About this Series
Connect with fellow researchers and practitioners and get to know our community over drinks and hors d'oeuvres while hearing leading experts discuss the most pressing issues related to public policy and public management. Policy on the Rocks is a new event series hosted at the Washington, D.C. locations of our institutional members.
Policy on the Rocks events are free, open to all, and won't be recorded.
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AI in Public Policy, Tuesday, September 9th, 2025, 5:00 PM - 6:45 PM Eastern
At our second Policy on the Rocks event, we'll explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the way research is conducted and public policy decisions are made. The event will bring together policymakers, technology leaders, and academics to discuss the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into public governance. From ethical frameworks and algorithmic transparency to smart infrastructure and data-driven decision-making, discover how AI is reshaping the public sector — and what it means for democracy, equity, and accountability. Stick around for a Q&A with our panel and a networking reception afterwards.
Moderator: Erdal Tekin, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM) and Fotis Family Distinguished Professor of Health Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University. In addition to being a leading scholar on risky behavior and crime and widely published, Erdal has been the editor of JPAM since 2018.
Panelist: Zachary Arnold, Senior Director for Programs and General Counsel, Horizon Institute for Public Service. Zach joined the Horizon Institute from the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, where he published widely cited research on diverse AI policy issues and led development of the Emerging Technology Observatory data platform. Earlier, he was a technology fellow with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a project finance attorney at Latham & Watkins LLP, and a judicial clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Panelist: Denise L. Baer, Strategic Research Concepts & George Washington University. Denise is an evaluation expert with over 25 years of experience in research, public affairs, and capacity-building across government, nonprofit, and international sectors. She has advised organizations including USAID, Sida, UNDP, and the State Department, and is a published scholar and educator in American politics, research methods, and evaluation. Her current research includes completing work on a book, Delivering Measurable Performance: Performance Evaluation Methods, Strategies and Tools for Policymaking and Public Management, and political ethnographic research on policy groups active in public affairs.
Panelist: Justine Gluck, AI Legislation Fellow, US Legislation Team at the Future of Privacy Forum. Previously, she conducted research on semiconductor policy and workforce development at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and the Micro Nano Technology Education Center. Earlier in her career, Justine served as a legislative aide in the California Legislature, drafting and advancing legislation on privacy, AI, and higher education. She holds an M.A. in International Relations with a specialization in Technology and International Affairs from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.A. in Politics and History from Pomona College.
Panelist: Caroline Jeanmarie, Interim Director of U.S. AI Governance, The Future Society. Caroline's work, grounded in her background in international relations and public policy, centers on ensuring the trustworthiness of advanced AI systems. She serves as an independent expert at the Collège Numérique of the French government. Caroline’s expertise spans AI policies across the US, UK, France, and EU, aiming to lead a global advancement in AI regulation.
Check back as new panelists are added to the event. Policy on the Rocks events are free and open to all but do require registration.
This event is sponsored in part by the American Evaluation Association.
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Previous Events
Policy on the Rocks: May 2025
When:
- Monday, May 19th, 2025
- 5:00 PM - 6:45 PM US Eastern
Where:
Agenda:
- Check-In - 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
- Panel Discussion - 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
- Networking Hour - 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM
Panel Discussion: Where Are We Now? Policy Analysis and Management Under a Trump Administration
Half a year after the plenary at our Fall Research Conference, where panelists offered their thoughts on the incoming administration's effect on policy, management, and research, seismic shifts have occurred. For Policy on the Rocks, we've brought back several panelists from our initial discussion and invited new scholars from a range of backgrounds to share their thoughts on how these changes have reshaped the policy landscape–and what is still yet to come.
Featured Speakers:
- Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy
- Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Former APPAM President
- Michael Strain, Director of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
- Christina Yancey, Vice President, Workforce Development, American Institutes for Research
Moderated by:
- Ingrid Gould Ellen, Professor of Urban Policy and Planning and Director for Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, New York University, APPAM President
This event was sponsored in part by the American Evaluation Association.