The Public Service Project - Cait Dallaire

Latest Episodes:

On Rizzy Turtles and Data Visualization with Abby Andre Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Abby Andre is the Executive Director of The Impact Project, a new interactive platform to help visualize how federal employment, funding, and policy decisions affect our communities. She specializes in the art of connecting the dots, and her first step is plotting them on the map so we can all see what she sees - both data and narrative. Abby is a former DOJ Attorney, and her public service journey has been a fight for transparency, accountability, truth, and justice for every American citizen and charismatic megafauna. She is a connector, a matchmaker, a bridge, and she is using her fascinating collection of experiences and her brilliant brain to contribute to a better informed citizenry, a more accountable government, and a more resilient democracy. Not too shabby.

Check out The Impact Project (a nonpartisan initiative for all Americans) here: https://theimpactproject.org

On Scarcity and Abundance with R. Delphi Cleaveland Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Delphi Cleaveland is a seasoned foreign policy professional with over 10 years of experience serving inside and outside government to advance human rights and democracy at home and around the world. She's continuing the mission of advancing and enhancing U.S. foreign policy by shifting her focus to providing public servants with the resources they need in order to live well, work effectively, and advance their policy objectives. Delphi is a ridiculously accomplished, deeply thoughtful, effervescent human being. This kind of conversation - incisive, constructive, relatable, honest, and fair - is exactly why I started this project. Listen in for Delphi's reflections on human rights, counterterrorism, the future of foreign policy, and the growing threat environment confronting public servants.

On Hardship Posts and Third Spaces with Jared Banks Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Jared Banks spent over 20 years in the Foreign Service, serving in DC, London, Geneva, Kabul, Warsaw, Brasilia, and advancing U.S. priorities on issues like critical emerging tech, science diplomacy, peacekeeping, and human rights. He's here to talk about his background as an academic, his time serving in Afghanistan as his family stayed behind, and his experience of faith communities as anchors in each new location.

While its form has changed, the spirit of service has not left Jared! He's leading a Great Decisions discussion group at his local library with resources provided by the Foreign Policy Association, and in doing so, creating a safe space for learning and the exchange of ideas. Can you think of anything better for democracy? For more on the program, click the link: https://fpa.org/great-decisions/

On the Global and the Local with Brianna Clarke-Schwelm Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Brianna Clarke-Schwelm is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Global Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization striving to advance the state as a center of global health. Brianna has spent her career blending her love of rural communities (starting with the one that raised her) with her passion for access to public health as the foundation for a good life - one that includes safety, equity, and opportunity.

Our conversation touches on everything from birth order and sibling dynamics, to the college courses we loved and loathed, to motherhood, sacrifice, and social safety nets. We studied topics like religion and philosophy and politics to better understand how we organize ourselves and serve each other (especially in vulnerable moments), and then we had babies and got them through a global pandemic, so in many ways, every moment of this winding conversation is circling the same question: How do we want to live, and what can we do to get there?

Toward the end, Brianna tells us all about how NC is a center for global health, innovation, medicine and tech, and then she drops some wisdom about translating international experience to state and local contexts. Public servants from all walks, listen to that part twice!

On Bridges and Ballasts: A LIVE Conversation with Jennifer Davis Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

I had the privilege of sitting down for the first LIVE recording of the Public Service Project at my alma mater, UNC Chapel Hill (GO HEELS!), with a fellow alum, the incomparably brilliant Jennifer Davis.

Jen is currently a Distinguished Professor of Practice at the University of North Carolina, and former Senior U.S. Diplomat and Attorney. In 22 years with the Foreign Service, Jen did everything from consular services for Americans abroad, to advising at NATO, serving as Special Assistant and Executive Assistant to Secretaries Rice and Clinton, to serving as Consul General in Istanbul. Jen has been generous with her time, her energy, and her wisdom as a public servant, and she continues her service as she guides and inspires the next generation of policy professionals at the University.

Nothing is off limits as we talk about Jen's early life in North Carolina, the sources of her ambition, and all the things she's reflecting on today.

On Confidence and Family with Jose Mercado Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

Jose Mercado is a U.S. national security and foreign policy expert with 30 years of U.S. government service. He's a U.S. Air Force Veteran and Diplomatic Security Special Agent, specializing in democracy, human rights, and crisis response, and recently serving as Deputy Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. He's also a father, son, husband, friend, and a true public servant at heart.

Jose happily shares the twists and turns of the military and diplomatic chapters of his career, and bravely uncovers the many layers of his experience with service: uncertainty, inspiration, pressure, pride, imposter syndrome, and confidence. We talk about TV and movies, soft power and hard power, regional and functional bureaus, and so many other things.

This guy's family gave him roots and wings, and this episode is a bit of a tribute to them, to him, and to public servants everywhere.

On Rights and Responsibilities with Dylan Lang Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Dylan Lang is a lawyer, social worker, and human rights activist with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of diplomacy, law, and social justice. Some may see these credentials and think, which is it? Lawyer? Social worker? Human rights advocate? And the answer is, exactly.

Dylan has pursued his career and life with passion and vision, and each facet of his experience has improved his effectiveness in all other areas. In this episode, he talks about what it was like being out in the workplace, and having the unique privilege of advocating for the rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world. As someone who has Zoomed with Senators, written and delivered his own remarks on the floor of the United Nations, and prioritized service in every chapter of his career, Dylan has proven himself to be a powerful advocate for human rights. And he wakes up every day seeking new, creative ways to continue the work, which he seems to view as both a privilege and a responsibility. He is a true public servant, and a gem of a human being.

On Trauma and Recovery with Dr. Abir Aldhalimi Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Abir Aldhalimi is a true systems thinker, who helps individuals along their path to healing after trauma, while she simultaneously works to co-create systems and structures that support better mental health and wellness for everyone. Her resume is beyond impressive (highlights below), but it pales in comparison to her wisdom and generosity as she draws from her own refugee experience and training as a clinical psychologist to guide others along their own path to healing and thriving.

Dr. Aldhalimi specializes in psychotherapy and mental health policy. She's the Founder of Unknotted Mental Health, a Clinical Instructor at Yale School of Medicine, and a former Senior Mental Health Advisor for USAID. She's here to talk to us about trauma and healing, resilience, mental health policy and systems change, and so many other things.

Dr. Aldhalimi's practice, Unknotted, provides innovative, integrated, and individualized mental health services to individuals and organizations. For more on Unknotted, and to access self guided resources that are especially useful for recently separated feds but also for anyone navigating change, visit the site and reach out to Dr. Aldhalimi: https://www.unknotted.com

On Organization and Culture with Paul Kruchowski Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Paul Kruchowski is a former senior U.S. diplomat and career member of the Senior Executive Service. In his final role at the State Department, Paul served as the Chief Operating Officer for Public Diplomacy, managing a $1.5 billion budget, and 5,000 person global organization. He's also an accomplished cellist, and in his post-government era, he's helping organizations integrate AI in a way that is people-focused, collaborative, and productive.

In this episode, we talk about work life balance vs. integration; fractional work; personality and productivity; perfectionism; and what it takes to foster a healthy organizational culture. Paul also provides some unsurprisingly awesome advice for those navigating career transitions, and relays some wisdom about the efficient allocation of time and energy. He's an optimist, a pragmatist, a cellist... he's uncompromisingly honest and unfailingly kind.

On Innovation and Edutainment with Dr. Aubrey Paris Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Aubrey Paris is a national treasure, and that's fitting, since she is obsessed with the franchise. She's also a policy visionary (seriously), PhD scientist, author, and executive producer and creator of the award-winning podcast and community engagement series, National Treasure Hunt. You would think it would be intimidating to interview someone with this much #cred in this many areas (especially in podcasting) but if you spent 5 minutes with Aubrey, you would know that her wit and brilliance are only eclipsed by her kindness and authenticity. She is the queen of interdisciplinary thinking, a scientist who communicates and a communicator who... sciences? She's the poster child for Ursinus College and the manifestation of her parents' many defining qualities, all in one person - a realization that hit both of us on this show. She's never taken an IR or polisci class but she's out here crushing it, and not letting "it" crush her. Aubrey is a colleague turned friend, and by the end of this episode, you'll want her to be your friend, too.

For more on National Treasure Hunt, including the America 250 Tour, go here: https://nthuntpodcast.com/