CNA Talks: A National Security Podcast

Climate change increases the frequency, severity, and cost of extreme weather events. However, these events are not felt by everyone equally. Existing inequalities in our society exasperate the risks for vulnerable populations. In this episode, Leola Abrahams and Mark Roberts discuss how extreme weather events impact older adults and Native Americans and how protecting our most vulnerable populations protects everyone.  Biographies Leola Abraham is the program manager of CNA’s Center for Vulnerable Population Protection. She focuses on climate change, emergency management, public health, and justice reform. Leola is a senior communications practitioner with over 20 years of professional experience advising federal, state, and local government leaders, nonprofit organizations, and universities to deliver national and global programs and campaigns. Mark Roberts is a Research Scientist with CNA’s Center for Justice Research and Innovation and an expert in domestic safety and security. He is a certified GIS Professional specializing in geospatial and supply chain analyses. His past work for CNA includes developing and facilitating a hybrid workshop for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on prioritizing infrastructure resilience along the Gulf of Mexico. Further Reading CNA: The Impacts of Extreme Weather on Older Adults

Fabien Hoffman and Gabriela Rosa Hernandez discuss the use of conventional missiles in the Ukraine war, exploring the impact on strategic stability and missile technology. They analyze missile interception rates, research approaches in Russia studies, and the evolution of conventional missiles in the conflict, highlighting tactical, operational, and strategic implications.

Military operations in the physical domains all depend on the cyber domain. To ensure the success of traditional naval capabilities, the Navy and Marine Corps must project power in and through cyberspace while defending their systems and assets from adversary cyber capabilities. The side that most effectively sequences and synchronizes cyber effects will have a decisive advantage.     Department of the Navy (DON) Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor Joshua Reiter and CNA’s Ariel Michelman-Ribeiro join the show to discuss the DON Cyber Strategy. Guest Biographies           Ariel Michelman-Ribeiro is a Principal Research Scientist in the Cyber, IT Systems, and Networks Program and has been with CNA for 13 years. In addition to directing projects, she is also CNA's Cyber Research Coordinator. Joshua Reiter is the Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor (PCA) for the Department of the Navy, In this role, he is responsible for supporting the PCA in advising the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, and Commandant of the Marine Corps, and implementing the Department of Defense Cyber Strategy within the Department of the Navy. Further Reading Department of the Navy Cyber Strategy

In an age when the risks of cyberattacks are increasingly clear, the Zero Trust security model, built on the principle of “never trust, always verify,” is the new standard for cyber security. Like many organizations, CNA is working to implement the model throughout our organization.  Rizwan Jan, CNA’s Chief Information Officer, and cybersecurity expert Adam Monsalve join the show to discuss CNA’s journey to implement Zero Trust, how we can use that experience, and how we have leveraged this experience to better serve our clients and sponsors.  Biographies  Rizwan Jan is CNA's Chief Information Officer. He leads our technology and security practices while strengthening information systems. As CIO, he ensures the delivery of all information and technology capabilities required to successfully achieve CNA's mission. Adam Monsalve is a Systems Engineer at CNA’s Center for Enterprise Systems Modernization. He is a cybersecurity expert who specializes in the intersection of uncrewed technologies and cybersecurity for multiple federal government clients. Further Reading NIST: Zero Trust Architecture CISA: Zero Trust Maturity Model   

The DOD Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP) represents a significant step forward for global efforts to reduce civilian harm. The plan recognizes that reducing civilian harm is not just a moral imperative but a strategic priority. It lays out concrete steps that the Department of Defense can take to mitigate civilian harm caused by its operations.   Larry Lewis, Marla Keenan, and Sabrina Verleysen join John Stimpson in this episode. They discuss the CHMR-AP and the decades of work on civilian harm mitigation that made it possible.  Biographies Dr. Larry Lewis is a Principal Research Scientist in CNA’s Operations Division. Dr. Lewis spearheaded the first data-based approach to protecting civilians in conflict by analyzing military operational data in conjunction with open-source data. He has worked extensively with militaries—including the U.S., NATO allies, and key U.S. partners—to help reduce civilian harm in their operations and strengthen their institutional capacity to mitigate such harm.  Marla Keenan is a Principal Advisor to CNA and an expert in human security, the protection of civilians, civilian harm mitigation and response, and civil-military relations in armed conflict. She has conducted high-level advocacy with international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, African Union, and NATO. She formerly led all international programs for the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), working directly with civilians caught in conflict and militaries to support improved protection outcomes. Sabrina Verleysen is a Senior Specialist in Strategic Development and brings expertise in government relations and Indonesian civilian-military relations. She supports the CHM portfolio as an analyst, builds partnerships, and convenes interagency stakeholders to improve information sharing and collaboration on CHMR.  Further Reading DOD: Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan CNA: Civilian Harm Mitigation

Climate Change is increasing both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Because of this, it is more important than ever that emergency management officials utilize every tool available to them to communicate effectively and clearly with the public.   Jamie Biglow and Heather Marshall from CNA's Center for Emergency Management Operations join John Stimpson. They discuss how state and local officials can use social media before, during, and after a crisis to build trust with their communities, disseminate vital information, and counter misinformation.  Biographies Jamie Biglow is a Project Manager with CNA’s Center for Emergency Management Operations. Heather Marshall is a Senior Research Specialist with CNA’s Center for Emergency Management Operations. Further Reading CNA: Best Practices in Social Media Crisis Communications for State and Local Emergency Management Agencies  

As cities across the country become more networked and connected with smart sensors, more data is available to first responders than ever before. But how can this data be interpreted efficiently in emergencies where every second counts? In this episode, John Crissman and Shaelynn Hales from CNA and Godfrey Nolan, founder and CEO of RIIS LLC, join the show. We discuss their award-winning First Responder Awareness Monitoring during Emergencies (FRAME) System, which takes in data from these sensors, uses machine learning to interpret the information, and aggregates that into a common data view to increase emergency situational awareness. Guest Biographies Shaelynn Hales is the Managing Director of CNA’s Center for Data Management Analytics. She is an expert in systems engineering, data management, data analytics, and integrated program management support. John Crissman is a Research Analyst in CNA’s Center for Data Management Analytics. He is an expert in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing. Godfrey Nolan is the Founder and President of RIIS LLC. Further Reading Business Wire: Groundbreaking Innovations Unveiled: Winners Announced for the AI3 Prize Competition

The role of AI and autonomous systems in the war in Ukraine has attracted much attention in the media and from analysts tracking the use of new technologies in warfare. But what impact has it had on the battlefield? In this episode, Margarita Konaev and Samuel Bendett join the show to discuss how these technologies impact the situation on the ground, the private sector’s role in the conflict, and what this means for the future of warfare.  Biographies  Samuel Bendett is an Advisor with CNA’s Russia Studies Program. His research focuses on Russian defense and technology developments, uncrewed, robotic, and autonomous military systems, artificial intelligence, and Russian military capabilities.  Dr. Margarita Konaev is Deputy Director of Analysis and a Research Fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), interested in military applications of AI and Russian military innovation. Further Reading CNA: The Use of AI and Autonomous Technologies in the War in Ukraine and Implications for Strategic Stability CNA Talks: Cheap Commercial Drones and the War in Ukraine

In recent years, there has been a rise in suicide attempts among army personnel and while there have been a lot of attempts to tackle this problem, it is not clear if what has been done to date is working.  In this episode, Heather Wolters and Lauren Malone join John to discuss a new holistic approach to address the problem at a systemic level.  Guest Biographies Dr. Heather Wolters is a Principal Research Scientist with CNA’s Marine Corps and Defense Workforce Program.  Dr. Lauren Malone is a Principal Research Scientist with CNA’s Marine Corps and Defense Workforce Program.  Further Reading  CNA: Recommendations to Enhance Army Suicide Prevention  CNA: Designing an Integrated Approach to Prevent Multiple Harmful Behaviors  

In the early days of the Ukraine war, the Russian army experienced a massive breakdown of its logistics operations. Frontline troops were going without basic supplies like food and fuel. What caused this breakdown, and has Russia been able to stabilize supply lines as the war progressed? Paul Schwartz joins the show to discuss his report on Russian Military Logistics in the Ukraine War. Biographies Paul Schwartz is a Research Scientist with CNA’s Russia Studies Program. Further Reading CNA: Russian Military Logistics in the Ukraine War