The GovNavigators Show

This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam are joined by Doug Criscitello, newly named Executive Director of the Center for U.S. Lending, to unpack what’s next for federal credit programs, and why modernization can’t wait.
Doug outlines the Center’s mission to improve how Americans access the federal government’s $5 trillion loan portfolio, from student loans and housing to small business and infrastructure finance. Additionally, we learn how the Center plans to convene agencies, Congress, lenders, and contractors, and why improving program design and performance measurement is just as important as upgrading technology.
It’s a wide-ranging discussion on what it will take to make federal lending more effective, more secure, and more user-centered, without making it “exciting for the wrong reasons.”
Show Notes:
Appropriations Progress
Technology Modernization Fund (TMF)
GAO's Federal Debt Audit
What's on the GovNavigator's Radar:
Jan 27: CMS Industry Day
Jan 26-28: National Small Business Conference

In this episode of The Lending Brief (sponsored by Allocore), the GovNavigators talk with Anthony Curcio, Senior Partner at Summit Consulting and longtime federal credit expert, about the fundamentals of government lending.
Curcio explains why federal loan programs exist in the first place, how they differ from private-sector financing, and the two distinct sides of federal credit: large consumer programs like student loans and mortgages, and project-based lending for infrastructure, manufacturing, and industrial policy.
The discussion covers the practical challenges agencies face and the central tension of federal lending: advancing public policy while still operating like a disciplined, repayable loan program.
For anyone looking to understand the strategy, mechanics, and future of federal credit, this conversation is a clear and candid guide.
Want more from The Lending Brief? Check out The Lending Brief Newsletter

This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam sit down with Jon Stehle, Director of Intergovernmental Partnerships at the Association of Government Accountants (AGA), for a discussion on the intersection of federal, state, and local government.
A former four-term Fairfax City Council member, Jon reflects on lessons learned from local office; why strategic planning matters, how regional collaboration actually works, and why many of the services people rely on are funded far beyond their own city hall. He explains how AGA helps connect practitioners across jurisdictions, from sharing best practices through citizen-centric reporting to building the next generation of government financial managers. Jon also digs into timely issues like improper payments and fraud, the importance of clear definitions and accountability, and what state and local leaders are feeling as policies and funding priorities shift in Washington.
Can't get enough of Jon and AGA? Keep an eye out for their upcoming events, including AGA's National Leadership Training and the return of its Professional Development Training conference to Washington, DC.
Show Notes:
House Oversight Federal Fraud Hearing
AGA's CGFM Certification
AGA Professional Development Training 2026
What's on the GovNavigators Radar:
Jan 21: Scoop News Group's SNG Live: Government Efficiency 
Jan 27: ACT-IAC’s Acquisition and Innovation Forum
Feb 5: Adobe’s Government Forum
Feb 18-19: AGA’s NLT
Feb 24: State of the Union Address

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam kick off 2026 with Terry Gerton, former President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration and the new host of The Federal Drive on Federal News Network. Terry reflects on her transition from leading a major good-government institution to hosting a daily federal news program, and what it takes to deliver clear, fact-based conversations amid constant policy churn.
Listen along as we learn how The Federal Drive decides what matters most to federal employees, why listener feedback often shapes coverage in unexpected ways, and what Terry is watching most closely in 2026, from congressional dynamics to the growing role of the courts in federal governance.
Show Notes:
Listen to the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
DoD accelerates FAR overhaul
New EO targets the defense industrial base
OMB brings back the Presidential Rank Awards
Fed100 nominations are due January 14!
What's on the GovNavigators Radar:
Jan 13: House Oversight and Government Reform Hearing: Curbing Federal Fraud
Jan 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan 21: Scoop News Group Government Efficiency Summit
Jan 27: ACT-IAC Acquisition and Innovation Forum 
Jan 28: IBM Think Gov 2026
Jan 30: ACT-IAC CX Summit: The Next Chapter

In this episode of The Lending Brief (sponsored by Allocore), former Treasury Fiscal Assistant Secretary and Acting Deputy Secretary Dave Lebryk joins the show to reflect on a career at the center of federal financial management—from government-wide data modernization to delivering emergency payments at historic speed.
Drawing on his leadership during the DATA Act implementation and the rollout of pandemic economic impact payments, Lebryk discusses what government gets right in moments of crisis, why agile methods and cross-agency collaboration matter, and how trust, data quality, and execution are deeply intertwined. He explains how Treasury dramatically expanded fraud-prevention capabilities, why federally funded, state-administered programs remain a major opportunity area, and how better data aggregation can protect taxpayers without slowing delivery.
The conversation also explores where shared services and standardized platforms could most improve federal lending and grants, the role of the private sector in scaling fraud detection and identity verification, and what it will take to build seamless, end-to-end experiences for borrowers—without sacrificing oversight. Lebryk closes with reflections on the next generation of public servants and why technological fluency will be essential to the future of federal credit programs.
Want more from The Lending Brief? Check out The Lending Brief Newsletter.