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Jonathan Aberman is the Dean of the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology at Marymount University and a long-time friend of What's Working in Washington. On this episode, Jonathan joins Mark for an insightful discussion on the changing role of higher education: what it costs, what it's worth, and what outcomes you can expect from your degree today.

This week's episode is a special mashup of two guests with exceptional success stories, Bettina Stern and Greg Vetter. They're both founders of their own fresh food startups, and really know what it takes to succeed in the food industry. Listen in for the "best of" each of their conversations with Mark, connected by their shared vision of delivering high-quality, fresh food to customers in D.C. and beyond.

Ever wondered what the labels ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ really mean? How about the millions of bacteria that make up your daily probiotic? On this episode, we hear from Ivan Wasserman, one of the nation’s premier attorneys for health, wellness, beauty and other consumer products. As an expert in food law, Ivan untangles the complicated relationship between regulatory agencies, food manufacturers, and consumers in a captivating conversation with Mark Walsh.

Josh Kligman is the cofounder and CEO of Yearly, a company that helps nonprofit organizations showcase their impact through digital annual reports. With 1.8 million nonprofits currently operating in America, it can be difficult for any singular organization to stand out. In this episode, Josh explains how Yearly helps nonprofits impress their stakeholders and inspire them to increase their financial support through engaging and informative digital reports.

Corey Briscoe is a managing partner and Chief Operating Officer at ABCD & Company, a full-scale marketing and events agency working with both corporate and nonprofit clients. Corey describes how corporations are getting into the conversation on current social issues, explains the importance of bipartisan infrastructure spending, and shares his hopes for the integration of separate multicultural marketing funds into the mainstream budget.

Diane Tomb is the CEO of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), a national trade association consisting of title insurance agents, abstracters, and underwriters representing every county in America. An expert in the real property transaction industry, Diane describes the logistics of obtaining and protecting the title to your home. She reveals that every state has a set of unique documents detailing what it means to get a title, and that there is still dated legislation from decades past where discrimination was legal. Tune in to find out how ALTA is taking strides to ensure that home ownership is accessible to all.

Karen Wawrzaszek is the D.C. regional president for BNY Mellon Wealth Management and a recognized thought leader in ESG (environmental, social, governance) investing. Karen joins Mark to discuss responsible investing and explain how she invests clients' money profitably while still considering social and environmental issues. She identifies common concerns of the rising generation of wealth owners and describes how wealth management firms can cater to these changing demands.

David Jones is a founding partner at Capitol Council, a bipartisan lobbying firm located in Washington, D.C. On today’s episode of What's Working in Washington, David joins Mark to share his experience as a lobbyist and discuss current issues on the Hill. He weighs in on the subject of non-transparent campaign funding, where candidates and issues are funded by untraceable or “dark” money," enabling public debate to be influenced by anonymous entities.

Tien Wong is the CEO of Opus8, a private investment, advisory, and conference management firm located in the Washington, DC area. On this episode of What's Working in Washington, Tien explains the differences in wealth and investing mentality on the East Cost versus the West, discusses what it means to be a venture capitalist, and shares how he separates the 'noise from the signal' in deciding which startups are worthy of investment.

It all started with a break-in: Greg Vetter’s neighbor simply could not get enough of Greg’s mother’s homemade lemon garlic salad dressing. Soon after, Greg found himself in a Whole Foods holding a Tupperware container of romaine lettuce pitching the world’s best dressing. Today, Tessemae’s Salad Dressings can be found in stores nationwide in delicious varieties from the original lemon garlic to everything bagel ranch. Listen in to this episode of What’s Working in Washington for a fabulous story of family entrepreneurial success focused on fresh, nutritious, high-quality products.

Mary Abbajay is a career consultant and president of Careerstone Group, an organizational and leadership development consultancy for business and government. She is also the author of bestselling career guide, “Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss.” On this episode of What's Working in Washington, Mary discusses the future of post-pandemic work, explains how to advance your career in a work-from-home environment, and provides tips on building a successful career when faced with a difficult boss.

What’s Working in Washington is thrilled to welcome back Richard Levick, Chairman and CEO of leading D.C. crisis-management PR firm, LEVICK. On this episode, Richard explains the changing role and definition of crisis management in the digital age, describes how LEVICK strategically assists firms, brands, and people in crisis, and shares his take on current 'crises' from Will Smith to Ukraine.

Ryan Leirvik is an experienced cybersecurity executive and author of "Understand, Manage, and Measure Cyber Risk," a practical guide for creating and managing a sustainable cybersecurity program. Ryan discusses the difference between state-sponsored and stateless cyber threats, explains how breaches in both open and closed software systems can jeopardize critical data, and offers recommendations on how to protect ourselves when volunteering our personal data to websites and institutions.

Tom Donohue is the former president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest community of business leaders. On this episode of What's Working in Washington, Tom shares his accomplishments in the Chamber over the years, including notable regulatory and legal reforms for which he was an advocate. He expresses concerns regarding the declining quality of civics education in America, explains how this might impact the next generation of business leaders, and reveals the Chamber's exciting plans to promote civics education through a national 'Civics Bee.'

Mark Ruppert, a DC local, is the founder and CEO of the 48 Hour Film Project. In this exciting annual competition, teams of filmmakers are given just 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short film from start to finish. Mark shares how he got into the film industry, explains the logistics of the film project, and reveals how 12 lucky filmmakers each year are awarded the opportunity of a lifetime: a screening at the Cannes Film Festival.

Ed Barrientos is the CEO of Brazen, a high-growth HR software used by top employers and universities. On this episode, Ed describes the unique condition of the job market in 2022, in which companies are competing for talented candidates while simultaneously facing the repercussions of the 'Great Resignation.' Ed also explains the effects of the broad shift to remote working, the dehumanizing nature of the job search process, and how Brazen aims to improve the hiring experience.

Jeffrey Page, author of “Becoming a Student of Leadership,” joins Mark Walsh to discuss the process of leadership learning. They dive into the key features of exceptional leadership, exploring topics like curiosity, vulnerability, communication, and radical candor. Jeffrey, who previously worked at the Library of Congress, shares personal anecdotes on leadership and reveals to listeners how they, too, can begin their journey of bettering their leadership skills.

Pat Sheridan is the CEO of Modus Create, a D.C.-based technology consulting firm that helps companies achieve their digital goals. He joins Mark to share what it means to be an apprentice, how to transform a regular office into a place with culture, and how community co-working spaces have the potential to reshape neighborhoods. With these important trends in mind, Pat speculates on the future of commercial real estate.

Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian and author of "The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution," joins Mark Walsh to share her extensive knowledge on the origin, significance, and trajectory of the American presidential Cabinet. Dr. Chervinsky explains how an institution that was not pre-ordained in our constitution became a mainstay of the American presidency, how it serves as a measure of the American state's evolution, and how a socially diverse cabinet goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of suffrage and civil rights.

Jonathan Aberman, Dean of the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership, and Technology at Marymount University, joins Mark for a lively conversation on the current state of the economy. Jonathan explains the effect of the ‘Great Resignation’ on labor force participation rates, shares how working from home is impacting peoples’ careers, and provides insight on the D.C. venture capital bubble. Finally, he ponders the question that's on all of our minds - will we ever reach a point where COVID-19 is truly endemic, and what might that mean for the world?