Best Baker School Of Public Policy Podcasts (2025)

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Do we have enough energy to power the country? 43:39

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8d ago43:39

43:39

Economic growth and new technologies are driving a surge in energy demand, stressing the country’s power grid and posing challenges for policymakers. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Reagan Farr, Co-Founder & CEO of Silicon Ranch, and Shameek Konar, fmr. CEO of Pilot & Head of Energy at Ara Partners to discuss evolving demands in energy …

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Who Judges the Judges? 54:32

25d ago54:32

54:32

With the judicial branch increasingly in the spotlight, how judges are chosen and held accountable has never mattered more. Governors Bredesen and Haslam sit down with TN Supreme Court Chief Justice Holly Kirby, fmr. Justice Sharon Lee, and fmr. U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to discuss judicial elections, ethics, and explore whether reform…

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Is Public Education in Crisis? 56:54

5M ago56:54

56:54

Our schools have faced unprecedented challenges from the pandemic and teacher shortages to debates over curriculum and student mental health. In this final episode of Season Six, Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education John White, and fmr. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel t…

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Can We Still Count on the Separation of Powers? 50:35

5M ago50:35

50:35

In our Constitution, the framers established three independent branches of government, creating checks and balances to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Harvard professor Cass Sunstein and Vanderbilt professor David Lewis to explore the history and interaction between the branches and whethe…

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How important are foreign alliances? 48:44

6M ago48:44

48:44

As global dynamics shift, are foreign alliances essential to U.S. safety and prosperity – or is an America First approach more effective? Governors Bredesen and Haslam talk with former Ambassador Rahm Emanuel and historian Michael Kimmage about the pros and cons of foreign alliances and the new international order.…

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Has Pardon Power Gone Too Far? 39:12

6M ago39:12

39:12

The power of the President to pardon convicted criminals is enshrined in the Constitution, but many experts have criticized the recent use of pardons and calls for reform have grown louder. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Mike Nelson, professor of political science at Rhodes College and Steve Vladeck, professor of law at Georgetown Univ…

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Can government work better and cost less? 45:25

6M ago45:25

45:25

Presidents from both parties have tried to make government leaner – with mixed results. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Elaine Kamarck of the Brookings Institution and Jim Capretta of AEI to discuss what a smaller, more efficient government might look like – and if it’s realistic. Drawing on their own experiences in the Clinton and Geor…

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Is this the end of free trade? 42:33

7M ago42:33

42:33

To kick off a new season of You Might Be Right, Heather Long, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, and James Lake, associate professor of economics at the University of Tennessee, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss trade policy and the impact of tariffs.

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Episode 31: Ryan Egly and Daniel Gyampo of Schneider Electric 22:23

7M ago22:23

22:23

Send us a text If you have ever wanted to learn about the nitty gritty of microgrid work, this episode is for you. A few years ago, Middle Tennessee Electric partnered with Schneider Electric to build a microgrid at its Lebanon office. Today, host Cortney Piper dives into the details of the project with two Schneider Electric representatives: Ryan …

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Episode 30: Jilleah Welch of the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs 21:10

8M ago21:10

21:10

Send us a text Today’s episode is all about the 2024 Tennessee Advanced Energy Economic Impact Report. Every three years, TAEBC releases an Advanced Energy Economic Impact Report to provide context for public officials and private sector leaders to make lasting contributions to Tennessee’s economic base for the next decade and beyond. The report wa…

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Episode 29: The Company Lab and Moduly 22:20

9M ago22:20

22:20

Send us a text This episode covers a topic that’s at the heart of innovation: Fostering the growth of advanced energy technologies and startups right here in Tennessee. It will cover both sides of a startup journey — the entrepreneurs who are making waves and the organizations empowering them to reach the next level. First, host Cortney Piper will …

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Episode 28: AESSEAL and Solar Alliance 26:26

9M ago26:26

26:26

Send us a text This episode was made possible thanks to the support of Solar Alliance. In the episode, host Cortney Piper interviewed three representatives from two organizations about an incredible solar and storage project in Tennessee. Thank you to Chris Staackmann, Head of Operations of AESSEAL North America, and Solar Alliance’s President & CE…

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Episode 27: Anca Timofte of Holocene 24:42

10M ago24:42

24:42

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper speaks with Anca Timofte, CEO and co-founder of Holocene, a company focused on direct air capture technology and carbon removal. Anca shares her journey from Romania to becoming an entrepreneur in the climate tech space, highlighting her experiences in chemical engineering and business school. The discussion covers…

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2024 Election – What Did We Learn? 43:35

10M ago43:35

43:35

Following an unprecedented presidential campaign, Andy Busch, Associate Director of the Institute of American Civics at the Baker School, and Lindsay Chervinsky, a presidential historian and executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to debrief the election. What have we lear…

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Episode 26: Dale Harrigle of Bridgestone Americas 19:42

11M ago19:42

19:42

Send us a text Join host Cortney Piper for an insightful conversation with Dale Harrigle, Chief Engineer, Tire Development – Consumer Replacement, Bridgestone Americas. Dale discusses his decades-long career at Bridgestone and shares pivotal industry milestones, from the revolutionary introduction of silica in tire manufacturing to Bridgestone’s im…

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Can the Supreme Court be impartial? 56:16

11M ago56:16

56:16

Steve Vladeck, law professor at Georgetown and CNN Supreme Court analyst, and John McGinnis, law professor at Northwestern, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the impact of polarization and declining public trust on the Supreme Court. Is the Supreme Court as partisan as Americans think it is? Are reforms needed to help rebuild trust?…

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Can the Constitution help fight polarization? 51:47

11M ago51:47

51:47

While constitutional issues are at the heart of many of our disagreements, it may also be the solution to our increasing political polarization. Yuval Levin, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of a new book “American Covenant”, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore how the Constitution can guide us to disagree con…

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How has polarization changed governing? – with Anthony Foxx and Margaret Spellings 50:40

12M ago50:40

50:40

Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation in the Obama Administration and Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education in the Bush Administration, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a wide-ranging conversation, reflecting on experiences navigating divisions then and the changes they see today. They also share lessons learned while in office, from…

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Episode 25: Mark Brown of WastAway 23:22

12M ago23:22

23:22

Send us a text Thank you to the WastAway team for making this episode possible. Host Cortney Piper had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Brown, CEO of WastAway, a green tech company that takes something the world doesn’t want – municipal solid waste – and converts it into something the world needs. WastAway—Waste-Away with no E—is an advanced energ…

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Is the Political Left and Right a Myth? – with Hyrum Lewis and Verlan Lewis 55:17

1y ago55:17

55:17

Brothers, professors, and authors Hyrum Lewis and Verlan Lewis join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss their new book “The Myth of Left and Right”, and its premise that the “left” and “right” are social groups united by tribal loyalty rather than consistent philosophies. Could a more multidimensional view of politics improve our civic discour…

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What does the research say about polarization? 40:32

1y ago40:32

40:32

Are Americans as divided as we think we are? To kick off Season Five, Rachel Kleinfeld, Rachel Kleinfeld, an international relations scholar and senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict and Governance program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss what the research says about the roots and …

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Episode 24: Mitchell Ishmael of Shift Thermal 21:14

1y ago21:14

21:14

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Mitchell Ishmael, Shift Thermal's co-founder and chief technology officer. In the episode, Mitch discusses the company's advanced thermal energy storage solution and the company milestones, including their participation in the Innovation Crossroads program. The two discuss the benefits of cleantech entre…

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Phil & Bill Answer Your Questions 30:38

1y ago30:38

30:38

Two years and over 200,000 downloads later, "You Might Be Righ"t has inspired listeners nationwide. To mark this milestone, we invited our most avid listeners to ask Governors Bredesen and Haslam questions about the podcast, their time in office, and current hot topics.

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What’s Happening with AI Right Now? 39:34

1y ago39:34

39:34

Nearly a year after the first You Might Be Right episode on AI, Michael Kratsios, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to revisit this rapidly evolving topic. They discuss recent AI developments, its societal impact, and America's role in global tech leadership.

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Episode 23: Michael McCall of the Tennessee Valley Authority 21:52

1y ago21:52

21:52

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Michael McCall, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Vice President of Environment and Sustainability and Chief Sustainability Officer, about the agency’s 2023 Sustainability Report. They discuss how TVA prioritizes sustainability and has shifted its mindset from compliance to stewardship. This shift enabled…

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Episode 22: Daniel Poneman of the U.S. Department of Energy and Centrus Energy 31:38

1y ago31:38

31:38

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Daniel Poneman, former president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corporation, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy and chief operating officer of the Department of Energy. He has worked for three United States presidents on issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation to clean energy. I…

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What is the history and future of presidential debates? 30:38

1+ y ago30:38

30:38

Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the history of televised presidential debates, his reaction to two major party campaigns agreeing to debates this year without the Commission’s involvement, and the future of these essential civic events.…

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Episode 21: Dr. Chris Burns of NOVONIX 23:32

1+ y ago23:32

23:32

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Chris Burns, Chief Executive Officer of NOVONIX, a leading battery materials and technology company with operations in the United States and Canada. Recently, DOE awarded NOVONIX a $100 million grant and a $103 million tax credit under the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Allocation Program, or the…

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Episode 20: Charles Sims of the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs 19:49

1+ y ago19:49

19:49

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Charles Sims, Director of the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy, Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, about the Valley Pathways Study. The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Baker School launched the Valley Pathways Study in February 2023 to evaluat…

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Episode 19: Lilly Tench of the Spark Innovation Center 20:04

1+ y ago20:04

20:04

Send us a text In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Lilly Tench, Director of the Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park. The two discuss the Spark Cleantech Accelerator program and how applications are open for Cohort Three until May 15, 2024. TAEBC is a proud partner of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator. We pr…

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How can we disagree better? 30:21

1+ y ago30:21

30:21

Two Governors from adjacent states and opposing parties, Utah’s Spencer Cox (R) and Colorado’s Jared Polis (D), join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to share their “Disagree Better” initiative. They affirm the need to "disagree without hating each other" and explore practical ways to disagree better in everyday life.…

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Is the Electoral College the best way to elect a president? 48:21

1+ y ago48:21

48:21

Historian Allen Guelzo of Princeton University and political scientist Daniel Ziblatt of Harvard join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to delve into our presidential election process, its history, and arguments for (and against) reform.

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Episode 18: Monica Walker of General Motors 14:20

1+ y ago14:20

14:20

Send us a text In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Monica Walker, Manager of Renewables & Energy Strategy at General Motors. GM has a bold vision for the future. One with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. Piper and Walker discuss GM’s renewable energy commitments, electric vehicle charging partnership with the Pilot Compa…

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What is the Role of Traditional Media in a Presidential Election? 47:01

1+ y ago47:01

47:01

Natalie Allison, national political reporter for Politico, and Dan Balz, Chief Correspondent for The Washington Post, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to examine the evolving role of traditional media in a modern presidential campaign.

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Can a Third-Party Candidate Succeed? 44:56

1+ y ago44:56

44:56

Dan DiSalvo, a political scientist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Bill Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings and Wall Street Journal columnist, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss our two-party system and if a third-party candidate for president can be successful.

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Episode 17: Jennifer Safavian of Autos Drive America 17:18

1+ y ago17:18

17:18

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Jennifer Safavian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Autos Drive America. Autos Drive America’s mission is to grow the U.S. automotive industry by advocating for and defending open trade and investment policies that expand employment opportunities for Americans and choice for all consumers. Cortne…

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Is Our Primary System Working? 53:43

1+ y ago53:43

53:43

Galen Druke, host and producer of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast and Jonah Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Dispatch and host of The Remnant podcast, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore the modern presidential primary system – how it evolved, how it works, how it has changed politics, and if it ultimately reflects the will of the pe…

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Phil and Bill Discuss Their Political Parties 33:19

1+ y ago33:19

33:19

To kick off Season Four, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam reveal why they chose to be part of their respective political parties and how they are squaring their own values with America’s evolving political landscape. Their conversation was moderated by Marianne Wanamaker, Dean of the Baker School. Season Four of "You Might B…

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Episode 16: Liliana Ramirez of Ford Motor Company 23:46

1+ y ago23:46

23:46

Send us a text In what is likely Host Cortney Piper’s favorite interview to date, she interviews Liliana Ramirez, Global Director of Workforce Development at Ford. Ramirez is responsible for using cutting-edge strategies to build the manufacturing workforce required for BlueOval City and BlueOval SK Battery Park. In this episode, they discuss Ramir…

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Phil & Bill Talk Immigration Policy 26:59

2y ago26:59

26:59

In this bonus episode, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam share their own perspectives on immigration, modeling the type of civil debate that “You Might Be Right” seeks to foster. From controlling the border to dealing with illegal immigrants already in the country, work visas, and humanitarian borders, the hosts discuss one o…

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Episode 15: Kevin Heaslip of TEAM TN 17:14

2y ago17:14

17:14

Send us a text How can we advance mobility solutions for all Tennesseans? In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Kevin Heaslip, Director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Heaslip also served as the Chief Executive Officer of TEAM TN, a partnership with the National Science Foundation an…

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Carly Fiorina: On Running for President and Staying Engaged in our Democracy 42:15

2y ago42:15

42:15

As we approach the 2024 election, 2016 presidential candidate and fmr. HP CEO Carly Fiorina joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a wide-ranging discussion about democratic engagement, running for office, and her advice for business leaders.

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Episode 14: Gina Bonini of Modine 18:50

2y ago18:50

18:50

Send us a text Host Cortney Piper interviews Gina Bonini, Vice President and General Manager of Advanced Thermal Systems at Modine. Modine is the only U.S.-based automotive thermal management provider for electric vehicles. They are headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, but the EV component manufacturing occurs at their plant in Lawrenceburg, Tenness…

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Our Kids are Struggling. Who Can Help Them? – with Melissa Kearney and Richard Reeves 51:24

2y ago51:24

51:24

Recorded live at the Baker School in October 2023, economist Melissa Kearney, author of "The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind," and Brookings Sr. Fellow Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the challenges facing Ameri…

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Entrepreneurship: What it takes to be successful, and should government have a role? - with Sarah Bellos and Brad Smith 44:57

2y ago44:57

44:57

Recorded live at Launch Tennessee’s 3686 Festival, founders Sarah Bellos of Stony Creek Colors and Brad Smith of Russell Street Ventures join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore the interaction between entrepreneurship and public policy.

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Episode 13: Julian Spector of Canary Media 26:28

2y ago26:28

26:28

Send us a text In the first episode of Season 2, Host Cortney Piper interviews Julian Spector, senior reporter at Canary Media, an independent, nonprofit newsroom covering the transition to clean energy and solutions to the climate crisis. The pair spoke about Spector’s recent coverage of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s decarbonization efforts and…

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Affirmative Action and College Admissions: What Happens Now? - with Sarah Isgur and Marie Bigham 47:05

2y ago47:05

47:05

Legal analyst Sarah Isgur and fmr. college admissions official Marie Bigham join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the Supreme Court ruling banning race-conscious admission policies in higher education, responses to the ruling, and what’s next.

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How will AI Affect Democracy? - with Sarah Kreps and Bruce Schneier 52:03

2y ago52:03

52:03

Dr. Sarah Kreps, a political scientist and director of the Cornell Tech Policy Institute, and Bruce Schneier, a technologist and Harvard Kennedy School lecturer, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to dig into the good, the bad, and the unknown about how AI will impact democracy.

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How Secure is Your Vote? – with Brad Raffensperger and Jocelyn Benson 46:43

2y ago46:43

46:43

Two Secretaries of State, Brad Raffensperger (R) of Georgia and Jocelyn Benson (D) of Michigan, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a conversation about their efforts to safeguard elections and combat misinformation.

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Why are there no more Walter Cronkites? - with Judy Woodruff and Chris Stirewalt 48:04

2y ago48:04

48:04

Longtime CNN and PBS anchor Judy Woodruff and fmr. Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the role the media plays in our democracy and the future of local news.