Home Podcasts Gov Tech Today
Gov Tech Today

Gov Tech Today

Russell Lowery, Jennifer Saha 80 episodes Sep 22, 2026

Gov Tech Today explores how technology is changing government and public services. It focuses on the intersection between the private sector and government, often framed as bridging the gap between .com and .gov. The show likely covers digital transformation, procurement, innovation, and the people working to modernize public institutions.

Episodes

E81: Code for America’s Amanda Renteria on Modernizing Benefits—and Using AI Without Harming People
E81: Code for America’s Amanda Renteria on Modernizing Benefits—and Using AI Without Harming People Sep 22, 2026 31:36 On Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Saha talks with Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, about bridging technology and government to help residents access safety-net benefits like food assistance, school lunch programs, healthcare, SNAP, and Medicaid. Renteria argues modernization should start with real user experience—watching people apply at kitchen tables—and emphasizes “no wrong door” access
E80: Services Down, Goods Up, and What It Signals Next
E80: Services Down, Goods Up, and What It Signals Next Aug 25, 2026 20:49 On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha step back from day-to-day procurement details to examine what California’s public data reveals about technology spending trends. Jen shares analysis comparing FY 2024–25 to 2025–26 across major contract vehicles, finding a sharp decline in IT services: about $3.8B down to $2.59B, nearly a 30% drop, with notable decreases in
E79: California’s New State CIO on SITES, AI Guardrails, and the Future of CDT
E79: California’s New State CIO on SITES, AI Guardrails, and the Future of CDT Aug 11, 2026 36:30 On Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Saha speaks with Chris Given, California’s new state CIO and director of the California Department of Technology, about his first 10 weeks in the role and priorities for the state’s tech organization. Given shares his background across 10 federal agencies via the U.S. Digital Service and work with several states, then discusses how CDT must adapt as departments mod
E77: Rebuilding Trust in Government Identity and Fraud Controls
E77: Rebuilding Trust in Government Identity and Fraud Controls Jul 16, 2026 30:04 In this episode, Jennifer Saha interviews Jordan Burris, who leads Socure’s public sector business using AI to verify identity and predict fraud risk, drawing on his prior work in digital trust and as chief of staff to the U.S. CIO. Burris argues fraudsters—helped by digitized services and modern AI tools—are outpacing government, making old identity-proofing standards and “bouncer-at-the-club” ch
E76: Why Government IT Procurement Costs More—and How to Fix It
E76: Why Government IT Procurement Costs More—and How to Fix It Jun 30, 2026 29:51 On this episode of Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Seha talks with longtime public-sector consultants Heide Cassidy and Eugene Martinez about why government IT procurement—especially in California—so often feels slow, expensive, and overly burdensome. They argue that the system is built for checks and balances, but growing complexity, centralized control, and shifting definitions of “success” drive
E75: Appointments, State IT Leadership, and the Risks of Being ‘At the Pleasure’
E75: Appointments, State IT Leadership, and the Risks of Being ‘At the Pleasure’ Jun 16, 2026 19:45 On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss how California government transitions affect thousands of gubernatorial appointees and the broader technology landscape, especially with an uncertain governor’s race and early “lame duck” dynamics. They use the departure of longtime state technology leader Liana Bailey Crimmins and the arrival of a new state CIO as a
E74: Sales Mistakes That Undermine Government Trust
E74: Sales Mistakes That Undermine Government Trust Jun 2, 2026 24:37 On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss common private-sector sales behaviors that can offend or erode credibility with government clients. They argue titles matter (e.g., “Vice President of Capture” feels cringey), caution against pushing “land and expand” too early, and warn that ghosting after a contract—often driven by commission and renewal structures
E73: What State Employees Want From Gov Tech
E73: What State Employees Want From Gov Tech Apr 28, 2026 21:02 On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss Engage California, a virtual suggestion box run by California’s Office of Data and Innovation and previously outlined by Director Jeffrey Marino. Drawing on more than 1,400 employee comments, they highlight top themes: digitizing paper-heavy workflows (including replacing PDFs and wet signatures), automating repetiti
E72: RSA Conference Takeaways – Governing AI Agents and Securing Public Infrastructure
E72: RSA Conference Takeaways – Governing AI Agents and Securing Public Infrastructure Apr 14, 2026 18:34 Gov Tech Today hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha recap this year’s RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco, noting the event’s commercial scale and a smaller, dedicated public-sector track. Key takeaways include how “agentic AI” is moving from buzzword to reality, with public agencies urged to treat AI agents like users—requiring identity and access controls, least-privilege permissions
E71: Supply Shocks, Fixed Contracts, and the AI Regulation Patchwork
E71: Supply Shocks, Fixed Contracts, and the AI Regulation Patchwork Mar 31, 2026 15:55 On this episode of Govtech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha examine how global disruption and an AI-driven hardware boom are colliding with government procurement realities. They discuss how rapid supplier price spikes and delivery uncertainty strain California’s fixed price schedules—often locked for six months—creating delayed quotes, uncompetitive bids, and the risk that vendors st
E70: AI Tops NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Priorities — Ending Cybersecurity’s 12-Year Reign
E70: AI Tops NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Priorities — Ending Cybersecurity’s 12-Year Reign Feb 24, 2026 18:18 What happens when cybersecurity is no longer the No. 1 priority for state CIOs? On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha break down the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) annual Top 10 list for 2026—and the major shakeup that put AI, including generative and agentic AI and machine learning, at the top for the first time in more than a decade. 00:00 Welcome
E69: Transforming Maintenance and Operations — From Maintenance to Modernization
E69: Transforming Maintenance and Operations — From Maintenance to Modernization Feb 10, 2026 15:09 In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha dive into a new trend in government contracting: transforming maintenance and operations (M&O) into modernization opportunities. They examine how traditional M&O contracts are increasingly including system improvement requirements, effectively shifting from simple maintenance to significant technological upgrades. This appro

Recommended