Older Episodes
Guest(s): Nina Agrawal, Shannon Frattaroli
Guests Nina Agrawal and Shannon Frattaroli discuss Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) and the role clinicians can play in keeping at-risk individuals safe.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
Rockefeller Institute cannabis policy expert Heather Trela provides an update on how voters weighed in on various cannabis policy issues at the local, state, and federal level.
Guest(s): Margaret Blachly, Romelle Moore
Immigrant children face unique challenges in the classroom but emotionally responsive practices can help teachers and students connect in a supportive environment that promotes resilience.
Guest(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Hannah Klein
Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium (RGVRC) Affiliate Scholar Hannah Klein joins RGVRC Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut to discuss firearm safe storage and its role in suicide prevention.
Guest(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Cory McCray
Maryland State Senator Cory McCray joins Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut to discuss policy that addresses the dangerous intersection of alcohol and firearm misuse.
Guest(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Liz Tobin-Tyler, Kaitlin N. Sidorsky
Members of the Institute's Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium react to the US Supreme Court's decision in
United States v. Rahimi.
Guest(s): Diya Abdo
Dr. Diya Abdo talks about her book,
American Refuge, myths about refugees and the refugee experience, and the intertwined cultural and policy changes that can support a more integrated immigrant experience.
Guest(s): Brian Cunningham, Robert Megna
Our Freshmen Perspectives series continues with a conversation between Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna and New York State Assemblymember Brian Cunningham.
Guest(s): Dominic Colafati, Robert Megna
Dominic Colafati, New York State Division of the Budget's unit head for the Expenditure/Debt unit, joins Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna to talk about a project that reflects on 100 years of the executive budget process in New York.
Guest(s): Jay Zagorsky, Dina Refki
This conversation details the challenges and consequences of being unbanked and underbanked as an immigrant and highlights potential policy solutions for improving the financial options available to these communities.
Guest(s): Daniel Semenza
Preliminary data indicate that in 2022, for the first time in history, firearm suicide rates among Black individuals exceeded those of white individuals. New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center's (NJGVRC) Daniel Semenza discusses his recently published study that explores the relationship between gun violence exposure (GVE) and suicide among Black adults.
Guest(s): Tanajah Malachi, Deidra Nesbeth, Brian Backstrom
This episode of Policy Outsider goes beyond the numbers to hear from a Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) award recipient and an FYCSI advocate how this funding can change the trajectory of students' lives.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, Dana Levenberg
New York State Assemblymember Dana Levenberg, a freshman legislator from the 95th district, discusses her career in public service at the local and state levels.
Guest(s): Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Robert Megna
New York State's Senator from the 23rd District, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, joins
Policy Outsider to discuss her experience as a freshman legislator in Albany.
Guest(s): Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, Robert Megna
Guest Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff joins Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna to discuss what is included and excluded from budget numbers we see in New York and New Jersey.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, Kevin Younis
Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna and Empire State Development's Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis discuss the recent $10 billion investment in Albany's NanoTech Complex for a High NA EUV Lithography Center.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke
Policy Outsider dives deep into the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare. Rockefeller Institute’s Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Courtney Burke, follows up on her latest blog, “The Healthcare Industry Mega Trend to Watch in 2024: 'Today' and 'Tomorrow' Players and the Emergence of the 'Striving Survivors.'”
Guest(s): Jeremy Cooney
New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney discusses the frame work of the New York Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act and what is being done to support the marijuana industry, empower entrepreneurs and protect consumers.
Guest(s): Ahyoung Kim, Kristine Rudgers
Ahyoung Kim, director of economic empowerment for the Asian American Federation and Kristine Rudgers, small business advisor for America's Small Business Development Centers out of SUNY Brockport join the podcast to touch on the opportunities and obstacles facing immigrant entrepreneurs and share their insights into how to strengthen immigrant business opportunities through policies and programs targeted at immigrant entrepreneurs.
Guest(s): Steven Raga
Assemblymember Steven Raga from New York's 30th Assembly District discusses the transition from working as a staffer in the legislature to becoming an elected official and his call to public service.
Guest(s): Carm Basile
Carm Basile, CEO of the Capital District Transit Authority, follows up on his presentation at the Rockefeller Institute’s Locally Sourced Capital Region Climate Policy conference and discusses the latest initiatives CDTA is embarking on that help reduce the capital region's carbon footprint by increasing access to and use of public transportation, as well as reduce its own carbon footprint by increasing green transit infrastructure.
Guest(s): Patricia Strach, Kathleen Sullivan
Rockefeller Institute of Government Director of Communications Joel Tirado sits down with authors Patricia Strach, professor of political science and public administration & policy at the University at Albany and a fellow at the Rockefeller Institute, and Kathleen Sullivan, associate professor of political science at Ohio University, to discuss their new book on the politics and history of municipal trash collection.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
Rockefeller Institute of Government's Director of Operations and Fellow Heather Trela discusses the Biden administration's initiative to reschedule marijuana and the impacts rescheduling could have on the marijuana industry and enforcement practices.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke, Viju Jacob, Ronda Kotelchuk
Rockefeller Institute of Government Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke interviews Dr. Viju Jacob, a Bronx-based pediatric specialist who works for Urban Health Plan, and Ronda Kotelchuk, founder of the Primary Care Development Corporation and current chair of the New York State Foundation for School-Based Health Centers to learn more about these centers, the types of services they provide, how the services are funded, and what their future might look like.
Guest(s): Sarah Rogerson
Rockefeller Institute Nathan Fellow Sarah Rogerson, an expert in immigration law and director of the Immigration Law Clinic and Edward P. Swyer Justice Center at Albany Law School, discusses the legal and logistical hurdles migrants face as they seek to enter the workforce.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom, Rebecca S. Natow
Director of Education Policy Studies at the Rockefeller Institute Brian Backstrom and Fellow Rebecca Natow recap the United States Supreme Court decisions on the Biden administration's student debt relief plan and outline what the administration is doing next to provide relief to student debt borrowers.
Guest(s): Staci Zavattaro
Rockefeller Institute of Government Nathan Fellow and University of Central Florida Professor Staci Zavatarro discusses the logistical challenges faced in the deathcare infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke, Ann Sullivan
Rockefeller Institute Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke and New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan discuss New York State's $1 billion investment for mental health services and outline what policies and programs will be enabled by the new funding.
Guest(s): Jo-Ann Yoo
Jo-Ann Yoo, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy board member and executive director of the Asian American Federation, discusses how federal, state, and local policy can work to address increased violence against Asian Americans.
Guest(s): Rebecca S. Natow
Rockefeller Institute Fellow Rebecca Natow discusses the latest trends facing community colleges and what federal and state policy programs and proposals exist to provide additional support to community colleges.
Guest(s): Lisa Parshall
Rockefeller Institute Fellow Dr. Lisa Parshall discusses her new book in which she explored village dissolution efforts in New York State.
Guest(s): Catalina Cruz
New York State Assemblymember Catalina Cruz talks about her experiences as an immigrant, as a lawyer, and as a lawmaker, and how these shape her perspective in developing policy to support immigrants.
Guest(s): Laura Ladd Bierman, Erica Smitka
League of Women Voters of New York detail the state's new small donor public financing program.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke, Lisa Sbrana, Amir Bassiri, Danielle Holahan
Courtney Burke, senior fellow for health policy at the Rockefeller Institute of Government discusses New York's approach to unwinding the automatic, continuous health coverage provisions that have been in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom
Brian Backstrom, director of education policy studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government discusses the United States Supreme Court's hearing of two cases that oppose President Biden's student debt relief plan.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke, Adam Herbst
Courtney Burke, senior fellow for health policy at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, and Adam Herbst, deputy commissioner for the Office of Aging and Long-term Care at the Department of Health, discuss the process of developing New York's Master Plan for Aging.
Guest(s): Courtney Burke, Amir Bassiri
The State's Acting Medicaid Director, Amir Bassiri, and Rockefeller Institute Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke discuss how the waiver works, the goals the waiver seeks to accomplish, strategies for achieving those goals, and a vision for the future of Medicaid.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, David Anderson
NY CREATES President David Anderson joins to discuss the semiconductor industry at-large, the science behind the chip making process, and the importance of academic partnerships with SUNY’s colleges and universities to develop the workforce of tomorrow.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, Kevin Younis
Empire State Development Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis details the landscape surrounding the semiconductor industry and what policies, negotiations, and infrastructure enabled Micron's $100 billion investment in upstate New York.
Guest(s): James Skoufis
New York State Senator James Skoufis, a leading champion of ticket reform legislation, breaks down the problems facing the ticket industry and how state and federal policy can work to protect consumers.
Guest(s): Aaron Gladd, James McDonough
Aaron Glass, chief of staff of the State University of New York and US Army Colonel Jim McDonough, CEO of The Headstrong Project and former director of New York State’s Division of Veterans’ Services, share their experiences joining, serving, and transitioning out of the military.
Guest(s): Sean Mahar
Department of Environmental Conservation Executive Deputy Commissioner Sean Mahar joins the podcast to detail what's in the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Green Jobs environmental bond act and how the agency will allocate funding to improve environmental infrastructure and resiliency.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, Steve Saland
In part two of this series on marriage equality, Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna talks with Senator Steve Saland, one of four Republican senators who crossed the aisle to say "aye" to the Marriage Equality Act in New York in 2011.
Guest(s): Heather Trela, Nate Gray, Leigh Wedenoja
In part one of this series on marriage equality, Rockefeller Institute Fellow Heather Trela, Senior Policy Analyst Leigh Wedenoja, and Pride Center of the Capital Region Executive Director Nate Gray provide an overview of the judicial and legislative history of marriage equality, the Respect for Marriage Act making its way through Congress, and how the recent uncertainty surrounding marriage equality affecting members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Guest(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Michael Anestis
Jaclyn Schildkraut, interim executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium and Michael Anestis, executive director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center discuss the risk factors associated with firearm suicide as well as what policies and tools exist to help to mitigate firearm suicides.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom
Director of Education Policy Studies Brian Backstrom provides an update on the Biden Administration's student loan debt relief package.
Guest(s): Kevin Schwartzbach
Graduate Research Assistant Kevin Schwartzbach provides an update on broadband policy, access, and adoption in the US.
Guest(s): Anna Kelles
New York State Assemblymember Anna Kelles joins the show to discuss her recent legislation that would enact a two-year moratorium on cryptocurrency proof-of-work validation using fossil-fuel power plants.
Guest(s): Jaclyn Schildkraut, Michael Anestis
A recorded Twitter Spaces conversation between Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Interim Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut and New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center Executive Director Michael Anestis on changing the way we talk about and respond to mass shootings.
Guest(s): Kathy Sheehan
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan joins the show to discuss the state of gun violence in Albany, what the city is doing to address illegal firearms and gun violence, and what resources local governments need from federal and state governments to help ensure public safety.
Guest(s): Kaitlin Stack Whitney
Nathan Fellow Kaitlin Stack Whitney joins the show to discuss various uses for roadside right-of-ways which collectively account for more than 10 million acres of land across the US.
Guest(s): Leila Bozorg
For many families, the expense of college presents prospective students with a dilemma: delay or forego higher education or incur significant debt in pursuit of a degree. On this episode of Policy Outsider, guest Leila Bozorg, Chief of Strategy & Policy at NYC Kids RISE, explains how her organization is working to help New York City families meet this dilemma with a new tool: college savings invested in tax-free child investment accounts.
Guest(s): Robert Megna, Laura Schultz, Leigh Wedenoja, Brian Backstrom, Lisa Parshall, Heather Trela, Laura Rabinow
The Rockefeller Institute highlights what you need to know about New York State's $220 billion budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
Guest(s): Ashley Fox
Ashley Fox discusses her recent article in Public Administration Review, which found rule-reduction changes to ease Medicaid enrollment can improve program take-up.
Guest(s): Jacques Jiha
Jacques Jiha joins Policy Outsider to discuss how the City managed its budget through the turbulence of the pandemic, how the City's budget process differs from the state's, and how the City and state work together to maintain fiscal stability in the largest metropolitan region of the country.
Guest(s): Robert Mujica, Robert Megna
Robert Mujica joined host Alex Morse and Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna for a conversation about this year's budget.
Guest(s): Melodie Baker
Melodie Baker, project leader of the Rockefeller Institute's partnership project with the Department of Health on the First 1,000 Days initiative, joins host Alex Morse to discuss how using local collective impact strategies might help strengthen these innovative practices designed to increase education attainment and health access for children and families in need.
Guest(s): Robert Megna
Bob Megna discusses the behind-the-scenes of the New York State budget process.
Guest(s): Camille Mackler, Sarah Rogerson
Camille Mackler and Professor Sarah Rogerson discuss the status of the current refugee crisis, the challenges refugees and resettlement agencies will face in the coming months, and policy changes that may help ease the resettlement process.
Guest(s): Matthew Adams, Nicola Armacost
Matt Adams, a Richard P. Nathan fellow at the Rockefeller Institute, and Nicola Armacost, major of the village of Hastings-on-Hudson, in Westchester County, New York, discuss a local policy initiative in Hastings-on-Hudson aimed at promoting low-carbon concrete.
Guest(s): Leigh Wedenoja
Leigh Wedenoja discusses changes to the child tax credit, how those changes make the credit operate more like the Earned Income Tax Credit, and why the CTC is predicted to improve outcomes for children and families.
Guest(s): Joseph Popcun, Nicholas Simons
Joe Popcun and Nick Simons discuss the major firearm bills that will be sent to the governor, the issues those bills address, and how research can best support policymakers as they seek to disrupt the cycle of firearm-involved violence.
Guest(s): Nicholas Simons
Nicholas Simons explains what is in the proposed new rule on "ghost guns" by the US Department of Justice, how it may impact the use of ghost guns, and the next steps for finalizing the rule.
Guest(s):
Heather Trela breaks down what is in the 77,529 word marijuana legalization bill and, importantly, what is not in the bill.
Guest(s): Laura Rabinow
Laura Rabinow discusses her recent research examining the capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency to support the Biden administration's ambitious climate and environmental goals.
Guest(s): Rebecca S. Natow
Rebecca Natow joins host Alex Morse, to discuss her latest analysis examining the retirement of US Senator and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Lamar Alexander.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
Heather Trela, director of operations and fellow at the Institute, provides an update on the outcome of magic mushroom and marijuana ballot initiatives.
Guest(s): Laura Schultz, Brian Backstrom, Laura Rabinow, Joseph Popcun, Michael Gusmano
Rockefeller Institute researchers and fellows share remarks on the important policy issues facing the winner of the presidential election.
Guest(s): Lisa Parshall
Lisa Parshall discusses the Trump administration's approach to governing, include how presidents have limited the power and scale of the federal bureaucracy and how this administration has challenged presidential and administrative norms.
Guest(s): Laura Bierman, Jennifer Wilson
Laura Bierman, executive director of the League of Women Voters (LWV) of New York State, and Jennifer Wilson, LWV legislative director, discuss changes made to voting procedures for the 2020 election and the work of LWV to expand and ensure voting access.
Guest(s): David Hochfelder
David Hochfelder, associate professor at the University Albany, explains the Postal Service's mandate to provide "universal service," explores the Postal Service's history of innovation, and offers potential new uses for the USPS infrastructure that would satisfy its mandate.
Guest(s): Jim Malatras, Patricia Strach, Katie Zuber, Elizabeth Pérez-Chiqués
Patricia Strach, Katie Zuber, and Elizabeth Pérez-Chiqués discuss what has happened to substance-use treatment access and effectiveness during COVID-19.
Guest(s): Jenifer Lee-Gonyea
Jenifer Lee-Gonyea, fellow at the Rockefeller Institute and associate professor of criminology at Mount Saint Mary’s College, discusses the restorative model of criminal justice.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom, Leigh Wedenoja
Brian Backstrom, director of education policy studies at the Rockefeller Institute, and Leigh Wedenoja, senior policy analyst at the Rockefeller Institute, highlight various instructional models and discuss how parents and caregivers can prepare for a school year of uncertainty.
Guest(s): Robert J. Spitzer, Joseph Popcun
Robert J. Spitzer, a distinguished service professor at SUNY Cortland and member of the Rockefeller Institute of Government's Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, speaks with Consortium Executive Director Joe Popcun about recent developments in firearm policy and politics.
Guest(s): Joseph Popcun, Nicholas Simons
Joseph Popcun, Rockefeller Institute director of policy and practice, and Nicholas Simons, project coordinator at the Institute, discuss the role of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium in finding and developing policy to reduce gun violence.
Guest(s): Laura Schultz
Laura Schultz, executive director of research at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, discusses the methods used in the Institute's Balance of Payments report and how federal economic relief for COVID-19 is likely to impact state balance of payments and rankings.
Guest(s): Nicholas Simons
Nicholas Simons, project coordinator at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, discusses how COVID-19 is affecting the 2020 Census and how the US Census Bureau is adjusting its operations to account for disruptions from the pandemic.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
Heather Trela, director of operations and fellow at the Rockefeller Institute, discusses how COVID-19 is affecting the marijuana industry and efforts to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana at the state level.
Guest(s): Anita Murphy
Anita Murphy discusses how school districts and BOCES are sharing resources and working together to continue supporting students through new challenges imposed by the COVID-19 crisis and planning for a variety of budget and instructional uncertainties in the coming academic year.
Guest(s): Leigh Wedenoja
Leigh Wedenoja outlines existing and future challenges imposed by COVID-19 on students and the education system.
Guest(s): Liz Farmer
Liz Farmer discusses how work-from-home arrangements put in place as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to increase work-from-home trends and alter business operations.
Guest(s): Laura Schultz
Laura Schultz discusses the outlook of the economy and steps federal, state, and local governments are taking to support businesses and individuals in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guest(s): Rhianna Rogers
Dr. Rhianna Rogers calls in via video conferencing software to illustrate how online learning can be structured to improve student engagement.
Guest(s): Leigh Wedenoja
Leigh Wedenoja shares research presented at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) 2019 Fall Research Conference on the effects of teacher looping on student outcomes.
Guest(s): Heather Trela, Trevor Craft
On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, guests Heather Trela and Trevor Craft share insights from their research on the national vaping crisis.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom
On the latest episode, Brian Backstrom, director of education policy studies, shares insights from a recent Rockefeller Institute forum on effective early intervention in dyslexia.
Guest(s): Patricia Strach, Robert J. Spitzer
This special edition of Policy Outsider was recorded live at a forum hosted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government and features distinguished scholar Robert J. Spitzer's presentation on gun policy.
Guest(s): Lisa Parshall
Policy Outsider talks with Lisa Parshall about the New N.Y. Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act and the effect it has had on village dissolutions.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom
An interview with Brian Backstrom about his latest report on the many school turnaround efforts have failed and identifying the keys for future success.
Guest(s): Patricia Strach, Katie Zuber, Elizabeth Pérez-Chiqués
We return to Sullivan County, New York, with our Stories from Sullivan researchers to hear directly from a group of people in recovery at Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
We sit down with Heather Trela to understand why marijuana legalization efforts seem to have stalled in both New York and New Jersey and where we can expect things to go from here.
Guest(s): Katie Zuber, Giliean Pemble-Flood, Florencia Feleder, Katie Gowing
We sat down with three former CLPS interns to discuss what it was like to be thrown into the deep end of policy research—and how they learned to swim.
Guest(s): Brian Backstrom
A discussion with Brian Backstrom about his report, A Deeper Look at Student Debt in New York State.
Guest(s): Laura Schultz, Michelle Cummings
We speak with the authors of our new report, Giving or Getting? New York’s Balance of Payments with the Federal Government, about the factors that shape these funding flows.
Guest(s): Laura Schultz
The Rockefeller Institute break down the 20-year outlook of artificial intelligence and automation technology in the labor force with Laura Schultz.
Guest(s): Patricia Strach, Katie Zuber
Patricia Strach and Katie Zuber visit Dynamite Youth Center in Sullivan County, NY, to interview participants in the program as part of their study of the opioid epidemic.
Guest(s): Catherine White Berheide, Robert Reardon, Sarah Brafman, Janice Brown, Jill Robbins-Jabine, Beverly Cooper Neufeld
Whereas the "glass ceiling" refers to the last barriers a woman faces on the corporate ladder, the "sticky floor" refers to the first barriers that women and people of color face when entering the workforce—barriers that often keep them in low-paying, low-prestige, but highly necessary jobs.
Guest(s): Heather Trela
How can states legalize something that is illegal under federal law? Rockefeller Institute Chief of Staff and Fellow Heather Trela explains the growing tension between states and the federal government over marijuana policy, and where it may lead.
