Profiles in Public Service
Partnership for Public Service
Recent Episodes
In 2022, James Wright and Tiffany Russell helped initiate a groundbreaking three-digit voice and text hotline, the 988 Lifeline, that enables individuals in crisis to access trained counselors 24/7 via calls, texts or online chats. In this episode, they are joined by Jennifer Battle, the vice president of community access and engagement at the Harris Center, one of Texas’ largest providers for individuals with behavioral health and developmental needs. Together, Wright, Russell and Battle discuss how the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration collaborates with and supports more than 200 crisis centers across the nation, delivering tailored mental health services to diverse communities. The Partnership for Public Service is recognizing Wright and two of his colleagues as finalists for a 2023 Service to America Medals® award.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about 988.
- Learn more about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
- Learn more about the 988 Implementation Guideline Playbooks.
A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.
Michael Boyce is a leading innovator at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, heading up a team that spearheads groundbreaking technological advancements related to asylum filing and overseas refugee cases. In this episode, he is joined by Arianna Miller and Kimberly Odom, two asylum officers working for USCIS who discuss their core responsibilities, the new innovations that are transforming the asylum process, and how federal leaders like Boyce use technology, customer feedback and more to improve the experiences of those seeking refuge in the U.S.
A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.
Since November 2021, public servants have collaborated across state, local and federal government to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—a once-in-a-generation investment of $1.2 trillion to repair, renew and reinvigorate the country’s aging infrastructure. Asma Mirza joins "Profiles in Public Service” as a deputy for implementation management at the White House, where she supports senior advisor to the president, Mitch Landrieu, on carrying out the new infrastructure law. To date, 37,000 projects and $280 billion and counting have been implemented across 4,500 communities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories. Kevin Donahue, the city administrator for Washington, D.C., has worked with Mirza and her team at the White House to implement a more equitable infrastructure within the city, including through the creation of the D.C. Build Back Better Infrastructure Task Force. Mirza and Donahue discuss how federal leaders are convening state and local actors to transform our nation’s physical infrastructure, improve access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis and more.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
- Explore the interactive map of projects by neighborhood across the U.S.A.
- Learn more about the DC Build Back Better Infrastructure Task Force.
A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.
Jason Broughton and Dominick Spinelli are “living a librarian’s dream” at the Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Broughton is the director of the NLS after a long career in librarianship, education and workforce development. Spinelli serves as the head of the NLS’ Collection Development Section, where he leads a team of librarians to build a catalog of accessible reading materials and support a nationwide network of nearly 100 partnering libraries and outreach centers. Broughton and Spinelli discuss how they leverage feedback from library patrons to help ensure that individuals across the nation, including people with disabilities and veterans, can obtain accessible print and reading materials that meet their needs.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the Marrakesh Treaty.
- NLS resources for Veterans.
- Learn more about Learning Ally’s Audiobook Solution program.
A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives involves much more than debating policy and voting on legislation on Capitol Hill. It also requires a great deal of listening to and engaging the constituents living in local districts.
Rep. Sylvia Garcia joins this episode of “Profiles in Public Service” alongside Enrique Garcia, a constituent services representative from her district office in Houston, Texas. In 2019, Garcia became the first Hispanic member of the Houston congressional delegation and one of the first two Latinas to represent Texas in Congress. Previously, she worked in various roles in the Texas state government, and as a social worker and legal aid lawyer. Enrique and Rep. Garcia will talk about their work to increase trust in the federal government by delivering excellent customer service to their constituents and meeting the diverse needs of the communities they serve.
A full transcript of this episode can be found here.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Representative Sylvia Garcia.
- Read more about Representative Garcia office’s involvement in getting justice for constituents Vanessa Guillén and her family.
- Learn more about the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.
- Representative Garcia’s Youth Advisory Council.