Learn From The Experts

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Founder and Chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute

World-renowned neurosurgeon, presidential candidate, and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson sits down with Sarah Huckabee Sanders to discuss his role in the Executive Branch. In this interview, Dr. Carson will share exactly why he delayed his retirement, and his vision for the American Cornerstone Institute as the Founder and Chairman.

Former Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison

A proud alum of The Ohio State University, Tim Pataki discusses his unique journey into public service and how he went from caddying on the golf course to holding senior positions in both Congress and the White House for over a decade. In this interview, Pataki details his experience serving as Assistant to the President and the Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. With a unique collection of duties and responsibilities, Pataki reveals what it’s really like serving as the White House’s top liaison to the business community and talks about his work with an array of stakeholders, including Fortune 500 executives, small & medium-sized businessowners, and a range of diverse trade associations.

Former Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor

In this interview, Kellyanne Conway shares her experience transitioning from the private sector as the Founder of WomenTrend to a presidential campaign manager as the first women to run a successful presidential campaign, to finding her way into public service as former Assistant and Senior Counselor to the President. She discusses her experience serving the president and how her extensive background in the private sector better equipped her to navigate a unique, hybrid role that required strong communication skills and the ability to balance a large policy portfolio.

Former Director of the US Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President

Joseph Grogan sits down with Sarah Huckabee Sanders to discuss his former role as the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President. During this interview, Grogan walks us through his time at the White House and how he converted the traditionally small office of the Domestic Policy Council into an influential policy powerhouse. A lawyer by trade, Grogan explains how his wide variety of roles and positions in both the public service and healthcare sectors prepared him for a multifaceted position in the White House and a career after public service.

Former White House Director of Political Affairs and Assistant to the President

In this interview, Brian Jack shares his former experience serving as the White House Political Director for President Trump, as well as the steps he took in his political career that led him to the White House. Here, you will learn about the distinctive challenges unique to the White House Office of Political Affairs, particularly those relating to the Hatch Act of 1939. You will also get an inside look into the travel process for the President and the interesting history of the Office of Political Affairs.

Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives

In this interview, Speaker Newt Gingrich discusses his unique perspective on the Executive Branch through the lens of his lengthy career in politics on the legislative side as the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Speaker Gingrich shares his journey as a college professor turned Speaker of the House and his sheer determination to help the Republican Party reclaim a majority in the House for the first time in 40 years as the architect of the “Contract with America.”

Former Special Assistant to the President and Director of Operations for Presidential Personnel

Katja Bullock shares her vast knowledge and experience in personnel management, recruitment, and the government hiring process, from her service under four different presidential administrations. Originally born and raised in Germany, Katja emigrated to the United States in 1965, became a U.S. citizen, and registered to vote so that she could participate in American democracy. In this interview, she describes what it was like to serve as a Special Assistant to the President and Director of Operations for Presidential Personnel in her most recent role, in which she oversaw the filling of approximately 3,500 non-career positions in the federal government.

Former White House Cabinet Secretary, Assistant to the President, and Chief of Staff for Second Lady Karen Pence

Former Cabinet Secretary Kristan Nevins speaks about her longtime love for all facets of public service. Nevins has served in a variety of senior staff positions across multiple presidential administrations and agencies, as well as spent time on Capitol Hill. From interning on the Hill, to working at the CIA for five years, to serving as a Chief of Staff for a member of Congress, to serving as the Chief of Staff to the Second Lady in the Office of the Vice President — and everything in between — Nevins offers a unique perspective on all three branches of government.

Former Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy

In this interview, former Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow discusses his service with the National Economic Council during the Trump Administration, as well as his time at the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan Administration. Mr. Kudlow has vast experience in both federal service and the private sector on Wall Street, and he was a monumental voice in the creation of President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. Here, Kudlow provides insights on how the private sector can play an important role in the creation of public policy and its implementation.

Former CFO at the Department of Housing and Urban Development

After 37 years in the private sector, Irv Dennis shares what it was like going from an Audit Partner at Ernst & Young and managing various global accounts to the Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Housing and Urban Development under former Secretary Dr. Ben Carson. As a Washington outsider, Dennis discusses what drew him to public service and how working in the Executive Branch can benefit anyone’s professional career path. He also discusses differences between working in the private sector compared to public service.

Former Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and Assistant and Counselor to the President

John DeStefano discusses his various roles in the Executive Branch, first as an Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel, and later as an Assistant to the President and Counselor to the President. He also reveals what led him to a career in politics, his experience serving in the legislative branch on Capitol Hill, and some of the challenges he faced as the leading voice for presidential recruitment and staffing in the White House.

Former Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Kathy Kraninger has served in two presidential administrations in a number of roles across the federal government. In this interview, she discusses her experience leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and her work to help create the President’s budget at the Office of Management and Budget, as well as her time standing up the Department of Homeland Security. Kraninger’s insights show the importance of a well-rounded and versatile policy background and how that translates to federal employment.

Former Chief of Staff at the Department of Energy

In this interview, Brian McCormick sits down with Sarah Huckabee Sanders to discuss his vast experience in the Executive Branch. Brian worked in both the Bush administration as well as the Trump administration and most recently served as Acting Executive Associate Director and Program Associate Director in the Office of Management and Budget. Brian discusses the complex policy process at the White House and what it takes to navigate it effectively. He also touches on his time leading the Department of Energy as the Chief of Staff and how important a great team is to execute the mission. 

The Governor of Arkansas and Former White House Press Secretary

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now Governor of Arkansas, became a household name in conservative politics after serving as President Trump’s Press Secretary. Governor Sanders sits down with Dr. Ben Carson in this interview to discuss her daily interactions with the White House Press Corps and what it was like to craft messaging around an administration’s policies. Many say White House Press Secretary is one of the hardest jobs one can have in Washington, D.C., but Governor Sanders was one of the best to ever grace the podium. This interview further explores how she tackled those long days and daunting tasks.

Former Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget

Russ Vought served in President Trump’s administration first as the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. In this interview, Russ discusses the in-depth policy processes that are set in place at the White House and he walks viewers through how the President’s Budget is crafted and the impact it has on the federal policy process as a whole.

Former Acting Attorney General

Matt Whitaker served as the Acting Attorney General and Chief of Staff at the Justice Department during the Trump Administration. He also served as a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa from 2004-2009. In this interview, Matt discusses the daily responsibilities of leading one of the federal government’s most important agencies and how surrounding oneself with the right staff can make or break the agency’s performance.