The Person Who Runs HR For 2 Million Federal Workers

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

October 2, 2025

Duration

42m

Channel

a16z

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

It’s no secret that while Silicon Valley is flush with top talent, Washington struggles. Complex compliance regimes, low risk tolerance, poor performance evaluations, and a focus on process over outcomes hurt our government’s ability to get things done. a16z General Partner Katherine Boyle sat down with Scott Kupor, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and Greg Barbaccia, the United States Chief Information Officer, to discuss what’s broken, how to fix it, how government really works on the inside, and making government cool again. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 0:43 Meet the Guests: Scott Kupor & Greg Barbaccia 1:12 Private Sector to Public Service: Motivations & Challenges 2:45 Understanding OPM and Federal Talent 5:43 Culture Shock: Risk, Compliance, and Regulation 12:14 Performance Management in Government 17:33 Attracting and Retaining Top Talent 22:54 Bridging the Public-Private Divide 24:04 Bringing Tech Talent into Government 28:50 AI, Technology, and Modernization in Government 36:29 Operational Efficiency and Future Goals 40:40 Lightning Round: Myths, Metrics, and Recommendations Resources: Find Scott on X: https://x.com/skupor Find Greg on X: https://x.com/GregBarbaccia Find Katherine on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyle Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details, please see a16z.com/disclosures.

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Katherine Boyle

  host

  a16z partner and podcast host/interviewer covering technology, policy, and government innovation.

• Greg Barbaccia

  guest

  U.S. federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) discussing executive-branch-wide technology strategy, budgeting, and modernization.

• Scott Kupor

  guest

  Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and former a16z partner focused on federal workforce and hiring reform.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of a16z, featuring Katherine Boyle and Greg Barbaccia, The Person Who Runs HR For 2 Million Federal Workers explores rebuilding federal government talent, tech, and performance for AI-era readiness Kupor and Barbaccia argue the federal government is underprepared for rapid technology change—especially AI—primarily due to talent gaps, outdated processes, and procurement/contracting dynamics.

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