In this episode of Chief Influencer, guest host Lesley Lopez sits down with Francesca Ioffreda, Maryland’s first-ever Chief Innovation Officer. With a career spanning roles at Harvard University, Brookings Institution, and the Greater Washington Partnership, Francesca shares how her mission to expand economic opportunity led her to this groundbreaking role. She discusses how Maryland is tackling complex challenges like childhood poverty and economic mobility through human-centered design, data, and cross-sector collaboration.A key driver behind this work is the state’s partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, which helped stand up Maryland’s innovation team and enable a new model for how government can operate. This conversation highlights a broader lesson about influence: the most effective leaders don’t just introduce bold ideas—they build trust, convene stakeholders, and co-create solutions with the people they serve. From launching tools like the Maryland Community Business Compass to working across government and applying AI to help agencies improve public-facing resources and work more efficiently, this episode offers a blueprint for leaders looking to turn vision into practical, measurable impact. Takeaways:Innovation Is About Solving Problems, Not Just Building Technology: Technology matters, but it is only part of the answer. The strongest innovation begins with understanding people’s needs and building solutions that respond to real challenges.Put People at the Center: Human-centered design and community engagement help leaders create solutions shaped by lived experience.Data-Driven and Heart-Led Wins: Great leaders combine rigorous analysis with empathy and lived experience.Influence Means Innovating With Community: The strongest leaders do not innovate in isolation. They build trust, stay close to communities, and shape solutions with the people they are meant to serve.Trust Is Built Through Showing Up: Relationships are built in community meetings and gatherings, over coffee, and through consistent engagement—not just in launch announcements.AI Should Free Humans to Be More Human: Used thoughtfully, AI can remove friction, save time, and allow public servants to focus on serving people.Results Build Momentum: Early wins and visible progress help build trust, strengthen confidence, and bring more people along.Quote of the Show:“A core part of our theory of influencing is also allowing ourselves to be influenced by Marylanders. It's not just us innovating for others; it's that we are innovating together.”Links:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/francescaioffreda Maryland State Innovation Team Website: https://innovation.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx Maryland Community Business Compass: https://compass.maryland.gov/ 

In this special in-person episode recorded at The George Washington University, Anthony Shop sits down with Dan Simons, co-founder of Farmers Restaurant Group, to explore what it truly means to lead with influence in today’s complex and fast-moving world. Known for building a mission-driven hospitality brand that connects American family farmers to the urban table, Dan shares how success is not built on polished narratives—but on embracing the full picture, including failure, struggle, and growth.Throughout the conversation, Dan challenges traditional notions of leadership, advocating for radical transparency, operational excellence, and a deeply human approach to business. From navigating criticism and scaling culture, to prioritizing mental health and aligning purpose with performance, Dan offers a candid and practical blueprint for leaders who want to build organizations that are both high-performing and deeply meaningful.Takeaways:Don’t lead from the highlight reel—lead from the full story: Influence comes from authenticity. Sharing struggles and failures builds trust and creates a deeper connection with your team and audience.Operational excellence is the ultimate marketing strategy: Before investing in messaging, fix the fundamentals. If the product or experience fails, no amount of marketing can compensate.Start with internal influence before external impact: You cannot build brand advocates externally without first creating alignment, trust, and belief inside your organization.Treat criticism as data—not a personal attack: Filter feedback to identify the root issue. Remove emotion, find the signal, and use it to improve systems and performance.Humanize your business to stay relevant: Today’s audiences connect with people, not logos. Leaders must step forward and give their organizations a voice.Align mission with reality: Purpose matters—but it cannot come at the expense of sustainability. Strong businesses balance values with operational discipline.Coaching in the moment builds culture faster than policies: Real-time feedback, grounded in trust and relationships, drives performance and reinforces shared standards.Quote of the Show:“If your business doesn’t have a voice, then by definition it can’t be in a conversation.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansimonssays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansimonssays/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsimonssays YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe9opWoLOjjTr7MlXOrooSAFounding DC Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/founding-dc/id1800509479  Website: https://www.farmersrestaurantgroup.com/ 

What does it take to build influence when the stakes are deeply personal—and the audience is scattered across the globe? In this episode, Anthony Shop sits down with Mike Graglia, Founder and CEO of Cure SYNGAP1, to explore how one father turned a devastating diagnosis into a global movement accelerating research, building community, and driving toward a cure.Mike shares how he leveraged authenticity, relentless communication, and a willingness to experiment to create a powerful platform that connects families, researchers, and industry leaders. From launching a low-production video podcast to becoming a trusted voice for a rare disease community, Mike demonstrates how leaders can “punch above their weight” by showing up consistently, building trust, and turning their personal story into collective action. This conversation is a masterclass in influence for anyone looking to mobilize stakeholders, build credibility, and lead with purpose.Takeaways:Use your authentic voice—even if it’s not polished: Mike’s “low to no production value” podcast works because it’s real. Leaders don’t need perfection—they need trust.Communicate relentlessly (and repeat yourself): Influence isn’t about saying something once. It’s about reinforcing key messages in different ways until they stick.Turn one-to-one conversations into one-to-many platforms: Instead of repeating himself to hundreds of families, Mike scaled his impact through a video podcast—saving time while expanding reach.Build trust before asking for action: Whether it’s participating in research or supporting a cause, people act when they feel connected and informed.Be willing to experiment—and iterate quickly: Mike didn’t overthink launching his podcast. He tested, learned, and refined—embracing progress over perfection.Become a magnet by consistently showing up: By flooding the space with valuable, relevant content, Mike ensured families and stakeholders could find him when they needed help most.Leverage community to punch above your weight: With a small team, Mike mobilized volunteers, families, and partners—proving influence is about activation, not headcount.Quote of the Show:“When you’re a small army trying to influence a huge and disparate population, I always tell people: start a podcast. It’s such a potent tool for amplifying your voice right now. And even though there’s so much noise out there, we all have our own niches—and rare disease is about as niche as it gets.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graglia/ Podcast: https://curesyngap1.org/podcasts/syngap10/ Website: https://curesyngap1.org/ 

In today’s fragmented and fast-moving influence landscape, what does it mean to lead with principle—and still drive real impact?In this episode of Chief Influencer, host Anthony Shop sits down with Peter Goettler, President and CEO of the Cato Institute, to explore how principled leadership can be a powerful force for influence in Washington and beyond.Peter shares how he has guided one of the nation’s most influential think tanks by staying grounded in core values—while evolving its strategy to meet the demands of a digital, decentralized world.From expanding Cato’s reach beyond the Beltway to building a national network of over 20,000 educators, Peter offers a compelling look at how influence is earned through credibility, consistency, and connection.Takeaways:Principle as a Competitive Advantage: In a world where positions shift quickly, Peter makes the case that consistency builds trust. Influence isn’t just about persuasion—it’s about credibility. When audiences know where you stand, they’re more likely to listen.Influence Through Common Ground: Rather than avoiding disagreement, Peter embraces it. By focusing on areas of alignment across political divides, leaders can move ideas forward without compromising core beliefs.Incremental Change, Strategic Direction: Big change rarely happens overnight. Peter shares how effective leaders pursue incremental progress—while staying aligned with a clear “north star.”Expanding Influence Beyond Traditional Channels: The think tank model has evolved. Instead of relying solely on white papers and policy elites, Cato now prioritizes distribution—leveraging digital platforms, real-time engagement, and viral moments to reach broader audiences.Investing in the Next Generation of Influence: Through its nationwide educator initiative, Cato is helping rebuild civic culture—equipping teachers and students with tools for civil discourse, critical thinking, and respectful disagreement.Leadership Without Imitation: Peter challenges the idea that leaders must follow the same playbook. Whether it’s skipping social media or redefining outreach strategies, authentic leadership means focusing on what drives the greatest impact—not what others are doing.Preparation Creates Breakthrough Moments: A viral exchange featuring a Cato expert wasn’t planned—but it was possible because of deep preparation, expertise, and clarity of conviction. Influence favors those who are ready.Quote of the Show:“Being rooted in principle, being seen as having a high level of integrity and credibility, is a very important element in having influence, exerting influence, and ultimately persuading people.”Links:Website: https://www.cato.org/ 

In this episode of Chief Influencer, Anthony Shop sits down with Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to explore what it means to lead and influence at a massive scale. With responsibility for serving over 17 million veterans, Dr. Lawrence shares how his transition from private sector consultant to government operator required a shift from advising to executing, all while navigating the complexity of one of the largest organizations in the world. From improving benefit delivery timelines to simplifying access and modernizing digital experiences, he emphasizes the importance of clarity, accountability, and continuous improvement.A central theme of the conversation is the power of listening as a leadership tool. Through in-person town halls and direct engagement on platforms like LinkedIn, Dr. Lawrence gathers unfiltered feedback that directly shapes policy, communication, and innovation. He also highlights how leaders can extend their influence by embracing modern channels, creating content that educates, resonates, and drives action. Ultimately, this episode reveals that influence isn’t about visibility; it’s about delivering meaningful value, building trust, and ensuring the right message reaches the right people at the right time.Takeaways:Turn Listening Into Strategy: Great leaders don’t just listen—they operationalize what they hear. Identify recurring themes from conversations, town halls, or feedback channels, and use those insights to drive decisions, prioritize initiatives, and shape communication.Translate Complexity Into Clarity: If your audience can’t easily understand your message or process, they won’t engage. Break down complex systems into simple, actionable steps and continuously refine the experience to meet rising expectations shaped by the private sector.Meet People Where They Are: Different audiences require different communication channels. Combine digital platforms, in-person engagement, and traditional outreach to ensure no one is left out—especially when serving diverse or underserved populations.Leverage Personal Platforms for Mission Impact: Your personal brand can be a powerful extension of your organization’s mission. Focus on sharing insights, answering real questions, and providing value—positioning yourself as a trusted source, not just a spokesperson.Start With What You Already Do Well: You don’t need to reinvent yourself to succeed on modern platforms. Identify your natural strengths—whether it’s teaching, storytelling, or simplifying ideas—and adapt them to formats like video, social posts, or short-form content.Make the Ask, Not Just the Awareness: Awareness alone rarely drives change. Clearly articulate what action you want your audience to take—whether it’s applying for a benefit, supporting a cause, or checking in on a colleague—and make it easy for them to follow through.Humanize Leadership: People connect with authenticity, not institutions. By showing up as a real person—sharing perspective, context, and even small personal touches—you build trust and make your message more relatable and memorable.Quote of the Show:“We’re trying everything we can to get veterans the information they need that helps them access what they’ve earned. If you care about this issue passionately — if you think it's important, what are you doing with it? Don't be shy. Tell everybody about it."Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpaullawrence/ Website: https://www.va.gov/