The CX Tipping Point®

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris spoke with Charles Thomas, the 2025 Customer Experience Trailblazer, whose leadership has transformed how the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office delivers digital services to the public. From launching the Trademarks program to leading USPTO’s enterprise-wide customer experience strategy, Charles has championed a user-first approach that makes trademark protection and innovation more accessible for entrepreneurs, attorneys, and business owners nationwide.
We discuss how customer journey mapping, usability testing, and strategic research helped USPTO surpass key satisfaction goals, achieving more than 80% customer satisfaction and trust scores across its digital services. Charles also shares insights from leading the development of Trademark Center, the modernized platform simplifying trademark applications for more than 500,000 users each year.
Tune in to hear how human-centered design, thoughtful innovation, and a commitment to public service are helping reshape the future of government digital experiences.
Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners!
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational
Twitter: @DorrisConsultng
Facebook: @DCInternational

Resources Mentioned:
Citizen Services Newsletter
2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sat down with Michelle Filicetta and Laura Walker of the Social Security Administration’s Prescott, Arizona field office to explore how meaningful change in government service delivery often starts at the front lines.
Michelle, District Manager and 2025 Service to the Citizen Award recipient, and Laura, a Claims Specialist and 2025 Rising Star, share their journey from recognizing the need for improvement to actively transforming how services are delivered. 
From small, test-and-learn improvements to building leadership buy-in, they discuss how customer experience principles are transforming SSA from the inside out. They also highlight the importance of empathy in public service, including a powerful story that shows how going beyond process can truly change lives.
This episode underscores the importance of delivering timely, accurate, and compassionate service—and how both career civil servants and political appointees play complementary roles in driving meaningful progress. Michelle and Laura leave listeners with a message of optimism and a call to action: meaningful transformation is possible when people are empowered to care, collaborate, and lead from where they are.
Michelle can be reached at [email protected] and Laura can be reached at [email protected].
Laura Walker’s Service to the Citizen acceptance speech can be accessed here.
Highlights from the 2025 Service to the Citizen Awards program are available here.
Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners!
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational
Twitter: @DorrisConsultng
Facebook: @DCInternational

Resources Mentioned:
Citizen Services Newsletter
2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sits down with Jorge Cardenas, CIO of Brownsville, Texas and a 2025 Service to the Citizen Award winner. Tasked with transforming one of the least connected cities in the U.S., Jorge shares how he built a smart city from the ground up, modernizing infrastructure, expanding fiber networks, and launching a private 5G network.
He discusses key digital initiatives that improved city services, from online permitting and service request tracking to enhanced public safety systems and community Wi-Fi. Jorge also highlights Brownsville’s growing use of AI and its innovation lab, along with future plans to expand connectivity and regional collaboration.
Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners!
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational
Twitter: @DorrisConsultng
Facebook: @DCInternational

Resources Mentioned:
Citizen Services Newsletter
2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point, Martha sits down with Frank Leyman from Belgium’s Federal Public Service for Policy & Support (BOSA) to explore how governments across Europe are advancing digital transformation and citizen services. Frank shares insights into the European single market’s digital initiatives and Belgium’s efforts to build more citizen-centric services.
The conversation covers Europe’s push for interoperability across member states through digital identity systems, mobile e-wallets, and shared authentication methods, as well as Belgium’s back-office infrastructure that connects authoritative databases across ministries. Martha and Frank also discuss the challenges of cultural differences across Europe, the importance of co-creating services with citizens, and why strong marketing and communication strategies are essential for successful government programs.
Tune in to hear how Belgium and other European countries are working toward the EU’s Digital Decade goals for 2030 while exploring emerging technologies like AI and maintaining strong ethical standards.
Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners!
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational
Twitter: @DorrisConsultng
Facebook: @DCInternational

Resources Mentioned:
Citizen Services Newsletter
2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sat down with Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Lawrence previously served as the Under Secretary for Benefits during his first term at VA and was named the 2019 Service to the Citizen Government Executive of the Year.
As Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Lawrence oversees VA operations and supports the Secretary in delivering on the Department’s priorities. Throughout the conversation, he reiterated his commitment to veterans and to ensuring they have a positive experience when accessing VA health care and benefits.
Dr. Lawrence highlighted several key achievements, including progress in housing homeless veterans, expanding access through the opening of new clinics, and improving the speed and accuracy of benefits processing — all while working with fewer resources. He emphasized the importance of engaging directly with veterans, listening to their feedback, and using metrics to identify the areas that matter most.
Additional topics discussed included:
VA’s ongoing rollout of the Electronic Health Record, a major transformation effort aimed at improving both the health care experience and operational efficiency, for which Dr. Lawrence serves as executive champion.
Enhancements to the overall veteran experience beyond medical care, including small but meaningful changes that demonstrate respect and compassion.
The value of hearing veterans’ concerns firsthand through in-person visits, and how even minor adjustments can make a significant difference.
The importance of aligning technology investments with clear outcomes and managing change carefully to ensure successful adoption.
VA’s responsibility to serve veterans across generations, from their late teens to over 100 years old, requiring excellence across all service delivery channels.
The conversation concluded with a focus on VA’s plans to continue improving benefits processing, simplifying forms, streamlining processes, and enhancing the end-to-end health care experience. Dr. Lawrence noted that veteran trust in VA has increased significantly over the past nine years, underscoring the impact of these efforts.
Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners!
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media:LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational
Twitter: @DorrisConsultng
Facebook: @DCInternational

Resources Mentioned:
Citizen Services Newsletter
2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form