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by GovCIO Media & Research
The GovCIO Media & Research podcast network comprises GovCast, AI GovCast, CyberCast and HealthCast featuring conversations with key leaders on timely issues impacting the federal IT landscape. Topics include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, IT modernization, data analytics, workforce development and more.
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Jamie Holcombe, COO of Electrosoft and former CIO of the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), shared his leadership insights on how culture is built and discussed how speed without culture leads to burnout and broken trust. He explained the importance of connecting every team member's work to the mission and that without understanding the "why," people become disengaged and innovation suffers. Addressing the human cost of cyber work, Holcombe highlighted the need for leaders to recognize signs of fatigue and loss of purpose. He urged leaders to prioritize wellness, trust and mission clarity. His message is that culture is the steel inside the system. Build trust before crisis, explain the mission before tasks and care for people before they break. "People are our most critical infrastructure," he said.
Federal agencies can make the authorization to operate (ATO) process more efficient by treating security as an ongoing part of software development rather than a checklist to complete before deployment, according to Victoria Yan Pillitteri, cybersecurity lead at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Speaking with GovCIO Media & Research at the Carahsoft DevSecOps Conference, Pillitteri outlined common misconceptions that can slow the ATO process, including treating authorization as a one-time compliance exercise or simply a hurdle to clear for approval. Pillitteri explained how NIST guidance gives agencies flexibility to tailor the ATO process to their specific missions, systems and risk tolerances rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. She also discusses how clearly defining roles and responsibilities, strengthening risk management practices and building security into software development from the beginning can help agencies streamline authorization while deploying software more efficiently and securely.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Director John Sarrao discussed how artificial intelligence and large-scale computing are changing the way scientific research is conducted across the national laboratory system. Sarrao explained how SLAC's massive scientific data streams are contributing to the Genesis Mission's push to accelerate scientific discovery with AI. He also highlighted SLAC's use of a multi-agent AI framework to explore more efficient ways to recover critical minerals from battery waste and identify more sustainable materials. Sarrao also discussed how collaboration across national labs, federal agencies, universities and industry can bring together specialized data, tools and AI models. He explained why that broader ecosystem is a strategic advantage for the Genesis Mission and how research teams beyond the mission's initially funded projects can contribute to its goals.
Federal agencies risk falling behind the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence unless they rethink how they buy technology, according to Anil Chaudhry, senior advisor of AI, Autonomy and National Security at the Transportation Department. Chaudhry discussed how agentic AI is accelerating application development, testing and deployment while rapid advances in AI models are challenging traditional multiyear IT contracts. He points to modular contracting, with requirements broken into shorter increments, as one way agencies can better align procurement with the pace of technological change. Chaudhry also examined how AI is reshaping the acquisition process itself, from enabling contractors to respond to more solicitations to helping agencies conduct administrative reviews. Rather than imposing a governmentwide ceiling on AI use in procurement, he argued agencies should tailor their approaches to their missions while following a straightforward principle: disclose when AI is used. He also discussed the emerging challenge of pricing AI-enabled work as agencies compare traditional labor-intensive teams with approaches that rely more heavily on AI agents.
The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) is expanding its DevSecOps research to explore how artificial intelligence can support software development and security workflows. Michael Ogata, a computer scientist at NIST, discussed how AI and large language models are being applied to coding, testing, security evaluation and vulnerability remediation. He also outlined NIST's emerging focus on agentic AI, including how organizations can establish identities and credentials for AI agents, authorize their actions and ensure those actions remain traceable to accountable human users.
The Coast Guard is modernizing how it develops applications to support its missions. The service's new Software Yard is designed to accelerate secure software development, incorporate DevSecOps and use low-code/no-code platforms to respond more quickly to emerging operational needs. Capt. Patrick Thompson, technical director of infrastructure at the Coast Guard, discussed how the Software Yard is changing application development, including efforts that have taken apps from concept to deployment in as little as three weeks. He also explained how faster development cycles are changing cybersecurity requirements, creating opportunities for AI-enabled security tools and driving the need to retool the Coast Guard's technology workforce.
The Navy is making AI and data central to how it operates, with a new strategy focused on faster decision-making and scaling what works. Department of the Navy CTO Justin Fanelli discussed the service's push toward an AI-first maritime force, how officials are evaluating AI projects based on return on investment and mission impact, and why the "make versus buy" mindset is becoming increasingly important in software development. He also shared how the Navy is organizing technology portfolios, moving capabilities from pilot to production faster and building a software-defined fleet that can adapt to changing mission needs.
Former CIA Chief Wellbeing Officer Jennifer Posa discussed why workforce wellbeing is a strategic driver of mission success. She drew on her experience building the CIA's first agency-wide wellbeing strategy to explain why leaders should focus on creating "readiness," not just resilience, to help employees perform in high-pressure, unpredictable environments. She outlined the four pillars of readiness, purpose, security, strength and culture, and shared practical strategies organizations can use to improve performance, strengthen leadership and build healthier, more resilient teams in an era of constant change.
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The GovCIO Media & Research podcast network comprises GovCast, AI GovCast, CyberCast and HealthCast featuring conversations with key leaders on timely issues impacting the federal IT landscape. Topics include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, IT modernization, data analytics, workforce development and more.
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