PODCAST · news
Anchor Change with Katie Harbath
by Katie Harbath
Welcome to Anchor Change, where we help you panic responsibly in a chaotic world. I’m Katie Harbath—a Midwesterner living in DC who’s spent two decades navigating impossible tradeoffs at the intersection of tech, politics, and democracy.Each week, I’ll break down the headlines, talk with people forging bold paths, and explore how we can face disruption with clarity and courage. This isn’t about hot takes—it’s about finding steady ground when everything feels uncertain.In a world of complexity, you don’t have to navigate it alone. anchorchange.substack.com
Episodes
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Replay: AI, Voters, and the 2026 Midterms: What the Data Actually Shows
Voters are using AI to research candidates. Campaigns are using AI to write fundraising emails. Platforms are updating their policies — and their enforcement is lagging behind. But what does the data actually show? This is a replay of the webinar I hosted on AI and the 2026 midterms — pulling…
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Mapping Power: Navigating Tech and Systems Change
In this episode, Katie talks with Charley Johnson about his leap into independent work through his newsletter, Untangled, and what it takes to build a life and career outside traditional structures. Charley breaks down how power actually moves through technology, why many leaders still misread…
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The Impact of EU Regulation on Political Campaigns
In this episode, Katie talks with Clare O’Donoghue Velikić about the shifting landscape of political advertising in Europe—and what’s driving those changes. They trace how Brexit, the Cambridge Analytica scandal, and rising public scrutiny of tech platforms set the stage for today’s regulatory...
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Bridging Generations: Marketing to Gen Alpha's Diverse World
In this episode, Katie Harbath sits down with Michelle O’Grady of Team Friday to unpack how culture, identity, and technology are transforming the way brands and civic leaders connect with younger generations. They explore the rise of mixed-race identities, the fluid ways Gen Z and Gen Alpha see...
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The AI-Energy Nexus Powering the Future
In this episode, Katie Harbath sits down with Sarah Hunt, President of the Rainey Center, for a wide-ranging conversation about the energy system powering the AI era. They dig into why AI’s rapidly growing electricity needs are now a national security issue, how state legislators are shaping the...
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How Are Ethics Shaping the Future of Journalism and Tech?
Join us for a critical conversation at the intersection of ethics, journalism, and technology as we explore how the digital age is challenging foundational values. This episode features leading experts: Katy Culver (UW-Madison, School of Journalism and Mass Communication) and Rob Reich (Stanford...
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Navigating Public Affairs with AI
In this episode, Jeff Berkowitz shares his journey from politics to founding Delve, a consultancy that leverages AI to transform public affairs. He discusses the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into public affairs, the development of Delve’s AI platform, and insights into the…
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AI Meets Hollywood: The Data-Driven Revolution
In this episode, I interview Bill Skelly about the intersection of AI, data, and the entertainment industry, specifically Hollywood. We discuss the evolution of data usage from politics to entertainment, the role of AI in democratizing data, and the challenges and opportunities in the…
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How Law Shapes Online Speech
In this episode of Anchor Change, I talk with Daphne Keller, Director of Platform Regulation at Stanford and former Google attorney, about how laws shape what we can say—and see—online. We unpack how evolving regulations influence content moderation, the growing role of AI in shaping speech...
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Scaling the Personalized Touch: Insights from Tech Earnings and Keynotes
After spending the last few weeks listening to Q3 earnings calls and product launches from the Magnificent 7 and their orbit, I think it’s safe to say: We’re approaching a fundamental shift where AI doesn’t just scale operations—it enables radical personalization at scale. And this tension…
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Katie Harbath and the White House photo that went viral this week
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anchorchange.substack.com/subscribe
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Gen Z Redefines Civic Engagement
In this episode of Anchor Change, I interview Sarah Stamper, Chief Research Officer at Murmuration, about the organization’s work in community-focused research and insights. We discuss the importance of civic engagement, the role of third spaces in communities, and the unique perspectives of Gen…
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Balancing AI and Human Insight in News: A Conversation with Cory Ondrejka
Welcome to Season 5 of the Anchor Change podcast! For the next few months, I’m excited to engage in conversations about Gen Z, artificial intelligence, and, of course, politics. For my first episode, I’m talking to Cory Ondrejka, the chief technology officer of SmartNews, where we explore the...
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Meeting Your Younger Self for Coffee
What happens when a single poem changes everything—and also, not quite in the way you’d expect? This week, I sit down with poet and author Jennae Cecelia, whose piece “Meeting My Younger Self for Coffee” went viral earlier this year. We talk about what it’s like to watch your words take on a life...
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Tarot for Creativity
What if tarot wasn’t about predicting the future—but about helping you tell your story? In this week’s episode, I’m joined by writer, tarot coach, and Substack author Chelsey Pippin Mizzi for a conversation that bridges the spiritual and the practical, the mystical and the creative. Chelsey’s...
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The Journey of a Storyteller
How do you build a life that unfolds like a story worth telling? This week, I sit down with the inimitable Kate Hill—writer, cook, mentor, and founder of the creative retreat Camont in Southwest France. Kate has lived many lives: as an art curator, barge navigator, cookbook author, and now as a...
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The World Needs Your Brand of Magic
What if your business could be both wildly successful and soulfully aligned? In this episode, I talk with Rachael James, the founder of Wild Alabaster and Urban Alchemy Coffee Co., about building brands that are both beautiful and healing, crafting a life that fits your actual needs, and how to...
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Building a Community in Trust and Safety
Trust and safety is often misunderstood—seen as reactive, political, or merely procedural. But for those doing the work, it’s something much deeper: a profession built on care, resilience, and community. Charlotte Willner, Executive Director of the Trust and Safety Professional Association…
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Hope in Government Amidst Cynicism
When headlines fuel distrust in government and disruption feels more chaotic than constructive, how do we hold onto hope—and channel it into real reform? This week on Anchor Change, I talk with Jen Pahlka—founder of Code for America, author of Recoding America, and former U.S. Deputy CTO—about…
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The Power of Going Local
Steve Grove has had a front-row seat to the evolution of the internet, from his early days at YouTube shaping the political division to navigating crisis in state government, and now—reinventing local journalism as publisher of the Star Tribune. In this episode, I talk with Steve to talk about…
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Substack: A New Era of Publishing
In this conversation, Katie Harbath speaks with Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack, about the transformative role of the platform in the media landscape. They discuss how Substack is redefining trust in journalism, the impact of AI on content creation, and the importance of direct...
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How We Build the Tech Future We Want
This week’s episode is for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the pace of AI—or unsure of what power they really hold to shape the future. Rumman Chowdhury is a trailblazer in the responsible AI space—she’s worked in big tech, launched her own nonprofit, advised the Biden administration, and…
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The Future of Journalism and AI
In this episode, I sit down with Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, for a candid conversation about leading through disruption. From implementing a tighter paywall strategy that turned the publication profitable, to navigating career pivots from editor to executive, Nick shares the lessons...
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Creating a Life That Actually Feels Like Yours
When Suzy Dean left teaching, she wasn’t just making a career pivot—she was reclaiming her peace. In this episode, I talk to Suzy—also known as @woowoobestie_suzy—about the path from high school English teacher to intuitive entrepreneur and creator of her own unique digital brand. We talk about...
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Beyond the Linear Career: Embracing a Portfolio Mindset
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anchorchange.substack.com/subscribe
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The Podcast is Back: Panic Responsibly With Me
I’m excited to announce that the podcast returns Thursday, May 29, with a fresh season of conversations designed to help you navigate life's complexities—and panic responsibly. As part of streamlining my brand, the podcast has officially transitioned from Impossible Tradeoffs to Anchor Change.…
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Crucial Conversations About DEI
In this episode of Impossible Trade-Offs, Katie Harbath and Mike Rognlien discuss the evolution of corporate culture at Facebook, particularly focusing on race and gender bias training. They explore the significance of learning and development initiatives, the impact of recent changes at Meta…
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2024 - A Recap of the Year the World Voted
For my last podcast of season three and 2024, I’m thrilled to welcome Ravi Agrawal, the Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy magazine, to reflect on this historic year of elections. We discussed the significant trends and observations from the 2024 elections globally during our conversation. He...
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NPR and C-SPAN on Navigating a Changing Media Landscape
This week I had the honor of moderating a fireside chat with NPR CEO Katherine Maher and C-SPAN CEO Sam Feist at the National Conference on Citizenship’s annual conference. We were able to record it to bring to you on this podcast. Katherine and Sam both took on these roles this year, and some of...
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Bluesky's Approach to Trust and Safety
I’m grateful this week that Aaron Rodericks, Vice President of Trust and Safety at Bluesky, made the time to join me for a conversation about how the platform is tackling the surge in users it’s seen in the U.S. since the election. This isn’t the first time they’ve seen such growth spurts—another...
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Engaging with Curiosity and Grace
Happy Thanksgiving! I decided to release an episode today because I figured people would want something to listen to while prepping the turkey or driving to see family and friends. I also know that Thanksgiving and the holidays can be a time when tough conversations arise, especially after an...
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Decoding Gen Z's Relationship with Technology
This week on the podcast, I chatted with Rebekah Park, Vishnupriya Das, Devika Kumar, and Laura Murray, researchers at Gemic, a global growth strategy firm. They worked with Nhu Le, Rachel Xu, and Beth Goldberg from Google’s Jigsaw on a study looking at how young people in India and the US trust...
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An AI-Generated Podcast Experiment
Image created by ChatGPT If I’m honest, I’m still processing everything. I’m giving myself and others the space to process everything. But, I still wanted to do a podcast. I have this deep fear that if I don’t stick to a schedule, I’ll fall off the wagon of creating content. It's probably not…
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Future Trends in Political Campaigning
In this episode, I welcome Maria Giannopoulos who shares her unique journey at the intersection of politics and technology, particularly her role in the 2024 Republican National Convention. She discusses the extensive planning involved in organizing such a large-scale event, developing a digital...
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How votes in the U.S. are counted and certified (and why you should care)
In this episode, Nicole Schneidman discusses the critical processes involved in the electoral system, emphasizing the importance of understanding what happens after voting. She outlines key dates in the election cycle, changes in election laws since 2020, and the journey of a ballot from…
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The Long Tail Election
Twenty years ago, Wired editor Chris Anderson wrote “The Long Tail” - a story about how “the future of entertainment is in the millions of niche markets at the shallow end of the bitstream.” Also, twenty years ago, the term “podcasting” was coined thanks to the introduction of the iPod and RSS...
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Bridging the Atlantic: Tech's True Impact on Elections & the US-EU Regulatory Divide
We have another bonus podcast episode for you. One perspective I wanted to get for this season of the podcast is what people outside of the United States think about the election and this country’s overall approach to tech. There’s no one better to ask that question of than Mark Scott. Mark has...
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AI and the Election - What To Watch
In this episode, Tim Harper discusses his extensive background in election administration and technology, focusing on the intersection of democracy and technology. He elaborates on his work with the Bipartisan Policy Center's task force aimed at improving election processes, as well as his…
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Trends in Campaign Technology
I’ve been so lucky to have some great conversations for the podcast this Fall, but with Election Day rapidly approaching in the United States, I will do two bonus Monday episodes on top of the usual ones on Thursdays to get all of this content out. First, we have Betsy Hoover and Eric Wilson...
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The Continued Decline of Global Internet Freedom
I’m excited to welcome Allie Funk, Grant Baker, and Kian Vesteinsson of Freedom House’s technology and democracy team to the podcast, who released their 2024 Freedom on the Net report this week. Our conversation revolves around the latest Freedom on the Net report, highlighting the ongoing…
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Fusion Analysis to Identify Political and Tech Trends
Welcome to fellow newsletter writer, Bruce Mehlman who has long been a fixture in DC for his smart graphs and quarterly reports on where the trends are going, not just in politics but also in the economy, tech, national security, and more. I highly recommend you sign up for his newsletter, Bruce...
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Digital Campaigning in 2024: Insights from the Frontlines
We’re back! Thanks again to everyone for your understanding of my gap week. In this episode, Amanda Elliott and Kyle Tharp, both newsletter writers focused on digital politics, discuss their experiences and insights into the evolving landscape of political campaigning. They explore the impact of...
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No podcast this week
Good morning. Due to some scheduling changes, I don’t have a podcast for this week. Thank you for understanding. If you are new to the pod, I recommend you check out the archives. Some of the more popular episodes include: * A conversation with Renee DiResta about her book Invisible Rulers * Dave...
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AI and Human Rights: A Balancing Act
We’re back! Welcome to season three of Impossible Tradeoffs. This season will focus mainly on the U.S. election, how the campaigns use tech, how tech companies respond, and what people outside the United States are watching. First up is Paolo Carozza, a member of the Meta Oversight Board and law...
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The Importance of Diverse Voices in Tech
I’ve got another special episode of the Summer Spectacular podcast for you with my good friend Emi Kolawole. Emi has 10 years of experience in communications, design, and tech. In our conversation, she shares her insights from attending the Aspen Ideas Festival and the Socrates program. She...
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Perspectives on Trust and Safety Among Investors
Ahead of TrustCon next week, I wanted to bring you a conversation I’ve been trying to set up since Duco released the Trust and Safety Market Research Report in March. Guests, investors Lauren Wagner and Shu Dar Yao, join me to discuss their involvement in the report and the reasons behind it.…
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Debrief on the India and EU Elections Online
I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting to do my first Summer Spectacular episode quite this quickly. However, when Saurabh Shukla with NewsMobile pinged me on WhatsApp to offer to talk about what had happened in the Indian election, I jumped at the chance. I then saw former Integrity Institute resident...
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Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality
Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube! This is the last episode of season 2! Thank you all for listening. I’ll be taking a break over the summer and returning with season 3 in the Fall. Between now and then, I might be planning a few summer spectacular episodes, so keep your eyes out. I couldn’t...
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Building Election Fact Checking Coalitions
Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube! This week Claire Wardle and Daniel Bramatti discuss their work in creating fact-checking coalitions around elections as a follow up to the guide we published back in April. They highlight the importance of collaboration and trust-building among news...
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Don't Listen to Us
Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube! I’m so honored to have my good friend and expert extraordinaire Kat Duffy as my guest this week. I have no words other than you should listen to everything she says. Summary Kat Duffy, a senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at the Council on…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Anchor Change, where we help you panic responsibly in a chaotic world. I’m Katie Harbath—a Midwesterner living in DC who’s spent two decades navigating impossible tradeoffs at the intersection of tech, politics, and democracy.Each week, I’ll break down the headlines, talk with people forging bold paths, and explore how we can face disruption with clarity and courage. This isn’t about hot takes—it’s about finding steady ground when everything feels uncertain.In a world of complexity, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
anchorchange.substack.com
HOSTED BY
Katie Harbath
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Anchor Change with Katie Harbath have?
Anchor Change with Katie Harbath currently has 77 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Anchor Change with Katie Harbath about?
Welcome to Anchor Change, where we help you panic responsibly in a chaotic world. I’m Katie Harbath—a Midwesterner living in DC who’s spent two decades navigating impossible tradeoffs at the intersection of tech, politics, and democracy.Each week, I’ll break down the headlines, talk with people...
How often does Anchor Change with Katie Harbath release new episodes?
Anchor Change with Katie Harbath has 77 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Anchor Change with Katie Harbath?
You can listen to Anchor Change with Katie Harbath on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Anchor Change with Katie Harbath?
Anchor Change with Katie Harbath is created and hosted by Katie Harbath.
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