This has been the busiest September in my memory at GW! Our first Symposia on Government Oversight and Accountability was enlightening and timely, bringing together three current and former federal inspector generals who offered great suggestions for moving oversight forward. You can hear the full symposium along with Trachtenberg School Lecturer Jay Lerner's and my podcast summary on our website here and you can sign up for our October symposium on legislative oversight here.

We also hosted our inaugural Trachtenberg Day on September 9, welcoming back alumni — especially the large contingent from the Class of 2006 who attended — and hearing thought-provoking commentary from GW President Emeritus Stephen Joel Trachtenberg.

On September 16, we joined the Institute for Advancing American Values at Boise State University to host America Listens, an event designed to highlight the values Americans hold in common, regardless of background, and counter today's polarizing political rhetoric. Hearing from Americans across the country — including a Native American salmon activist, a former NFL star, a gay conservative pastor, an Oklahoma homicide detective and a former Commandant of the Coast Guard — was memorable and moving. Following the model our Boise State colleagues developed with Idaho Listens, the event was a powerful reminder of how central empathetic listening is to strengthen democratic governance.

On that note: our budget and finance faculty star and Trachtenberg School Professor Kate Yang worked hard to make the annual Association for Budget and Financial Management (ABFM) conference, held on GW campus from September 24-26, a success — thank you, Kate!

Congratulations to Trachtenberg School Visiting Research Professor Kyle Farmbry, who was selected as a 2026-27 Senior Fellow for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

We'll continue offering relevant policy discussions both for free and online in the coming weeks! Join us for the next Executive Innovation Series session on October 8 at noon here, focused on place-based investment along with our session on legislative oversight on October 7 here.

From September 24-26, the Trachtenberg School hosted the 2026 Annual Conference of the Association for Budgeting and Financial Management (ABFM). Ahead of the conference, we held a reception in memory of Professor Joe Cordes to remember his legacy and impact.

We are proud of the many Trachtenberg School faculty, students, and alumni who shared their insights and expertise at this year's conference!

Professor Kate Yang co-presented during the session "Public-Private Partnerships and Contracting," and Lecturer Steve Redburn co-hosted the panel "Radical Reform of the Federal Budget Process: A Call to Action."

Ph.D. candidates Tanya Bakshi and Finn Dobkin also presented. Bakshi spoke on the panel "Budget Theory: Incrementalism and Reform," and Dobkin presented during the session on "Higher-Education Finance."

Trachtenberg School alumna Kathryn White, M.P.P. '12, spoke during the plenary session "Emerging Fiscal Risks: Confronting the Implications of Shifting Federal-State-Local Relationships and Strengthening Fiscal Resilience."

We're proud of everyone who shared their expertise this year — and grateful for the legacy of scholarship and mentorship, carried on in Joe Cordes's memory, that continues to shape this community.

Learn more about the ABFM conference here.

In partnership with the Trachtenberg School and Boise State University, America Listens brought a growing national conversation to a new audience.

On September 16 at GW, speakers from across the country — with varied occupations and backgrounds — responded to the prompt: "What do you value and why? How do you put that value into practice in your life, for example in your political, economic, educational or social positions?" While these speakers may not have represented every group in America, they represented a diversity of perspectives.

Born out of Idaho Listens, a Boise State speaking series launched in 2022. America Listens creates space in a partisan era for conversations about values, focusing on listening as a model for understanding and humanizing national discourse.

We're grateful to our partners at Boise State for bringing this important conversation to the GW community and to every speaker who shared their perspective in the spirit of genuine listening.

The third webinar, "Place-Based Change: Lessons from the Past, Strategies for the Future," in the Executive Innovation Series will be held on October 8.

Place-based change is not new. For decades, communities, governments, nonprofits, residents and funders have worked to address the interconnected conditions shaping neighborhoods and regions. The field has evolved from community development to collective impact, systems change and a stronger focus on resident leadership, equity and local power.

Today, place-based work is at an inflection point as major funders make larger, longer-term and more coordinated investments. This creates opportunities to align resources and expand impact, while raising important questions about what is truly different, how funders can build on local knowledge and how communities can create lasting capacity.

Speakers will explore the movement's evolution and the lessons shaping its next chapter, including funding alignment, shared outcomes, measurement, local leadership, power and sustainability.

Joining Director Kathy Newcomer are panelists Frank DiGiammarino, CEO of NOW Matters, LLC; Omar Woodard, senior vice president of corporate giving for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment; and Katie Willoughby, CFO, United Way of the Coastal Empire.

Join us virtually on October 8 at noon. Register here.

On October 7, the Trachtenberg School will present its fall Symposia on Government Oversight and Accountability, a series of monthly conversations with experts on timely issues in government oversight moderated by Lecturer Jay N. Lerner, former inspector general of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Sessions will examine the roles of the three branches of government in conducting oversight, along with the contributions of civil society organizations, such as think tanks and investigative journalists.

The Symposium on Inspectors General discussed the importance of independence for inspectors general with speakers Allison C. Lerner, former chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency and former inspector general at the National Science Foundation; Mark L. Greenblatt, former chair of CIGIE and former inspector general at the U.S. Department of the Interior; and Tammy Hull, former acting chair of CIGIE and current inspector general at the U.S. Postal Service.

Insights were featured in a Government Executive article. Read more here. Check out the summary and analysis along with the full event video here.

During October's symposium, we will explore the role of Congress and the Government Accountability Office in conducting oversight of executive agencies and operations. We will examine the structure, authorities, capabilities and tools of the legislature in carrying out its duties and responsibilities, including the appropriations processes. Alongside Lecturer Jay N. Lerner, speakers include Nikki Clowers, acting chief operating officer and chief risk officer at the Government Accountability Office; Kevin Kosar, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; David Rapallo, director of the Federal Legislation Clinic at Georgetown Law Center and senior advisor at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy; and Molly Reynolds, vice president and director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution.

Register here and join us online October 7 at noon. Can't make it? Save the date for our next sessions on November 4 and December 2.

Jason Greenawalt, M.P.P. '07, is the CEO of the Nakupuna Companies, a family of government contracting firms specializing in mission and business operations, IT, logistics, facilities and infrastructure, and environmental services. Under Jason's leadership, Nakupuna has grown from a bootstrapped startup into a thriving organization with more than 1,600 employees supporting more than 60 federal agencies. Jason is also a co-founder and board member of the Nakupuna Companies' nonprofit owner, the Nakupuna Foundation, which has invested more than $21 million into scholarships, community programs and economic initiatives supporting the Native Hawaiian community, military and veteran groups, and philanthropic causes around the country.

Jason's passion lies in building great teams by hiring the right people, giving them the tools they need to do their best work, and empowering them to solve complex problems for Nakupuna's customers. Jason has helped develop a corporate culture and workforce that most recently earned Nakupuna the No. 1 ranking on WTOP News's list of Top Workplaces in the D.C. area as well as national recognition for leadership and employee wellbeing by USA TODAY in 2026.

His advice to fellow alumni comes from the legendary investor Charlie Munger:
"There is an old two-part rule that often works wonders in business, science, and elsewhere: 1. Take a simple, basic idea, and 2. Take it very seriously."
— Charlie Munger

Trachtenberg School Visiting Research Professor Kyle Farmbry was appointed as a 2026-27 senior fellow for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The appointees will work with AAC&U leadership and staff on strategic initiatives spanning leadership development, public trust in higher education, program development, civic learning and engagement, and career readiness.

We're so proud of this accomplishment. Read more here.

The Regulatory Studies Center (RSC) co-hosted the fourth annual Regulation Week conference on September 3 with the FGV Rio Law School (Brazil).

The theme, "Financial Regulation in Transformation," explored digital finance and tokenization, financial intermediation, investor protection, negotiated rulemaking and other developments in Brazilian and American financial regulation. Mel Gunewardena, director of the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, delivered the keynote address.

Trachtenberg School Professor Steven Balla, RSC Founder Susan Dudley and RSC Director William Yeatman joined panels alongside academics and officials from Brazil's leading law practices and financial institutions.

Read more here.

Jennifer Brinkerhoff co-edited a special issue of Public Administration and Development and co-authored the introductory article, "Disruption as Opportunity: What Can We Learn from Localization to Inform a More Responsive Aid System for the Future?"

Leah Brooks authored the Build Research Network blog "Steps Toward an Improved Measure of Prices for Transportation" and the ScienceDirect article "Measuring the Cost of Building Infrastructure Over Time: Very Hard to Do Well."

Christopher Carrigan co-presented a working paper, "The Limits of Transparency: Early Disclosure and Participation in Federal Rulemaking," at the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) Interagency Roundtable meeting.

Lauren Damme hosted an event for the Data Foundation and Center for Evidence Capacity, "Tested but Not Evaluated: Bringing Social Science Rigor to AI Evaluation."

Susan Dudley participated in a Partnership for Public Service convening on Paperwork Reduction Act reform.

The Regulatory Studies Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Risk Assessment have launched a project to analyze more than 20 years of previously unarchived Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) conducted by USDA.

Michael Worth co-authored a new book, "Advancing Higher Education: New Strategies for Fundraising, Philanthropy and Engagement."

Kate Yang received a grant from EdFund to study volatility in school finance, including the impact of school finance reforms and property tax limits on volatility.