haddadmedia, Author at White House Correspondents Insider

Washington AI Network’s Winter Speakeasy Gathers Press and Policy Makers

December 19, 2025 By haddadmedia

You needed the secret password—llama—to slip into the Washington AI Network Winter Speakeasy, but once inside, it was full holiday magic. Guests traded coats for Meta smart glasses, with Meta’s Head of Global Communications, David Ginsberg, front and center as an A-list mix of media stars, policy pros, investors, and technologists leaned into cocktails, karaoke, and just the right amount of AI-fueled mischief. The crowd voted on their most-used AI tools, confessed their favorite chatbot prompts, and fueled the fun with Dog Tag Bakery’s legendary Do-nies (donut-brownies).

*CNN’s Kaitlan Collins with Jackie Rooney*

Here is how Politico playbook mentioned the event:

SPOTTED at a Washington AI Network winter speakeasy, presented by Meta, at the House at 1229 yesterday evening: David Ginsberg, Kaitlan Collins, David Gelles, Josh Dawsey, Andy Stone, Matt Kaplan, Jackie Rooney, Brian Roehrkasse, Donnie Fowler, Phil Rucker, Maryam Mujica, Craig Gordon, Jonathan and Betsy Fischer Martin, Helen Milby, Katelyn Bledsoe, Sabrina Singh, Janet Adamy, Annie Linskey, Christine Brennan, Colin Demarest, Sumi Somaskanda, Keenan Austin Reed, Katy Balls, Lauren Williams, Emily Wilkins, Maggie Eastland, Naomi Nix, Victoria Espinel, Matt Paul, Matt Gorman, Adrienne Elrod, Dannia Hakki and Tammy Haddad.

Washington AI Network and General Catalyst Institute Convene Leaders Shaping the Future of National Security

July 11, 2025 By haddadmedia

Jonathan Clifford, Carey Browning, Mark Huntington, Cameron McCord, Teresa Carlson, Maryam Mujica, Jon Battles, Evan Beard, Tammy Haddad, and Kaly McKenna at Washington AI Network and General Catalyst Institute’s “Cocktails & Conversation” event on the future of national security on July 9, 2025.

The Washington AI Network and the General Catalyst Institute convened top voices in defense innovation, AI, and industrial reinvention on Wednesday evening, July 9, at The House at 1229 for a conversation exploring the future of national security through private sector leadership.

The evening featured a live podcast taping and panel discussion, led by Tammy Haddad, founder of the Washington AI Network and host of its podcast.

*GCI president Teresa Carlson and Dr. Jason Rathje, former director of the Office of Strategic Capital at the U.S. Department of Defense*

Teresa Carlson, founding president of the General Catalyst Institute, highlighted the unique opportunity and responsibility for private-sector founders to partner with government.

“You’re not just building companies—you’re building capacity,” Carlson said. “The role of the private sector is to help government scale and succeed. That’s what tonight is all about.”

Dr. Jason Rathje, former director of the Office of Strategic Capital at the U.S. Department of Defense, echoed that message:

“The nation is at an inflection point. We need to re-industrialize America. And it’s not just about the Defense Department anymore—it’s commerce, energy, state, industry, investors. You all are part of the solution set.”

The conversation then spotlighted three General Catalyst-backed founders working at the intersection of AI, automation, and industrial resilience:

Evan Beard, CEO of Standard Bots, whose U.S.-made AI-powered robotic arms are redefining industrial automation.
Cameron McCord, CEO of Nominal, which builds a software platform for testing and certifying complex hardware systems.
Jon Battles, vice president of technology strategy at Cobot and an Amazon veteran, who is applying autonomous robotics to logistics, healthcare, and defense.

*Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad interviews Standard Bots CEO Evan Beard, Nominal CEO Cameron McCord, and Jon Battles, vice president of technology strategy at Cobot.*

Beard explained how Standard Bots is making automation easier and more accessible for American manufacturers:

“If you quote parts in the U.S. versus China, it’s 10x more to make parts in the U.S.,” he said. “We need better training, and we need centers of excellence to show how to build best-in-class facilities.”
“What we heard this week is that this is a priority… It really feels like a moment of tremendous change.”

McCord described the need for software that can rapidly test and validate hardware:

“It is a solved problem in the world today to test and validate software. That same luxury does not exist if you are building hardware—and especially software-defined hardware.”
“Admiral Davidson talks about 2027. Time matters.”

Battles reflected on lessons from the pandemic and his time at Amazon:

“COVID taught us how critical the supply chains were. We had to fly in masks from China for our employees… and we just simply couldn’t make them in the U.S.”

“The government knows what needs to be done. They know the technologies that need to be developed. Now it’s about aligning these needs to a quick execution plan.”

The discussion also touched on systemic challenges—from procurement timelines to industrial workforce gaps—and the urgent need to scale innovation across agencies and across the country.

Mark Huntington, managing director, North America at PhysicsX, and Carey Browning, chief commercial officer at Re:Build Manufacturing, also spoke about modernizing industrial capabilities through software and advanced production.

Attendees included: U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach; Artem Sherbinin, CTO of the U.S. Navy’s Task Force Hopper; John Sankovich of DIU; Colonel Chris Keller, U.S. Air Force; Jim Goyer, Alex Flemister, and Jordan Wood of the White House Office of Public Liaison; Jake Denton, CTO of the FTC; Economic Club of Washington CEO Mary Brady; Jeremy Bash, managing director and partner at Beacon Global Strategies; Andrew Wills of Invenergy; Ashley Callen of Jenner & Block; Jonathan Cousimano from Gov. Gavin Newson’s office; Tyler Lewis from Gov. Wes Moore’s office; Cornerstone’s Andy Flick; GCI’s Maryam Mujica, Jonathan Clifford, and Peter Nonis; Palantir’s Machalagh Carr, Palantir; Alan McQuinn of the House Research and Technology Subcommittee; EqualAI CEO Miriam Vogel; NTIA Associate Administrator Jaisha Wray; Trevor Smith from Rep. Vince Fong’s office; Seven Letter’s Sabrina Singh; Anita McBride, author and former chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush; Onebrief CEO; Grant Demaree; NIST’s Martin Stanley; Thomas Halvorsen of the Middle East Institute; Alex Yergin of Booz Allen Hamilton; and Alex Poulin of Lavrock Ventures.

Washington AI Network Presents Awards at Inaugural AI Honors Gala Celebrating Leadership in Artificial Intelligence

June 8, 2025 By haddadmedia

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Urges AI Leaders to Embrace Allies

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 03: (L-R) Honoree Patricia K. Falcone, honoree Joanna Guy, Don Polaski, honoree Zane Price, Jack Hidary, Honoree VADM Frank Whitworth and Tammy Haddad, Founder, Washington AI Network, CEO, Haddad Media attend AI Honors hosted by the Washington AI Network at Waldorf Astoria on June 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)

Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad welcomed a sold-out audience of 300 top leaders from government, tech, and academia at the first AI Honors—Washington’s first official black-tie gala recognizing the promise, power, and people of artificial intelligence—at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC. Following the presentation of eight awards, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, gave remarks and expanded on the announcement from the president earlier in the day creating the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). The new Trump Administration’s initiative will support voluntary safety and technical standards for AI development, their goals for AI, safeguarding AI infrastructure from adversaries, securing semiconductor independence, expanding power for AI, reshoring advanced manufacturing with AI and robotics, and fixing the pharmaceutical supply chain.

“America must lead in AI, and that means embracing innovation while securing our infrastructure,” said Secretary Lutnick. “The new Center for AI Standards and Innovation will help ensure developers have clear, trusted guidelines—without unnecessary regulation—so we can stay ahead in the global AI race.”

Lutnick’s remarks outlined an “embrace your allies” approach to AI infrastructure, a push to reshore advanced manufacturing, plans to double U.S. power capacity for data centers, and a warning about supply chain vulnerabilities in both semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. He also issued a call to action to the leaders in the room, urging them to help drive a new era of American innovation: “We need to build and operate the greatest automation build in the history of modern mankind—and that is coming to America.”

Awards were presented by the evening’s MC, CNN anchor Sara Sidner, Representative Brendan Boyle, Fox News Jennifer Griffin, Amazon’s Olivia Igbokewe and AI AAlexander Hamilton. 2025 AI Honors Awardees are:

Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), Co-Chair, Senate AI Working Group — AI Impact in Governance Award
Congressmen Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) & Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Co-Chairs, House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence — Bipartisan Leadership on AI Award
Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — Guardian of America Award
Jack Hidary, CEO, SandboxAQ — AI Visionary Award
Patricia K. Falcone, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Science & Technology, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — AI Honors in Public Science Award
Father Paolo Benanti, Vatican Adviser on AI Ethics — Ethics in Artificial Intelligence Award
Ylli Bajraktari, President & CEO, SCSP; Founder, AI + EXPO — American Competitiveness Award
Joanna Guy, Chief Technologist, Booz Allen; Zane Price, Space Llama Engineer, Booz Allen; and Don Polaski, VP of AI, Booz Allen — Space Innovation Award

The event was emceed by CNN anchor Sara Sidner, with awards presented by Rep. Brendan Boyle, Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, and Olivia Igbokwe, Amazon’s Director of Federal Affairs for AWS.

The program included a few surprises, a video welcome from the leading tech podcaster Kara Swisher. Later in the evening AI Alexander Hamilton presented Congressmen Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) & Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Co-Chairs, House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence — Bipartisan Leadership on AI Award. Hamilton was created by Paul Jaski and the Gemelo’s AI Video Engine. Gemelo.ai is launching this Fall in partnership with some of the biggest names and organizations in media, sports, and the public sector.

Watch the entire program on the Washington AI Network YouTube channel. Subscribe and watch here.

2025 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

April 26, 2025 By haddadmedia

Jason Isaacs, Danny McCoy, Michael Chiklas, Lieutenant Michael A. Cotter, Jeff Mathias, David Urban, Steven Hater, Sean Wathen, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick at the 32nd Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch in Washington, DC, Saturday, April 26, 2025.

The White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch marked its 32nd year on Saturday, April 26. Actor Jason Isaacs, star of The White Lotus Season 3, joined Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)—co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services (Firefighters) Caucus—to present Garden Brunch awards to the first-responder heroes of January’s mid-air disaster, when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with an Army UH-60 Black Hawk near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Among the honorees was former Marine and rookie D.C. firefighter Sean Wathen, who kept vigil for nearly four hours beside the body of Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara after the crash.

The 2025 Garden Brunch was co-hosted by Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Mark and Sally Ein, David Urban, Teresa Carlson, and Franco Nuschese.

Tammy Haddad, Gov. Maura Healy and Sen Amy Klobuchar

David Urban + Matt Whitaker Celebrate Trump’s Inauguration at Cafe Milano

February 1, 2025 By haddadmedia

Matt Whitaker and Tammy Haddad at David Urban's Inauguration Eve party at Cafe Milano on January 19, 2025

Virginia Coyne, Daniel Lippman and Juleanna Glover

Franco Nuschese, Senay Bulbul at David Urban's Inauguration party at Cafe Milano

Anne Bouverot Interview “Global Ecosystem of AI Coming Together”

December 8, 2024 By haddadmedia

In an exclusive episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast, Anne Bouverot, France’s Special Envoy for Artificial Intelligence (AI), sat down with Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad at STATION F in Paris to unveil her vision for the highly anticipated Paris AI Action Summit, set to take place this February. Hosted at the iconic Grand Palais and the world-renowned STATION F, the summit aims to unite over 95 heads of state, global tech leaders, researchers, and civil society to address the transformative opportunities and challenges posed by AI. In the interview, Bouverot detailed the summit’s agenda for fostering international collaboration, grounding discussions in scientific consensus, and addressing pressing issues like climate change, workforce transformation, and inclusivity in AI development.

Bouverot joined Haddad on the occasion of the No AI Without Women conference hosted at the French Presidency at the Elysée Palace, on behalf of the European Network for Women in Leadership (WIL Europe)) and the think tank La Villa Numeris on December 5^th part of the official “Road to the AI Action Summit” series of events.

Bouverot on the goals of the AI Action Summit: “We really have this global ecosystem of AI coming together to discuss what we collectively want AI to be. There are risks and there are opportunities, and that’s why we’re calling it an action summit. We want to mitigate the risks. We want to lean into the opportunities and focus on the commons of AI, the things that we want to build together.”

Bouverot on the AI Action Summit agenda: “We’re going to try and show at the summit, concrete applications of AI in real life, in particular, health, education, climate, and climate is another area where we’ve seen a big change. These huge energy demands, this race to place long-term contracts, to have enough energy for enough data centers, that race to the bigger is better. That’s also something that we’ve seen.”

She also anticipates that many of the women leaders in AI from around the globe will be featured in the summit, including Joelle Pineau at Meta, Joëlle Barral at Google, Guillemette Picard at Ubisoft, Fei-Fei Li at Stanford, Sara Hooker at Cohere, Cina Lawson in Togo, Paula Ingabire in Rwanda, Josephine Teo in Singapore, and Lucilla Sioli for the AI office in Europe.

Bouverot on women innovators: “There is no AI without women…We really want to put a focus for the AI Action Summit on getting to interact with all these great women, getting to know more of them…and ensuring AI is not built without women.”

Bouverot on Startups’ Role in AI Development: “There will be lots of startups from all around the world. There’s great startups…There’s lots of them. So the role of large companies and small companies is very important. The role of governments is important, and they cannot alone guide this, because really it’s linked to research, and the role of research is really important, and the role of civil society. So it’s only by bringing everyone together that you can start seeing the road and the avenues for important things and important markers for the summit.”

Bouverot on Collaboration Amidst Global AI Rivalries: “While countries and companies are in competition, and clearly, we need to acknowledge that. And clearly, the US has started this race in the lead, very clearly. Clearly, China is doing a lot of things. Clearly, France and Europe are doing a number of things in other countries, and this competition will continue. That’s really a fact. But also, we’re going to try and still, despite the competition, focus on the things that people will still want to agree on. Because I think you can compete, but also want to do things that are either useful to everyone or beneficial for people in societies and the planet.”

In addition, Bouverot discussed the impact of AI on climate, the global workforce and education.

Bouverot on AI’s Dual Role in Tackling Climate Change: “There’s, of course, the great benefit that AI can bring to climate. For example, optimizing water consumption or energy consumption, or designing better batteries to store renewable energy, or helping with more accurate weather forecasts for disasters, typhoons, earthquakes, etc. And that’s one of the areas of AI and climate, which we will talk about. And there’s also the other side, which is the huge demand for almost limitless amounts of energy, with potential carbon impact, with water consumption, rare materials.”

Bouverot on the Future of Jobs in an AI-Driven World: “Yes, some jobs will disappear. I mean, for example, dubbing and subtitles, that’s something that AI can do very well. But it’s also creating new jobs. I mean, data scientists, cybersecurity experts, prompt engineers, that’s a new job that didn’t exist a year ago. And then there’s the wide middle, I would say, 70-80% of jobs that are changing. And so you need to train, to reskill, to reorganize work, to discuss with the unions. You need to do a lot of work, and everyone has questions around that.”

Bouverot on AI and education: “You can alleviate some of the administrative burden that teachers have, and they have a lot of it. You can personalize the way you help students and pupils learn. You can help them understand the tools, the potential negative effects and positive effects, and you also need to reassure the parents and everyone that this is being done in a good way. So helping teachers, helping parents, helping students is very important.”

Listen to the full interview HERE and watch it on video HERE

Author Christopher Kirchhoff, co-founder of the Pentagon’s Tech Innovation Unit, Advice for the Trump National Security Team to Deter Global Threats

November 28, 2024 By haddadmedia

Christopher Kirchhoff, tech adviser to multiple presidents, on Air Force One

Christopher Kirchhoff is co-author of “Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War” takes readers inside the AI race for national security and private industry’s critical role. As the co-founder of the Defense Innovation Unit with his co-author Raj Shah, he created the Pentagon’s first permanent advanced tech outpost based in Silicon Valley and is assisting the current Department of Defense on technology efforts. In a new interview with host Tammy Haddad on the Washington AI Network Podcast, he gives a compelling case for the urgency to invest in next-generation technology, the threats from China, Russia and North Korea and lays out how the Trump Administration can drive technological advancement forward to meet a new set of global threats.

“The greater danger is not that AI itself will pose a danger to us, but that we won’t experiment with AI in national security applications,” Kirchhoff said. He described how hesitancy to embrace experimentation could leave the U.S. vulnerable to adversaries who are accelerating their technological capabilities.

Kirchhoff pointed to the war in Ukraine as a vivid example of how modern warfare is evolving. “We gave Ukraine 31 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks, the most advanced battle tank in the world. And in short order, in the last few months, the Russians have figured out how to engineer kamikaze drones. And today, more than half of those M1A1 tanks have been taken off the battlefield by inexpensive Russian drone strikes,” he explained. This, Kirchhoff argued, highlights the growing importance of adaptability and innovation in modern defense strategies. “That tells a new incoming administration that if you are running a military that’s built with a lot of tanks, you now are behind the power curve and you need to find new ways of experimenting with new weapons platforms to be able to compete.”

**Shortlisted for the 2024 *Financial Times* Business Book of the Year**

When asked about the Pentagon’s efforts to address these challenges and the urgency of now, Kirchoff replied saying, “we don’t have, unfortunately, 10 years to figure out how to master and deploy this new set of technology. Our adversaries are already hard at work, as we can see in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in the Red Sea, in China, and so we really have got to go fast and bring the best parts of these technology ecosystems together,” Kirchhoff said. He emphasized the need for urgency, explaining that initiatives like Replicator are essential for staying ahead of global competitors.

Kirchhoff also discussed the role of private-sector leaders like Elon Musk in advancing defense innovation. “Elon would like it if we called him the X factor in the incumbent administration, and he really is,” Kirchhoff said. He praised Musk’s contributions to autonomous systems and satellite networks, particularly their impact on conflicts like Ukraine. However, Kirchhoff cautioned against over-reliance on private actors. “The Department of Defense is not a private company. You can’t just fire three-fourths of the people that are there and start over. You have to work within the existing system,” he noted.

When asked about the changing defense landscape, Kirchhoff described the current moment as an inflection point. “We’re in a remarkable moment that its many parts collectively constitute an emergency because those collective parts tell us that our existing force structure, our existing military technologies are not able to defend powerfully and muscularly against these new threats, that it’s time to change the technology and the operating concepts that we’re using to fight,” he said.

When asked about the cultural shifts required to embrace new technologies, Kirchhoff called for a bold rethinking of how defense institutions operate. “The government model is that you’re not willing to pay technologists market rate, you’re not going to get any of the good technologists working in the government,” argued Kirchoff. “Now, if you’re a taxpayer, I would want a really great set of technologists working in the government, helping the government figure out which technology to buy. And that problem is still there. We’re still at a moment in the middle of this artificial intelligence revolution where not at a single department or agency of the government can actually afford to hire an AI engineer at market rate.”

Closing the conversation, Kirchhoff delivered a clear call to action: “We’re a long way, I think, from having to worry about AI posing that level of threat. So the greater danger is not that AI itself will pose a danger to us, but that we won’t experiment with AI in national security applications. The AI safety community in their enthusiasm to make things perfectly safe I think have actually prevented an experimentation with the national security community that would’ve happened earlier,” he said.

I think the biggest hurdle that we face is having the right agenda for technology modernization, but having the wrong kind of politics to see it through, in the sense that we’re about to embark upon quite the national squabble on a lot of political fronts. And the challenge is in that kind of moment, that kind of political moment, whether you can actually get Congress to move a reform agenda through, or whether there’s going to be no bandwidth or serious reform at a moment of real political wrangling.

For Kirchhoff, collaboration across the public and private sectors is critical to meeting the challenges of the 21st century. “I think whoever begins to helm the Department of Defense in this new administration should work very closely and cooperatively with all the frontier labs to put those models to work and see where they can perform a really useful function and to make sure they’re deployed in contexts that are safe and not deployed in contexts that those models can’t support, that they’re not ready for,” he concluded.

Washington Speakers Bureau Hosts Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to Launch “On Leadership” and Highlight Global Change

November 8, 2024 By haddadmedia

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 24: (L-R) Sanna Marin, The Right Honourable Tony Blair, Thomas Friedman and Ryan Heil attend the book launch for “On Leadership” and celebration of the work of The Tony Blair Institute For Global Change at St. Regis Hotel on October 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Washington Speakers Bureau)

The Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB) hosted a reception on October 24 at the St. Regis in Washington, DC, celebrating the release of On Leadership, the new book by the Right Honourable Tony Blair, former prime minister of the United Kingdom. The event coincided with the World Bank and IMF meetings, gathering dignitaries and thought leaders to discuss leadership and global change.

Ryan Heil, president of WSB, opened the evening, welcoming Prime Minister Blair and other distinguished guests, including former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and World Bank President Ajay Banga. Sanna Marin spoke about her work with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, highlighting the organization’s expansion with a new regional office in Washington, DC, and its commitment to supporting global leaders with strategic guidance on governance, security, and technology.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 24: Ajay Banga speaks onstage during the book launch for The Right Honourable Tony Blair’s “Tony Blair, On Leadership” and celebration of the work of The Tony Blair Institute For Global Change at St. Regis Hotel on October 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Washington Speakers Bureau)

Ajay Banga commended Blair’s contributions to global leadership, emphasizing that On Leadership provides a roadmap for effective governance in a rapidly changing world. The main event of the evening featured New York Times columnist Tom Friedman in a conversation with Blair, delving into the complexities of modern leadership, the role of technology like AI, and the challenges facing democracies today.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 24: (L-R) The Right Honourable Tony Blair and Thomas Friedman speak onstage during the book launch for “On Leadership” and celebration of the work of The Tony Blair Institute For Global Change at St. Regis Hotel on October 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Washington Speakers Bureau)

In a wide-ranging discussion, Blair and Friedman explored pressing issues from the role of AI in governance to the evolving geopolitical landscape. Blair’s insights underscored the importance of clarity, resilience, and adaptability in leadership—a theme echoed throughout the evening, making the reception both a celebration of Blair’s new book and a thought-provoking gathering on the future of global governance.

Guests included UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, Jose Andres, Bob Barnett, David Miliband, David Milstone, Harry Rhoads, Barbara Humpton, Michael Chertoff, Stewart McLaurin, Arun Gupta, Luxembourg Ambassador Nicole Bintner, Didem Nisanci, Melanne Verveer, Macedonian Ambassador Zoran Popov, Slovenian Ambassador Iztok Mirosic, Jason Furman, Anita McBride, Mark Ein, Teresa Carlson, Bruce Andrews, Pete Selfridge, Nick Jordan, John Rizzo, Steven Anderson, Lane Dilg, Ed Luce, Niamh King, Virginia Boney, Amy Ricchetti, John McCarthy, Chris Russo, Anthony Polcari (Tony P), Justin Cooper, Sumi Somaskanda, and Jon Cardinal.

Anthony Polcari (Tony P) teaches TRH Tony Blair a dance

Dog Tag Bakery Launches the ‘Do-nie’: A Decadent Donut-Brownie Treat; DC Influencer Tony P Named Do-nie Ambassador

November 1, 2024 By haddadmedia

*Tony P helps Dog Tag Bakery celebrate the launch of the Do-nie on October 25, 2024.*

Dog Tag Bakery in Georgetown, a bakery and fellowship program that empowers veterans, spouses and caregivers, unveiled its latest culinary innovation—the “Do-nie”—at a breakfast event on October 25. The treat, a blend of a donut and a brownie, adds a decadent twist to the bakery’s offerings and symbolizes the creativity fostered within the Dog Tag community. The Do-nie was created for Dog Tag by Dominique Ansel, the famed pastry chef known for inventing the Cronut.

*Chef Taylor McCollough and Tony P decorate Do-nies.*

The event featured a live demonstration by Dog Tag’s head chef Taylor McCullough and DC celebrity and social media influencer Tony P, who was named the bakery’s first Do-nie Ambassador. Together, they guided guests in decorating their own Do-nies. Attendees included Dog Tag fellows, alumni, staff, board members, supporters and journalists.

*Dog Tag CEO Meghan Oglivie and alumnus Nnana Obioha speak at the breakfast.*

Meghan Ogilvie, CEO of Dog Tag Inc., opened the event by expressing gratitude to the community. “The Do-nie launch is more than just a celebration of a delicious new dessert—it represents the ingenuity, passion, and dedication of the military families we serve,” she said.

Karen Knutson, vice president of government affairs at Chevron, spoke of her company’s support for Dog Tag’s mission. “We are thrilled to be a sponsor. I really love the work that Dog Tag does in support of veterans, their spouses, their caregivers, and frankly, the community in which they operate,” she remarked.

*Dog Tag board members Dr. Sharon Bannister and Tammy Haddad with Chevron vice president Karen Knutson*

Dog Tag alumnus Nnana Obioha shared his personal journey and the impact of the fellowship program. “Dog Tag was huge for me. Anytime I meet someone interested in Dog Tag, I highlight that it’s the gift that keeps on giving,” he said. “The network that Dog Tag brings you into is so vast, so impactful, so beneficial.”

Hillary Richonne, Meghan Oglivie and Linwood Ham

Tony P, embracing his new role as Do-nie Ambassador, brought energy and humor to the demonstration. “I’m surprised at how well these turned out!” he joked while decorating alongside Chef Taylor. His involvement aims to raise awareness of Dog Tag’s mission and the unique offerings at the bakery.

The bakery serves as a “living business school,” for veterans, family members and caretakers. Fellows earn a business certificate from Georgetown University or Loyola University Chicago while gaining hands-on experience.

The Do-nie is now available for purchase at Dog Tag Bakery, both individually and in gift boxes—a perfect treat for the upcoming holiday season. Proceeds support the bakery’s ongoing mission to empower veterans and their families.

For more information or to place an order, visit Dog Tag Bakery’s website.

Exclusive Interview: U.S. AI Safety Institute’s Elizabeth Kelly on U.S. Leadership in AI Innovation and Safety

August 26, 2024 By haddadmedia

On August 12, the Washington AI Network podcast welcomed Elizabeth Kelly, Director of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, for a conversation with host Tammy Haddad around the implementation of the AI Executive Order and recent 270-day milestone deliverables led by the Institute, as well as the upcoming Paris AI Action Summit, the private sector’s role in ensuring trust in AI, and global collaboration on AI standards. The interview was recorded before a live audience in the theater of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C.

*L to R: **Elizabeth Kelly**, director of the U.S. AI Safety Institute, on stage at the JHU Bloomberg Center in DC with **Tammy Haddad**, founder of the Washington AI Network.*

In addition to announcing the hiring of Conrad Stosz as the U.S. AI Safety Institute’s new head of policy, Kelly highlights recent bipartisan progress on the Future of AI Innovation Act in the Senate, which would formally authorize the Institute, and newly released draft guidance on model misuse that is open for public comment.

Kelly on US leadership on AI innovation and safety: “We really view our role at the Commerce Department as driving and leading U.S. innovation, and safety is a key part of that. Safety enables trust, enables adoption, enables innovation. And that’s why we all get up in the morning and why we think our work is so important. And we are incredibly lucky to have so many outstanding researchers, companies who are really on the forefront of this incredible technology here in the U.S. and we think it’s imperative that we continue to maintain that lead.”

When discussing transparency in private sector AI development: “It’s not just the US government that has this knowledge, but the companies are helping foster this broader ecosystem of trust. And that’s why we think it’s such a key component of the guidance.”

On the Paris Action Summit: “I think that the work that we’re doing in the AI Safety Institute network, the convening that we’ll be having at a technical level in November, really feeds into this drive for action. We’re excited to help produce deliverables ahead of Paris.”

Watch the full video on YouTube or listen to the full episode on Audioboom, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.