Building the Base
"Building the Base" - an in-depth series of conversations with top entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders from tech, financial, industrial, and public sectors.
Our special guests provide their unique perspectives on a broad selection of topics such as: shaping our future national security industrial base, the impact of disruptive technologies, how new startups can increasingly contribute to national security, and practical tips on leadership and personal development whether in government or the private sector.
Building the Base is hosted by Lauren Bedula, is Managing Director and National Security Technology Practice Lead at Beacon Global Strategies, and the Honorable Jim "Hondo" Geurts who retired from performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy and was the former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition and Acquisition Executive at United States Special Operations Command.
- Update frequency
- every 12 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 78
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Steffanie B. Easter, First Civilian Director of Navy Staff Office of Chief of Naval Operations & former Principal Deputy Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition Logistics and Technology
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Steffanie Easter, Senior Vice President
and Chief Sustainability Officer at Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions, to discuss the futu…
Lieutenant General Michael Groen, former Commander of the DoD Joint Artificial Intelligence Center
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, BENS hosts Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula join Lieutenant General Michael Groen, U.S. Marine Coprs (Ret.), former commander of the DoD Joint Artificial In…
The Honorable Ellen M. Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join The Honorable Ellen M. Lord, former Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to discuss the future of the defense …
Secretary Leon Panetta , Former Secretary of Defense, Director of the CIA, and White House Chief of Staff
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Secretary Leon Panetta, founder of the Panetta Institute and former CIA director and Secretary of Defense, to discuss the future of …
Congressman Michael John Gallagher, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren talk with Michael John Gallagher, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District to discuss the future of the defense ind…
Ted Schlein, Chairman and General Partner Ballistic Ventures and General Partner, Kleiner Perkins
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Ted Schlein, Chairman & General Partner, Ballistic Ventures and General Partner, Kleiner Perkins to discuss the future of the defens…
The Honorable Katrina McFarland, Former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology
In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Katrina McFarland, Former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology joins our own Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula t…
The Honorable Sue Gordon, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Sue is currently the Director at CACI International which provides the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address customers’ greatest enterprise and mission challenges.
She was the fift…
Nick Sinai, Former White House U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Advisor and Author
Check out our latest Business Executives for National Security (BENS) “Building the Base” podcast featuring Nick Sinai, Senior Advisor at Insight Partners, Adjunct & Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kenn…
Michael Morell, Former Deputy Director and Twice Acting Director of the CIA
Michael Morell is Former Deputy Director and twice Acting Director of CIA from 2009 to 2013. A 33-year veteran of CIA, including time as the head of analysis and daily intelligence briefer to Preside…
Championing Disruptive Technology and Its Value to the Department of Defense (DoD), VeraLinn “Dash” Jamieson
Retired three-star general VeraLinn “Dash” Jamieson sits down to discuss her experience in the armed forces and pressing national security issues facing the country’s ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance,…
William “Mac” Thornberry, former Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee
Mac Thornberry served as the U.S. Representative for Texas’s 13th Congressional District from 1995 to 2021, with service on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and was Chairman of t…
Dr. David Bray
Technologist and data expert Dr. David Bray is a leader with the World Economic Forum and a scholar with civil service experience. Bray served as an adviser to the Department of Defense focused on in…
Kirsten Bartok Touw, Co-Founder, New Vista Capital
Kirsten Bartok Touw is Co-Founder of New Vista Capital and Managing Partner of AirFinance. She is an active early-stage investor in new and emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies. Bartok T…
Steve Blank, Stanford University Adjunct Professor
Steve Blank is co-creator of the Lean Startup movement and has been part of, or co-founded, eight Silicon Valley startups in fields such as semiconductors, video games, personal computers and superco…
James Cross, Silicon Valley Defense Group
James Cross is the Founder of Silicon Valley Defense Group, a nonprofit connecting the people, capital, and ideas that will ensure the U.S. and its allies achieve a durable advantage in the global te…
Tina Dolph, CEO Siemens Government Technologies
Tina Dolph is an accomplished executive leader with more than two decades of government industry experience. She is widely known as a collaborative leader. Prior to leading Siemens Government Technol…
Shaun Modi , CEO Capitol AI
Shaun Modi is the founder and CEO of a new venture-backed Startup, Capitol AI. As founding designer at Airbnb, and co-founder of the design and innovation group TM, Shaun has launched over 55+ produc…