In this episode of the Fractional Source Podcast, Joe Goodwin joins James Mitchell and TJ Kennedy to explore what real preparedness means for state and local governments. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Intelligence Officer, Joe has led strategic initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels—serving as Pennsylvania’s Deputy Homeland Security Director and advising key programs within the Department of Homeland Security and CISA.

Joe underscores that preparedness is not just about predicting bad events but ensuring capabilities match the risks at hand. Joe explains how a structured, data-driven approach can help governments assess threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences in a practical way. He also highlights the value of tabletop exercises, which not only expose gaps but also build critical cross-agency relationships and uncover hidden strengths.

The team stresses that even small, consistent investments can deliver major improvements for small and mid-sized communities. At the same time, senior executives must champion preparedness to make it part of the organizational culture. The key takeaway is that preparedness is everyone’s responsibility, and incremental progress can deliver extraordinary resilience dividends.

In this episode of the Fractional Source Podcast, James and TJ sit down with Eileen O’Brien Shaw, a seasoned HR executive and founder of 1EX Advisors, to explore how organizations, public and private alike, can navigate workforce disruption, succession planning, and the rapidly evolving nature of work in 2025 and beyond.

With over 30 years of experience in healthcare, finance, technology, and startups, Eileen brings a front-row perspective on today’s most pressing workforce challenges: baby boomer retirements, shrinking talent pipelines, rising expectations from younger generations, and the urgent need for succession planning amid economic uncertainty and organizational change

Bryce Stirton from Funding Navigator explains how their platform helps local governments and public safety agencies find and secure grants by streamlining the application process, managing data across multiple applications, and providing expert guidance throughout the funding lifecycle. The platform addresses critical funding challenges faced by communities experiencing budget deficits by connecting them with over 6,000 grant opportunities and alternative funding sources that many organizations, especially smaller and rural ones, might otherwise miss due to short application windows and complex requirements. Funding Navigator aims to modernize the fragmented grant industry while maintaining the human element that grantors value, ultimately helping underserved communities access crucial funding while reducing the administrative burden on already stretched public agencies.