Best Sanford School Of Public Policy Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 169 Tariffs, the Stock Market and Your Wallet 31:23

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22d ago31:23

31:23

Recently, the U.S. has experienced several financial crises - all of them hard on American families. In 2008, over eight million Americans lost their jobs in the Great Recession. In 2020, unemployment was at 13 percent thanks to the COVID pandemic. By early 2025, the economy had recovered and unemployment had dropped back to the 4 percent range. Th…

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The HPScast - Season 12 Finale 15:02

22d ago15:02

15:02

To close out Season 12 of The HPScast, host Colbert Cannon revisits some of this season's most memorable moments. We brought on some heavy hitters from across industries, and the country, including: a former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, a Chief Investment Officer of a South Carolina retirement system, a CNBC reporter extraordina…

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2025 Current Credit Market Trends with HPS Governing Partners Purnima Puri and Mike Patterson 29:40

29d ago29:40

29:40

Each season, we devote one episode to a discussion of current credit market trends. This week, host Colbert Cannon is joined by Purnima Puri, an HPS Governing Partner and Head of Public Credit, and Mike Patterson, an HPS Governing Partner and Co-Head of Private Credit. With the magnitude of market volatility currently, the discussion focuses on wha…

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Geoffrey Berg - Chief Investment Officer of the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission 32:17

1M ago32:17

32:17

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Geoffrey Berg, Chief Investment Officer of the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission, to discuss his strategic leadership of the system's approximately $50 billion investment portfolio and share insights into private credit as an early adopter of the asset class among peers. Then, we fi…

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Madelaine O'Connell - Managing Director at HPS Investment Partners 26:13

1M ago26:13

26:13

Host Colbert Cannon sits down with Madelaine O'Connell, a leader in HPS's private high-grade business to discuss the evolution of the private placement market and the nuances of private versus public high grade debt. She also talks about her transition from leading the private placements business at Goldman Sachs to joining HPS, and shares her visi…

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Ep. 168 Immigrants Built America, Can We Keep Building Without Them? 25:55

2M ago25:55

25:55

The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, but we have a complex history on the topic. At times, the government has tried deporting large numbers of immigrants, with the goal of protecting the jobs and wages of native-born Americans. The current administration has announced plans to deport all undocumented immigrants, even some legal immigrants, as well a…

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Robert Kaplan - Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Partner & Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs 30:34

2M ago30:34

30:34

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Robert Kaplan, former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs, to discuss his career spanning finance and public service. Kaplan reflects on the evolution of Goldman Sachs, his transition from deal-making to management, and the valuable lessons he learned from …

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Ep. 167 Keys to Tackling the U.S. Housing Crisis 19:33

2M ago19:33

19:33

The price of housing has skyrocketed in recent years. Scholars estimate we are short between two and five million homes nationwide. Warren Lowell spent the last several years immersed in American housing policy as part of his PhD studies at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. For one study, he interviewed real estate developers …

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Mike Van Konynenburg and David Lehman Discuss the Real Estate Market 25:43

2M ago25:43

25:43

This week, we are looking at trends in the US real estate market, where the delta between debt and equity returns is as small as it’s been in 15 years. Mike Van Konynenburg, President of Eastdil Secured, oversees large, real estate transactions including financings, capital raises, sales, and investment banking transactions for institutional real e…

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Shawn Ury - Executive Director and Head of Alternatives at USAA 25:19

2M ago25:19

25:19

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Shawn Ury, Executive Director and Head of Alternatives at USAA, a financial services company providing insurance and banking products to members of the military, veterans, and their families. Shawn’s team oversees 13 different asset portfolios and two charitable foundations. We discuss Shaw…

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Ep. 166 Explainer: What Dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Will Cost Americans 20:08

2M ago20:08

20:08

In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, Congress established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the CFPB. It protects Americans from predatory practices by consumer finance companies. The CFPB enforces federal laws and investigates fraud and abuse. It has sent over 6.8 million complaints to companies for resolution so far. The bureau ha…

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Sara Eisen - Co-Anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” & “Money Movers” 26:31

2M ago26:31

26:31

Welcome to Season 12 of The HPScast. Join host Colbert Cannon for a conversation with Sara Eisen, co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” & “Money Movers”. She shares how preparation met opportunity on her path to national television—and how taking a chance on forex market coverage gave her a competitive edge in her early days as a financial rep…

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Ep. 165 Explainer: What Dismantling the Department of Education Really Means 18:02

2M ago18:02

18:02

What does it mean for the country that President Trump has signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education? Leslie Babinski, a researcher who focuses on education and former director of the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy talks about this extraordinary change with guest host Anna Gassman-Pines, Senior Associate De…

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Ep. 164 When Those Who Lead Own Your Feed 24:41

3M ago24:41

24:41

What does it mean for democracy when a president owns a social platform, and is supported by others with major platforms of their own? Philip Napoli directs the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy at Duke University and he joins Manoj Mohanan, interim public policy dean at Duke to discuss historical parallels to the connection between pol…

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Ep. 163 Why is Everybody So Interested in Greenland and the Arctic? 15:31

4M ago15:31

15:31

The new administration’s interest in cold, snowy regions of the world might have come out of the blue to many Americans, but not to Tim Nichols. He leads the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy Master of National Security Policy program – and he teaches about the growing strategic importance of Greenland and the broader Arctic. He joins…

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Ep. 162 A New Administration Considers NATO 29:24

4M ago29:24

29:24

President Trump returns to the White House with his “America First” approach - a strategy critics say often comes at the expense of international alliances and multilateral commitments. Duke professor Susan Colbourn, a historian specializing in NATO, joins Manoj Mohanan, interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke to discuss the top…

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The HPScast - Season 11 Finale 8:56

6M ago8:56

8:56

To wrap up Season 11 of the HPScast, host Colbert Cannon revisits some of his favorite moments. We heard from mavericks across a range of industries: from Hollywood, to brick-and-mortar retail, to bankruptcy and restructurings. We also featured deep dives into the private and public credit markets with esteemed colleagues in finance. The HPScast te…

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Ep. 161 Election 2024: Towards More Civil Discourse 26:54

6M ago26:54

26:54

It’s no secret that Americans’ ability to engage in meaningful conversations across political, cultural, and ideological divides feels more strained than ever. In this episode, we discuss how to bring people together. Two words: civil discourse. Duke professor Abdullah Antepli is a nationally recognized expert in civil discourse. Recently he’s been…

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Bradley Beman - Head of Fixed Income at Nationwide 24:29

6M ago24:29

24:29

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Bradley Beman, Head of Fixed Income Asset Management at Nationwide, one of the nation's largest insurance and financial services companies. We discuss Bradley’s transition from the investing side to managing portfolios—and how private credit fits into Nationwide’s portfolio. Learn more abou…

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Johnny Chow - Chief Investment Officer for Legal & General Institutional Retirement Division 20:23

6M ago20:23

20:23

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Johnny Chow, Chief Investment Officer for Legal & General Institutional Retirement Division, one of the UK's largest insurance and asset management businesses. We discuss his decision to join L&G after an eight-year tenure at J.P. Morgan, working across a range of credit trading businesses.…

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Current Credit Market Trends with HPS Managing Directors’ Vikas Keswani and Scott Crocombe 28:41

7M ago28:41

28:41

This week’s podcast focuses on current trends in the private and public credit markets. We discuss interest rates, credit spreads, M&A activity, and sectors that have our attention. Host Colbert Cannon sits down with two of HPS’s senior investment leaders: Vikas Keswani, a Managing Director and Head of North American Specialty Direct Lending, and S…

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James H.M. Sprayregen - Vice Chairman at Hilco Global 29:20

7M ago29:20

29:20

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with James “Jamie” Sprayregen, Vice Chairman at Hilco Global, a financial services firm focused on asset valuations, monetization, and disposition services. We discuss Jamie’s 31-year tenure growing Kirkland & Ellis’ restructuring and bankruptcy law practices globally. He shares insights on some…

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Ep. 160 Election 2024: How Seeing Each Other Can Combat Polarization 25:51

7M ago25:51

25:51

Could political polarization be addressed by something very simple – getting to know each other better? David Brooks argues that polarization stems from an urgent need for connection. "There are connections between seeing others and strengthening our communities and in turn, democracy," he says. Brooks is an opinion columnist for the New York Times…

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Steven Silverstein - Chief Executive Officer at Spencer Spirit Holdings, Inc. 27:15

7M ago27:15

27:15

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Steven Silverstein, Chief Executive Officer at Spencer Spirit Holdings, Inc, which operates two distinct experiential lifestyle brands, Spencer’s and Spirit Halloween. We discuss what pushed Steven to pursue a career in brick-and-mortar retail, his foundational lessons in crafting memorable…

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Current Macro and Credit Market Outlook with Goldman Sachs' Lotfi Karoui 26:54

8M ago26:54

26:54

This week, we welcome Lotfi Karoui, Chief Credit Strategist and Head of Credit and Mortgage Strategy Research at Goldman Sachs. Lotfi shares his macro and credit market outlook on the HPScast with host Colbert Cannon.By colbert cannon, lotfi karoui

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Franklin Leonard - Founder & CEO of The Black List 28:23

8M ago28:23

28:23

Welcome to Season 11 of the HPScast. To kick us off, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Franklin Leonard, the founder & CEO of The Black List, an online marketplace that connects writers and their scripts to television & filmmakers looking to develop their next project. We discuss how Franklin navigated the “whisper network” to break into Hollywood…

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Ep. 159 Election 2024: Lying in Politics with PolitiFact Founder Bill Adair 37:14

8M ago37:14

37:14

In this episode of Policy 360, Duke Professor Bill Adair joins us to discuss lying in politics. Adair founded the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking organization PolitiFact. His new book, Beyond the Big Lie, explores how and why politicians lie, which party does it more, and what can be done about it. This episode is part of our ongoing series of…

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Ep. 158 Election 2024: HBCUs and the Fight for American Democracy 16:57

8M ago16:57

16:57

Historically Black colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played an important role in America’s past, present, and future – and it’s becoming clear that they are playing a big role in democracy itself. Duke Sanford School of Public Policy professor Deondra Rose joins us to discuss the topic. Her new book is The Power of Black Excellence: HBCUs and …

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Ep 157 Election 2024: Racial Wealth Inequality and Policy 21:25

9M ago21:25

21:25

Duke professor William A. (Sandy) Darity joins host Manoj Mohanan, interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, to discuss his research on the racial wealth gap and its historical roots. They examine the implications of various policy proposals, including reparations and baby bonds, and how these policies might address th…

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Ep. 156: Election 2024: Better Support for Families 20:57

9M ago20:57

20:57

In this episode we will explore a policy idea that Republicans and Democrats seem to agree upon: expanding the Child Tax Credit. Duke professors Anna Gassman-Pines and Lisa Gennetian join host Manoj Mohanan, interim Dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke, to discuss their recent op-ed, "Cash Alone Won’t Relieve ‘Surviving’ American Fam…

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Ep. 155 The Age of Grievance 34:52

12M ago34:52

34:52

Frank Bruni discusses his new book, "The Age of Grievance." --- Frank Bruni is a distinguished journalist and celebrated author. He talks with Judith Kelley about his latest book, "The Age of Grievance," which explores the cultural and political impacts of Americans’ fixation on grievances: “More and more Americans are convinced that they’re losing…

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The HPScast - Season 10 Finale 12:54

12M ago12:54

12:54

Today marks the end of Season 10 of The HPScast. Join host Colbert Cannon for a listen back to some of our best moments this season. We had the great pleasure of hearing from insightful voices across health care, law, media and finance — including some of our own colleagues here at HPS. The HPScast team is grateful to all of our guests for taking t…

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Robert Carlock - Showrunner for 30 Rock & Emmy Award-Winning Writer & Producer 28:48

12M ago28:48

28:48

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Robert Carlock, Emmy Award-winning writer and producer best known for his work as showrunner on Tina Fey's acclaimed sitcom, 30 Rock. We hear how Robert cut his teeth producing Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” and first met Tina. Robert discusses the professional partnership and friendship that he…

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Chris Stainton - Managing Director at HPS Investment Partners 24:44

12M ago24:44

24:44

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Chris Stainton, a Managing Director in HPS’ London office focused on direct lending and special situations investing. We talk about Chris’s early career at Bain Capital and how sitting across the negotiation table with HPS led to his eventual decision to join the firm. We also do a deep dive into the ev…

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Gareth Mee - Chief Investment Officer of Private Markets at Legal & General Capital 25:35

1y ago25:35

25:35

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Gareth Mee, Chief Investment Officer of Private Markets at Legal & General Capital, the investing arm of one of the UK's largest insurance and asset management businesses. We talk about Gareth’s early career working as a consultant and eventual partner at Ernst & Young and his transition to…

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Jonathan Stromseth - Professor of the Practice at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy 21:37

1y ago21:37

21:37

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Jonathan Stromseth, Professor of the Practice at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Jonathan teaches and researches globalization, foreign aid and governance reform work in Asia. We talk about Jonathan’s time spent across Asia working for the U.S. international development o…

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Jared Solomon - Co-Founder and CEO of Five Iron Golf 23:48

1y ago23:48

23:48

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Jared Solomon, Co-Founder and CEO of Five Iron Golf, an indoor golf simulator and events & entertainment business catering to urban centers. We talk about Jared’s first foray into entrepreneurship with Flux Stables, a poker staking business he started in law school. And he shares how he’s c…

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Current Credit Market Trends with HPS Governing Partners Purnima Puri and Mike Patterson 22:18

1y ago22:18

22:18

This week’s episode features a discussion of current credit market trends with HPS Governing Partners Purnima Puri and Mike Patterson joining host Colbert Cannon.By purnima puri, colbert cannon, mike patterson, hps, hps investment partners

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Jay Goffman - Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Smith Goffman Partners 25:00

1y ago25:00

25:00

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Jay Goffman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Smith Goffman Partners, a restructuring advisory firm with a merchant bank component. We talk about Jay’s early start in bankruptcy law, his journey to becoming partner at Skadden and the origin of Smith Goffman Partners. Learn more about Jay’s Best Ide…

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S9 Episode 1: Missing Votes 31:28

1y ago31:28

31:28

Why many college students' ballots are getting tossed — and what could be done about it. --- In this episode of Ways & Means – as we head into the 2024 elections – why lots of North Carolina college students’ votes did not count in the last election, or the time before that, or the time before that. Why those votes weren’t counted, and how to preve…

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The HPScast - Midseason 10 Break 0:33

1y ago0:33

0:33

The HPScast is on a midseason break, but we’ll be back with all new episodes starting Wednesday, May 1st. We encourage you to take a listen back to any conversations you might have missed. Or, check out our Best Ideas shared so far. You'll find links to books, podcasts, movies and TV shows in our show notes.…

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Dr. Brendan Carr - Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System 21:34

1y ago21:34

21:34

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Dr. Brendan Carr, Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Carr became the head of the Emergency Department of Mount Sinai in 2020 — just one month before the hospital reported New York City’s first case of COVID-19. He shares his takeaways from the frontlines of a global pandemic a…

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Ep. 154 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maria Ressa 46:53

1y ago46:53

46:53

Maria Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for challenging corruption in her native country, the Philippines. She is now focused on the threat to democracy from big tech. --- Maria Ressa is a groundbreaking international journalist. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her efforts to address corruption in the Philippines. Ressa is CEO of Ra…

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Salim Ismail - Co-Founder and Chairman of OpenExO 30:45

1y ago30:45

30:45

On this week’s episode, host Colbert Cannon sits down with Salim Ismail, Co-Founder and Chairman of OpenExO, a global community that connects professionals with organizations, institutions and people who want to build a better future through cutting-edge ideas and actionable methodologies. We talk about how Salim works with global organizations to …

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David Lehman - Managing Director at HPS Investment Partners 23:57

1y ago23:57

23:57

This week, host Colbert Cannon sits down with David Lehman, Managing Director for HPS Investment Partners. David manages HPS's real estate finance practice. We discuss David’s early career learnings while trading structured products at Morgan Stanley and later Deutsche Bank before joining Goldman Sachs, where he eventually led the firm’s global rea…

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Ep. 153 Towards More Civil Discourse 26:41

1y ago26:41

26:41

New series of related courses at Duke University explore civil discourse and democracy. --- Today’s guests argue that the January 6th storming of the Capitol in the United States is a stark example of the violence that can come from the way in which people talk to each other across the political divide. To address the issue, Duke faculty members St…

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Kristin Kallergis Rowland - Global Head of Alternative Investments at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management 23:45

1y ago23:45

23:45

Welcome back to Season 10 of The HPScast. Host Colbert Cannon sits down with Kristin Kallergis Rowland, Global Head of Alternative Investments for J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Kristin’s team oversees $140 billion in assets under management with private equity, private credit, real estate and hedge fund firms globally. We talk about Kristin’s earl…

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Ep. 152 A Conversation With Writer Isabel Wilkerson 47:09

1y ago47:09

47:09

In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the National Humanities Medal for "championing the stories of an unsung history." A conversation with Isabel Wilkerson. --- Isabel Wilkerson, an esteemed American journalist and author, visited the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy recently to meet with students and present the 2024 Terry Sanford Lectu…

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Ep. 151 America’s ‘High But Hollow’ Military Support 46:10

1+ y ago46:10

46:10

“In 2018, Gallup recorded that some 74% of Americans said they had 'a great deal’ or 'quite a lot' of confidence in the military; in 2023, that number had dropped to 60%. That is still high compared to other governmental institutions, but it is a marked decline.” – Peter Feaver Peter Feaver is a professor at Duke University, where he runs the Progr…