Cyberattacks are a growing threat to national security, but the country's defenses are weak. How can we strengthen them? In this bonus episode of American Metamorphosis, Congressman Jim Langevin describes his 15-year-long quest to prioritize cybersecurity in the federal government. In a roundtable discussion, CrowdStrike's Dmitri Alperovitch, R Street's Tatyana Bolton, and BCG's Troy Thomas discuss how the public and private sectors can work together more effectively to protect the country's...

Business and government leaders are becoming acutely aware that the degradation of our planet has costs for all industries and all people. In this episode, host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani explores how leaders in government and beyond can come together to tackle the behemoth goal of creating a sustainable economy. Monique Coombs of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association describes how the global ecological crisis is impacting Maine’s oceanfront community. Rich Lesser, CEO of Boston Consulting...

Mass movements can inspire leaders to make bold policy promises. In the fifth episode of American Metamorphosis, host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani examines what it takes for leaders to make transformative change actually happen. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III explains how he built consensus to turn the National Museum of African American History and Culture from an idea into a reality. Author Todd Purdum reflects on how President Lyndon Johnson and civil rights leaders passed the...

How do we get to where we're going—both literally and figuratively? Innovation. In this episode of American Metamorphosis, host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani examines how leaders calculate their most ambitious “moonshot” programs, and how those initiatives can be an unexpected catalyst for widespread progress. Reporter and historian John Morris tells the political struggle that led to the creation of New York City’s subway system. Historian and Smithsonian curator Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony...

A president’s first 100 days carry immense pressure to succeed. Memorable wins can build momentum, but mishaps will be magnified by public scrutiny. In the third episode of American Metamorphosis, journalist and author Helene Cooper describes how Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf used the period immediately after her inauguration to set the country on a path to full international debt forgiveness after more than a decade of civil war. Julia Dhar, co-founder and leader of BeSmart,...

There is perhaps no greater test of government than times of crisis. When conditions are changing rapidly and the nation’s future hangs in the balance, what’s the best way for leaders to move forward? In the second episode of American Metamorphosis, Hollywood producer Jim Bloom finds parallels to presidential challenges in a career spent putting out fires and braving snowstorms in the movie business. Historian Louis Hyman corrects common misconceptions about the New Deal in a look back at how...

Unwritten rules and regulations around presidential transitions leave our government vulnerable to failure. In the debut episode of American Metamorphosis, Congressman Ritchie Torres explains why the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol underscores the fragility of democracy. Max Stier, the CEO of Partnership for Public Service, and Danny Werfel, Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group, look back at delayed presidential transitions in history, and highlight the consequences...