The Public Service Project

On Dignity and the Rising Tide with Christina Sass

Christina is a powerhouse. She has spent over two decades tackling challenges in global development through an ever-sharpening focus on youth employment. She's here today to share the why and the how - from her father's improbable capture of the American dream, to her own journey as a co-founder and CEO. She believes with a fiery passion that identifying and upskilling young talent and aligning their potential to the needs of industry is the most direct way to solve for so many problems that derive from high youth unemployment. Her methods reveal her business savvy, but her mission comes straight from her life and her love of philosophy. She's committed to helping raise the tide and lift all ships.

On Philanthropy and Enlightened Self Interest with Gil Gillenwater

Gil Gillenwater is the founder of the award-winning Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, which has reimagined border philanthropy, empowering communities through reciprocal giving and shared dignity since 1987. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards for volunteerism and philanthropy, and one of his projects was selected by former President Bill Clinton as a featured initiative at Clinton Global Initiative, a gathering of the world’s leading thinkers, philanthropists and changemakers. Gil is an Arizona native, a lifelong student of Eastern philosophy and meditation, a black belt in Kenpo Karate, and a wilderness adventurer reaching 75 countries. His time spent studying with remote Tibetan lamas and mystics inspired a philosophy of enlightened self-interest that now guides his approach to social change with Rancho Feliz. Gil is joining the show to share his personal philosophy around Service, including the parts he thinks we generally misunderstand. He's telling is what he means by "enlightened self-interest," why he thinks we fall victim to misguided compassion, and how he is reimagining development with dignity. Learn more about Rancho Feliz here: https://ranchofeliz.com/ [https://ranchofeliz.com/] And check out Gil's new book, Hope on the Border: https://ranchofeliz.com/hope-on-the-border/ [https://ranchofeliz.com/hope-on-the-border/]

On Culture and Conflict (and sexy policy work) with CJ Pine

CJ Pine is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, teaching about the United Naitons Security Council. He previously worked as a civil servant at the U.S. Mission to the UN, and at the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations. CJ is here to dispel myths about peace studies, explain how (and why) countries negotiate at the UN, and tell us all about his childhood misadventure selling lemonade in China. His experiences as a "third culture kid" shaped the way he looks at the world, and approaches conflict management. This is a master class in multilateralism and a delightful chat with a person whose brilliance is only surpassed by his kindness.

On Courage and Vocation with Ambassador Barbara Leaf

Ambassador Barbara Leaf is a career public servant with over 3 decades of experience, most recently serving as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, where she was responsible for the U.S. relationship with 18 countries from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula. She's a frequent guest on media outlets as an expert on the Middle East, but she's here to speak candidly about her life and career. She shares a bit about her childhood, reflects on experiences (and moments of career malaise) that taught her important things about herself, and describes how healthy relationships with other countries directly benefit Americans. In a parallel universe, she may have opened a little book shop, but it's hard to even imagine her not crossing the globe and meeting with foreign dignitaries. She is whip smart, serious about her work, and refreshingly open about the reality of life in the Foreign Service.

On Fatherhood, Friendship, and Fine Living with Dr. Corey Holmes

Dr. Corey Holmes is a diplomat, an academic, a father, an author, a friend. He is here to talk less about his achievements (there are many!) and more about the questions, observations, and new discoveries that are shaping this chapter in his life. We discuss male friendships and vulnerability, the divine (and exhausting) experience of fatherhood, the exercise of writing, and the moments that shift your course in life. His book (Golf, Cigars, and Scotch: Balancing Fatherhood, Friendship, and Fine-Living) is a tribute to his friends and a gift to his son. It's available through Kindle Unlimited, and in Paperback and Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Cigars-Scotch-Fatherhood-Fine-Living/dp/1535601418 [https://www.amazon.com/Golf-Cigars-Scotch-Fatherhood-Fine-Living/dp/1535601418]