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Gov Tech Today

Russell Lowery, Jennifer Saha

Bridging the gap between .com and .gov.

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Avg 23 min
English

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#81
September 22 · 31 min
E81: Code for America’s Amanda Renteria on Modernizing Benefits—and Using AI Without Harming People
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 across phone, in-person, and mobile, plus culturally competent language and iterative design tailor
#80
August 25 · 20 min
E80: Services Down, Goods Up, and What It Signals Next
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 interagency agreements (down roughly 50%), formal competitive bids, and non-competitive bids. At the
#79
August 11 · 36 min
E79: California’s New State CIO on SITES, AI Guardrails, and the Future of CDT
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 modernize away from legacy data center services, reshaping CDT’s budget and service model. He outlines
#77
July 16 · 30 min
E77: Rebuilding Trust in Government Identity and Fraud Controls
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” checks insufficient at scale. They discuss how pandemic-era “pay and chase” benefit delivery created l
#76
June 30 · 29 min
E76: Why Government IT Procurement Costs More—and How to Fix It
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 up vendor risk and cost. The guests point to Washington State reforms as promising models, including
#75
June 16 · 19 min
E75: Appointments, State IT Leadership, and the Risks of Being ‘At the Pleasure’
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 case study in how leadership changes ripple through procurement, priorities, staff retention, and v
#74
June 2 · 24 min
E74: Sales Mistakes That Undermine Government Trust
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—damages long-term relationships unless there’s a strong handoff to implementation and support. They
#73
April 28 · 21 min
E73: What State Employees Want From Gov Tech
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 repetitive tasks so staff can focus on higher-value work, and modernizing outdated legacy systems that drive
#72
April 14 · 18 min
E72: RSA Conference Takeaways – Governing AI Agents and Securing Public Infrastructure
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, logging, and auditing—within existing governance frameworks such as FedRAMP, StateRAMP, and NIST.
#71
March 31 · 15 min
E71: Supply Shocks, Fixed Contracts, and the AI Regulation Patchwork
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 stop bidding rather than sell at a loss, leading to project delays and a focus on mission-critical nee
#70
February 24 · 18 min
E70: AI Tops NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Priorities — Ending Cybersecurity’s 12-Year Reign
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.
#69
February 10 · 15 min
E69: Transforming Maintenance and Operations — From Maintenance to Modernization
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 approach allows government agencies to modernize within existing budgets, avoiding the complexities and s
#68
January 27 · 20 min
E68: Navigating the Governor's Budget and Technology Initiatives
In this episode of Gov Tech Today, Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha delve into the recently released governor's budget, focusing on its implications for technology initiatives. They discuss the significant role of AI, legacy system updates, and the governor's approach to AI regulation. The duo also explores state procurement changes, including the growing use of RFI2 and the introduction of climate-aligned contracts. With insights on the Middle Mile Broadband initiative and the complexity of sta
#67
January 13 · 20 min
E67: Navigating Government Transitions and AI Regulations in California
In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha dive into the complexities of government transitions, focusing on Governor Newsom's last year in office and the implications for gubernatorial appointees and vendors. The conversation explores the nuances between career civil servants and those appointed from private sectors. They also discuss the ongoing AI regulation at the federal level and how California is positioning itself amidst federal executive orders. The episod
#66
Dec 16, 2025 · 16 min
E66: New Terms and Conditions for IT Contracts — A Simplified Approach
In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss the recent updates to terms and conditions for IT contracts released by the California Department of Technology (CDT) and the Department of General Services (DGS). The new regulations aim to simplify the contracting process by consolidating three sets of cloud provisions into one and introducing a cap on vendor liability for cybersecurity breaches. The episode delves into the significance of these changes for both
#65
Dec 2, 2025 · 15 min
E65: Bridging the Procurement Gap — How New Regulations Empower Small Businesses
In this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss a significant rulemaking process initiated by the Department of General Services (DGS) to change small business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) procurement processes. They examine the new statutory mandate requiring 25% of state spending to go to small businesses and 3% to DVBEs. Jennifer highlights the impact on technology procurements and the potential for leveling the playing field for small busi
#64
Nov 18, 2025 · 31 min
E64: Innovating Government Services with Data and Technology
In this episode of Gov Tech Today, host engages with Jeffrey Marino, Director of the California Office of Data and Innovation (ODI), to discuss his journey from data journalism to government service. They delve into government use of data during the COVID-19 crisis, the challenges of data analytics in state systems, and the mission of ODI to enhance service delivery through technology and human-centered design. They also explore the Engaged California program and Innovation Fellows initiative ai
#63
Nov 4, 2025 · 17 min
E63: Bridging the Tech and Legislative Gap — A Dive into AI Regulation
On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha delve into the evolving landscape of AI regulation. Analyzing California's legislative actions, they discuss major bills such as SB 53 (Wiener) and AB 316 (Krell) that impact AI transparency and liability. They provide insights into the federal and state regulatory approaches and predict future legislative trends, offering a nuanced perspective on the balance between innovation and regulation.
#62
Oct 22, 2025 · 31 min
E62: A Deep Dive into California's Innovative Strategies with Amy Tong
On this episode of Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Saha sits down with Amy Tong, Senior Counselor to the Governor of California, to discuss groundbreaking efforts in government efficiency and transformation. Tong shares insights about her role and the state's 'E3' initiative, which stands for Efficient, Effective, and Engaged government. With a focus on challenges ranging from budget constraints to the integration of cutting-edge technology, this conversation unveils how California aims to create
#61
Oct 7, 2025 · 32 min
E61: Navigating the Shift from Public to Private Sector in GovTech
On this episode of Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Saha welcomes Mike Hussey, former state CIO of Utah, who shares his transition from 30 years in state government to a pivotal role in the private sector with Oracle. Mike discusses the intricacies of balancing public service exigencies with private sector dynamism, especially in the context of emerging AI technologies. Listen in as they delve into the unique challenges of AI regulation, the evolving roles of state CIOs, and the cooperative competi

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