Best Congressional App Challenge Podcasts (2025)

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s reaction to public pressure 9:32

7d ago9:32

9:32

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the Trump administration walking back decisions on trade and student visas amid public pressure, the FBI arresting a judge in Wisconsin and dysfunction at the Pentagon. PBS News is supported by - ht…

1
Behind the Mic with the Debugged Podcast Team 21:06

9d ago21:06

21:06

In the Season 4 finale of Debugged, host Medha Gupta flips the script and interviews the team behind the podcast itself. Meet William Chen, Tushar Mehta, Suri Le, Teddy Lampert, and Aadithyaa Vishegu—high school and college students (and CAC Alumni!) who’ve shaped the show across social media, design, content, and production. From lessons in outrea…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s faceoff with the courts 11:02

14d ago11:02

11:02

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's continued faceoff with the courts, if Republicans will begin pushing back against the president and Harvard rejecting Trump's demands. PBS News is supported by - https://www.…

1
Tech Meets Policy with CAC Alumni 25:02

20d ago25:02

25:02

In this episode of Debugged, guest host Suhaani Sodhi sits down with Angie Orejuela and Jeremy Bernick to explore the critical intersection of technology and public policy. From biometric data in airport security to the ethics of training AI on artists’ work, they unpack real-world challenges that demand cross-disciplinary thinking. Both guests str…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s tariffs and reaction from the markets 11:03

21d ago11:03

11:03

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's tariffs and reaction from the markets, whether claims of insider trading should be investigated, Trump using executive power to go after critics and the legal battle over the admin…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the political reaction to Trump’s tariffs 10:18

28d ago10:18

10:18

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump’s sweeping new tariffs draw criticism from leaders on both sides of the aisle, how voters will respond to the move and Sen. Cory Booker's record-breaking speech on the Senate floor. …

1
Brooks and Marcus on political reaction to Trump officials using app to discuss Yemen plan 9:51

1M ago9:51

9:51

New York Times columnist David Brooks and columnist Ruth Marcus join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including Trump officials sharing sensitive information on a commercial app, the reaction to the revelation, the state of U.S. foreign relations and President Trump’s bid for Greenland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/n…

1
Making Tech Global with Roger Einstoss 20:17

1M ago20:17

20:17

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta speaks with Roger Einstoss, CEO and co-founder of Braintly, a company connecting U.S. tech companies with top-tier software engineers from Latin America. Roger shares his journey from freelance developer to startup founder, reflecting on the challenges and skills needed for success in the tech world. He…

1
Brooks and Capehart on how voters are reacting to federal cuts 10:27

1M ago10:27

10:27

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the mood on the ground from voters at town hall meetings, Elon Musk's prominence in the Trump administration and a prominent law firm and Columbia University comply with White House demands. PBS New…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the Democratic division over the stopgap funding bill 9:32

2M ago9:32

9:32

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the Senate passes a bill to avert a government shutdown after a heated debate among Democrats, President Trump's latest tariffs and how consumers are viewing the economy. PBS News is supported by - …

1
Empowering the Next Generation with Michaela De Guzman 22:34

2M ago22:34

22:34

In this episode of the Debugged Podcast, we sit down with Michaela De Guzman, a Senior Curriculum Developer at Girls Who Code and a CSTA Equity Fellow Alumni (2023-24). Michaela shares her journey from teaching coding in Title I schools to designing Cybersecurity and Data Science courses with a focus on social justice. Passionate about empowering s…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the implications of Trump’s altercation with Zelenskyy 9:23

2M ago9:23

9:23

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's public spat with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, if Europe can depend on the U.S. and new restrictions on the White House press corps. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org…

1
Revolutionizing Learning Through Storytelling with Jenny Buccos 13:53

2M ago13:53

13:53

What if education weren’t confined to a classroom but spanned the entire world? Jenny Buccos, award-winning producer and founder of EXPLR, has spent decades using digital storytelling to connect students with global cultures, STEM, and innovation. From working with legends like Desmond Tutu and Anthony Bourdain to pioneering multimedia learning bef…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Republicans facing backlash over federal cuts 11:10

2M ago11:10

11:10

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including fresh tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine, town hall backlash to major cuts to the federal workforce and how inflation could sink Republicans. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/new…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the Trump administration’s challenge to the judiciary branch 9:35

3M ago9:35

9:35

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the ongoing challenge to constitutional guardrails and the position of the United States on the global stage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders…

1
Navigating Data Privacy and Law with Juliana Spofford 25:10

3M ago25:10

25:10

In this episode ofDebugged, host Medha Gupta sits down with Juliana Spofford, Chief Privacy Officer and General Counsel at Aidentified, to explore the evolving landscape of data privacy. With over 30 years of legal experience in data services, Juliana shares how she stumbled into the world of privacy law, the growing importance of data security acr…

1
Capehart and Continetti on Trump pushing the limits of executive power 10:54

3M ago10:54

10:54

Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart and Matthew Continetti from the American Enterprise Institute join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, President Trump and his allies making quick progress on their goal of "deconstructing the administrative state," Elon Musk gaining unprecedented access to information, Congress ceding p…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s new tariffs and spending freeze chaos 9:54

3M ago9:54

9:54

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the confusing policy rollouts, contentious confirmation hearings and new tariffs marking the second week of this Trump administration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/f…

1
Shaping the Future of AI Ethics with Emily Reid 27:04

3M ago27:04

27:04

In this episode, Emily Reid, CEO of AI 4 ALL and former Director of Education at Girls Who Code, discusses her journey and mission to democratize AI education. She dives into the importance of integrating ethics in AI development, ensuring that diverse, responsible voices are at the forefront. Emily shares insights on how AI 4 ALL is shaping the fu…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the busy first week of the new Trump administration 10:54

3M ago10:54

10:54

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the busy first week for the Trump administration, what President Trump has prioritized since reentering the White House and his pardon of Jan. 6 rioters. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pb…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Biden’s legacy and what to expect from Trump’s 2nd term 10:04

3M ago10:04

10:04

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including how the ceasefire agreement affects President Biden's legacy, his warning about an oligarchy in America, the confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump's Cabinet and what to expect in his secon…

1
Rewriting Computer Science Experiences with Anaïs Lawson 23:59

4M ago23:59

23:59

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta and guest host Tushar Mehta sit down with Anais Lawson, a software engineer at Microsoft on the Xbox team. Anais reflects on her journey, from feeling out of place in AP Computer Science to discovering her passion for tech through programs like JADE and Rewriting The Code. She talks about the importance…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s sentencing and what’s coming in his 2nd term 10:15

4M ago10:15

10:15

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's sentencing in New York, Trump's comments about claiming Greenland and the Panama Canal and the state funeral for President Carter. PBS News is supported by - https://www.p…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Johnson’s successful fight to remain House speaker 10:51

4M ago10:51

10:51

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including Mike Johnson’s reelection as House speaker revealed a small but loud minority in his conference that could threaten Republican priorities, the reaction to the terror attack in New Orleans and Presid…

1
Building Bots and Shaping the Future 18:20

4M ago18:20

18:20

In this special episode of Debugged, a member of our Debugged team, Suhaani Sodhi dives into the world of robotics with three extraordinary Congressional App Challenge alumni and fellow Debugged team members—Suri Le, Aarav Kansupada, and Tushar Mehta. Together, they explore how they got started in robotics, the creativity and collaboration involved…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump allies clashing over immigration policy 9:32

4M ago9:32

9:32

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the week in politics, including tensions in Trump's circle over immigration policy, President Biden’s pardons and commutations and polling shows that Americans are feeling deeply fatigued after the turbulent year in politics.…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s role in the chaotic funding battle in Congress 10:28

4M ago10:28

10:28

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including yet another chaotic, down-to-the-wire funding battle in Congress, how President-elect Trump will govern during his second term and the political influence of Elon Musk. PBS News is supported by -…

1
Brooks and Marcus on Wray’s resignation and what’s next for the FBI 10:59

5M ago10:59

10:59

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement that he will be stepping down, what to expect from the FBI under Kash Patel and what Trump voters are expecting from his second term. PBS News is supported by - https…

1
Redefining STEM Internships with Jay Ahn 24:45

5M ago24:45

24:45

In this episode of Debugged, our first ever REPEAT guest, Jay Ahn, VP of Operations at Akima, LLC, joins us to discuss her groundbreaking approach to creating impactful STEM internships. Drawing from her own experiences, she designed a program where students take full ownership of real-world projects, like building “Kakau,” an E911 health monitorin…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Biden’s pardon and Trump’s nominees facing scrutiny 10:42

5M ago10:42

10:42

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including President Biden's pardon of his son has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the aisle, President-elect Trump's nominees continue to face heavy scrutiny on Capitol Hill and other issues shaping the …

1
Brooks and Capehart on the dismissal of Trump’s federal cases 10:51

5M ago10:51

10:51

With the dismissal of the two federal cases against him, President-elect Donald Trump has bypassed some of the most serious legal jeopardy he faced. He’s now assembling a Cabinet to carry out his agenda. New York Times columnist David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart, associate editor for The Washington Post, discuss that and other matters shaping the …

1
Engineering Solutions in Science with CAC Alumni 19:26

5M ago19:26

19:26

In this special episode of Debugged, guest host Suhaani Sodhi chats with Congressional App Challenge alumni Antonia Kolb and Hamza Wadiwala about their journeys in the hard sciences and technology. Antonia, a Harvard freshman, shares her passion for environmental science and her experience creating the app Detickt It for the Congressional App Chall…

1
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s ‘anti-institutionalist’ Cabinet 10:31

5M ago10:31

10:31

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general backs out of consideration and other controversies surrounding Trump’s potential Cabinet. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs…

1
Brooks and Capehart on the ‘chaos’ surrounding Trump’s Cabinet picks 10:54

6M ago10:54

10:54

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's key Cabinet appointments that offer a glimpse of what’s to come in his administration and Republicans secure the House, giving them control over Congress and the White House …

1
Product by Day, Cosplay by Night with Aya Philemon 25:18

6M ago25:18

25:18

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta speaks with Aya Philemon, a product manager at Adobe, about her dynamic career path and how she empowers others to unlock their creative potential. Aya shares her journey from industrial design to tech, discussing how she overcame imposter syndrome and transitioned from product design to product managem…

1
Brooks and Capehart on what’s ahead for the country after Trump’s win 10:01

6M ago10:01

10:01

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including how Donald Trump’s return to the White House will reshape the country, the factors that led to his election win and how Democrats are reacting to the loss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.…

1
Brooks and Capehart on who holds the upper hand in the presidential race 10:34

6M ago10:34

10:34

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including what to watch in the final days of voting, the rhetoric of the campaign, what will happen after a winner is declared and which candidate has the momentum. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.…

1
Fusing Finance & Tech with CAC Alumni 16:50

6M ago16:50

16:50

This week’s episode is hosted by one of our Debugged Podcast team members, Suhaani, who leads a thought-provoking discussion with Austin and Sudharshan, two passionate CAC Alumni who are merging finance and technology in unique ways. They share personal experiences and projects that sparked their journey into this interdisciplinary space, highlight…

1
Innovating Products at Adobe with Shalini Ahuja 21:06

7M ago21:06

21:06

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta interviews Shalini Ahuja, a seasoned product manager at Adobe with 16 years of experience. Shalini discusses her career evolution from software engineer to product leader, where she now focuses on AI-based innovation in Adobe’s flagship products. She shares insights into the role of a product manager, t…

1
Empowering Creators at Twitch with Karin Zhang 23:32

7M ago23:32

23:32

In our season opener, host Medha Gupta sits down with Karin Zhang, Vice President of Engineering for Twitch’s Money team. With over twenty years of experience in a field often lacking diversity, Karin leads the charge in developing payment, onboarding, and payout solutions that empower creators to thrive. In this episode, she reflects on her career…

1
Tech Meets Healthcare: CAC Alumni on HealthTech 20:00

8M ago20:00

20:00

In this special episode of Debugged, host Suhaani Sodhi welcomes Medha Gupta and Maddison Chau, two inspiring Congressional App Challenge alumni who are reshaping the intersection of technology and healthcare. Medha, a Digital Strategy Analyst at Adobe, shares her experience with projects like an automated pill dispensation system and her job in he…

1
Redefining Creative Experiences: Emily Kellman’s on Product Management 21:22

8M ago21:22

21:22

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta sits down with Emily Kellman, a Senior Product Manager at Adobe, to discuss her unique career journey. Emily reveals how she transitioned from an IT background to leading digital media personalization on Adobe.com, driven by a passion for blending creativity with technology. She reflects on the importan…

1
Cyber Crossroads: Navigating Policy and Threats with Daniel Kroese 24:44

8M ago24:44

24:44

Join us as we delve into the intersection of cybersecurity policy and real-world threats with Daniel Kroese, a seasoned cyber policy expert and the Senior Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at Palo Alto Networks. In this episode, Daniel shares insights from his extensive experience in both the Legislative and Executive branches, discu…

1
Empowering Education with Anjali Bhatia 22:59

9M ago22:59

22:59

Welcome back to Debugged, the Congressional App Challenge’s alumni-led podcast connecting youth with technology. In this episode, host Medha Gupta sits down with Anjali Bhatia, the visionary CEO of CollegeWise, to discuss her inspiring journey from high school nonprofit founder to leading the nation’s top college counseling organization. Bhatia sha…

1
Revolutionizing Civic Tech with Cori Zarek 26:30

9M ago26:30

26:30

In this episode of Debugged, host Medha Gupta interviews Cori Zarek, Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Digital Service. Zarek shares her transition from a lawyer specializing in first amendment and freedom of information issues to becoming a leader in civic technology. She discusses her impactful work at the National Archives and her role in shapin…

1
Cosmic Conversations Unveiled with Sirisha Bandla 17:52

10M ago17:52

17:52

Join us on a celestial voyage as we unravel the extraordinary career of Sirisha Bandla, Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations at Virgin Galactic. From aerospace engineering at L-3 Communications to shaping legislative priorities for Virgin Galactic, Sirisha's journey is a testament to human ingenuity. Discover her pivotal rol…

1
Tech-Business Insights from Congressional App Challenge Alumni 33:01

10M ago33:01

33:01

In this special episode of Debugged, guest host Suhaani Sodhi sits down with Medha Gupta, a 2017 winner of the Congressional App Challenge and current Adobe employee, and Jinghao Li, a 2023 third-place winner. The discussion delves into their journeys at the intersection of business and technology, sharing how their early interests evolved into suc…

1
The 3D Revolution: Thinking Outside the Box with Alon Grinshpoon 21:37

11M ago21:37

21:37

Welcome to the 3D Unleashed edition of the Debugged Podcast, where we decode the world of 3D technology with CEO Alon Grinshpoon, founder of echo3D. In this episode, host Medha Gupta delves into Grinshpoon's journey from computer science scholar to industry disruptor, exploring his pivotal role in reshaping 3D asset management. With $1.9 million in…

1
From Code to Canvas: Samah El Hage on AI, Art, and Sustainability 24:24

11M ago24:24

24:24

Join us as we sit down with Samah El Hage, a leading influencer in technology and AI, known for her innovative and forward-thinking ideas. Author of "Redefine the Lead" and "Next Generation Motherhood," Samah explores the role of technology in leadership and motherhood. With a strong foundation in computer science engineering, she has led groundbre…

1
Becoming You with Suzy Welch 20:42

12M ago20:42

20:42

In the fourth episode of Season Three of Debugged, host Medha Gupta sits down with business journalist and NYT best-selling author Suzy Welch to discuss her unique approach to creating an authentic and fulfilling life. Suzy introduces her method of identifying your purpose through the intersection of your values, aptitudes, and opportunities. Refle…

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Congressional App Challenge Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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