Best Workiva Podcasts (2025)

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The Pre-Read Takes a Break: See You in 2026 1:30

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3d ago1:30

1:30

Steve and Alyssa are taking a well-earned break, but the challenges facing the office of the CFO are not slowing down. In this short episode, producer Mike Gravagno looks back on a year where AI moved from pilot programs to expectation and sustainability became more than a side conversation. Looking ahead to 2026, The Pre-Read will return with shar…

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How Design & Tech Are Transforming Cities – Nikki Greenberg, Real Estate of the Future, from Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 40:47

10d ago40:47

40:47

"(B)efore we're even thinking about AI, it's actually thinking about how are we using our technology effectively and is it part of our processes? Does it complicate things or does it simplify things? And the advice that I always give them is like, before you start bringing in new technology and new processes and having to train people and doing the…

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Efficiency vs. Risk: The Semiannual Reporting Debate Continues 18:36

10d ago18:36

18:36

Semiannual Reporting: Will doing "less" actually create more work? Finance and accounting leaders are split on whether moving from quarterly to semiannual SEC reporting will simplify processes or compound risk. In this episode, industry expert Tom Schneiders joins to unpack what a reduced cadence would really mean for teams, investors, and market s…

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What's a 'Tech Humanist'? – Kate O'Neill, CEO of KO Insights at Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 49:22

16d ago49:22

49:22

"One of the other important things about tech humanism to me is that the three-way relationship between business humans and tech is primarily about the relationship between business objectives and human outcomes and using technological capability to amplify that alignment, as opposed to using technology to amplify only the business objective side o…

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Total Organizational Intelligence: Why AI and Integrated Data are a Survival Imperative 20:06

18d ago20:06

20:06

Jacob Andra, CEO of Talbot West, joins to discuss the urgent imperative for companies to move beyond siloed, ad hoc growth and embrace an integrated, tech-forward future. What you will learn in this episode: Why "total organizational intelligence" is a survival imperative for the modern enterprise How orchestrating your data across the organization…

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Unique Practical Urban Climate Actions – Joan's Panel of International City Innovators from Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 47:38

22d ago47:38

47:38

The World Bank reports that, "today, more than half of the world's population – over 4 billion people – lives in cities." It also estimates that this shift is going to continue, in fact to DOUBLE to nearly 70% – or 7 out of every 10 people will live in cities by 2050. That's only 25 years away. At the same time, extreme weather events are increasin…

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What Leaders Really Think About Quarterly vs. Semiannual Reporting 20:29

25d ago20:29

20:29

Could U.S. public companies shift from quarterly to semiannual reporting? Jonathan Johnson, former chairman and CEO of Overstock and current member of various boards, joins the show to unpack one of the most debated proposals to SEC reporting. They explore whether fewer formal filings would help management teams stay focused on long-term enterprise…

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How the Texas Stock Exchange is Changing Capital Markets 25:05

1M ago25:05

25:05

The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is challenging long-held assumptions about what it means to go public in the U.S. Jeff Karcher joins The Pre-Read to share how the TXSE is rethinking the public company experience—reducing friction, lowering reporting and legal costs, and creating an environment where management can focus on running the business, not…

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Career Advice For Difficult Times From 5 Women Leaders 36:24

1M ago36:24

36:24

"Your job isn't to know the answer. Your job is to ask all the right questions of where the business is going and…Don't be afraid…(Align) with people who could see the possibility of (your) experience…Take that stretch job and just remember you're in the room to ask different questions, and that's perfectly fine. So, take the stretch and then lean …

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How CFOs Are Shaping the Sustainability Agenda 27:34

1M ago27:34

27:34

Financial data has its challenges—but non-financial data is a different scale of complexity. It cuts vertically up and down the value chain, and now requires the same level of confidence as financials, with board sign-off and external assurance becoming the norm. In this episode of The Pre-Read, we break down how finance and sustainability leaders …

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How Climate Modeling Affects Everything – Maria Caffrey, Principal Scientist, UK's National Physical Laboratory 36:22

1M ago36:22

36:22

"(Climate modelling)…it's being used in things like insurance companies. It's being used by companies for their ESG assessments. So, when you get your insurance premium at the end of the year, there is some kind of climate model that has said something about the risk of your house to flood. It has said something about your risk to fire. And so that…

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The CSO Role Is Evolving: A Strategic Partner to the CFO 31:29

2M ago31:29

31:29

The chief sustainability officer (CSO) is moving from a siloed function to a strategic, finance-aligned partner. In this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Chief Sustainability Officer Mandi McReynolds sits down with Serena Oppenheim, co-founder of Fin-Erth, to discuss the need for a tighter integration between the CFO and the CSO, framing sustainabi…

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Evolving the Go-to-Market: An Executive's Guide to AI's Impact 14:33

2M ago14:33

14:33

AI has completely changed the rules of marketing, and finance can't afford to play catch-up. Workiva's VP of Revenue Marketing, Joel Capperella, joins Steve Soter to unpack how AI is reshaping data, trust, and decision-making across the business. As progression analysis evolves and web traffic declines, traditional forecasting and investment models…

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Car Rentals Reinvented & Sustainable – with Page Motes, Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer, Hertz 1:00:18

2M ago1:00:18

1:00:18

"Regardless of what's happening with kind of the ESG backlash conversation here, especially in the US, our other jurisdictions are coming hard and fast on regulatory…It doesn't matter what's happening in the broader ESG backlash …The other piece is, our corporate customers that have their own set of goals and expectations have absolutely not led up…

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Why AI Needs Humans 33:15

2M ago33:15

33:15

AI is revolutionizing finance, but the hardest part isn't coding or controls—it's fear. In this episode of The Pre-Read, recorded live at Amplify 2025 in Washington, D.C., finance and accounting leaders share unfiltered takes on how AI is changing the way teams think, work, and lead. You'll learn: Why fear of losing data lineage and control slows A…

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Women's Trillions Drive New Economic Values – Silvia Bastante de Unverhau, LGT Private Bankers International 1:03:34

2M ago1:03:34

1:03:34

"An estimated $124tn is expected to change hands (globally) under the so-called 'great wealth transfer', with women set to inherit nearly 70% of that amount. Combined with rising educational attainment, stronger diversity and inclusion efforts, and ongoing progress in closing the gender pay gap, this moment signals a transformative rise in global f…

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Getting AI Right: Ensuring Success and Avoiding Brain Rot 27:19

2M ago27:19

27:19

AI isn't perfect and sometimes it makes us worse at our jobs. Jen Stave of the Digital, Data, and Design Institute at Harvard joins The Pre-Read to explore why even top experts can become less effective with AI, what "cognitive offloading" really means, and why the future of AI success depends on human culture, not just code. Watch to learn: How th…

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America's Largest Bottler On Plastic – Ann Canela, Head of Niagara Cares, the Philanthropic Arm of Niagara Water 56:08

2M ago56:08

56:08

"We were the first to lightweight our bottles. So, if you think about a typical bottle of soda, it's about 27 grams of plastic. Our bottles, this year, I think they're coming in at 6.6 grams. So it's incredibly lightweight. I always say, you know, it's a Niagara bottle if it crinkles…We've created label-less bottles so they're easier to recycle. …A…

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Auditing AI: The New Imperative for Internal Audit 29:52

2M ago29:52

29:52

AI is transforming audit, risk, and corporate governance—but most companies are struggling to keep up. In this episode of The Pre-Read, Radical Compliance's Matt Kelly and Shane Negangard, Senior Director of Internal Audit at Workiva, join hosts Steve Soter and Alyssa Zucker to discuss: ✅ Why "shadow AI" is a real compliance threat ✅ How governance…

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Leveraging AI For Sustainability – with Mandi McReynolds, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workiva 32:44

3M ago32:44

32:44

"What we're seeing is, as the new carbon economy moves forward – and this is critical to businesses to operate in the future, in the next five, 10 years – it's colliding with the digital transformation and financial transformation. And so, I think one of the essential things our customers are asking is. 'how do we bring together the Chief Sustainab…

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How I Became a CFO 17:53

3M ago17:53

17:53

Jill Klindt, Workiva CFO, sits down with Ayssa and Steve live at Amplify 2025 in D.C. Hear how she navigated early startup life, tackled the challenges of being the public face of a company, and what advice she has for aspiring professionals. 00:00 Introduction 02:20 Early Career and Transition to Workiva 03:58 Building Workiva from the Ground Up 0…

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Carbon Accounting 101 – with Alyssa Zucker, Senior Industry Principal in Carbon at Workiva 50:08

3M ago50:08

50:08

"Essentially what carbon accounting is doing is it's using a mathematical equation to come up with a standardized unit of measure that we call a carbon dioxide equivalent of how you can, um, measure and track all of the different greenhouse gases that your business emits through various activities. There's actually seven distinct greenhouse gases t…

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Your Guide to AI Governance in Corporate Reporting 19:31

3M ago19:31

19:31

AI is no longer just hype; it's a powerful tool in corporate reporting. But what does it take to truly trust the outputs it produces? On this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Chief Information Officer Kim Huffman talks with Deepa Rao, a leader in sustainability and AI governance. They break down the essential steps for executives to govern and vali…

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Beyond Compliance: Building Businesses on Voluntary Sustainability Efforts 32:39

3M ago32:39

32:39

Sustainability isn't a silo anymore—it's shaping strategy across the balance sheet. In this episode of The Pre-Read, two CEOs share how they're modernizing corporate approaches to climate challenges. Natalia Dorfman, CEO of Kita, explains how carbon insurance de-risks voluntary markets and drives capital into climate projects. Then, Orianna Bretsch…

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Hotel Rooms Affect Your Health & The Planet – JoAnna Abrams, Founder/CEO of MindClick 53:29

3M ago53:29

53:29

"We did do a study where we shared the story of the careful thought that went into products that were better for people and the planet … Then we administered the standard guest satisfaction survey, and what we found, Joan, was 150% increase in satisfaction, loyalty numbers… Why?...They equated it to service. They said, a hotel that goes out of its …

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New Venture Capital Models For Women & CleanTech – Cecile Blilious, Veteran Venture Investor, Venture ESG, European Women in VC 1:06:20

3M ago1:06:20

1:06:20

"I like to think about ESG not only as a risk management tool, but also as an opportunity. I think the, the flip side of risk is opportunity. So if we think that a diverse team is what will bring more innovation, more ideas, more, let's say different ways of looking at needs and products, then this is an opportunity….What about if we think about th…

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The Great Resignation at the Top: What's Behind Record CEO Turnover? 33:15

3M ago33:15

33:15

Record numbers of CEOs are leaving their posts. But why? This week on The Pre-Read, Tim Paradis of Business Insider weighs in on the forces at play, from burnout to impatient boards and activist investors. We also hear from Workiva Chief People Officer Emily Forrester on why CEO succession must be more than a talent pipeline exercise. One keystone …

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Japan Embraces Climate & Sustainability – Yvonne Burton, Expert On Doing Business In Japan, at Osaka Expo 2025 58:13

4M ago58:13

58:13

"The theme of the expo is 'designing society for future lives.' And it is just that from the foundations, from the buildings to the exhibits, each country showcasing what they're doing for our future, in technology, healthcare, sustainable, living energy…The Japan pavilion's exhibit…is about the circular economy and…the theme is between life and li…

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How to Win at AI: A Blueprint of People, Process, and Vision 23:49

4M ago23:49

23:49

88% of finance, accounting, audit, and sustainability professionals in a new survey say they've seen an increase in ROI from using AI in the last year. But there's a disconnect: only about a third of companies surveyed have the necessary governance, high-quality data, and role-specific training to support it. In this episode of The Pre-Read, we sit…

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Artificial Intelligence (A.I) And The Climate - Stephanie Hare, Ph.D., Researcher, Broadcaster and Author of "Technology Is Not Neutral" 33:54

4M ago33:54

33:54

"(A.I.) is so energy intensive as a technology, and that's the thing that we have to get, the infrastructure of AI… Right now we do not have an electricity grid that is, that is built for this purpose. There's the water requirements of it as well. And we also need to just think about the energy, the actual fuel that's being used to fire up and powe…

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Energy Efficiency Saves Money & CO2 – Paula Glover, CEO of the Alliance To Save Energy 1:04:24

4M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

"Energy efficiency…is doing more, using less. The megawatt not used is the cheapest megawatt and there's so many things, either by using technology, old technology like insulation or digitalization, that allows us to really stretch what we can get out every single megawat, a kilowatt electron that we use. And so that's what we're talking about. If …

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Integrating AI and Sustainability: A New Leadership Imperative 21:13

4M ago21:13

21:13

Leaders in charge of projects around artificial intelligence and sustainability don't need to manage those two trends in parallel, says Professor Michael Wade of IMD. In fact, strategies for the two are bound to intersect. The Pre-Read hosts Steve Soter and Alyssa Zucker dig into AI, sustainability, and how leaders can harness the transformative po…

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The Scrutiny Spiral: PCAOB in the Crosshairs 22:31

4M ago22:31

22:31

The PCAOB is under siege. Critics say it's overreached its mission while supporters argue we've forgotten why it was created: to prevent another Enron or WorldCom. On this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Industry Principals Chelsea Hall and Grant Ostler join for a roundtable to discuss what's broken and what's worth saving. We examine the push to …

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Career Advice From 5 Women Trailblazers – Hilary Doe, Cong. Chrissy Houlahan, Zara Summers, Tensie Whelan, & Claire Seaborn 37:42

5M ago37:42

37:42

"For anyone, women especially who are interested in the energy and climate space, I would say that you shouldn't feel that you need to choose between the public sector, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector. I've been able to continue to build my expertise in the energy and climate space, but from multiple different perspectives. My advice w…

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Surfing the Waves of Uncertainty: Summer 2025 Market Outlook 33:05

5M ago33:05

33:05

The market is changing, and it's not just about inflation or interest rates. It's rewriting valuations, reworking supply chains, and reshaping your disclosures. This episode of The Pre-Read, brought to you by Workiva, explores what happens when market volatility meets materiality, and why CFOs, GCs, and audit chairs are all paying attention. We fea…

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Using Captured Carbon To Make Energy – Bjork Kristjansdottir, Carbon Recycling International 49:15

5M ago49:15

49:15

"Carbon Recycling International…is converting CO2 into sustainable methanol…(W)e have technology, which takes CO2 as a waste, and it takes hydrogen and turns it into methanol…and it is used today both like into chemicals. So, the chemical sector is a big consumer of methanol, which is a very large known product in the world today. …(and into) a sus…

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AI: The Shiny Object You Can't Ignore (Because Your Board, Investors, and Attorneys Aren't!) 34:53

5M ago34:53

34:53

AI is here, and it's sparking conversations about everything from how we work to how we report. This episode of The Pre-Read, brought to you by Workiva, dives into the heart of what happens when artificial intelligence meets the real world of finance and risk. We're talking about why CFOs, general counsels, and audit chairs are all leaning in—and w…

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Introducing The Pre-Read: Where CFOs Get Their Edge 1:14

5M ago1:14

1:14

We've been hard at work on our new podcast and wanted to give you a taste! Just like the slides before a big meeting, The Pre-Read gets CFOs and execs ready for what’s next. Each week, hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter connect the dots between finance, sustainability, audit, and risk — with sharp insights and unfiltered conversations from leaders…

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Introducing The Pre-Read: Where CFOs Get Their Edge 1:15

5M ago1:15

1:15

Just like the slides before a big meeting, The Pre-Read gets CFOs and execs ready for what's next. Each week, hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter connect the dots between finance, sustainability, audit, and risk — with sharp insights and unfiltered conversations from leaders navigating change at scale. If you're driving transformation or need to un…

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You Can Make A Difference Where You Are – Laur Hesse Fisher, MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative 54:08

5M ago54:08

54:08

"There are those individual actions that we can take. But if I can work with my community or work inside of my company, or if I can work inside of my house of worship and we can build some community and some action that way, it will have a much bigger impact than anything that I can do as an individual… The communities that they're already a part o…

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Recycled Steel Goes Mainstream - Tabitha Stine, General Manager, Energy Solutions, Nucor Corporation 1:00:38

5M ago1:00:38

1:00:38

"Our job is to recycle so that we can recover all of that scrap and goods that you and I are recycling in our garbage bins every week or recycling as we get new cars. And our job is to recover that because we make steel in a very clean and efficient process through what's called an electric arc furnace. So, we take all of that scrap, we melt it dow…

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Unlocking Capital For Women And Climate Solutions – Women Leaders In Finance And Investment, The Earth Day Women's Summit 50:47

6M ago50:47

50:47

"If you cannot change the system, change the frigging system… Women, when we have our money, are more likely to start an impact fund business or something. So, we have really got to get out of our way and just take the risk. " Tracy Gray at The Earth Day Women's Summit 2025 Innovative financing models are urgently needed to tackle the climate crisi…

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Climate Is A Security Emergency – From A Top Climate Scientist & A Geopolitical Expert 33:06

6M ago33:06

33:06

"The climate crisis has roots in fossil fuels, but at the same time, fossil fuels fund this Russian invasion to Ukraine. So it means this is a fossil fuel war. If we will actually fight against our overall actually dependency on fossil fuels in the same way we will fight against climate change." Svitlana Krakovska on Electric Ladies Podcast The cli…

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Food, Fashion & Ag vs. Climate Change – Voices From The Earth Day Women's Summit 47:12

6M ago47:12

47:12

"Food systems have to do with everything from production to processing, distribution, and the utilization. Then of course, end of life for food systems which includes food waste. In the United States, 40% of the food that we produce goes to waste. This means with distribution challenges that not everybody has equitable access to the kinds of foods …

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Business Leaders Bridging The Climate Gap – Voices From The Earth Day Women's Summit 46:57

7M ago46:57

46:57

"Most things when it comes to corporate sustainability do not happen in a vacuum. I am part of an environmental sustainability team, but we would not be able to accomplish anything without our energy teams, our network teams, and more. The ability to take what can be a complex idea and translate that into a compelling business case often comes down…

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Green Cement Is Changing How We Build – Marci Jenks, Eco Material Technologies 32:45

7M ago32:45

32:45

"Our core business is harvesting and collecting the by-product from coal combustion plants historically, called fly ash. We introduce it into supplementary cementitious materials to create a Portland cement replacement. We are pushing for 20% and even 30% [replacement of traditional cement] and hopefully reaching 100% one day with our technologies …

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Leading In Times Of Great Change – Deborah Lee James, 23rd Secretary of the U.S. Air Force 46:04

7M ago46:04

46:04

"Change is a constant. This is the world that we live in. And so how do you decide what needs to change and transform? The best leaders have certain traits about them when it comes to leading an organisation through change. Great leaders have an ability to communicate and inspire and they never get tired of doing it. Or if they get tired, they keep…

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The Politics Of Progress On Climate And Energy – U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) 43:53

7M ago43:53

43:53

"While the word 'climate' may be politically charged for some, the need for affordable, reliable, and secure energy is something we can all agree on. Americans are calling for action, and as Members of Congress it's our responsibility to deliver. If we want long-term solutions that address both our constituents' concerns and growing climate risks, …

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Women Rewriting The Climate Conversation – Voices From The Earth Day Women's Summit 54:29

8M ago54:29

54:29

"How do we get people in the tent to even hear the story? With 'Living with Ed' and other projects, we were a family they could identify with. We were yelling, laughing, loving each other while talking about real issues. I represented the average person's perspective on issues like taking the subway. There's the funny, and there's the conflict. If …

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How Michigan Turns IRA Tax Credits Into Growth – Hilary Doe, Chief Growth Officer, Michigan 45:40

8M ago45:40

45:40

"We did lots of infrastructure investments over the last handful of years to make sure our communities are in the best possible place they can be. And we complemented federal investment with workforce investment to ensure Michiganders are getting access to those kinds of roles, some of which didn't even exist previously. [This ensures] that Michiga…