Policy on the Rocks is an event series that brings our community together to connect, network, and exchange ideas in a relaxed setting.
Over drinks and hors d’oeuvres, participants hear from leading experts on today’s most pressing public policy and management challenges. Hosted at the Washington, D.C. metro area offices of APPAM institutional members, Policy on the Rocks was created to foster face-to-face interaction and meaningful networking opportunities.
All events are 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm with a one-hour panel followed by a one-hour networking reception. APPAM members are free; non-members have a $10 registration fee.
Upcoming Events
AI Governance Across Public & Policy Research Sectors
Monday, June 15
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Co-hosted by the Indiana University, O'Neill School
1619 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20002
Artificial intelligence governance is not a single challenge - it is a complex, interconnected set of issues unfolding simultaneously across government, academia, and the policy research community.
At the federal level, agencies are not only developing AI governance policies but also actively deploying AI tools for fraud detection, benefits administration, and regulatory review. Meanwhile, state and local governments are integrating AI into the fabric of society, often without well-defined frameworks for accountability and oversight.. Universities sit at the center of this transformation. They are crafting institutional AI governance strategies, rethinking teaching and learning in an AI-driven world, addressing research data security in the era of cloud-based tools, and educating the workforce responsible for shaping responsible AI systems.
Despite these shared challenges, conversations around AI governance are happening in silo.
This panel brings together experts from across government, academia, and policy research field to explore emerging frameworks, identify leadership trends, and surface key points of tension. The discussion will include audience Q&A, followed by a one-hour networking reception.
Moderator: Kosali Simon, APPAM President & Professor, Indiana University
Panelist: Eric Stokan, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Panelist: Anh Ngoc Tran, Indiana University, O'Neill School
Cost:
APPAM Members: Free
Non-Members: $10
Expanding Access, Protecting Trust: Modern Approaches to Sensitive Policy Data
Tuesday, July 14
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Co-hosted by Westat
7501 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD, 20814
Answers to important policy questions about health, education, economic well‑being, and public program performance often require access to data that is restricted to protect privacy. At the same time, data stewards, policymakers, and researchers face growing pressure for timely, transparent, and credible evidence. How can we expand access to sensitive data without compromising privacy, confidentiality, or public trust?
Join APPAM & Westat as we examine practical, real‑world techniques for using sensitive data in policy research. This panel explores how techniques such as synthetic data, small cell suppression, and privacy-preserving linkage expand access to evidence while protecting subjects and maintaining trust. Topics covered will include:
- When and how artificially generated datasets can support policy analysis while protecting individual privacy
- How disclosure control techniques are used when reporting on small populations or small cell counts in general, and why they matter for both privacy and data quality
- How these methods enable deeper insights into program outcomes and population‑level impacts while protecting privacy
Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how modern approaches can increase the usability of sensitive data, and what that means for the future of evidence‑based policymaking.
Cost:
APPAM Members: Free
Non-Members: $10
Mental Health Care As A Public Safety Tool
Tuesday, August 18
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Co-hosted by Arnold Ventures
1201 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005
A discussion bringing researchers and practitioners together to discuss the public safety impacts of providing mental health care to high-risk groups before and during engagement with the criminal justice system. The event will explore health care’s role at a series of intervention points, including providing mental health care to high-risk youth as a crime prevention tactic, strategies for addressing mental health challenges within the justice system, and the importance of health care access at reentry.
Cost:
APPAM Members: Free
Non-Members: $10
Education Policy & the Teacher Shortage: Strengthening the Profession, Not Just Fixing the Workforce
Tuesday, September 15
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Co-hosted by Northeastern University, Arlington
1300 17th St N, Arlington, VA 22209
The teacher shortage has deepened despite decades of policy attention. This panel asks a different set of questions. What does it take to strengthen the teaching profession itself, rather than continually patching the workforce? What do competitive compensation, strong preparation, professional autonomy, and a more diverse teaching force look like in practice? What is Washington, DC doing differently, and what is it producing? What are other states trying, and how does that compare? And what comes next for policymakers ready to treat the profession as infrastructure to build, not a cost to manage?
Moderator: Etai Mizrav, Northeastern University, School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs
Panelist: Josh Glazer, George Washington University
Panelist: Andrea Guiden Pittman, American University
Cost:
APPAM Members: Free
Non-Members: $10
Interested in Hosting?
Why co-host: Policy on the Rocks is a great way to highlight your organization, meet with 100+ attendees, and share information that's of special interest to you & our field. Co-hosts must be institutional members of APPAM and will receive logo recognition and brief welcome remarks in exchange for complimentary meeting space & AV, while showcasing the organization's preferred facilities.
Event Details: Policy on the Rocks is a one-hour panel followed by a one-hour networking reception, typically 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Most Policy on the Rocks events are hosted in the Washington, DC metro area, but we're open to hosting these outside of DC with the right amount of support & interest. For example, in conjunction with our Annual Fall Research Conference, November 5 -7, 2026, in Boston. Below is what we're looking for in an event venue:
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Theater or classroom seating for 100, with room for 5 speakers & projection in the front of the room.
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Adjacent or nearby reception space that can accommodate a bar, buffet tables, and scattered high-top tables.
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On-site AV equipment and tech support - 1 podium mic, five speaker mics, one audience mic, internet, and projection.
How it works: The co-host takes the lead on content, speakers, and meeting space, while APPAM handles promotion, registration, and catering.
Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis. The 2026 schedule is currently closed.
Interested in Becoming a Sponsor?
Sponsorship is a great way to connect with 100+ policy researchers and practitioners across the DC metro area. Each Policy on the Rocks event offers up to two sponsorship opportunities: $2,000 each for APPAM institutional members ($2,500 for non-members). Sponsors receive prominent branding, recognition in all event materials, a display table, and the opportunity to personally welcome attendees.
For more information, contact Samantha Oliver Thomason at [email protected].
Previous Events
May 2025
The Nation's Nest Egg: Strengthening Social Security's Finances for the Long Term
Co-hosted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Participants joined experts from CBPP, the National Academy of Social Insurance, the Urban Institute, AARP, and Justice in Aging for a timely discussion on proposals to strengthen Social Security’s long-term financing. The event explored the federal budget outlook, policy tradeoffs, opportunities for bipartisan collaboration, and gaps in current research, followed by an evening of networking.
Moderator: Rebecca Vallas, National Academy of Social Insurance
Panelist: Joel Eskovitz, AARP
Panelist: Tracey Gronniger, Justice in Aging
Panelist: Kathleen Romig, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Panelist: Jonathan Schwabish, Urban Institute
November 2025: Seattle
Local Governance in a Shifting Political Landscape
Description: Join us for an engaging conversation on how recent political and administrative shifts at the federal and state levels are shaping governance and decision-making at the local level. This event will bring together a panel of experts, including local government scholars, elected officials, and senior administrators from across Washington. Panelists will share their perspectives on how the current administration’s policies are impacting local policy development, public management, and service delivery. The discussion will also explore opportunities for research and the role of evidence-based practices in informing local governance.
Moderator: Jodi Sandfort, UW Evans School Dean
Panelist: Angela Birney, Mayor, Redmond, Washington
Panelist: Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Councilmember, Seattle City Council
Panelist: Christine Rolfes, County Commissioner, Kitsap County, Washington
September 2025
AI in Public Policy
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.
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Zachary Arnold, Senior Director for Programs and General Counsel, Horizon Institute for Public Service
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Denise L. Baer, President and Founder of Strategic Research Concepts, Adjunct Faculty, George Washington University
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Justine Gluck, AI Legislation Fellow, US Legislation Team at the Future of Privacy Forum
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Caroline Jeanmarie, Interim Director of U.S. AI Governance, The Future Society
Moderated by:
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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.
May 2025
Where Are We Now? Policy Analysis and Management Under a Trump Administration
Seismic shifts have occurred 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. For Policy on the Rocks, we've brought back several panelists from our initial discussion and invited new scholars from various backgrounds to share their thoughts on how these changes have reshaped the policy landscape–and what is still yet to come.
Featured Speakers:
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Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy
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Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Former APPAM President
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Michael Strain, Director of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
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Christina Yancey, Vice President, Workforce Development, American Institutes for Research
Moderated by:
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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