No BS Bureaucracy

About No BS Bureaucracy

Welcome to "No BS Bureaucracy," your entertaining guide to local government technology and policy. Hosted by Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler, two former big-city CIOs who are anything but typical tech guys, this podcast ditches dry formalities for real talk about what works versus what’s just hype. Mike and Mark break it down with a blend of hard-earned wisdom and humor that’s more John Oliver than a civics teacher who’s given up caffeine. Mike, Miami’s first Chief Innovation Officer, and Mark, Philly’s first Chief Geographic Information Officer, aren't just any bureaucrats—they’re creatives and community builders who found their way into technology. Mike’s a musician in the indie electronic/alt-pop band Raker, and Mark’s an improv actor, so you know things won’t be boring. Their unique blend of expertise and creativity makes for lively and always insightful conversations. Think of a "Real Time with Bill Maher" panel with Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation,” but suitable for work! Join Mike and Mark as they break down the topics of the day: AI, Govtech, smart cities, innovation, data privacy, digital ID, digital transformation, leadership, people and process, and more. They tackle serious topics with a relaxed, engaging tone, but with a touch of snark. Expect candid discussions with civil servants about making a difference, successes and failures, and advice for policy makers and technologists. If you’re into making local government better, whether you’re a politician, technology leader, or just someone who cares, "No BS Bureaucracy" is for you. Tune in, learn something new, and have a good time doing it. (theme music, “Hologram” by Raker) Follow Mark and Mike on LinkedIn, and Raker Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwheelerphl/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwheelerphl/)https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasti/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasti/)@rakermusic https://www.instagram.com/rakermusic (https://www.instagram.com/rakermusic)

Publisher

Mark Wheeler and Mike Sarasti

Category

government

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Jul 2024

Latest episode

24 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Jan 2025

   Augmented Cities, Amplified Problems: Zoning the Virtual World

   Our beloved ex-CIO’s dive into a Black Mirror version of cities disrupted by augmented and virtual reality with urban technology strategist Greg Lindsay. Greg breaks down his report, "Augmented City: Seeing Through Disruption", offering tools like Threatcasting to help local governments spot threats early and respond effectively. From veiling storefronts with virtual billboards to the chilling idea of AI manipulating what we see and hear in public, this future isn’t far off—it’s a virtual Pok...

2. 

   6 Jan 2025

   Innovation as a Service

   In Episode #5, co-hosts Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler chat with civic innovation leader Eliza Erickson to explore how local governments can shape innovation ecosystems within and outside of city hall. From her unexpected leap into government work to managing a flagship portfolio in Philadelphia, Eliza spills the tea on what it takes to grow and shape innovation as a city service. Some highlights:People, Place, and Process: Eliza lays out her career-defining mantra and how this framework shape...

3. 

   11 Nov 2024

   Want Evergreen Innovation? Subtract, Don’t Add. An Interview with Innovation Expert, Brian Elms

   In this episode of No BS Bureaucracy, Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler join forces with public sector innovation guru Brian Elms, of Peak Academy and Change Agents, to explore how to make continuous process improvement part of the bureaucracy— revealing that to make local government services better, the best addition is a good subtraction. There are too many insights in this episode to list! Don’t Quit When You're Ahead - Brian emphasizes that innovation in government is an evergreen progra...

4. 

   1 Oct 2024

   Just Because genAI Can, Doesn’t Mean genAI Should - in City Hall

   In Episode #3, hosts Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler respond to questions from listeners about generative AI. Mike and Mark make it clear: for local governments, early experimentation is valuable, but do not downplay the risks and execution considerations. Slapping on “use at your own risk” warning on your city hall genAI chatbot is maybe not the best way to actually serve the public?Not All AI Risk Profiles Are the Same: Local governments are conflating the very different risk profiles of gene...

5. 

   10 Aug 2024

   Cities, Slow Your Roll on Enterprise Generative AI

   In Episode #2 of No BS Bureaucracy, hosts Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler explore local governments' readiness for generative AI. They tackle the notion that cities must rush to put enterprise-level gen AI tools into production. Their bottom line?Don’t relinquish the wheel to any gen AI co-pilots until city leaders understand the contours of their departments’ data sprawl.Leaders must be familiar with gen AI tools themselves.AI governance is a natural extension of all your existing frameworks f...

6. 

   6 Jul 2024

   Portable Digital IDs and the City - Ready or Not?

   The pilot episode! The ex-CIOs are “unleashed” and talk about the state of innovation leadership in local government (whose job is it really?) and delve into the value of digital IDs and state-issued mobile driver licenses (mDLs) to cities. They discuss how different approaches to digital ID can seamlessly, and securely, unlock municipal services for residents. Mike provides details on a recent project exploring emergency relief payments with decentralized IDs and verifiable credentials. Mark...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 21 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

9

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

81

Contact No BS Bureaucracy

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.