Purpose: The Value of Public Service Sep 05, 2024

The federal government is the United States’ biggest employer, with more than 2.1 million Service members and over 2 million civilian employees. Behind those millions of professionals, federal human capital leaders provide resources, benefits, programs, and growth opportunities to uplift our civil servants, so they can uplift our country. In this episode, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. House of Representatives to learn how these institutions approach public service recruitment, initiatives to ensure federal employees grow and succeed, and more.
Traci DiMartini is the Chief Human Capital Officer at the IRS. She has previously served as the Chief Human Capital Officer of the General Services Administration, Peace Corps, and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
John Salamone has served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at the U.S. House of Representatives for the last 8 years. He has previously consulted in human capital, was executive director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Chief Human Capital Officers Council and served as a staff member of the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management.
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Search for career opportunities on USAJOBS

S2E9: Policy for the Planet: EPA's Role in Protecting Our Communities Aug 01, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s policies have been key to keeping our country's people and environment healthy and safe. The agency's Office of Policy has been hard at work with some new updates though, taking new steps to strengthen climate adaptation, resilience, and emission reductions. Office of Policy Associate Administrator Vicki Arroyo walks us through these updates, as well as how her and her family's first-hand experiences with environmental disasters have informed how she approaches her work.

Vicki Arroyo is the associate administrator of EPA's Office of Policy. She also oversaw environmental justice work at the agency from January 2021 to September 2022. She has served as the executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center and was also a professor at Georgetown Law and director of the Environmental Law and Policy Program. Earlier in her career, she created and directed the Louisiana Department of Quality's policy office.

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Explore more of the Office of Policy's work

Learn more about EPA's climate adaptation planning

S2E8: Partnering for a Healthier Planet: Where Health and Climate Action Meet Jul 11, 2024

The warming climate is having an impact on our health, both physically and mentally. So, what do we need to do to protect our health and the planet's wellbeing? The Department of Health and Human Service's Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) and George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication (Mason 4C) are each doing their part to understand and address climate change and health at their crossroads. We speak with OCCHE Director Dr. John Balbus and Mason 4C Director Dr. Ed Maibach to understand how they're rallying government agencies and the health sector to mobilize on climate action and help us keep our health resilient to a changing climate.
Dr. John Balbus is the director of OCCHE. He is a physician and public health professional with over 25 years of experience working on the health implications of climate change. He has served as HHS principal to the US Global Change Research Program and co-chair of the working group on Climate Change and Human Health for the US Global Change Research program. He was also senior advisor for public health to the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Dr. Ed Maibach is the director of the Mason 4C and distinguished university professor at George Mason University. He has previously served as associate director of the National Cancer Institute and worldwide director of social marketing at Porter Novelli. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Climate and Health Alliance.
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S2E7: Moving the Needle on Mental Health Through Research Jun 06, 2024

For the last 8 years, Dr. Joshua Gordon has served as director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)—the leading federal agency in mental health research. Next week, Dr. Gordon will depart NIMH and continue the next step of his career at Columbia University. As he wraps up his tenure, we sit down with Dr. Gordon to talk about the arc of progress in mental health research, how NIMH is translating evidence-based solutions to the treatment setting, and what's next for the director as he departs the institute.

Dr. Joshua Gordon has served as the director of NIMH since 2016. Prior to joining NIMH, he served as an associate professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and as a research psychiatrist at New York State Psychiatric Institute.

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Read about Dr. Gordon's legacy

Learn more about NIMH's research

S2E6: How Evidence-Building Strengthens HHS Policymaking May 02, 2024

The 2019 Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act—or Evidence Act—aims to improve federal programs applying data, evidence, and evaluations in decision-making. Five years later, how are agencies meeting the requirements of the legislation, and how has the act improved how our government accomplishes its mission? We explore these questions looking into evidence and evaluations at one agency, the Department of Health and Human Services with its evaluation officer, Dr. Susan Jenkins.

Dr. Susan Jenkins is the HHS evaluation officer and director of the agency's Division of Evidence, Evaluation, and Policy in the Office of Science and Data Policy. She is also a member of Federal Interagency Council on Evaluation Policy. Susan previously served as director of the Administration for Community Living's Office of Performance and Evaluation and served on detail with the Office of Management and Budget's Evidence Team.

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Dive into HHS's FY25 Evaluation Plan
Learn how evaluation and evidence are making an impact at HHS

S2E5: Inside FDA's 10-Year Campaign to Prevent Youth Tobacco Use Apr 04, 2024

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) longest-running tobacco public education campaign, The Real Cost, is marking its 10th anniversary this year. The campaign aims to prevent youth from using tobacco through powerful messaging and real-life stories, but how has The Real Cost remained relevant as the media landscape, young people, and the market of tobacco products all evolved rapidly? In this episode of Empathy Affect, we explore these questions and dive into the methods and public health impact of The Real Cost.
April Brubach is the acting director of FDA's Center for Tobacco Products' (CTP) Office of Health Communications and Education (OHCE) and has worked at CTP since 2010. She joined CTP in 2010, working across a portfolio of tobacco prevention campaigns, education initiatives, and communication science and policy. She has previously built and managed the Health and Human Services' COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, and she has served as deputy for FDA's COVID-19 Joint Information Cell and communication program manager at the National Cancer Institute.
Merrybelle Guo is a social scientist at FDA CTP's OCHE. She has also served as a health communications specialist at CTP and a digital communications fellow at the Office of the Surgeon General.
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Dive into FDA's Tobacco Education Resource Library

S2E4: Motherhood + Modernization: USDS is Shaping Equitable Post-Natal Care Mar 07, 2024

For many mothers, the immediate postnatal period is a vulnerable one, often filled with financial, social, physical, and mental challenges while caring for a young child. Our federal government is working to provide better resources and services to support women through early motherhood, and U.S. Digital Service (USDS) is stepping up with solutions to make it easier, equitable, and more effective. Our guest, Birth of a Child Portfolio Lead Maya Mechenbier, became a mother shortly before leading these efforts at USDS, grounding the work USDS does for federal agencies with her own journey raising two daughters. Learn how she and her team are helping agencies provide supply kits for mothers, peer navigation resources, and text-based notifications to help mothers apply for federal aid. All of this comes together with technology, UX design, rigorous evaluation, and the personal touch of lived experience.

Maya Mechenbier is a project lead and product counsel at USDS and Birth of a Child portfolio lead at the Office of Management and Budget, leading projects including the Peer Navigator Service, Newborn Supply Kit, and Notify for Families. Maya is in her second tour with USDS after serving with USDS's Quality Payment Program team at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) in 2016 and with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) at the White House in 2015. She has also served in career roles at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

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Read up on our government's progress supporting mothers through early childhood

Get a deeper dive on the Newborn Supply Kit

Learn more about USDS's work

S2E3: Serving to Build Purpose: How Volunteering Empowers Older Adults to Connect and Grow Feb 01, 2024

As adults age, many retire, become empty nesters, and are trying to figure out their next chapter in life. AmeriCorps Seniors has helped 140,000 people discover that next chapter through volunteer opportunities across the country. Learn more about how AmeriCorps has created pathways for older adults to serve and connect with their community. We chat with AmeriCorps Seniors Director Atalaya Sergi to learn how volunteering has transformed lives and how you can get yourself or loved ones on a journey that discovers purpose in service.

Atalaya Sergi is the director of AmeriCorps Seniors. She has more than 20 years of experience in service, education, and community engagement. Prior to joining AmeriCorps, she served as vice president of strategic partnerships and programming at Jumpstart for Young Children, managing AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs as a federal grantee.

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Discover volunteer opportunities through AmeriCorps Seniors Pathfinder

S2E2: Beyond the Ballot: Rebuilding Trust in Elections Jan 04, 2024

It’s the start of a presidential election year. Caucuses and primaries are approaching, and the country is readying to vote. We are taking on elections and speaking with former senior election security advisor at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Kim Wyman about combatting mis- and disinformation to restore the public’s faith in our elections.

Kim Wyman previously served as Secretary of State of Washington and senior election security advisor at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). She was also Thurston County’s elections director for nearly a decade and served three terms as the Thurston County Auditor between 2001 and 2013. Today, she is Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

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Learn more about your election from your Secretary of State

Register to vote, check your voter registration status, and answer your voting questions here

S2E1: Turning the Tides: Inside the EPA’s Fight to Combat Environmental Injustice Dec 07, 2023

The Inflation Reduction Act provided a historic amount of funding and opportunity for the federal government to make meaningful investments in environmental justice programs across the government. As we enter season 2 of Empathy Affect, we're joined by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Assistant Administrator for Environmental Justice Matthew Tejada to learn how the legislation is enhancing over 30 years of work that his agency has done in environmental justice and how environmental justice is becoming an all-of-government endeavor.

Matthew Tejada has directed the EPA's environmental justice work for over a decade. Before joining the EPA, he was executive director of an environmental justice advocacy organization called Air Alliance Houston.

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Learn more about EPA EJ technical assistance centers

S1E13: Transforming Your Taxes: How New IRS Online Services Will Make Filing a Breeze Nov 02, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) received about $80 billion in additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to make sweeping improvements—including how taxpayers interact with the agency. The IRS's Office of Online Services (OLS) has a big role to play in transforming the taxpayer experience as people increasingly opt to file digitally. On this episode of Fors Marsh Media's Empathy Affect, OLS Director Karen Howard and User Experience Services Director April Harding share how the IRS is using funding and strategy derived from the IRA to increase accessibility and transparency across its taxpayer services.

Karen Howard is the director of the IRS's OLS. She joined the IRS in 2020 after holding positions with companies like LPL Financial and the Renfro Corporation.

April Harding is the director of user experience services within OLS. She joined the IRS in 2023 after serving as a digital consultant, co-founder of Wellspring ID, and digital director at Stratacomm.

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Read up on the IRS Inflation Reduction Act Strategic Operating Plan

See if you qualify for tax credits and deductions

S1E12: How Your Workplace Can Support People in Recovery Oct 05, 2023

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in the Executive Office of the President is coordinating with other federal agencies to release a Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit that can guide organizations big and small toward helping people suffering with substance use disorder on their paths to recovery. In this episode, ONDCP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Gaumond gives us a sneak peek into the toolkit, some best practices and examples of successful workplace recovery initiatives, and how companies and employees can both benefit from adopting recovery programs and policies.

Peter Gaumond is a senior policy analyst at ONDCP. He has over 30 years of experience in substance use disorder treatment and recovery and helped develop the National Drug Control Policy. He has also served as ONDCP's Chief of the Recovery Brand and has held positions at the Altarum Institute, Abt Associates, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, and Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

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Find the upcoming toolkit in the Recovery-Ready Workforce Hub

Talk with someone through 988

Check out FindTreatment.gov and Find Support

Find other support groups here

S1E11: One Step at a Time: VA's Mission to Prevent Veteran Suicide Sep 07, 2023

Suicide has been a rising public health crisis in America, and veterans are some who are at the highest risk. In honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September, we're joined by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Director of Suicide Prevention, Dr. Matthew Miller, to learn about how the VA is supporting veterans, caregivers, and families to prevent suicide and promote mental health and recovery. We also get into the challenges around suicide prevention and what we need to do to move forward together.

Dr. Matthew Miller is the National Director for Suicide Prevention at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has previously served as Director of the Veterans Crisis Line and Chief of Mental Health at Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

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Reach the Veterans Crisis Line

S1E10, Pt. 2: From Mentee to Peer: Creating Diverse, Strong Government Leaders Through Mentorship Aug 17, 2023

In part 2 of our episode on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the federal workforce, we get personal and chat about the roles of mentorship and sponsorship in raising diverse leadership across the government. Our guests, National Science Foundation (NSF) Chief of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Charles "Chuck" Barber and Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Chief of Diversity and Equal Opportunity Dr. Theresa Horne, talk about their mentor-mentee relationship and how fostering more professional relationships through mentorship can help people rise in their careers.

S1E10, Pt. 1: Building a Better Federal Workforce: The Power of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Aug 03, 2023

The United States is a diverse nation, and the federal government needs to reflect the faces and minds of the country to deliver its best services. In part one of this month’s Empathy Affect, we dive into the broad strokes the federal government is taking to integrate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) across its workforce. Our guest in this episode, Office of Personnel and Management’s (OPM) Office of DEIA Director Dr. Janice Underwood, walks us through these efforts and the White House’s executive order to strengthen the federal workforce with DEIA.

Dr. Janice Underwood is the director of OPM's Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. She was formerly the first chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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S1E9: Dismantling the Digital Divide: How the Digital Equity Act Aims to Connect All Americans Jul 06, 2023

Internet connectivity has become a necessity in our lives, but many in America lack quality, affordable, high-speed internet access. To bridge the digital divide, the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Digital Equity Act, which allocated funding to establish grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is helming the efforts behind the legislation, so we spoke with NTIA's Digital Equity Director, Angela Thi Bennett, about the journey to promoting equitable access to the internet across the country.
Angela Thi Bennett serves as NTIA's first-ever digital equity director, where she provides leadership and guidance around the Digital Equity Act. She was previously a champion of digital inclusion in Cleveland, Ohio, through organizations such as DigitalC.

S1E8, Pt. 2: How the HEALing Communities Study Aims to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths Jun 15, 2023

Welcome back for part 2 of our discussion on the National Institute's of Health HEALing Communities Study—a bold research effort that looks to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths across highly impacted communities by 40% over three years. Continuing the conversation from Part 1, we look to understand the progress the study has made to date, how the study's researchers have worked alongside their participating communities to adapt to the rapidly evolving drug landscape, and how the country can continue addressing the crisis.

Dr. Redonna Chandler is the HEALing Community Study Director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She has been at NIDA since 2002, serving in positions of increasing responsibility and leadership across the institute.

Dr. Ynvild Olsen is Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). She has previously worked in substance use treatment with Baltimore City and served as Deputy Health Officer for Maryland's Harford City Health Department.

S1E8, Pt. 1: How the HEALing Communities Study Aims to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths Jun 01, 2023

In 2018, the National Institutes of Health launched the HEALing Communities Study, a research endeavor to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths across highly impacted communities by 40% over three years. The study bridges science-driven interventions with community collaboration. In the first part of this special two-part episode, we chat with leadership behind the HEALing Communities Study about the evolution of the opioid crisis to date and how they're bridging compassion, research, and change to help communities hard-hit by opioid misuse and overdoses.

Dr. Redonna Chandler is the HEALing Community Study Director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She has been at NIDA since 2002, serving in positions of increasing responsibility and leadership across the institute.

Dr. Yngvild Olsen is Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). She has previously worked in substance use treatment with Baltimore City and served as Deputy Health Officer for Maryland's Harford City Health Department.

S1E7: Inside HHS’s 358 Objectives to Improve Health Promotion and Equity May 04, 2023

Every decade since 1980, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has set ambitious, measurable goals to make progress across public health—from improving quality health care access to reducing tobacco use. This decade’s iteration, Healthy People 2030, is taking on 358 objectives and focusing on health equity and literacy, as well as social determinants of health. We talk with HHS’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) Director RDML Paul Reed to dive into how we’re making progress on Healthy People 2030 and the importance of developing systems that promote our wellbeing.

RDML Paul Reed advises the Assistant Secretary for Health on disease prevention and health promotion programs and policies. He also oversees Healthy People 2030, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition

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S1E6: AmeriCorps' Role in Reinvigorating the Public Health Workforce Apr 06, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic took a significant toll on an already strained public health system in the United States, pushing many front-line workers to leave the field or retire. AmeriCorps—a federal agency that provides opportunities for national service—is looking to rebuild our public health workforce with Public Health AmeriCorps. Amid National Public Health Week, we talk with Public Health AmeriCorps Director AJ Pearlman on Empathy Affect to learn about the state of public health amid the pandemic, opportunities with Public Health AmeriCorps, and the rewarding nature of national service.

AJ Pearlman joins AmeriCorps from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she served as the chief of staff for COVID-19 response, leading efforts across the department to address and respond to the pandemic.
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S1E5: Building More Climate-Resilient Communities With HUD Mar 02, 2023

Our communities’ resilience has been tested amid exacerbated natural disasters and extreme weather from climate change. As we face a reality shaped by climate change, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is playing its own role in helping the country develop and rebuild in more resilient ways. In this episode of Fors Marsh Media’s Empathy Affect, we untangle some of the challenges around climate resilience, community development, and affordable housing, as well available resources to build a resilient community with our guest Marion Mollegen McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD.

S1E4: Inside the National Science Foundation's Push to Diversify Federal Research Grants Feb 02, 2023

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is known for being one of the government's top funders of federal research grants to institutions of higher learning to advance progress in the fields of fundamental science and engineering. Now, the agency is looking to bring greater accessibility to its grants and help diversify the research pipeline. NSF Office of Integrative Activities Head Dr. Alicia Knoedler joins us to talk about how she’s bringing her history in research development to her current work at NSF elevating underrepresented research institutions across the country.

S1E3: How People in Recovery are Developing a Recovery-Ready Nation Jan 05, 2023

A new year marks a moment to set new goals, and for many, that means embracing recovery from substance use and mental health conditions. At the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of Recovery provides resources and strategies to elevate the importance of recovery. Many of the office's leaders are in recovery themselves, allowing personal experiences and growth to inform their work. In this episode, we learn how national policies and efforts around recovery are moving forward and get to know SAMHSA's Dona Dmitrovic, a woman in long-term recovery who has dedicated her career to helping others heal.

S1E2, Pt. 2: The Future of Nutrition Assistance Programs in Uplifting Food Security Dec 15, 2022

Today, we continue our last episode's discussion around federal efforts to understand and combat food insecurity. We discuss policies and programs that provide nutrition assistance with Dr. Sara Bleich, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity. We'll talk about updates in nutrition assistance programs aimed at providing more equitable aid and the important role education and community engagement play in feeding America.

S1E2, Pt. 1: What NHLBI’s Research Says About Food Security and Health Dec 01, 2022

Food insecurity is a deeply cross-cutting challenge to take on, so we’re bringing you a two-part episode examining the science of nutrition insecurity and policies looking to address it. In part 1, we talk with Dr. Alison Brown, a program director at NHLBI, about health risks of food insecurity like chronic disease, and how researchers are helping us understand the correlation between access to healthy foods and long-term health.

Alison Brown, MS, PhD, RDN is a public health nutrition researcher committed to addressing diet-related health disparities through research, community empowerment, and systems change. Dr. Brown’s past research explored immigrant health and diet and cardiovascular disease outcomes. Currently, she serves as a Program Director at the National Heart Lung Blood Institute where her work centers on the social determinants of health and nutrition health disparities.

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S1E1: How Climate & Community Play Into the Future of Public Health Nov 17, 2022

Our first episode of Empathy Affect takes a big-picture look at the future of public health from the federal level with Admiral Rachel Levine, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Health. Community, climate action, and health equity all play crucial roles, and we'll learn how HHS is integrating them into its policies and action.

Welcome to Empathy Affect Nov 07, 2022

Join us as we explore the human side of government. On Empathy Affect, we'll get to know the real people in government who serve us—their missions, the people they serve, and the true impact of their work. Each episode will uncover insights into how our government impacts the human experience and how empathy drives action.
We believe in the Empathy Affect.

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