In this episode of Policy Chats, Host Dori Pham and Paula Omokhomion joins California State Treasurer Fiona Ma for a thoughtful conversation about how the state’s financial decisions shape the future of public higher education and economic opportunity.
Throughout this episode, Treasurer Ma explains how financial planning during economic downturns can protect students and families from rising tuition costs. She also shares how universities can partner with private companies to expand student housing, create internship pipelines, and provide students with more stable pathways to employment. With California currently facing a budget deficit, this conversation offers insight into how the state can continue to invest in students while staying financially resilient.
Treasurer Ma also reflects on the importance of keeping high quality jobs in California and ensuring that future state revenue is strong enough to support public institutions like the University of California and California State University systems. Her message underscores the role of strategic planning, savings, and innovation in creating long term prosperity for all Californians.
This episode highlights how financial policy is not just about numbers, but about people, opportunity, and the future of education. Tune in to hear how Treasurer Ma is working to create lasting change in California and beyond.
Topics Covered
What the California State Treasurer’s Office does and why it matters
How state funding supports UC and CSU campuses
The impact of budget deficits on higher education and strategies to manage them
Student housing challenges and how public private partnerships can help
Ways to reduce student debt through savings programs and smarter investments
How to retain high paying industries and jobs in California
Inflation, tariffs, and the role of the federal government in stabilization
The importance of economic planning for long term prosperity and equity
📍 This episode is produced by the UCR School of Public Policy and reflects our mission of creating solutions that improve lives locally and globally.
🎧 Guest Speaker: Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
Interviewed by: Dori Pham, Host of Policy Chats and Paula Omokhomion
🎵 Music by Vir Sinha
🔗 Learn more: spp.ucr.edu/podcast
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @ucr_spp
👉 Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode exploring how policy shapes our future.
In this episode, Dr. Kevin Esterling, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at UC Riverside, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about using technology to make public meetings more inclusive and effective. This is the seventh episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
About Dr. Kevin Esterling:
Kevin Esterling is Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, chair of political science, and the Director of the Laboratory for Technology, Communication and Democracy (TeCD-Lab) at the University of California, Riverside, and affiliate of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). He is the past interim dean and associate dean of the UCR Graduate Division. His research focuses on technology for communication in democratic politics, and in particular the use of artificial intelligence and large language models for understanding and improving the quality of democratic communication in online spaces. His methodological interests are in artificial intelligence, large language models, Bayesian statistics, machine learning, experimental design, and science ethics and validity. His books have been published on Cambridge University Press and the University of Michigan Press, and his journal articles have appeared in such journals as Science, Nature, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Human Behavior, the American Political Science Review, Political Analysis, the Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, and the Journal of Politics. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, The Democracy Fund, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Institute of Education Sciences. Esterling was previously a Robert Wood Johnson Scholar in Health Policy Research at the University of California, Berkeley and a postdoctoral research fellow at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions at Brown University. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago in 1999.
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu
Subscribe to this podcast so you do not miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes at https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode of Policy Chats, hosts Rachel Strausman and Dori Pham sit down with Assemblymember Corey Jackson of California’s 60th Assembly District. Together, they explore his journey from founding SBX Youth and Family Services to serving in the legislature, and how his lifelong commitment to uplifting vulnerable communities has shaped his approach to policymaking.
From tackling the school to prison pipeline to championing affordable housing and advancing juvenile justice reform, this episode highlights the ways Assemblymember Jackson has worked to dismantle systemic inequities. He also reflects on the importance of building resilient communities through government and nonprofit collaboration, and why long term investment in people is key to breaking cycles of poverty and instability.
This episode is not just a conversation, it is a call to reimagine how policy can better serve those most impacted by inequities. Tune in to hear how Assemblymember Jackson is working to create lasting change in California and beyond.
Topics Covered:
Assemblymember Jackson’s journey from student leader to legislator
Founding and growth of SBX Youth and Family Services
The school-to-prison pipeline and juvenile justice reform
The importance of sealing juvenile records for a fresh start
California’s affordable housing crisis and social safety net programs
How government and nonprofits can build resilient communities
📍 This episode is produced by the UCR School of Public Policy and features insights that align with our motto: “Solutions for the Region, Solutions for the World.”
🎧 Guest Speaker:
Assemblymember Corey Jackson, California State Assembly, District 60
Interviewed by Rachel Strausman and Dori Pham, UCR Public Policy Students and hosts of Policy Chats
🎵 Music by: Vir Sinha
🔗 More on the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @ucr_spp
👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and stay tuned for more conversations on the policies shaping our future!
In this episode of Policy Chats, host Dori Pham sits down with Assistant Director Marisol Torres and Policy Intern Germaine Ho from The Well, UC Riverside’s student health promotion department. Together, they explore the topic of menstrual equity, highlighting the challenges students face in accessing period products and how policies—at both institutional and state levels—are working to address period poverty on college campuses.
From research-driven policy briefs to programs like Flow Into Summer, the conversation dives deep into the intersection of public health, education, and equity. The guests shed light on the barriers created by stigma, the limitations of policy implementation, and the importance of collaborative impact models across departments.
This episode is not just a discussion—it’s a call to action for institutions everywhere to rethink how they support students' basic needs. Tune in to learn more about how advocacy, empathy, and education are driving meaningful change for students at UCR and beyond.
Topics Covered:
What is period poverty?
How menstrual inequity impacts student wellbeing
Current UC and CSU policies, including AB 367
Data-driven approaches to policy writing
Institutional strategies to provide free menstrual products
The importance of stigma reduction and faculty training
Visions for a future of comprehensive menstrual access
📍 This episode is produced by the UCR School of Public Policy and features research-informed insights that align with our motto: “Solutions for the Region, Solutions for the World.”
🎧 Guest Speakers:
Marisol Torres, Assistant Director at The Well
Germaine Ho, Policy Intern at The Well
Interviewed by Dori Pham, UCR Public Policy Student and incoming host of Policy Chats
🎵 Music by: Vir Sinha
🔗 More on the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @ucr_spp
👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and stay tuned until the end for bonus reflections from the new host and ongoing research updates!
In this episode, Policy Chats hosts our second live podcast recording, featuring researchers, practitioners, and individuals with lived experiences discussing the current policies that shape reentry, higher education, and employment access post-incarceration. This panel was produced in collaboration with the UCR Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies. Panelists include:
Learn more about the Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies via presleycenter.ucr.edu
Stay tuned until the end of the episode for bonus content featuring panelists' research, as well as a discussion with the incoming host of Policy Chats, Dori Pham!
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, City of Redlands Councilmember Denise Davis, talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about her work advancing equity, tackling homelessness, and building stronger, more connected communities at the local level.
About Denise Davis:
Denise Davis was elected in 2018, and is proudly the first openly LGBTQ Council Member in the City of Redlands. She served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2018-2020, running meetings in the Mayor’s absence, and sitting on a number of subcommittees including the budget subcommittee, the COVID-19 subcommittee, the City Manager Recruitment subcommittee, and has been a liaison to the Cultural Arts Commission, the Traffic and Parking Commission, the Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission, OmniTrans, SBCTA, and the Santa Ana River Conservancy Commission. Denise has also served as the City of Redlands voting delegate each year for the League of California Cities Annual Conference.
Learn more about Denise Davis via https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddavis11
Guest:
Denise Davis (Councilmember, City of Redlands)
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Pierre Berastaín, the Centre for Public Impact's Regional Director for North America, talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about his journey from Peru and his extensive work in addressing systemic challenges like immigration, gender-based violence prevention, and restorative justice.
About Pierre Berastaín:
Dr. Pierre R. Berastaín is a public health leader and advocate with academic degrees in Social Anthropology, Divinity, and Public Health from Harvard and UNC-Chapel Hill. He co-founded Caminar Latino – Latinos United for Peace and Equity, a national organization supporting Latino families affected by domestic violence, and has held leadership roles in several organizations focused on gender-based violence, including Harvard’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. Pierre has led federal grant programs, trained nationally and internationally, and advanced culturally competent approaches to violence prevention. Originally from Peru, he now lives in Washington, DC with his husband and has been recognized among Boston’s Top 25 Most Influential LGBTQ People of Color.
Learn more about Pierre Berastaín via https://centreforpublicimpact.org/team/pierre-r-berastain/
Guest:
Pierre Berastaín (Regional Director for North America, Centre for Public Impact)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Liam Burley (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Deb Aikat, University of North Carolina Professor of Journalism and Media, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how technology impacts government processes and media communication. They discuss the media's crucial role during the pandemic and emphasize the importance of providing balanced news to support a healthy democracy. This is the seventh episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
About Deb Aikat:
A former journalist, Deb Aikat has served as a faculty member in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media since 1995. Aikat’s peers elected him to lead as the 2023 President of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), the premier 112-year-old scholarly organization with members in 43 countries across six continents. An award-winning scholar, Aikat theorizes the role of media platforms in two democratic societies, India, the largest democracy of 1.4 billion people, and the United States, one of the oldest modern democracies. By integrating news agenda-setting and agenda melding concepts, Aikat has theorized how media platforms in India and the U.S. are empowering people to protest, publish and provoke ideas through media platforms devoid of government control.
Learn more about Deb Aikat via https://hussman.unc.edu/people/deb-aikat
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://myadv.ucr.edu/forms/spp-neumann
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Cara Chiaraluce, Santa Clara University Professor of Sociology, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the impact of internet access on health outcomes. This is the sixth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
About Cara Chiaraluce:
Cara Chiaraluce specializes in the fields of carework, gender and family, and health. Chiaraluce has published articles in the Journal of Family Issues, American Behavioral Scientist, and her forthcoming book Becoming an Expert Caregiver: How Structural Flaws Shape Autism Carework and Community (Rutgers University Press, 2024) examines the process through which lay women become expert caregivers to provide the best care for their children. Prior to joining the department in 2015, she taught Sociology at UC Davis (where she won the 2013 "Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award") and California State University- Sacramento. Chiaraluce is originally from Boston, Massachusetts, received her B.A. in Sociology from Assumption College, and M.A. and Ph.D. from UC Davis.
Learn more about Cara Chiaraluce via https://www.scu.edu/cas/sociology/faculty-and-staff/cara-chiaraluce/
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from last year! In this episode, AllSides Co-Founder and CEO John Gable talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how understanding media bias and filter bubbles can help better bridge gaps amongst political polarization.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About John Gable:
John Gable received his B.A. in Philosophy, with an emphasis in Mathematics, from Vanderbilt University as well as Masters of Business Administration from Duke University. He has worked in a variety of fields, having previously been an Executive Director for various political campaigns, a Product Manager at Microsoft, the President of Stearns Ventures, and now the Co-Founder and CEO of AllSides. Overall, John Gable is a high technology executive focused on building, marketing and monetizing products, online services and teams that have a positive social impact.
Learn more about John Gable via https://www.allsides.com/news-source/john-gable
Podcast Highlights:
"The medium, the content, and the way we interact is driven a little bit by the medium itself. And what I thought about the internet was that it was mostly by metaphor: this is similar to that, and therefore you're a friend of a friend or I'm searching for something similar to what I'm trying to solve. I thought it would encourage us to think by metaphor or if you will, [in the extreme sense] stereotype."
- John Gable on the topic of how the internet is structured to make connections, which can initially be beneficial, but can also lead to dangerous steryotypes.
"[With the way the internet works] we see an issue, and we only hear or get information that we already agree with, which might only be 10% of what we need to know about an issue. But we hear that 10,000 times, and so we're really absolutely confident with no doubt that we're correct. But we know less about the issue than we did before the Internet.”
- John Gable on the topic of how filter bubbles can limit our access to necessary information, despite the increased access to information the internet seems to provide.
“[What we need to do is] get people out of the information filter bubble. Get them out of the relationship filter bubble, and provide people the skills and confidence to disagree, to have a conversation and not agree with each other and recognize the differences and appreciate the differences that each of us bring to the table. With that, that's how it would get to a better place.”
- John Gable on the topic of how teaching people to understand the value in disagreement can help people be more aware of filter bubbles.
Guest:
John Gable (Co-Founder and CEO of AllSides)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Divya Bharadwaj (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Juliana Maria Trammel, Associate Professor of Journalism & Mass Communications and Laura Robinson, Professor of Sociology talk with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the challenges and vulnerabilities with delivering information and services using eGovernment. This is the fifth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at:WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Juliana Maria Trammel:
Dr. Juliana Maria Trammel is a communications consultant, professor, and researcher. She has 12 years of experience in the field of communications that includes journalism, public relations, organizational and strategic communication, and communications research. She is currently an associate professor of Journalism & Mass Communications at Savannah State University. She earned a Ph.D. in Communication and Culture (organizational communication) from Howard University; a MA in Public Communication (social marketing) from American University; and a BA in Print and Broadcast Journalism (double major) from Rust College.
Learn more about Juliana Maria Trammel via https://www.savannahstate.edu/class/departments/mass-communications/juliana-trammel.shtml
About Laura Robinson:
Laura Robinson specializes in digital sociology, research methods, and global media in Brazil, France, and the U.S. Robinson’s work has appeared in journals including Information, Communication and Society; New Media & Society; Sociology, and Sociological Methodology. Robinson earned her Ph.D. from UCLA, where she held a Mellon Fellowship in Latin American Studies and received a Bourse d’Accueil at the École Normale Supérieure. She also earned degrees from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3 and USC. Leadership to the discipline has included serving as CITAMS Section Chair and as a member of the ASA Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities in Sociology.
Learn more about Laura Robinson via https://www.scu.edu/cas/sociology/faculty-and-staff/laura-robinson/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Dinara Godage (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, CEO of Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, Carolyn Fajardo talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about modern approaches to food insecurity and long-term, sustainable solutions. Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside About Carolyn Fajardo: Carolyn Fajardo, born Carolyn Solar, is a Latina and the first in her family to earn a bachelor's degree. She graduated from California State University, San Bernardino, with a BA in Communications and began her career in food banking as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for FARSB. She later pursued her MBA at California Baptist University while advancing to the role of Development Director. Later, she was appointed CEO.
Learn more about Carolyn Fajardo via https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynfajardo/ Interviewer: Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Dori Pham (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador) Music by: Vir Sinha This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Catherine Sandoval, Santa Clara University Law Professor and Patrick Lanthier, co-founder of RIVERA/LANTHIER & Associates talk with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how social vulnerabilities and the digital divide shape disaster response outcomes. This is the fourth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Catherine Sandoval:
Catherine Sandoval is a tenured Law Professor at Santa Clara University, specializing in Communications and Energy law. She served in the US federal government as a Presidential-nominated, Senate Confirmed Board Member of the US Chemical Safety Board, and as Director of the FCC Office of Communications Business Opportunities. California Governors Brown and Davis appointed her as Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission, and Undersecretary of California’s Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency, She earned a B.A. from Yale University, a Master of Letters from Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Learn more about Catherine Sandoval via
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-sandoval-7a2a2416a/
About Patrick Lanthier:
Patrick Lanthier co-founded RIVERA/LANTHIER & Associates, a Silicon Valley-based technology and policy firm in 1997. At AT&T & BELL Labs, he was on early Cellular, Internet, and National Security & Emergency Preparedness teams. He co-founded New Ventures (total $1B) and advises 22 countries’ Emergency Communications Planners, the United Nations, the European Union, and the US Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State. He advised at Carnegie Mellon University, Santa Clara University, and both California’s Emerging Technology Fund and its Office of Emergency Services. He has led teams in more than 50 countries. His education includes California Polytechnic, San Francisco State, Golden Gate, Seton Hall, and The Wharton School. He testified in the US Congress and other venues.
Learn more about Patrick Lanthier via
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lanthier-6ba8068/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, President of Cover My Mental Health, Joe Feldman talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about policies addressing mental health care parity and the role of employers in improving access to care.Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside About Joe Feldman: Founder Joe Feldman began advocating for access to mental health care after overcoming denials for a family member’s care, including with a successful federal lawsuit. His advocacy work has included policy-driven discussions with legislators and regulators, a board role with The Kennedy Forum Illinois, presentations to parent groups, and publication of actionable guidance such as a 2021 article in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice on medical necessity letters. Learn more about Joe Feldman via https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmfeldman Interviewer: Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador) Music by: Vir Sinha This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Noah McClain, Assistant Professor of Sociology talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about security and technology vulnerabilities within New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This is the third episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Noah McClain:
Noah McClain (PhD, New York University) is a sociologist with interests spanning the sociologies of cities, law, inequality, complex organizations, work, policing, and security, and how these intersect with technologies high and low. Dr. McClain has published a broad range of articles dealing with these topics in venues such as the Journal of Consumer Culture, Poetics, and Information, Communication, and Society. He has served on the faculties of Illinois Tech, and the Bard Prison Initiative, where he was also a postdoctoral research fellow. He is also a former investigator of police misconduct for the City of New York.
Learn more about Noah McClain via https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-mcclain-2b415769
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Watch the video version of this episode via: https://youtu.be/kKr6yODUQGQ
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Director of Mapping Black California, Candice Mays talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the availability of comprehensive data, how gaps in population data impact policy, and the critical role data plays in shaping informed, equitable policies.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Candice Mays:
Candice Mays serves as Mapping Black California’s Project Director. Alongside a diverse professional background in grassroots nonprofit organization management, development, and grant making, she spent three years as a literacy teacher with the New York City Department of Education after receiving her M.A. in English Education from New York University. Her time as a public school educator inspired her pursuit of an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Fiction at the University of Miami where was a Michener Teaching Fellow and a M.F.A. Summer Award winner. Her research experience includes conducting cultural and historical analysis of Louisiana Creoles reflecting the content of her fiction which critically examines multi-cultural, African American existence in non-inclusive spaces. Having returned to Southern California and her beloved Riverside County, Candice seeks to humanize GIS by mining narratives from data on all things historical, Californian, and most importantly, Black.
Learn more about Candice Mays via https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-mays-a7382b8
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, John Thomas Flynn, Former CIO for the States of California and Massachusetts talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about government's current challenges regarding technology implementation and utilization. This is the second episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About John Thomas Flynn:
John Thomas Flynn is MeriTalk’s Senior Advisor for Government Programs. He was the first Chief Information Officer for both the State of California and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and was president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). He was also a White House appointee in the Reagan and G.H.W. Bush administrations.
Learn more about John Thomas Flynn via https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtflynn/details/experience/
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Author of Recoding America, Jennifer Pahlka, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about government's current challenges regarding technology implementation and utilization. This is the first episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Jennifer Pahlka:
Jennifer Pahlka is a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center and the Federation of American Scientists and a senior advisor to the Abundance Network. She founded Code for America in 2010 and led the organization for ten years. In 2013, she took a leave of absence to serve as U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer under President Obama and helped found the U.S. Digital Service. She served on the Defense Innovation Board, started by the late Ash Carter, under Presidents Obama and Trump. At the start of the pandemic, she also co-founded U.S. Digital Response, which helps government meet the needs of the public with volunteer tech support. She has received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and was named by Wired as one of the 25 people who has most shaped the past 25 years. She serves on the boards of US Digital Response, America’s Frontier Fund, and the Volcker Alliance.
Learn more about Jennifer Pahlka via https://www.jenniferpahlka.com/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
LINK YOUTUBE-ANCHOR
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
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In this episode, Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Osprey Orielle Lake, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about shifting the narrative on international climate justice using a feminist lens.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Osprey Orielle Lake:
Osprey Orielle Lake is the Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, working nationally and internationally with grassroots and frontline women leaders, policy-makers, and diverse coalitions to build women's leadership, climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean energy future. Osprey is the Co-Director of the Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegations, and actively leads WECAN International's projects — from various trainings and work to shift the narrative on climate justice using a feminist lens, to engagements at United Nations climate conferences — from frontline delegations, to campaigns such as the 'Women for Forests' program. Osprey was the visionary behind the International Women’s Earth and Climate Summit, which brought together 100 global women leaders to draft and implement a 'Women’s Climate Action Agenda', and co-founded the International Women’s Earth and Climate Initiative (IWECI), the precursor initiative of WECAN International.
Learn more about Osprey Orielle Lake via https://www.linkedin.com/in/osprey-orielle-lake-4286bb12
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Watch the video version via: https://youtu.be/c1TtUF1lm3E
Music by: Vir Sinha
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments Kurt Wilson talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about community development, disproportionate minority contact deficiencies within the criminal legal system, and regional governance and collaboration.
About Kurt Wilson:
Dr. Kurt Wilson serves as the Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), bringing over 25 years of local government leadership experience. A native of the Inland Empire, Dr. Wilson has held senior management roles in five cities across the West Coast and served in both state and federal capacities, including two gubernatorial appointments from former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career highlights include guiding the City of Stockton through a financial recovery from bankruptcy to becoming one of the most fiscally healthy large cities in the U.S. Dr. Wilson is also an educator, teaching courses in public policy and government operations, and has held leadership roles such as Vice President of the California affiliate of the International City and County Management Association.
Learn more about Kurt Wilson via https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-wilson/
Podcast Highlights:
"There was a time in our history... that once someone is convicted of doing something, we sort of throw them away... and then when they come out, having been in that environment, we're somehow surprised that things didn't get better."
- Kurt Wilson on the topic of the evolution of reintegration processes into society, post-incarceration.
"A lot of equity efforts fail because they're presented in a way where there's a clear winner and subsequently a clear loser. The person who feels as if they're being attacked, or that they're likely to lose is inherently going to push back. We see that in issues of race, we see that in issues of policing, all of our social issues, it's a very similar theme where we're not starting from the same place. By understanding that from the get-go, you're able to come up with some concepts to make a little bit more sense."
- Kurt Wilson on the topic of equity efforts and how framing can affect public perception of key issues.
Guest:
Kurt Wilson (Executive Director, Western Riverside Council of Governments)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Esa Hasan (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
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This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.