CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power is a speaker series on women in international business and global affairs. The biweekly podcast features leading women from the corporate, government, and national security worlds discussing top international issues.
The Global Leadership Reset: AI, Allies, and a ...
Emily Harding, sat down with Mishal Husain to explore major geopolitical trends that have emerged in 2025, from artificial intelligence to the shift in global leadership.
43 min
2
Humans in Low Orbit: A Conversation with Astron...
Dr. Whitson, VP of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space and former NASA astronaut, joins Emily Harding in conversation.
33 min
3
A Fresh Perspective on National Security Policy
Dr. Kathleen McInnis joins Nina Easton to discuss leading SWSP and shaping research on U.S. security challenges.
24 min
4
Inside the CIA: Confronting China’s Digital St...
On this episode, Host Kathleen McInnis digs into the “why” of this story and dives in deeper on Jennifer’s career in the CIA and State Department.
48 min
5
An Icelandic Perspective Inside NATO
32 min
6
Inside Modern Defense Tech
Erin Biggers joins to talk scaling Vannevar Labs' mission to equip U.S. public servants with cutting-edge defense technology.
27 min
7
Putin's Next Soldiers: Ukrainian Children
Host Kathleen McInnis speaks with Nobel Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk on Russian war crimes against Ukrainian children.
23 min
8
Why We Need Women in Special Forces
Jessica Yahn, executive producer and U.S. Special Operations veteran, joins for a conversation about the human-experience surrounding conflict.
22 min
9
Trust the Work, Trust Yourself
Gargee Ghosh, President of Global Policy & Advocacy at the Gates Foundation, joins for a conversation about her impactful career and her work driving progress in international development.
25 min
10
Whole of Society Resilience Lessons from Russia...
Dr. Kathleen McInnis sits down with Lieutenant Colonel Scott Murphy, visiting U.S. Marine Corps military fellow and Iryna Nykorak, Ukrainian Minister of Parliament, and founder of ArmWomenNow, about the importance of resiliency and how to prepare the entirety of society for conflict.
44 min
11
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 and Crime (UNODC).
17 min
12
To Infinity and Beyond: Open AI to the New Spac...
On this episode, Kathleen McInnis and Lauren Bedula explore Ashley Pilipiszyn’s decision and delve into the growing space race between China and the United States.
28 min
13
Beyond the Spin: Truth, Media, and Democracy
Dr. Kathleen McInnis dives into Nina Jankowicz's past, from leaving government, suing Fox News, and ultimately using the sum of her experiences to inspire the creation of the American Sunlight Project.
36 min
14
Countering China and Russia: The Hidden Advanta...
How can Women, Peace, and Security be leveraged to counter China and Russia? Dr. Kathleen McInnis discusses a new brief with Dr. Kyleanne Hunter and Monica S. Herrera.
50 min
15
Decoding the Pentagon Bureaucracy
Dr. Janine Davidson joins to discuss her years of navigating the bureaucracy within the Pentagon and the lessons she has taken with her to higher education.
27 min
16
Building Comprehensive Approaches to Wicked Pro...
Dr. Kathleen McInnis hosted a panel discussion that explored women’s leadership during Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and how women are leading the charge in both prosecuting the war and planning for peace.
78 min
17
Pentagon Priorities Amid Polycrises with Deputy...
The HON Kathleen H. Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense sat down with Beverly Kirk, to discuss her approach to the world’s simultaneous challenges.
38 min
18
The State of Election Security in 2024
Suzanne Spaulding, director of the CSIS Defending Democratic Institutions Project, joins discuss election security, the role of election officials, and how to fight disinformation as early voting begins across the nation.
26 min
19
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.
23 min
20
Take a Chance on Mentorship
Funmi Oludaiye, Managing Director (Global Head of Engineering) at Goldman Sachs, discusses how she advanced her career in STEM through hard work, mentorship, and relationship building.
23 min
21
Solving the World’s Hardest Problems with Mello...
Mellody Hobson joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis for a discussion on how she strives to close the racial wealth gap and create a better public understanding of financial literacy.
32 min
22
Secrets and Sacrifices: CIA, Benghazi, and Moth...
Sue Gordon, a 25-year CIA veteran, joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis and Lauren Bedula to discuss balancing her career and motherhood, as well as her experience during the 2012 Benghazi attacks, where she realized the changing nature of secrecy.
48 min
23
What Does Infant Formula Have to do with Nation...
Laura Modi, founder of the first U.S. based manufactured organic formula company, joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis and Lauren Bedula, the Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies, for a discussion on how her company was defined during a national infant formula shortage.
37 min
24
Beating Putin’s Playbook
Marie-Doha Besancenot, Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, NATO, joins to discuss the different ways NATO is prioritizing this space.
28 min
25
The Future of NATO is Female
Irene Fellin, the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis, Senior Fellow, International Security Program and Director, Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative, to discuss what’s on her mind as NATO celebrates its 75th year and heads into the Washington Summit.