The Georgetown Public Policy Review Podcast

Join GPPR editor Adeena Kamra (MPP '27) as she sits down with Dhishal Jayasinghe, a public servant with experience in the U.S. Senate and State Department, to discuss the Overton window and how political ideas move from fringe to mainstream.

GPPR Senior Editor Brennan Gallagher (MPP ’27) sits down with drug policy advisor, author, and former Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Richard Baum. In Episode two, Baum shares his thoughts on some of todays most pressing issues in drug policy, from enforcement and incarceration to marijuana, and reflects on the direction we can take to limit harm in our communities. Learn more about Richard and his book, "Inside America's Opioid Crisis," at richardjbaum.com

GPPR Senior Editor Daija Yisrael (MIDP '26) hosts members Paula Sierra (MIDP '26) and Gabriella Cova (MPP '26) from McCourt Policy in Practice, an English teacher at MAIA, and the Director of Development at MAIA for an inspiring conversation on a new approach to education. Indigenous women founded MAIA for Indigenous girls in Guatemala. Their main program offers a fully funded 7-year program to Indigenous girls living in rural Guatemala who are at or below the poverty line. Learn more about MAIA and how to support their work at maiaimpact.org

GPPR Podcast Editor Mitchell Zupko (MPP'25) chats with Devin Gerzof, the Executive Director of Executive Branch Relations and Federal Relations at the American Hospital Association. They discuss the No Surprises Act, site neutral payments, reimbursements, the 340B Program, and more.

Join GPPR Podcast Editors Britney Cheung (MPP'26) and Daija Yisrael (MIDP'26) as they sit down with Dr. Francis Johnson, Senior Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute, to explore the state of clean energy across household, national, and global levels.

In this episode, Junior Podcast Editor Ioana Zanchi (MS in Addiction Policy and Practice ‘25) interviews Dr. Vijeth Iyengar, Director of Global Aging at AARP International and nationally recognized neuroscientist and aging health policy expert, to discuss aging as a global mega trend, the concept of the longevity economy, and its local, national, and international policy implications.

GPPR podcast editors cover a variety of stories following the US Presidential election, including an analysis of statements made by presumptive Secretary of Health and Human services on water fluoridation, what drug and addiction policy may look like under a second Trump term, and a look at the Department of Government Efficiency.

GPPR Senior Podcast Editor Bela Walkin (MPP '25) speaks with Dominic Mancini, the Deputy Administrator of OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), about OIRA's role in the federal regulatory process, the differences between career and political civil service, and his own career path through federal government.

GPPR Podcast Editor Joe Lustig follows up on his conversation with Harry Holzer, McCourt Professor and former Chief Economist at the Department of Labor under the Clinton administration, about inflation.

In a conversation on U.S. climate policy, Junior Podcast Editor Moritz Ludwig (MPP ’25) and Trevor Higgins, Senior Vice President of the Energy and Environment Department at the Center for American Progress and Adjunct Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy, talk about the Biden administration’s efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Centering around the Inflation Reduction Act, the new approach of incentives and investments is portrayed as a promising path towards decarbonization. The interview covers both domestic and international aspects of the climate legislation while also acknowledging uncertainties about the future of the ambitious programs.

In this insightful episode, Senior Editor, Eleazar Weissman (MPP’ 24) engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Randy Erwin, the National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE). Listen and learn about the intricate landscape of federal employment, with a special focus on the challenges encountered by wildland firefighters.

GPPR Junior Editor Bela Walkin (MPP ‘25) discusses urban and transportation policy with Jeff Speck, a city planner and international advocate for walkable urbanism. His 2012 book "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time," is the best-selling city-planning title of the past decade. Jeff and Bela discuss the benefits of walkability, the political challenges associated with its implementation, and its implications for urban and transportation policy on all levels of government.