The GovNavigators Show

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert sit down with Daniel Gaush, Acting Director of the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services Service Center at the U.S. Department of State, for a fascinating look at one of the federal government’s largest and least understood shared services operations.
Daniel explains how the ICASS system coordinates administrative support for more than 300 federal entities across embassies and consulates worldwide, everything from HR and motor pools to security, facilities, and logistics. He shares stories from a 24-year career spanning Morocco, China, Afghanistan, and Washington, including negotiating trade agreements, touring a Chinese nuclear reactor, and managing support operations in wartime environments.
The conversation explores the promise and pain points of shared services: balancing costs, managing interagency consensus, handling global crises, and adapting to major structural changes, such as the integration of USAID functions into the State Department. Daniel also reflects on the unique culture of the Foreign Service and offers advice for the next generation of Americans considering international public service careers.
Show Notes:
Final Report from The President’s Council to Assess the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar?
May 13: House Oversight & Government Reform Committee Hearing: DoW Financial Management: Examining Progress and New Audit Approaches 
May 14: House Oversight & Government Reform Hearing: Reducing America’s National Debt: Rooting Out Federal Waste, Fraud, and Overregulation 
May 14-15: ACT-IAC’s Emerging Technology & Innovation Summit

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert sit down with the GovNavigator Network's Josh Martin, former Chief Data Officer for the State of Indiana turned founder and AI practitioner, for a candid, highly practical conversation about what AI can (and can't!) do in government today.
Josh shares how he’s building AI-powered tools to solve real-world problems, like instantly preparing for vendor meetings or streamlining procurement reviews, and explains why AI’s biggest value isn’t replacing people, but accelerating decision-making. He also offers a clear-eyed warning: agencies that over-automate without human oversight risk serious errors, hallucinations, and reputational damage.
We dive into how governments can responsibly adopt AI, the importance of understanding data and prompting, and why “personal responsibility” is the missing ingredient in most AI strategies. Josh also reflects on his transition out of government, what he misses, and where he sees the biggest opportunities for innovation across the public sector.
Show Notes:
Partial DHS funding measure passed
House Oversight advances nine anti-fraud bills
DoW strikes new AI deal with major companies
New EO pushing fixed-price contracting
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar?
May 2-4: Professional Services Council Annual Conference
May 5: AGA’s Performance Counts Summit
May 6: Service to America Medals
May 14-15: ACT-IAC’s Emerging Technology & Innovation Summit

This week on the GovNavigators Show, hosts Adam and Robert sit down with Dr. Amanda Cash of the Data Foundation and Dr. Adita Karkera of Deloitte to unpack the latest Federal Chief Data Officer (CDO) Survey and what it reveals about the state of data, AI, and capacity across government.
Drawing on six years of survey data, Amanda and Adita explain how the federal CDO role has evolved since the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act and why today’s environment may be the most challenging yet. With more than half of CDOs operating with five or fewer staff, agencies are being pushed to do more with less, even as expectations around AI, data governance, and transparency continue to rise.
The conversation explores the growing overlap between Chief Data Officers and Chief AI Officers, the risks and opportunities of combining those roles, and how agencies can use AI to compensate for workforce gaps. They also highlight the critical role of the federal CDO Council in enabling collaboration and scaling best practices across government.
Show Notes:
Check out the CDO Survey here
CDO Survey webinar recording
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar:
Apr 26 – 28: NASCIO’s mid year conference
Apr 30: Fed100 Evening of Honors

This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam are joined by Drew Friedman, reporter at Federal News Network and nominee for the ECHO Award for Best Government Management Journalist. Drew pulls back the curtain on what it's like to cover the federal workforce in one of the most turbulent periods in recent memory.
The conversation covers the shifting landscape of federal hiring, including OPM's push toward skills-based hiring in the IT space, the latest on Schedule F's successor, and the growing body of litigation challenging the administration's workforce actions, as well as budget issues, and the administration's push to shrink the federal real estate footprint. Drew also reflects on what it takes to keep up with stories this big, and why the Federal News Network team's collaborative approach has been essential to staying on top of it all.
Show Notes:
New OMB Memo on commercial buying
Vote for Drew at the ECHO Awards' website
What's on the GovNaviagtors' Radar:
Apr 21: Grants QSMO’s Industry Day
Apr 22: House Oversight Committee Markup on anti-fraud legislation (TBD)
Apr 26-29: NASCIO Midyear Conference

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Adam and Robert sit down with GovNavigators Network member Jason Robertson, former regional CFO and senior leader at the U.S. Forest Service, for a conversation on what happens when government systems face real disruption.
Jason shares insights from his two decades in federal service, including managing wildfire funding, overseeing recreation and land use across multiple states, and navigating the complex financial realities of public land management. He breaks down how wildfire policy, procurement, and interagency coordination are evolving, and why looming fire risks and structural changes are colliding in real time.
Now in the private sector, Jason offers a candid view into the massive workforce and knowledge gaps emerging across agencies, and the opportunities those gaps create for new models of support, consulting, and innovation. From shifting procurement pathways to rethinking how agencies deliver on their missions, we explore how disruption is reshaping the federal landscape.
Show Notes:
FY27 Budget Request
Government official impersonation scams increase
Good job, GSA! Underutilized properties sold
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar:
Apr 13-14, 2026: AGA DC Chapter’s Annual Spring Training
Apr 19-22, 2026: Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Conference
Apr 26-29, 2026: NASCIO's Midyear Conference