Partnership for Public Service

09/11/2026

As we reflect on 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, one core lesson stands out: Keeping Americans safe depends on a strong, effective federal government equipped to handle national crises.

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks and the decades of national security reform that followed, public servants stepped up to restore our country and protect it against future attacks.

In our latest blog post, we highlight four federal employees, from the FEMA official who led recovery at the World Trade Center site to the CDC leader who built the nation's emergency medical stockpile, whose work have made a difference in how our nation responds to crises today.

Keeping Americans safe depends on a strong civil service. Read how public servants responded after 9/11 and why protecting our federal workforce is vital.

09/10/2026

Carol de Fries is an expert at building successful strategic partnerships for economic and civic growth with more than 15 years of experience in business development, finance, government relations, philanthropy, higher education and economic and workforce development. In her current role, Carol leads a new initiative to open access to Philadelphians to quality jobs with the city and regional employers.

In the session, "Why Talent Chooses—and Stays in—Government," at , Carol will share her insights and data-driven approach to expand talent access, grow talent and elevate public service.

Hear from her about how Philadelphia is building talent pipelines.

Explore the 2026 GovHR Conference agenda here: https://events.ourpublicservice.org/2026-govhr

09/10/2026

The ongoing Cyclospora outbreak is one of the most widespread and severe foodborne crises America has seen in decades. Experts are pointing to the quiet structural degradation in our government's epidemiological surveillance as a critical part of the story.

The race to track, identify and control this outbreak has been challenged by deep staff cuts at public health agencies, a lack of disease surveillance data, and less coordination between federal and state governments.

Stopping a foodborne outbreak that spans multiple states is a complex job that requires personnel and funding investment to keep us all safe. When public health funding is cut, epidemiologists and other federal and state health experts are left to pick up the pieces, and the American public suffers the consequences.

Read the full story here.

Experts point to structural budget cuts and federal workforce reductions as the primary drivers behind a severe mid-2026 Cyclospora outbreak across 15 states.

09/09/2026

As the New Jersey Department of Health's inaugural executive director of workforce development, Medha Havnurkar has been leading workforce transformation efforts to make New Jersey's public health workforce future-ready, resilient and highly engaged in delivering equitable health outcomes for all residents.

Over the last 25 years, Medha has held several leadership roles, from chief learning officer to administrative director of talent management and organizational development, and pivoted to public service, post-pandemic, to support healthcare upstream efforts in the public health space.

In the session, "Why Talent Chooses—and Stays in—Government," at , Medha will share her insights and data-driven approach to clarifying an Employee Value Proposition to elevate culture and employee experience.

Hear from her about how public servants support the public and why she decided to join public health workforce development.

Register for GovHR and explore the agenda here: https://events.ourpublicservice.org/2026-govhr-agenda

09/09/2026

Eighteen months in, President Donald Trump made more political appointments, and at a faster pace, than any modern president. Now, his non-Senate-confirmed appointees are leaving in record numbers after record-short tenures.

Some 934 non-Senate-confirmed appointees have already left government service, more than twice the number who departed under Obama or Biden at the same point, and 58% more than Trump's own first term.

These departures are part of a wider breakdown in federal leadership, where Senate-confirmed leaders above these political hires are also leaving at record rates, with few nominated to replace them.

Learn more about this record amount of turnover in Chris Piper's latest analysis here.

Non-Senate-confirmed appointees are leaving the Trump administration in record numbers. Discover key findings and agency impact.

09/09/2026

We are one week out until the 2026 GovHR Conference! With the federal government fiscal year-end just around the corner, register for the conference today to reserve your spot: https://events.ourpublicservice.org/2026-govhr

In-person registration closes tomorrow, Sept. 10.

Can’t attend in-person? Virtual registration is open until Tuesday, Sept. 15. If your agency still has FY26 training and professional development funds available, now is the time to invest in your HR team and secure their participation in .

Breakout Session Spotlight: Real-World Tactics for Workforce Transformation

Join speakers Janet Lawson, Bob Lavigna and Blair Corcoran de Castillo to gain evidence-based insights into why skills-first strategies matter. Explore practical approaches to skills-based hiring that help agencies attract, develop and retain the talent needed to deliver critical public services. The challenge is not why to upskill or reskill—it is how to do it in real-world government environments shaped by constraints.

09/08/2026

As chief innovation officer for Montgomery County, Maryland, Michael Baskin leads innovation with the goal of creating a just, liberating and human government. He works with staff at all levels to build systems that meet the needs of their communities.

Previously, Michael helped launch innovation programs in cities from Miami to Las Vegas, designed and launched a learning network of mayors and municipalities and convened a coalition of local governments. He previously served as the chief policy and innovation officer for Chattanooga, Tennessee, working on issues from policing to permitting, while redesigning the outcomes-based budgeting process to connect strategy, people and resources.

Michael is speaking at the 2026 GovHR Conference during the panel discussion, "The Human Advantage in an Automated World," to explore how artificial intelligence and human-centered skills work together and how government leaders can intentionally develop these capabilities across their workforce.

Hear more from Michael about why he's joining us for next week from Sept. 15-17.

Very few in-person spots remain! Register for the conference today to secure your spot: https://events.ourpublicservice.org/2026-govhr

09/08/2026

As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, it is important to not only reflect on that tragedy that killed nearly 3,000 people, but to also focus on the lessons learned and to assess where our nation stands today.

After the attacks, the U.S. strengthened its counterterrorism capabilities, stood up the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and created institutions such as the Department of Homeland Security and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, recognizing that our national security also depends on seasoned leaders and professionals in place who can connect the dots, challenge assumptions and alert the country to danger.

Today, the lessons of 9/11 are being tested by President Donald Trump who has spent his time back in office placing people with dubious qualifications in key leadership positions and systematically removing long-time professionals from national security jobs where expertise matters.

Our newest report, "Ill-Prepared: How We Have Unlearned the Lessons of 9/11," dives into examples of how the administration is weakening and undermining our national security, and what steps our government must take to redress these challenges. Read the report here: https://ourpublicservice.org/know-the-facts/resource-library/reports/ill-prepared-how-we-have-unlearned-the-lessons-of-9-11

09/04/2026

Safe food, clean water and breathable air are fundamental human needs that our government plays a critical role in protecting. But when federal health and safety programs, and the experts running them, are cut and deprioritized by the administration, we lose vital protections that impact our daily lives.

The Cost of Cutting American Science is an interactive tool that helps you explore what federal changes to science, health and our environment could mean to you: https://science.federalharmstracker.org/

09/02/2026

Join us Sept. 15-17, 2026, in the heart of Washington, D.C., or virtually, for the third annual GovHR Conference. The conference is supported by our sponsors, with Workday headlining as the presenting plenary. Register now to secure your spot! https://events.ourpublicservice.org/2026-govhr

Presenting Plenary with Workday

The GovHR Conference will open with a presentation and remarks by Cliff Purkey, vice president of product for Workday Government, who leads product strategy to bring enterprise human capital management, financial and payroll solutions to the federal government. As the former deputy chief human resources officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Cliff directed a 500+ person organization, achieved the agency’s highest talent fill rate in over a decade and spearheaded change across HR processes and systems,. During the presenting plenary, he will share his nonlinear journey into government HR and the mindset of change necessary to deliver on agency missions.

Annamary Holbrook, director of federal solutions consulting for Workday, will join Cliff in sharing cross-agency perspectives and key takeaways on how to effectively deliver human capital services.

Thank you to Matthew T. Cornelius for the partnership and support in creating an impactful conference.

Visit our online agenda to view the most up-to-date information on speakers and session descriptions, and register for the conference here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5220968