The Public Service Project - Cait Dallaire

Latest Episodes:

On Tax Negotiations and Citizen Diplomacy with Alexa Dominique Pascual Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

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!

On Crisis in Care with Deborah Cook Kaliel Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

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

On the (Mis)Education of Shannon Wolf Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

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.

On Relationships and Values with Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau Feb 11, 2026

Show notes

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.

On Creativity and Coffee with Annie Leverich Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

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

On Civ-Mil Relations and Arctic Adventures with Alex Wagner Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

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.

On Adversity and Grit with Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

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.

On Individuals and Ideas with Laurel Rapp Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

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.

On Civic Duty and Public-Private Partnerships with Ambassador Nathaniel Fick Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

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.

On Patience and Preservation with Katelyn Choe Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

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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