Smart Women, Smart Power

The Global Leadership Reset: AI, Allies, and a Transforming World

Mishal Husain is known as one of Britain’s best interviewers who commands the attention of powerhouse figures. SWSP guest host, Emily Harding, sat down with Mishal to unp

Humans in Low Orbit: A Conversation with Astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson

Dr. Peggy Whitson holds the record for the longest cumulative time in space by an American astronaut and any woman astronaut in the world. In this episode, guest host Emi

A Fresh Perspective on National Security Policy

Dr. Kathleen McInnis joins Nina Easton, Co-CEO of SellersEaston Media and Co-Founder of Journey to Lead, for a thoughtful discussion reflecting on her time leading SWSP a

Inside the CIA: Confronting China’s Digital Strategy

When Jennifer Ewbank was chosen to lead the CIA’s digital innovation team, she quickly made the strategic decision to center its digital mission around countering China’s

An Icelandic Perspective Inside NATO

Iceland has no standing military—so how did Brynja Huld Óskarsdóttir, an Icelandic civilian, find herself working for NATO in Afghanistan and now holding a key role at th

Inside Modern Defense Tech

Vannevar Labs at its core has a bold mission: bring the best technology American innovation can offer into close partnership with the U.S. government to equip public serv

Putin's Next Soldiers: Ukrainian Children

In this episode, host Kathleen McInnis speaks with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, Oleksandra Matviichuk, for a detailed discussion

Why We Need Women in Special Forces

A newly released documentary, Guerrera, tells the stories of trailblazing women who served in U.S. Special Operations in Afghanistan. Dr. Kathleen McInnis sits down with

Trust the Work, Trust Yourself

The Gates Foundation has become synonymous with leading global change on some of the world’s hardest issues – like advancing global health to expanding economic opportuni

Whole of Society Resilience Lessons from Russia-Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of resiliency and using the total strength of society to ensure the survival of a state. As a part of the CSIS Conflict

The Weaponization of Data

On this episode, host Kathleen McInnis spoke with Pavlina Pavlova, a #ShareTheMicInCyber Fellow at New America and Cybercrime Expert at the United Nations Office on Drugs

To Infinity and Beyond: Open AI to the New Space Race

Before OpenAI was the household name it is today, the leading artificial intelligence company began as a non-profit organization with an uncertain future. In 2018, Ashley

Beyond the Spin: Truth, Media, and Democracy

Nina Jankowicz knows what it’s like to be attacked for defending the truth, and she is now on a mission to increase the cost of lies that undermine our democracy. On this

Countering China and Russia: The Hidden Advantages of Women, Peace, and Security

How can Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) be better utilized to accomplish U.S. strategic objectives? Recently, the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative released their late

Decoding the Pentagon Bureaucracy

In this episode, Dr. Kathleen McInnis is joined by Dr. Janine Davidson, who currently serves as president of Metropolitan State University of Denver and the chair of the

Building Comprehensive Approaches to Wicked Problems: The Ukraine War

As a part of the tenth-anniversary celebration of Smart Women, Smart Power, Dr. Kathleen McInnis hosted a panel discussion that explored women’s leadership during Russia’

Pentagon Priorities Amid Polycrises with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks

On October 15, Smart Women, Smart Power celebrated its tenth anniversary! The celebration kicked off with a discussion with HON Kathleen H. Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Def

The State of Election Security in 2024

Suzanne Spaulding, Director of the CSIS Defending Democratic Institutions Project, joins a special crossover episode with the CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power podcast to dis

A Conversation with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi

Dr. Kathleen McInnis sat down with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for a conversation on her new memoir, where she reflects on her time in Congress. Additionally, the

Take a Chance on Mentorship

An off-chance encounter as an intern transformed Funmi’s life several years later when someone she networked with early in her career thought of her down the line and off