Platforms, Progress and Storytelling

Zoe and Natalya sit down this week with journalist and researcher John Lechner to discuss the impact of Yevgeny Prigozhin's death on the Wagner Group and Russian domestic politics. John is the author of a forthcoming book on the subject entitled, "Putin's Chef, Wagner, and the War for Ukraine." They also discussed navigating a career path as an independent researcher, and how to travel to challenging corners of the globe. Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elections and tech policy expert Malika Mehrotra joins Zoe and Natalya this week to discuss the risks posed by mis- and disinformation in upcoming election cycles. They discuss Malika's early career experience in politics and how it has shaped her interest in the impact of new technology on civics and political integrity. They also touch on potential regulatory approaches and whether generative AI poses a new type of threat.  If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zoe and Natalya are joined this week by Joey Arora, partner at the Outpost, where he supports companies in securing government contracts in defense, and a former co-founder of AFWERX. They talk about Joey's path from the Air Force to entrepreneurship, trends in defense tech investing, and what every founder should know before trying to secure a government contract. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Zoe teams up with Jordan Schneider of ChinaTalk for a special crossover episode. They discuss the changing mood on China relations, AI competition, and TikTok. They also explored what it's like to be an independent researcher in the foreign policy space and the intellectual freedom it allows. You can hear more from Jordan at chinatalk.media. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zoe is joined by arms control and nonproliferation implementation specialist April Arnold this week, fresh from the Aspen Security Forum. They discuss highlights from the Forum, as well as April's assessment of the nuclear threat from North Korea, Iran, Russia, and China. They also discuss the portrayal of nuclear risks in entertainment and media in the wake of the release of Oppenheimer. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Zoe and Natalya are joined by Lucy Montgomery, the founder of the Women's College Players Association, to talk about the nexus of sports and global affairs. They discuss how athletes can serve as global ambassadors, but also frequently bear the burden of international strife and conflict worldwide.If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Maggie Feldman-Piltch, founder of Unicorn Strategies and #NatSecGirlSquad, joins the show to share her journey as a policy entrepreneur and rule-breaker. She also discusses her forthcoming book, Non-State Actress: National Security But Not Boring, how government agencies are like midcentury modern furniture, and how to rock purple hair in Washington. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Zoe and Natalya are joined by Aaron Schwartzbaum, a 2023 Templeton Fellow with the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute to discuss Kremlinology, Great Power competition, and the war in Ukraine. Aaron currently hosts FPRI's Bear Market Brief, The Continent, and Report in Short podcasts. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shr5IpK32opINN5e9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Zoe and Natalya are joined by CEO of Reality Defender Ben Colman, to discuss the power of synthetic media and the risks it poses to geopolitics and democracy. They discuss a recent deepfake of an attack at the Pentagon, as well as potential regulatory solutions. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Zoe is joined by new co-host Natalya Thakur to discuss activism, social media, and Iran with technologist Sameera. Sameera also discussed her work-in-progress novel and how storytelling is a powerful form of cross-cultural exchange. If you are under 40 and interested in being featured on the podcast, be sure to fill out this form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices