President Biden and congressional leaders are expected to push for a vote on the social spending and climate bill this week. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Lisa Maatz, former vice president of government affairs at the American Association of University Women where she worked to advance AAUW’s priority issues on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and in coalition with other organizations. Maatz is now senior advisor at Ohio Citizen Action and also provides leadership to several coalitions working to advance opportunities for women and girls. Media includes: The Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.
Internal Facebook documents provided to Congress following Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen’s testimony, and seen by a consortium of media outlets, have revealed that the company has been keeping track of real-world harm caused by Facebook and ignored warnings from employees. To discuss, we FEATURE Sarah Granger. Granger has more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of technology, media and government. She is an award-winning digital media innovator and bestselling author of The Digital Mystique: How the Culture of Connectivity Can Empower Your Life – Online and Off. Her work focuses on issues related to innovation, digital politics, cybersecurity, online privacy, technology accessibility, and open democracy. In 2011, Sarah founded the Center for Technology, Media & Society, dedicated to educating, informing and connecting stakeholders around converging topics like transparent e-government, high-tech workplace flexibility, and gender bias online. Media includes: Forbes, Spectrum, The Huffington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, PBS.
The military in Sudan has detained the Prime Minister and other civilian officials. To discuss, we FEATURE Marla Keenan. Keenan is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center. Her areas of expertise focus on issues relating to international security, including human rights in armed conflict, protection of civilians, civilian harm tracking and analysis, and civil-military relations in armed conflict. She is also an International Security Program Senior Fellow at New America, working to strengthen partnerships between NGOs and academic institutions on applied research in armed conflict. Keenan has worked on conflict and crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mali, Israel, Jordan, Nepal, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Yemen, and the Central African Republic. Media includes: Rolling Stone, Reuters, Buzzfeed, Christian Science Monitor.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Americans should expect inflation to continue until late 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused supply chain issues and worker shortages that have negatively affected the economy. To discuss, we FEATURE Michelle Wucker. Wucker is the author of four books including the influential global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore; and YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World (Pegasus Books, Spring 2021). Her work has moved markets, shaped financial policies, influenced business strategies, and made headlines around the world, especially as a frame for the ignored warnings that led to the COVID-19 pandemic. Media includes: CNN, NPR, MSNBC, CNBC.
Today, McDonald's workers across 10 U.S. cities walked off the job to protest the continued sexual harassment of employees. To discuss, we FEATURE Saru Jayaraman. Jayaraman is the Co-Founder and President of One Fair Wage, the co-founder of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United), and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley. She has been fighting to raise wages and working conditions for restaurant and other service workers for nearly 20 years. Media includes: The New York Times, The Takeaway, MSNBC, PBS.
Amazon workers in New York City have taken their first steps towards unionization by collecting signatures to get authorization for a union vote. To discuss, we FEATURE Angela Hanks. Hanks is Acting Assistant Secretary, Employment & Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor. Previously, Hanks was the Deputy Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, where she worked to advance a cross-cutting economic narrative for the progressive movement. Before joining Groundwork in 2019, Angela served as director of the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at CLASP, director of workforce development policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP), and senior federal policy analyst at the National Skills Coalition. Media includes: The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic.
Virginia and New Jersey residents will vote for their governor next week. To discuss, we FEATURE Atima Omara. Omara is an award-winning leader in politics and the progressive movement. An experienced political strategist, she is President Emeritus of the Young Democrats of America, Democratic National Commitee (DNC) member from Virginia, and Chair of the Planned Parenthood Metro Washington Action Fund Board of Directors. She has worked for a governor and as staff on over eight federal, state, and local Democratic campaigns in Virginia and across the country. Her multi-faceted political experience includes campaign management, field organizing, fundraising, and paid communications for coordinated campaigns and independent expenditures. Media includes: The Washington Post, CNN, PBS, BBC, NPR.
COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, begins this weekend in Glasgow. To discuss, we FEATURE Achala Chandani Abeysinghe. Dr. Abeysinghe is the Country Representative for Papua New Guinea (PNG), leading GGGI country programme on green growth and climate resilience. Prior to joining GGGI, Dr. Abeysinghe was the Head of the Global Climate Law, Policy and Governance Team at International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED-UK) as well as Head of the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi) Training and Support Programme for nearly 12 years. She was also lead author of the chapter on Climate Resilient Pathways in the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Media includes: Dhaka Tribune, Inside Climate News, The Conversation.















