PSHRA's Public Eye Podcast

Episode 59: Invaluable Opinions: The Town of Bluffton's Anni Evans Talks Intern Exit Surveys

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Anni Evans, director of human resources with the Town of Bluffton, S.C., recently joined the Public Eye podcast to give us an overview of the Town’s intern exit surveys – which she says have become a standard part of the Town’s intern lifecycle.

Anni discussed the role of the Town’s HR team in creating the survey, the questions the survey includes and why, and how the feedback the Town receives figures to help shape its internship plan going forward.

Episode 58: Transforming City Hiring Processes with Shifra Goldenberg

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Shifra Goldenberg, chief program officer with Work for America, recently joined the Public Eye podcast to talk about WFA’s upcoming Transforming City Hiring Processes workshop.

The free, virtual workshop is part of Work for America’s Talent Accelerator Program, and runs from April 21 through June 9. In our recent chat, Shifra told us about the Talent Accelerator Program’s origins, what this upcoming spring workshop will entail, and what’s on the horizon for the program in the months ahead.

Episode 57: A Walkthrough of the Local Gov 250 Initiative with Wally Bobkiewicz

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Wally Bobkiewicz is the city administrator with the City of Issaquah, Wash. He is also spearheading Local Gov 250, a national effort to honor and elevate the role of local government as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026.

Wally recently joined the Public Eye podcast to talk a bit about this initiative—which PSHRA is proud to be a partner on, along with a number of other organizations—and what it has in store for the rest of 2026.

Episode 56: Talking Gender Transition in the Workplace with Amanda Hecker

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:08:59 +0000

Amanda Hecker is a retired teacher who has provided diversity training and education since leaving the classroom in 2024. Amanda is also a transgender woman, one of roughly 2.8 million individuals in the U.S. who identify as transgender, according to a 2025 estimate from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

Amanda recently joined the podcast to discuss the topic of gender transition in the workplace and provide answers to some common workplace-related questions regarding transgender individuals.

Episode 55: Preparing Public Sector Talent for Advancement with Kelli Bentley

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Kelli Bentley, human resources director with Anniston Water Works & Sewer Board, in Anniston, Ala., recently joined the Public Eye podcast to offer an overview of the organization’s Cultivating Leadership, Excellence and Resources (C.L.E.A.R.) initiative, a three-session program designed to prepare the agency’s employees for career advancement in more senior roles.

Episode 54: Talking Turnover at the Top with Melissa Barker

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:27:48 +0000

The Public Eye podcast’s newest episode features Melissa Barker, vice president of practice development, with special expertise in recruiting, government and public sector organizations, at Duffy Group, a global recruitment firm based in Phoenix, Ariz.

Melissa recently sat down with us to talk about “turnover at the top.” Our chat touched on what’s driving turnover at the senior levels of public sector organizations, the importance of “telling the agency’s story” in attracting the talent government agencies will need to keep its leadership pipeline flowing, and much more.

Episode 53: Jeanette Hamilton Joins the Podcast Live at PSHRA25

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Jeanette Hamilton, director of human resources at North Valley Hospital, Okanogan County Public Hospital District #4, recently joined the Public Eye podcast for our first-ever episode with a live audience!

Jeanette sat down with us on Sept. 30 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, site of PSHRA's 2025 national conference, to share her thoughts on the event, and talk about how she and her "scrappy" HR team are overcoming the biggest challenges facing them at the moment.

Episode 52: Emphasizing Employee Engagement with Pete Blank

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Pete Blank, training and organizational development manager with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County in Birmingham, Ala., recently joined the Public Eye podcast to give us a preview of his upcoming presentation at PSHRA25, to be held Sept. 29 - Oct. 1 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown.

At the conference, Pete will discuss the J.O.B.S. Model of Employee Engagement, exploring the four key drivers that influence how employees feel about their work: Love Your Job, Love Your Organization, Love Your Boss, and Love Your Squad.

Here, Pete gives us a sneak peek at his PSHRA25 session, including some practical strategies for leaders to foster an engaged workforce by strengthening those four pillars.

Episode 51: Assessing the OBBA Fallout with Jason Briefel

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:00:00 +0000

The passage of OBBA, signed into law on July 4, figures to reverberate throughout the public sector for years to come. The nearly $4 trillion economic and tax package includes major cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs, and investments in immigration enforcement and national defense. Now, state and local governments are working to implement the bill and its changes.

Jason Briefel, partner and director of government and public affairs at Washington, D.C.-based Shaw Bransford & Roth, recently joined the Public Eye podcast to talk about OBBA's potential impact at the state and local government levels, in the short- and long-term.

Episode 50: Summing Up the 2025 State and Local Government Workforce Survey with Gerald Young

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Each year since 2009, PSHRA® has partnered with MissionSquare Research Institute and the National Association of State Personnel Executives (NASPE) to conduct an annual survey focusing on the recruitment, retention, compensation, organizational culture and other top priorities for public sector HR leaders.

Gerald Young, senior researcher at MissionSquare, recently joined the Public Eye podcast to chat about the results from this year’s State and Local Government Workforce Survey, including the key finding that recruiting challenges seem to be easing up a bit for public sector employers.

Episode 49: Overcoming HRIS Hurdles with Anthony Fasano

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Anthony Fasano, human resources manager with the Village of Alsip, Ill., recently joined the Public Eye podcast to chat about the Village of Alsip’s recent experience with implementing a new human resource information system, or HRIS.

Anthony told us a bit about the implementation process, what led the Village of Alsip to adopt a new HRIS, how they overcame hurdles along the way, and what sort of advice he had for his public sector HR peers in organizations embarking on the same type of HRIS journey.

Episode 48: Sizing Up Public Sector Hiring Processes with Melissa Barker

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Any public sector HR leader knows that the competition for top talent is fierce, and public sector employers need any edge they can get. That said, some contend that the government hiring process is antiquated, or that it takes too long to fill vacancies. And that can lead some very qualified and talented candidates to drop out and start looking somewhere else for their next opportunity.

Melissa Barker, vice president of practice development with Phoenix, Ariz-based recruitment firm The Duffy Group, recently joined the Public Eye podcast to talk about how making tweaks to the hiring process can help public sector employers address such issues.

Episode 47: Assessing Mental Well-Being in the Public Sector with Cara Woodson Welch

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Earlier this year, PSHRA® conducted a survey of more than 400 public sector HR professionals, in an effort to identify patterns and trends with regard to public sector organizations’ focus on employee well-being. Overall, our findings suggest that public sector employers are still very much focusing on employee mental health, but many workers—including those in HR—are still experiencing mental well-being issues, driven by workload, burnout, poor work/life balance and other factors.

PSHRA CEO Cara Woodson Welch recently joined the Public Eye podcast to discuss the survey, what the findings say to her, and what the results should say to public sector HR leaders.

Episode 46: HR's Key Role in Public Sector Cybersecurity with Leeza Garber

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Leeza Garber is a cybersecurity and privacy attorney. She teaches Internet Law, Privacy, and Cybersecurity at The Wharton School, and Information Privacy Law at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Leeza also owns her own executive education company, and consults on best practices for the implementation of AI, cybersecurity and privacy programs.

Leeza recently joined the Public Eye podcast to talk about cybersecurity in public sector agencies, and the critical role that the HR function plays in keeping public sector organizations safe from growing cyber threats.

Episode 45: Discussing DEI with Dr. Milton Perkins

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Dr. Milton J. Perkins – known to many simply as Dr. P - is the senior vice president with ActOne Government Solutions, which designs and provides workforce solutions for private and public sector entities.

At ActOne, Dr. Perkins spearheads the delivery of people-centric solutions to a diverse range of clients, developing HR consulting content, research and implementation strategies. One of Dr. Perkins’ areas of expertise is diverse, equity and inclusion. Dr. P recently joined the Public Eye podcast to discuss how recent developments around DEI in the workplace are impacting the public sector.

Episode 44: Key Connections: Work for America CEO Caitlin Lewis Offers an Overview of Civic Match

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Work for America recently introduced Civic Match, a platform designed to help displaced government workers find their next career opportunity at the state and local levels of government. Caitlin Lewis, executive director of Work for America, recently joined us on the Public Eye podcast to provide an overview of the Civic Match initiative, its origins, why it exists and why its so critical at this moment we’re in.

Episode 43: State of the Association Address: A Q&A with PSHRA® Executive Council President Andrea Cutler

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:52:06 +0000

Andrea Cutler is the head of AAC Consulting Services, the HR and risk management consultancy that she has run in the Las Vegas area since retiring after a 30-plus year career in public sector HR.

And, as of Jan. 1, 2025, Andrea is also the current President of PSHRA®’s Executive Council, playing a crucial role in helping lead the Association and fulfill its mission.

Public Eye sat down for a Q&A with Andrea in early January, to get her insight—as a consultant and as PSHRA® President—on what she sees around the corner for public sector HR in 2025, and what sort of goals she has for PSHRA® as an organization over the next 12 months.

Episode 41: Hyperfocused on Mental Health: The City of Owasso Expands its Well-Being Efforts

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:47:54 +0000

Michele Dempster, human resources director and character coordinator with the City of Owasso, Okla., recently joined Public Eye for a chat about the City's increased focus on mental well-being benefits for its 300 employees. In addition to sharing examples of how the mental health resources the City is offering is saving employees' lives, Michele filled us in on some of the mental health-related initiatives that she and the City's HR team are prioritizing in the year ahead.

Episode 40: Time to Bond: Discussing Parental Leave Policy with Anni Evans

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:25:52 +0000

Anni Evans, director of human resources with the Town of Bluffton in South Carolina, recently wrote an article on the Town’s recently implemented parental leave policy for the September/October edition of PSHRA’s Public Eye, the Association’s bi-monthly digital publication available only to PSHRA members.

On the heels of that article, Anni joined our Public Eye podcast to discuss that policy a bit further.

In July of this year, the Town of Bluffton received approval from the town council to offer paid parental leave to its 140-plus full-time employees. And Anni told us a little bit about why Bluffton wanted to offer paid parental leave to all of its new parents, the role that she and her HR team played in designing that leave policy, and the advice she would offer other agencies looking to do the same.

Episode 39: Unpacking PSHRA24 with PSHRA Executive Council President Mark Van Bruggen

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Joining us to kick off the second season of the PSHRA® Public Eye podcast is current PSHRA Executive Council President Mark Van Bruggen. Mark is also the HR consultant to the chief of staff at the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, and a great representative of PSHRA.

Mark has spent his entire professional career of more than 35 years working for the NJ CSC. In 1996, he became a member of PSHRA® when he and several colleagues re-chartered the New Jersey chapter.

He has served the association in numerous leadership positions at the chapter, regional and national level over the years, and was recently recognized with the 2024 PSHRA® President's Award for his commitment and dedication in leading the association and its mission. Mark recently sat down with Mark McGraw, editor of publications at PSHRA, during a quick break at the PSHRA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., where the Marks discussed some highlights from the conference, Mark’s tenure as PSHRA President, and the exciting places PSHRA is headed in the future.

Episode 38: The Road from Military Service to Cybersecurity

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Our guest Chris Starling is the Executive Director of NPower SkillBridge, which helps active duty service members in their last six months in uniform transition into cyber-warriors, giving them the skills to go from defending the nation to defending the network. Chris joins us to discuss how their program works, trends in skills-based hiring, the job market for cyber skills, and the challenges of transitioning from the military to the civilian sector.

This marks the last episode of our first season of the Public Eye podcast. The pod is taking a hiatus for now, but we'd love to get your feedback on what we can do to bring it back better than ever!

Share your feedback at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7689771/Public-Eye-podcast-survey-2024

Episode 37: Filling the Cyber Pipeline With Skills-Based Hiring

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Will Markow is Vice President of Applied Research at Lightcast, a company that connects people with jobs by providing businesses, communities, and education institutions with the best labor market data possible. He joins us to discuss the gap between the demand and supply of cyber workers, the broad implications if this gap is to continue, and how skills-based hiring can narrow the gap and help fill the cyber pipeline.

Episode 36: The Art of Giving - and Receiving - Feedback

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Viva Asmelash and Michael Gregor, co-founders of Liberation Labs join us to discuss “feedback”: the importance of culturally aware feedback, how different segments of the population receive feedback, productive ways of giving and getting feedback, and best practices in ensuring a healthy "feedback culture." We look forward to your, er, feedback.

Episode 35: Preparing for AI-Driven HR Transformation: a Conversation on Navigating a Changing World

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Neena Kovuru is a HCM thought leader and consultant who, through public speaking, shares ideas on many HR topics including strategic and purpose-driven leadership, HR technologies, company culture, and DEI&B. She has worked in both private and public sectors in her career and joins us to discuss data-driven decision making for strategic HR, and the role of AI in Human Resources.

Episode 34: Go Together: How the Concept of Ubuntu Will Change How We Work, Live and Lead

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Our guest Shola Richards is a sought-after workplace civility expert who speaks, coaches, consults, and is the best-selling author of two books on workplace bullying. He and his work have been featured on the Today Show, CBS, Forbes, Black Enterprise, and numerous other venues. Shola's most recent book is titled, Go Together: How the Concept of Ubuntu will Change How We Work, Live and Lead, which is what our conversation primarily focused on – with several detours into our shared passion for NBA basketball (and basketball podcasts).

Warning: Parts of this episode touch on suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental health, call or text 988.

Episode 33: Key Findings from New MissionSquare Research Institute Report on Young Public Service Workers

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Dr. Rivka Liss-Levinson, Senior Research Manager at MissionSquare Research Institute, discusses their recently published report on the experiences of younger public service employees – a critical issue as attracting and retaining talent, particularly among those 35 and younger, is one of the top challenges public sector agencies face today. Rivka shares findings on job satisfaction, stress levels, factors that attracted younger employees to public sector work, and what leaders should prioritize in order to attract and retain more talent.

Episode 32: Strength Through Peacebuilding: Conflict Resolution in the Public Sector

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Dr. Jeremy Pollack, founder and CEO of Pollack Peacebuilding System, a conflict management consulting firm, joins us to discuss conflict psychology in the workplace. He defines the term peacebuilding, various points of conflict in today's typical public sector organization, best practices in conflict management, and the “5 Core Competencies of the Peaceful Leadership” style.

Episode 31: An Eye on Talent with PSHRA Publication's Editor Mark McGraw

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Pardon the pun, but this marks the third appearance on our pod of Mr. Mark McGraw, the editor of Public Eye, PSHRA's bi-monthly digital magazine, and editor of PSHRA's weekly digital newsletter, Of Public Interest. Mark gives us a tour d'horizon of the latest issue of the Public Eye (October/November), which focuses on talent: what agencies are doing to attract talent to public sector careers and to hang on to the talent they already have. He also gives us a preview of what he and his crack staff are working on for the year-end issue. A great convo with Mark, as always - check it out!

Episode 30: Adding a Touch of Disney Magic to Public Sector Leadership and Organizational Development

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Pete Blank is a leadership expert, author, and national speaker who spent 13+ years at Disney and 13+ years in local government. He spoke to us from the PSHRA annual conference in San Diego. We discussed the differences between "Disney culture" and public sector culture, and how he fused the two experiences in providing training and organizational development support. We also discussed his two books - Employee Engagement: Lessons from the Mouse House and 55 Ways to Add Disney Magic to your Organization - and he gave us a sneak preview of his third, which is coming out in 2024.

Episode 29: How Public Sector Agencies Can Realize the "Proven" Benefits of a Four-Day Work Week

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

If you're on the fence about the benefits of a four-day work week, this is the pod for you! Our guest Sarah Dickinson is Sr. Performance Management & Data Analyst—CountyStat, Montgomery County Government, and the founder of Four-Day Workweek Consulting. Sarah joins us to discuss its impact on productivity, retention, employee wellbeing, and gender equity. She also shares practical advice on implementation.

Episode 28: The "Great Retirement": Oracle's Alex Smith on Managing Transformative Change in the Public Sector Workforce

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Alex Smith is Head of Strategy and Execution, HCM - Public Sector, for Oracle. She is responsible for driving HCM Cloud growth by working with customers throughout all stages of their lifecycle as well as working with internal Public Sector teams to develop and execute Oracle’s GTM strategy. Alex spoke to us about the challenges public sector agencies face as waves of employees retire: what public sector HR leaders can do to attract and retain young talent while remaining vibrant and productive during this period of transformative change.

Episode 27: Culture Change Made Easy

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We spoke with Jamie Notter, Co-Founder of and Culture Designer with PROPEL (formerly Human Workplaces), a coaching and consulting company that helps leaders achieve breakthrough performance and accountability by integrating culture, strategy, and execution. Jamie is also the author of four books, including "Culture Change Made Easy," which will be out in November. He joined us at the PSHRA Annual Conference in San Diego, where he was also a keynote presenter. We spoke about defining culture at work, how to fix a culture that's broken (mainly because of internal organizational politics), how to contend with employee survey fatigue, and managing competing commitments.

Episode 26: Fighting the Good HR Fight: a Conversation with the City of Richmond's Gerald Westry

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Gerald Westry is HR Division Chief of Labor & Employee Relations at the City of Richmond. Gerald joined us to discuss how his background in the military and as an HR professional with the U.S. Army, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs informs his approach to building an inclusive workforce that optimizes organizational performance and growth. We also talk about using metrics to enhance leadership accountability, the value of IPMA-SCP certification in his professional development, and the challenges of attracting millennials to the public sector.

Episode 25: How People Analytics is Driving Performance at Public Sector Agencies

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Jordan Katz, Head of Employee Experience (EX) Strategy, Public Sector at Qualtrics is responsible for the growth and performance of the Employee Experience business within their Public Sector unit. He joins us to discuss whether HR has gotten better at using people analytics to make them better at what they do, how public sector agencies brand themselves as a great place to work, how to measure engagement, and what insights HR can glean from the post-employment phase of an employee’s journey.

Episode 24: The Keys to Implementing a Successful Sick Leave Program

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Ellie Voepel, Human Resources Director with the City of Garden City Kansas, joins us to discuss the keys to a successful sick leave donation program: what prompted them to implement one, the challenges along the way, the tangible benefits the organization realized, and what surprised her most about the experience.

Episode 23: What’s In the Public Eye: the hottest topics in Public HR with Editor Mark McGraw

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Mark McGraw, the editor of Public Eye, PSHRA's bi-monthly digital magazine, and editor of PSHRA's weekly digital newsletter, Of Public Interest, joins us for a record-setting 4th time to discuss the contents of the latest August/September issue. Topics include AI’s impact on the workforce and its growing role (some surprising tidbits), what government agencies are doing to help employees maintain their mental health, and gender identity training. Mark also gives us a sneak preview of topics he’ll be covering in the next issue.

Episode 22: Workplace Wellness That Works

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Laura Putnam is a workplace well-being expert, international public speaker, and author of "Workplace Wellness That Works." Laura has worked with over 15,000 CEOs and managers to implement workplace well-being strategies. Our conversation centers on the five ways employers can prioritize their employees' well-being.

Episode 21: Lessons in Leadership: a Conversation with Public Sector HR Professional Sandie Coutts

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Sandie Coutts is the Human Resources Director for the Jefferson Center for Mental Health. We speak about what brought her from the UK to the US in 2001, the lessons on leadership she took from the pandemic, and the lure that meaningful work has for today’s younger cohort entertaining a career in the private sector.

Episode 20: Empowering Women in HR: Taking Their Seat at the Head of the Table

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Dr. Kelly Drummond is the Director of HR for the City of Knoxville (TN). Dr. Drummond brings over 30 years of experience in developing employee relationships, succession planning, and policy development. She joins us to discuss her “sustaining” model and how it can help female HR professionals get a seat at the table and ensure they have a valued voice at the table.

Episode 19: How Public Sector Agencies Should Prepare for the "Silver Tsunami"

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Hank Kim is Executive Director and Counsel for NCPERS - the National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems. We discuss what public agencies are doing regarding retirement planning, the challenges facing HR in light of the "silver tsunami," and whether pensions are the answer to the public sector worker shortage.

Episode 18: What Public Sector Agencies Need to Know to Prepare for Labor Strikes

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Alexander Volberding is a Labor Relations Attorney at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore. He has spent much of his 15+ year career working for and on behalf of public agencies in the State of California. We discuss labor strikes in the public sector and what agencies need to know in order to be prepared.

Episode 17: Climbing the Leadership LADDER: developing "leadership capacity" using an evidence-based assessment/coaching system

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Dr. Leslie Blanchard is executive director of the Leadership Development Institute at Louisiana State University. She joins us to discuss the LADDER assessment and coaching system she developed to help public sector employees - at all levels - develop "leadership capacity." Dr. Blanchard talks about adapting/evolving leadership skills to meet the changing needs and expectations of today's workforce. (LADDER stands for Leadership Alphabet of Disposition Development
Engagement and Reflection.)

Episode 16: The State of the State of Public Sector Workforces

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Cara Woodson Welch, the executive director of PSHRA, and Gerald Young, Senior Analyst with Mission Square Research Institute, discuss the State and Local Workforce 2023 report, an annual survey of human resource professionals that tracks key challenges facing state and local governments in the recruitment and retention of talented employees and the strategies being employed to manage and compensate those staff (https://tinyurl.com/3e2zyh8h). They speak to the report’s most salient – in some cases, surprising – findings, and the implications for public sector agencies going forward.

Episode 15: The Injustice of Using Salary History to Set Pay: Making it a Thing of the Past

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Liza Zamd, a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, spoke to us in her role as a board member at the DOJ Gender Equality Network (GEN), an employee advocacy group. We discussed the unjust impact on women and minorities when salary history is used to set pay in their workplaces, the group's advocacy for pay equity government-wide, and other pay issues in the federal workforce.

Episode 14: The Future is Flexible: a Conversation with Public Eye Editor Mark McGraw

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Mark McGraw, the editor of Public Eye, PSHRA's bi-monthly digital magazine, joins us to discuss several of the top articles in the June-July issue: The Future is Flexible, finds public sector employers working to find the right balance between remote and in-person work; Stressed in the Public Sector, which delves into burnout that is more prevalent in the public sector and ways to mitigate it. Flexibility as a benefit is a recurring theme throughout the issue. We discuss these and other timely topics from the latest issue of Public Eye.

Episode 13: The Clock is Ticking: What Public Sector Agencies Need to Know as TikTok Enters the Workforce

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Shelline Bennett is the Managing Partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s Fresno Office and has represented public agencies for over 20 years. TikTok is just starting to make inroads in the workplace. Shelline helps demystify TikTok: how it works, what makes it different (vs. other social platforms), who is using it, and why Congress and the Biden Whitehouse have banned it. We discuss the delicate balance between an employee’s first amendment rights and making sure employees aren’t using it to share inappropriate content, as well as how public sector agencies can use it to reach a younger talent pool.

Episode 12: How to Create a Culture of Belonging in the Public Sector

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Knickeita Bullock is a public sector principal and global DEI&B ambassador with UKG. Bob Lavigna is a senior fellow – public sector, also with UKG, who literally wrote the book on public sector employee engagement. Both join us for an in-depth, illuminating conversation on building a robust workplace culture of belonging - its importance and ideas on how to go about building/sustaining it, particularly in these challenging times for the public sector.

Episode 11: Good Trouble: a Conversation with Stacey Lewis, CEO of HR Interrupted

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 30 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Stacey Lewis is an accomplished, innovative, results-oriented executive with over 30 years of experience in all aspects of Human Resources management. She is the CEO and founder of HR Interrupted, a People & Strategy consultancy firm designed to collaborate with business leaders who have true GRIT to unapologetically disrupt ideologies, policies and practices that impact the People, Business and Culture experience. Stacey was previously CHRO of the Port of Long Beach and brings a wealth of insight into the innerworkings of public sector agencies.

Episode 10: Taking Time to Celebrate Public Sector Work

Public Sector HR Association — Fri, 12 May 2023 18:26:45 +0000

This week we sat down with Mark McGraw, editor of PSHRA's Public Eye digital publication, and Of Public Interest, PSHRA's weekly newsletter, to celebrate Public Service Recognition Week, and to take a quick look at what's in the public sector HR news.

Episode 9: A Well-Rounded Perspective on Job Satisfaction, Leadership and Drivers of Organizational Performance in the Public Sector

Public Sector HR Association — Tue, 02 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Gerome Q. Banks is a strategic consulting manager for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with 20 years of professional public sector management, strategic HR experience, and an affinity for leader development and federal talent management. Gerome discusses the top predictors of federal employee job satisfaction, what leaders in public sector agencies need to do to be more effective, and the metrics agencies ought to be using to accurately gauge their organization’s performance.

Episode 8: Picking Up the Pace in Public Sector Hiring

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:33:52 +0000

Melissa Barker, VP of Practice Development at the recruitment firm the Duffy Group, discusses the factors combining to slow down public sector hiring, and what employers can do to pick up the pace – from shortening the time applicants wait for a response, to how employers can be more proactive/creative in finding and engaging candidates – which is to say, making public sector work more appealing to Gen Zers and millennials who tend to be “values-driven."

Episode 7: Social Media’s Impact on Employee Speech in the Public Sector Workplace

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 16:11:40 +0000

Social media has become the new “public square” for public employees, especially during elections or controversial social events. Public employees expressing their views on social media can lead to First Amendment issues and potential litigation. The recent Ninth Circuit decision in Hernandez v. City of Phoenix attempted to provide guidance, but many questions remain. Mark Meyerhoff is an attorney with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore specializing in all aspects of employment and labor relations for public employees. Mark spoke with us about social media's impact on employee speech in the public sector workplace and what public agencies' social media policies should include.

Episode 6: A Treasure Trove of Insights and Information from Exec. Director of NAST

Public Sector HR Association — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 19:35:52 +0000

Shaun Snyder is Executive Director for the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST), a bipartisan organization of elected and appointed state and territorial Treasurers across the United States. NAST advocates for responsible public finance measures on Capitol Hill and with regulatory agencies and provides education through its conferences and distance learning. Our conversation addresses a host of pressing issues and challenges: the aging of the finance workforce, recruitment, financial wellness, and increasing the utilization of the ABLE Act (which makes tax-free saving accounts available to cover qualified disability expenses).We were also surprised to learn that assumptions that private sector pathways are more lucrative are not universally true.

Episode 5: Putting the Human Back in HR: from Human-Centered Leadership to the Human Need for Belonging

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:15:48 +0000

Jonathan M. Pugh is an experienced consultant with a background in organizational effectiveness/OD and broad-based HR functional expertise in the public and private sectors. He spoke to us about the decline in job satisfation and engagement across the federal government and what can be done to arrest this decline; he also spoke to us about the disparity between what’s important to employees vs. what employers think is important, the importance of “human-centered” leadership and what agencies can do to promote a greater sense of belonging.

Episode 4: Forecasting Public Sector HR with Jennifer Fairweather

Public Sector HR Association — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 11:20:55 +0000

We are joined by Jennifer Fairweather, Chief Human Resources Officer with Jefferson County, located in Golden, Colorado. Jennifer was the immediate past president of PSHRA. She discusses her transition from the private to the public sector, how her role and public sector HR have changed over the past decade, the challenges of recruitment, and what skills leadership needs to acquire and develop to lead their agencies forward.

Episode 3: A Sneak Preview of April’s Action-Packed Public Eye Magazine

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:20:29 +0000

Today’s guest is Mark McGraw, the editor of PSHRA's bimonthly digital publication, Public Eye (formerly HR News), and weekly newsletter, Of Public Interest. Mark talks about his team’s overarching editorial mission: spotlighting the positive, change-affecting work of HR leaders in public agencies. He then gives us a sneak preview of the action-packed upcoming issue: a feature titled “Bringing Young Talent into the Government Tent,” that looks at a new online portal designed to be a one-stop shop for individuals seeking federal internship, and “The Public Sector Rethinks Education Requirements,” that looks at a handful of states – Maryland, Pennsylvania, Utah and, most recently, Alaska – that have dropped advanced degree requirements for nearly all state government jobs. Check it out!

Episode 2: A True LA Story: Building Alternative Job Paths for Underrepresented Populations

Public Sector HR Association — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 17:29:42 +0000

Vincent Cordero, Chief Personnel Analyst at City of Los Angeles and Cinthia Fletes, Personnel Analyst at City of Los Angeles, join us to discuss the very successful L.A. Local Hire program. The program takes an innovative approach to creating city employment opportunities for underrepresented groups. Cinthia and Vince tells us what drew them to working in the public sector, and how they see the program evolving in the years ahead.

Episode 1: The Inaugural Public Eye Podcast with PSHRA CEO Cara Woodson Welch

Public Sector HR Association — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:41:20 +0000

Cara kicks off the Public Eye podcast by discussing the reasons behind rebranding IPMA-HR - founded in 1906 - as the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA), and how it better reflects the organization's mission in addressing the top public sector workforce challenges in a dramatically changed environment. Cara touches on the top priorities or areas of focus in creating better places to work and PSHRA's main initiatives in 2023. We expect this to be the first of weekly fascinating and illuminating conversations with the many people doing outstanding, important, and too often unheralded work in the public sector.