The GovNavigators Show

Christina Ho knows some people would describe audit as “painful,” so what if there was a way to make it “faster, better, and cheaper?” 
In this episode, Robert and Adam sit down with Christina Ho, former PCAOB Board Member and Chief Assurance Officer at Oath to discuss her new project using AI to improve the auditing process by testing 100% of transactions. Plus, learn about her vision for a “whole new category” of independent verification, and how the current view of audit as a compliance exercise is not producing the value it is intended to. 
Thanks to our sponsors at Allocore! 
Show Notes: 
Allocore.com 
Variety: Dolly Parton, Queen of Country Music, Dies at 80 
The Washington Post: Red Tape Newsletter Piece 
Treasury: Treasury Announces the Quantum-Readiness Task Force 
DOJ: Department of Justice Announces Launch of National Fraud Detection Center to Combat Fraud Against Taxpayer-Funded Programs 
FedScoop: Draft OMB memo mandates agency use of Login.gov on government websites 
Federal CDO Council: DCAT-US v3.0 Schema Implementation Guide 
WSJ: Former Audit Regulator Helps Set Up Accounting Firm Targeting 80% Automation 
PCAOB: Christina Ho 
Oath Verified: oathverified.com 
HHS: HHS Cracks Down on Years of Unchecked Audit Findings 
OMB: M-25-30 
OMB: Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust 
OMB: Driving Efficient Acquisition of Artificial Intelligence in Government  
What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar? 
August 31st  
The House is back in session 
September 9th  
GovNavigators and Senior Executives Association Policy Wonk Happy Hour, The Exchange, Washington D.C., 5-7 PM 
September 14th  
The Senate is back in session 
September 15th  
The Data Foundation’s govDATAx, George Washington University

Congress passed a major bipartisan housing bill, and Robert has three daughters renting apartments, so this one is personal. This week, Robert and Adam are joined by Nicole Upano, AVP of Housing Policy and Regulatory Affairs, and George Ratiu, VP of Research, both at the National Apartment Association, to unpack what the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act does for Americans everywhere, and what comes next. From single-stairway buildings and inspection parity to opportunity zone updates, manufactured housing reform, and the role of private capital, they walk through a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation, and what implementation looks like across Treasury, HUD, FHFA, USDA, and beyond. They also flag what didn't make it in, and why the real work is just beginning.
Thank you to Allocore for sponsoring this episode.
Show Notes:
NAA: Road to Housing Live Resources Page
Congress: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644)
Senate Banking Committee: Myth vs. Fact: ROAD to Housing Act
White House: Statement of Administration Policy — H.R. 6644
Treasury: Debt to the Penny
Politico: AI Slop Is Flooding Congress's Legislative Drafting Office
Events on the GovNavigators' Radar:
August 26-27th: AFCEA INSA National Security Summit — Bethesda, MD
August 27th: Merit Talks: Generative AI and the New Federal Workflow
September 15th: Data Foundation GovDataX: George Washington University

Special thanks to Allocore for supporting this episode. 
Ensuring politicians remain accountable to those who vote for them is no easy feat, but our guest this episode may have the solution. On this episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam try not to have too much fun talking with John Bernard, Founder, President, and CEO of America’s Pulse, as he takes us through his project to measure state performance and connect citizens’ priorities directly to their elected officials. Plus, learn how America’s Pulse is building a direct-input democracy that extends beyond elections, and how you can use it to make your voice heard. 
Show Notes 
Allocore.com 
Washington Post: Divers recover a bottle of Guinness from a 162-year-old shipwreck 
OMB: TikTok Memo M-26-17 
White House: Expanding Capabilities to Combat Transnational Cyber-Enabled Crime 
Nextgov/FCW: Palantir calls on GSA to withdraw draft AI acquisition rule 
Washington Technology: Palantir’s no-bid pipeline just got bigger 
Treasury: FinCEN Permanently Ends Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for Millions of Small Business Owners 
Amazon: Government That Works: The Results Revolution in the States 
Amazon: Business at the Speed of Now  
America’s Pulse: Americaspulse.org 
Harvard University: The 3.5% rule 
What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  
August 20th  
AWS and Carahsoft Missions Made Possible: A FedTech Innovation Summit, Arlington, VA 
August 24th  
A Hole in One with ACT-IAC, Leesburg, VA 
August 26th-27th  
AFCEA and INSA’s 2026 Intelligence and National Security Summit, Bethesda, MD 
August 27th  
The MeriTalk Mission Room on Agentic AI and the New Federal Workflow, Washington, D.C. 
August 27th  
Potomac Officers Club 2026 Navy Summit, Falls Church, VA

Thank you to Allocore for supporting this week's episode of the GovNavigators Show.
Are we all clear on opsec? This week, Robert and Adam are getting (almost) all the details on how the latest technologies are rewriting the rules of national security. Shelby Pierson, retired national security official and the newest member of the GovNavigators Network, talks us through her longtime career spanning across the CIA, NRO, NGA, and ODNI, and unpacks the real work behind the romantic Hollywood version of the Intelligence Community. Now, as a consultant, she is bringing her unique expertise and skill set to organizations looking to revolutionize the important work done in supporting of our warfighter.
Show Notes:
Allocore.com
Federal News Network: VA's Cloud Security Memo 
FedRAMP: 20X Initiative
Federal News Network: OMB Revamps Cyber Event Logging Requirements (M-26-14)
Supreme Court: Margolin v. National Association of Immigration Judges
Washington Post: VP Vance's Op-Ed
Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
August 9-12: DoDIIS 2026
August 9-11: XChange August 2026
August 20: Missions Made Possible Fed Tech Innovation Summit

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Lauren Lombardo, Policy Director for Recoding America, to discuss her work driving collaborative and coordinated government management policy reform. Lauren walks us through how working on campaigns at 13 years old sparked an early interest in public service, and describes her professional path working as a data scientist in the private sector before pivoting to use her technology background as a staffer in Congress. She dives into her work with the Recoding America fund, building connections with think tanks and individuals passionate about government management reform, developing the narrative surrounding these issues, and administering grants to organizations doing policy development and advocacy work in the government management sphere. Plus, learn why Lauren believes problems attributed to technology in government often stem much deeper, and why bipartisanism is necessary for real policy change.  
Show Notes 
Allocore: allocore.com 
New York Times: Accept Your Fate. Don’t Wear Shorts to the Office.  
Congress.gov: House C.R. 
The Hill: House passes reconciliation framework for Pentagon boost, voting restrictions 
House Armed Services Committee: FY27 NDAA Resources 
GSA: OneGov CORUS partnership 
FedScoop: VA won’t require existing FedRAMP certification for cloud contracts 
VA: FedRAMP memo 
Nextgov/FCW: After Hugging Face breach, FedRAMP chief tells slow-to-patch vendors to stay out of government 
Recoding America Fund: recodingamerica.org 
HSGAC: Testimony of Anthony Fauci 
C-SPAN: Dr. Anthony Fauci Testifies on Origins of COVID-19 Pandemic 
The Washington Post: Rand Paul threatens to hold Fauci in contempt after he declines to answer questions 
 
What’s on the GovNavigators’ Radar? 
August 4th 
TheXchange August Workshop on NASA's SEWP VI, Reston, VA 
August 5th  
HSGAC Business Meeting, Washington, D.C. 
August 5th-6th  
The 14th Annual Border Security and Intelligence Summit, Washington, D.C.