The Penta Podcast Channel

In this launch episode of What's at Stake, partner Andrea Christianson sits down with Penta colleagues Dan La Russo, Lauren Wolfson, and Lloyd Miller to debut Penta AI, the firm's new practice built to help organizations understand, anticipate, and act in an era reshaped by artificial intelligence. Together, they unpack why Penta created this Practice, what makes its approach different, and how AI is transforming the way organizations manage reputation, govern emerging technologies, and scale their engagement strategies. They also preview some of the early tools coming out of Penta's Innovation & Build Lab, including work in agentic systems, synthetic message testing, and Penta's GenAI Reputation Audit. The conversation offers an inside look at how Penta is blending stakeholder intelligence, active learning systems, and applied AI to help leaders succeed in a rapidly shifting environment.

In this episode of What’s at Stake, Penta partner Bryan DeAngelis and managing director Stephanie Walstrom dive into one of the fastest-growing threats to U.S. economic and national security: fraud and scams. They’re joined by Kate Griffin and Erin Borġ of the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, co-authors of United We Stand: A National Strategy to Prevent Scams and leaders of the National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention. Kate and Erin unpack Aspen’s development of a coordinated, whole-of-ecosystem approach to combating scams, bringing together government agencies, law enforcement, industry, and civil society actors. They walk through the report’s major recommendations, from building stronger interagency mechanisms to modernizing data sharing and strengthening private-sector accountability. Together, they explore why scams must now be understood as a national security issue, how early federal responses (like DOJ’s new Strike Force on Cryptocurrency Scams) signal growing momentum, and what meaningful progress looks like in both the near and long term. They also discuss how a more integrated national strategy could ultimately reshape the everyday experience of consumers navigating an increasingly complex digital and financial landscape. You can read the United We Stand report here: https://fraudtaskforce.aspeninstitute.org/nationalstrategy

In this episode of What’s at Stake, Penta Partners Bryan DeAngelis and Andrea Christianson explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the agricultural and agri-food supply chain. They’re joined by Francisco Martin-Rayo, CEO of Helios AI, a company using advanced machine learning and global data integration to forecast prices, manage supply risk, and anticipate weather-driven disruptions. Francisco shares how his own journey led him to tackle one of the most complex challenges in global commerce: building more predictable, transparent, and resilient food supply chains. Together, they discuss the role of AI in price forecasting, the challenges of adaptation facing farmers worldwide, and how governments, businesses, and innovators can work together to secure the future of food.

In this episode of What's at Stake, Penta Partner and Head of the D.C. office Bryan DeAngelis is joined by two of Penta's Senior Partners based on the West Coast—Dan La Russo and TJ Kelly—for a timely discussion on why cyber risk is now stakeholder risk. Drawing from Penta's latest white paper and research study, the trio unpack findings from an analysis of over 4.8 million global mentions across six industries to explore how cyber threats ripple through markets, boardrooms, and public trust. Their conversation covers: Why cybersecurity has evolved from an IT challenge to a reputation-defining issue. How different industries handle breaches—and what distinguishes the organizations that recover quickly from those that struggle to regain trust. The role of transparent leadership and cross-functional coordination in managing crises. The growing intersection between cybersecurity and geopolitics, and what it means for corporate affairs and policy teams. The strategic imperatives every leader should adopt to prepare for the next cyber event. You can access the white paper and request the full research study by visiting pentagroup.com/cyber25

This week’s episode of What’s at Stake examines the challenges and opportunities in rebuilding America’s education-to-employment (E²) pipeline. Penta Managing Directors Ylan Mui and Felicia Wasson welcome Emily M. Dickens, J.D., Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs at SHRM, to discuss SHRM’s new E² Initiative and its mission to connect employers, educators, and policymakers. Their conversation covered: -Why SHRM is repairing the current “leaky, broken, and busted” education-to- employment pipeline. -How the E² initiative delivers national convenings, shared projects, and playbooks that provide real examples for creating job opportunities. -The role of partnerships in expanding access to untapped talent to fill vacant jobs. -SHRM’s vision for scaling real-world solutions to the employment gap nationwide. You can learn more about SHRM and its initiatives by visiting https://www.shrm.org/ and https://www.shrm.org/advocacy/e2-initiative.