The GovNavigators Show

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.

In this special Christmas pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam close out a truly wild year in government with reflections, gratitude, and a well-earned holiday sendoff. We raise a glass to the remarkable career of Gene Dodaro, who is retiring after more than five decades of public service, including 15 years as Comptroller General of the United States. Additionally, we've got an update on all the year-end developments affecting the federal workforce, including holiday leave, pay adjustments, military compensation decisions, and the ever-present tension between appropriations law and executive branch flexibility.We wish you all a happy holidays, and we'll see you in 2026- Mele Kalikimaka!Show Notes:GAO: Comptroller General Gene Dodaro's final testimonyDodaro's "exit interview" with Government ExecutiveNDAA: Summary

This week, the GovNavigators sit down with our good friend Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on why government data matters more than most people realize, and why it so often goes unnoticed until it’s at risk.Nick walks through the launch of the People’s Data 100, a new initiative designed to surface and celebrate the most valuable public-sector data assets. He explains how fragile these “invisible infrastructure” systems can be, why low public engagement puts critical datasets at risk of elimination, and what it really takes — people, resources, and data hygiene — to keep high-value data usable, trustworthy, and fit for purpose.The conversation also explores the state of data governance heading into 2026, including implementation of the Evidence Act, responsible and ethical data use, and the upcoming launch of the Data Foundation’s Evidence Act Hub, aimed at making it easier for agencies, researchers, and the public to navigate the federal evidence ecosystem.In the news, Robert and Adam unpack the release of the administration’s long-awaited President’s Management Agenda, debate what its slimmed-down framework signals for federal priorities, and break down new developments on AI governance, federal real estate optimization, and the always-moving pieces of year-end legislation and management reform.Show Notes:OMB: President's Management Agenda (Finally!)EO: Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial IntelligenceData Foundation: Evidence Act HubPress ReleasePeople's Data 100What's on the GovNavigators Radar:Dec 16-17: SAP Public Sector SummitDec 16:AGA’s Smart Start Breakfast ForumForum IT 100 Awards Dec 17: AGA’s Wake Up Wednesday: Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs: Process Mining in Government

In this episode of The Lending Brief (sponsored by Allocore), former SBA CFO and Associate Administrator Kate Aaby joins to unpack what it really takes to manage and modernize one of the federal government’s largest loan portfolios. Drawing on experience at OMB, in the private sector, and on the front lines of pandemic lending, Kate reflects on lessons learned from moving $1 trillion in assistance to small businesses, and what’s still holding federal credit programs back.She discusses why performance and risk management should be inseparable, how fragmented eligibility systems erode trust, and why true modernization will require CFOs, CIOs, and program leaders to work together across agency lines. The conversation explores the need for shared platforms, better data transparency, and a cultural shift toward collaboration, all to better serve borrowers and safeguard taxpayer dollars.Want more from The Lending Brief? Check out The Lending Brief Newsletter

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Ross Nodurft, Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation, for a timely conversation on the future of federal IT modernization and the urgent fight to save the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) before its December expiration.Ross breaks down how the TMF has quietly become one of the federal government’s most effective tools for paying down tech debt, funding everything from Treasury network modernization to AI-powered disability processing at Social Security. He explains why TMF doesn’t require new appropriations to survive, where bipartisan momentum stands on Capitol Hill, and what agency leaders, industry partners, and advocates can do right now to push reauthorization across the finish line.In the news, we've got GAO’s alarming findings on fraud in CMS’s healthcare subsidies, the Justice Department’s investigation into the SBA’s 8(a) program, and new momentum behind the SAMOSA Act, which would overhaul how agencies buy and manage software.Show Notes:TMF: More on the importance of renewalGAO: CMS healthcare subsidies reportSBA: Investigating 8(a) participantsSAMOSA: Act advances in the HouseWhat's on the GovNavigators Radar:Dec 9: ACT-IAC Disruptive Technology ForumDec 11: State IT Modernization Summit (Virtual)ATARC CIO Summit