Smart Women, Smart Power

Admiral Franchetti sits down with Dr. Kathleen McInnis, Director of the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative, for a discussion on the U.S. Navy’s priorities as they operate far forward, around the world and around the clock, from seabed to space, in cyberspace, and in the information environment to promote our nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression, and provide optio

In 2014, the United Kingdom almost came undone. Advocates for Scottish independence were finally granted a referendum, and the future of Scotland’s political arrangements was in the hands of the Scottish people. On this episode of Smart Women, Smart Power, Dame Louise Richardson, the president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, discusses freedom of speech, political pressur

Nuclear strategy remains a priority for the United States. In this episode, host Dr. Kathleen McInnis speaks with CSIS Senior Adviser (Non-resident) to the Project on Nuclear Issues and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy, Elaine Bunn. Elaine's experience and perspective shed light on the complexities involved in nuclear policy and de

On this episode of Smart Women, Smart Power, Dr. Helene Gayle, President of Spelman College and CSIS Trustee, joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis for a discussion on her approach to leadership after years in government, the nonprofit space, and the private sector, including CARE, the CDC, and USAID. Dr. Gayle is no stranger to leading during a crisis, and at the heart of her decisions is th

Host Kathleen McInnis spoke with Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) about her whirlwind past couple of weeks. The pair discussed her recent trip to the Munich Security Conference, including the moment she found out about the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and her sponsorship of the recently passed House legislation aimed at protecting Americans from TikTok’s

For decades the U.S. Treasury Department has used the American dollar as a weapon to shape U.S. policy. However, in an era of rising authoritarian actors set out to undermine democracies, can the United States, and its currency, survive the latest threats? With over a decade of firsthand reporting, Senior Washington Correspondent for Bloomberg News Saleha Mohsin joins Kathleen McIn

On this episode of Smart Women, Smart Power, host Kathleen McInnis sat down with the new Ambassador of the European Union to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė. The pair discussed the war in Ukraine, including Ukraine's membership to the EU, plus her role in Lithuania facing economic coercion from China, and much more.

The Smart Women, Smart Power podcast is taking a winter break to refresh and recharge. We’ll be back in March!

Host Kathleen McInnis sat down with Melissa A. Johnson, an Acquisition Executive in the U.S. Special Operations Command, for a briefer on the process behind acquisition, technology, and logistics in the Special Operations Forces. Additionally, Melissa highlighted her role in setting up the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System.

Host Dr. Kathleen McInnis sat down with Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director of the McCain Institute and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia, for a conversation on the threat democracy is under. Additionally, the pair discussed the process behind Montenegro joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).