NextFutureToday - Episode 32: Transforming Federal Agencies
Hey Innovators!
We’re excited to bring you a fresh episode of NextFutureToday, featuring standout moments of Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at infocap.ai interviewing May Cheng, Acting CIO at the International Trade Administration (ITA).
This episode dives deep into what it really takes to deliver digital transformation in government, and it’s packed with honest insights that you won’t want to miss.
Some highlights!
🚀 May Cheng’s Playbook for Accelerating Change
May shares the story of her leadership in transforming a federal agency into a virtually paperless, digital workplace in just nine months—a feat that’s almost unheard of in government. But her approach is just as relevant to any sector dealing with complex change and digital transformation.
What made the difference?
Clarity in Roles & Buy-in: May stresses that success isn’t just about the tech or the budget—it’s about trust, well-defined roles, and clear responsibility across teams.
Start Small, Win Big: By piloting digital solutions with a core group, gathering feedback, and iterating, she rapidly built momentum and converted skeptics into supporters.
Strong Project Leadership: According to May, a project manager’s leadership is instrumental in removing roadblocks, aligning stakeholders, and keeping progress on track.
Listen & Adapt: May openly shares past failures where moving too quickly or pushing a vision without listening led to resistance—and how shifting to genuine engagement helped her turn those situations into big wins.
💡 Top Takeaways
Culture Eats Tech for Breakfast: Real innovation happens when you invest in the people side of change—not just the software.
Don’t Ignore the Naysayers: May and Dan discuss how involving even the toughest critics can create some of the most powerful advocates for change.
Purpose-Driven Communication: Change is embraced when people see the clear benefit for themselves and for the mission.
Iterate & Celebrate Early Wins: Give teams opportunities to adopt new tools at their own pace, but let early successes spark curiosity and drive wider adoption.
Find out more about:
Infocap AI Corp - bringing human-centric automation to life in Federal Agencies, the US Military, and Large Organizations across the US:
https://infocap.ai/
Your host, Dan Keldsen, Chief Innovation Officer at Infocap AI Corp:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankeldsen/
Today's Guest, May Cheng, Acting CIO at the International Trade Administration (ITA):
https://www.linkedin.com/in/may-cheng-0511/
Stay curious, stay grounded, and as always—let’s build the future, one pragmatic step at a time.
Questions? Comments?
Comment below or hit us up on social media!
Until next time,
The NextFutureToday Team at infocap.ai - the Human-Centric Automation Company
P.S. Put your future into action today—not someday!