Madam Policy

Women and children’s rights activist, Maebel Gebremedhin, co-founder and president of Tigray Action Committee, shares the Tigrayan story of the conflict between the Government of Ethiopia, acting in alliance with Eritrea, and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front on Madam Policy this week. Born in a refugee camp in Sudan, Maebel sits down with host Dee Martin to discuss the “forgotten war,” conflict-based gender violence, and how her family background shaped her path in life. This episode spotlights the importance of women being involved in decision making processes, living by the mantra “if not me, then who?”, and how drawing attention to an issue can create change. Tune in to learn more!

Political strategist and technology entrepreneur, Lucy Caldwell, Founder of Mockingbird Lab, joins Madam Policy to talk about her work mobilizing independent voters, advocating for structural reforms to make politics more competitive, and disrupting old school grassroots organizing with innovative technologies. Lucy sits down with Madam Policy hosts Dee Martin and Caitlin Sickles to discuss the current state of political campaign technology and her focus on using data-driven strategies to drive voter engagement. Tune in for a healthy dose of political prognostication, too! Want to hear the toughest advice Lucy was told early on in her career? Tune in now!

Chief Strategy Officer for the CHIPS Program Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Dr. Morgan Dwyer, joins Madam Policy hosts Dee Martin and Ihna Mangundayao to talk about the critical work the CHIPS program does to ensure U.S. economic prosperity and national security. Dr. Dwyer highlights the work she’s doing to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry and the importance of investing in local communities and workforce development programs. Want to hear about the journey that landed Dr. Dwyer to become the woman leading a $39 billion investment portfolio focused on semiconductor manufacturing and the advice she would give to her 24-year-old self? Then tune in!

Madam Policy welcomes the Honorable Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer! Secretary Berger joins hosts Dee Martin and Carolyn Spector to discuss climate readiness and the importance of women in STEM. Learn more about her “Three C” strategy that focuses on communities, critical infrastructure, and climate. Want to know what the Navy is doing for Earth Day and Energy Installations and Environment Week? Want to hear about ASN Berger’s letter to President H.W. Bush when she was seven? Then tune in!

Running Start Founder and CEO, Susannah Wellford, joins Madam Policy with hosts Dee Martin and Kendall Mitchell. Tune in as they talk with Susannah about empowering women to run for political office. A nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Running Start trains young women to run for political office and provides them with the tools they need to build a long-term community of support. Tune in to hear about some of the amazing and successful Running Start alumnae, as well as tips for success from Susannah based on her own impressive journey.

Madam Policy welcomes renowned constitutional scholar and Ms. Studios executive producer, Professor Michele Goodwin, to talk about the state of reproductive health rights in the United States. Dr. Goodwin—book author, activist, and professor of Constitutional Law & Global Health Policy at Georgetown University—chats with hosts Dee Martin and Caitlin Sickles about her journey in the law, her passion for equality, and the reality of the “Jane Crow” era. Want to hear the story of what happened when Dr. Goodwin met President Joe Biden? Then tune in!

Policy veteran and Baker Hughes’ super-smart Chief Sustainability Office, Allyson Anderson Book, joins Madam Policy for an all-new episode. Allyson chats with hosts Dee Martin and Brittany Pemberton about her strategy for ESG reporting and harmonization, as well as her leadership role in diversifying the perspectives at the decision-making table. Want to hear more about how the skills of the current energy workforce can be parlayed into the net-zero emissions economy? Want to join Allyson and Dee as they take a quick stroll down memory lane, remembering the work they did together to help ensure certainty in the nation’s helium supply (it’s not just for balloons!)? What advice would sustainability champion and geoscientist Allyson Anderson Book would give to her 24-year-old self? Tune in and find out!

Madam Policy is excited to welcome back the amazing Alexa Cole, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce. Hosts Dee Martin and Anna Karakitsos sit down with Alexa to talk about the work she is doing as she leads the U.S. government’s efforts on global management of marine resources. Want to hear about Alexa’s work combatting IUU fishing and forced labor or how Alexa navigates and negotiates international treaties? Then tune in!

On this episode, Madam Policy welcomes a rockstar in the energy space, Camille Moore, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). From being a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Energy Fellow to an environmental Policy Advisor for the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe to joining AABE during the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, Camille is and has been at the center of the energy sector. Camille joins hosts Dee Martin and Kendall Mitchell to discuss the work AABE is doing around the country to ensure community voices are being heard within the energy industry; the work Camille is doing as a member of the SWEEP Standard board; and more. Want to hear Camille’s advice to women of color wanting to advance in the energy field? Tune in!

Kicking off 2024 and Black History Month, Madam Policy welcomes two amazing and recognized leaders for race, social justice, and gender equality, Reverend Naomi Tutu and Author Mungi Ngomane! Daughter and granddaughter of the honorable Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Naomi Tutu and Mungi Ngomane, author of Everyday Ubuntu, join hosts Dee Martin and Kendall Mitchell this week. Hear from Rev. Tutu about the importance of living through the struggle, as she did when she ultimately accepted her call to the ministry. Hear from Mungi about the Southern African philosophy ubuntu, “I am only because you are,” and the smart, implementable lessons Mungi shares in her book, Everyday Ubuntu. Want to put a big smile on your face? Tune in to hear the mother-daughter dynamic duo talk about their pride in each other and a potential book in the works 👀.

** TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains a discussion of death by suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Award-winning author and former California State Assemblymember, Mary Chung Hayashi, is a trailblazer and a leading advocate for women’s health. Throughout her career, Mary has shaped policy and created history. In 2006, Mary became the first Korean American woman elected to the California State Assembly. Mary is a fierce healthcare advocate, became the first director of the Asian Pacific Islanders for Choice and later founded the trailblazing National Asian Women’s Health Organization. Mary joins host Dee Martin to discuss her new book, Women in Politics: Breaking Down the Barriers to Achieve True Representation. Want to know how Mary and Dee might have crossed paths in the 90’s? What is the “imagination barrier”? Can I still get this book for the women in my life before the holidays? Find out the answer to all of these questions and learn so much more!

Top advocate for renewables and GEVO Vice President of Government Affairs Lindsay Fitzgerlad joined Madam Policy upon her return from COP28, sharing her insight and wisdom! As a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, GEVO’s commitment to sustainability was front and center at COP28. Join host Dee Martin as she talks to Lindsay about her “aha” moment when the polices she’s been championing were embraced by US and foreign leaders at the COP. Want to learn more about the role of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in decarbonizing air travel? The role of sustainable agriculture in lower emissions? What advice this trailblazing renewable champion would give to her 24 year old self? Tune in now! ** The COP28 in 8 series is a series where we have 8-minute conversations with the women involved with COP28 in Dubai. **This was recorded on December 13th, 2023, and events may have changed since this recording.

President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and policy powerhouse Lisa Jacobson continues Madam Policy’s COP28 in 8 series, joining us on “Gender Day”! Lisa talks with hosts Dee Martin and Kendall Mitchell while in Dubai for the 28 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28. We check in with Lisa about BCSE’s role as a 65-member trade association representing the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy industries on the world stage. We also hear more about BCSE’s Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, the invaluable resource for government officials, stakeholders, and thought leaders. Want to hear more from this amazing woman who shapes policy every day to advance the clean energy transition? Tune in today! ** The COP28 in 8 series is a series where we have 8-minute conversations with the women involved with COP28 in Dubai. **This was recorded on December 4th 2023 and events may have changed since this recording.

Kicking off Madam Policy’s COP28 in 8 series is Founding Executive Editor of Cipher and top national energy and climate reporter Amy Harder. Amy joins hosts Dee Martin and Carolyn Spector from Dubai for the 28 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP28. Get the inside scoop from Amy about hot topics from methane reduction measures, the “investment gap,” the role of the oil and gas industry and more in this special episode of Madam Policy! Per usual, Amy is covering it all. Tune into this fast-paced episode and come back for the other quick convos that are part of our COP28 in 8 series. ** The COP28 in 8 series is a mini episode series where we have 8 minute conversations with the women involved with COP28 in Dubai. **This was recorded on December 5th, 2023 and events may have changed since this recording.

Madam Policy is 100! We’re celebrating Madam Policy’s 100 episode and no better way than hosting trailblazer Dr. Geri Richmond, DOE’s Under Secretary for Science and Innovation! The brilliant physical chemist Dr. Richmond leads the Office of Science, the nation’s largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences; DOE’s applied R&D areas of nuclear, fossil, and renewable energy, and energy system integrity; and the DOE national laboratories and their facilities. Dr. Richmond has been honored by numerous awards including the National Medal of Science, the Priestley Medal from the American Chemical Society, and the Linus Pauling Medal Award. Deeply commitment to the advancement of women in science, Dr. Richmond is the founding director of a grassroots organization called COACh that has helped over 25,000 women scientists and engineers in career advancement in the U.S. and in dozens of developing countries globally. Hosts Dee Martin and Rebecca Brown are joined by the Under Secretary to discuss the Department of Energy’s role in supporting the US’s advancement in energy, science, and technology. Want to learn about the nation’s top priorities for advancing the Clean Energy Transition? Want to hear our thoughts on the themes of the bestselling book Lessons in Chemistry and how it ties into Dr. Richmond’s real life work empowering women in STEM? Want to know what advice the Under Secretary would give to her 24-year-old self? Tune in to our monumental 100 episode now!

Earlier this year, the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) made history by electing FBIAA President Special Agent Natalie Bara and FBIAA Vice President Special Agent Jen Morrow, the first female-duo, to lead the Association. The FBI Agents Association is a member organization representing current and former agents and focuses on three key areas: legal support, advocacy, and charitable foundations. This week, FBIAA hosts the 10 annual G-Man Honors gala, a fundraising event for the Association’s two key foundations. The Memorial College Fund pays the college tuition of children of Agents who die while employed by the Bureau, and the Membership Assistance Fund provides financial support in times of need for agents in the face of unexpected and often catastrophic situations. Tune in as hosts Dee Martin and Kendall Mitchell sit down with Special Agents Bara and Morrow to discuss FBIAA policy priorities, the importance of supporting the FBI family, and offer important advice to young women thinking about becoming FBI Agents. Want to know what these Special Agents would be if they weren’t in the FBI? How the FBIAA is advocating in the executive and legislative branches for current and former Agents? What advice these groundbreaking women would give to their 24-year-old selves? Listen now!

President and CEO of Democracy Forward Skye Perryman, a leading figure in fight to safeguard our valued constitutional and civil liberties, shares her views on the key cases before the United States Supreme Court this term. Join hosts Dee Martin and Senior Principal Josh Zive as they engage Skye on a wide range of cases and their implications for democracy. Reproductive choice, gun control laws, and Chevron deference are all on the table. Plus, hear from Skye about being an advocate and shaping policy, as well as her advice on going to law school! Tune in to learn about all of this and more!

Are you ready to take some time for yourself every day? Restore your confidence? Rejuvenate your mind? Then pick up your copy of Self!sh by actress and author Stephanie Szostak today! Self!sh is your personal playbook for your mindset. Stephanie calls it “your toolkit to cope and grow.” Stephanie created Self!sh in collaboration with Give an Hour—a national mental health nonprofit focusing on providing direct counseling, peer support groups, and education. One thing that is absolutely NOT selfish about Stephanie is that a portion of the proceeds from her book go to Give an Hour. Stephanie joins host Dee Martin to discuss her new book Self!sh, her struggles with anxiety, and her career. She shares about what led her to write Self!sh, highlighting her experience with loss and imposter syndrome as her career ramped up. She shares how those feelings led her on a journey to address how her self-worth is not tied to outside validation. Stephanie simultaneously inspires us and provides a pragmatic approach to developing tools to succeed in life. Stephanie is an award-winning actor who played opposite Meryl Streep as French Vogue Editor Jacqueline Follet in the iconic film The Devil Wears Prada; she won Best Lead Actor – Female for her film Satellite; she played the villain Brandt opposite Robert Downey, Jr. in Iron Man 3 and so much more. She also starred in the ABC series A Million Little Things and now she is a new author! Don’t miss this episode.

“You’ve been given gifts, use them” is the advice that Co-Chair of VERITY NOW and policy powerhouse Beth Brooke would give to her 24-year-old self. Beth has dedicated her career to creating an inclusive space for women and the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to her work at VERITY NOW, an organization aimed at educating and advocating for gender equity in vehicle safety standards, Beth served as the Global Vice Chair of Ernst & Young, held multiple senior roles at the Department of the Treasury, and has chaired the Board of Vital Voices. This two-time delegate for the U.S. to the UN Commission on the Status of Women has been named one of Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women 11 times and has been vocal about the importance of differences in the workplace, whether it be professional or personal, and how it leads to a better product and working environment. Tune in as hosts Dee Martin and Caitlin Sickles sit down with Beth Brooke to discuss how to become a “changemaker” in a world that deprioritizes gender and equity. From car safety standards to LGBTQ+ rights, Beth breaks down all the ways in which she has advocated for greater inclusion in professional spaces. Ever wonder about the accuracy of test dummies? Thinking about becoming more involved in advocacy? Or are you just really interested about Beth’s rise to stardom as an Indiana basketball legend? Tune in to learn about all this, and more!

United States District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Ana Reyes arrived in Kentucky from Spain at the age of five speaking very little English, making school and adaptation difficult. Ana’s first-grade teacher took notice and dedicated her personal time before school each morning teaching Ana the language. That early life lesson instilled in Judge Reyes a deep commitment to selfless service and paying it forward. Today, Judge Reyes is the first Hispanic woman and the first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is a role model for many others. On this special episode of “Madam NOT Policy,” Judge Reyes joins hosts bestie Dee Martin and good friend Caitlin Sickles to discuss her journey from Uruguay to Spain to Kentucky to the bench. Highlights include tales of those who helped the Judge along the way, including first-grade teacher Patricia Harkleroad and her own mother, The Lilliam—a force of nature! Tune in as they discuss the importance of visibility for marginalized communities, conveying calm, and singing birds in trees (that’s for you, Elizabeth, also bestie). Want to hear about Judge Reyes’ love of the Boston Red Sox and her advice on how to best put on a bus tour? Tune in!