The ThinkND Podcast

The ThinkND Podcast brings Notre Dame to you and will inspire you to continue learning, thinking, and inquiring. Whether you missed a live event or want to learn on the go, the ThinkND Podcast has you covered, from Art and Science to Health and Religion.

All Episodes

The ThinkND Podcast

A Pathway to Hope, Part 5: Investing in Policies that Improve Lives

March 27, 2025 • Think ND - University of Notre Dame

Episode Topic: Investing in Policies that Improve Lives

“Our mission is to help make investing in what works the new normal so that government decision makers at all levels are using data and evidence to inform the outcomes they want to see to close racial gaps and improve economic opportunity.”

Hear from Patrick Carter, vice president and state practice lead at Results for America, and Zachary Markovits, vice president and local practice lead at Results for America, about how they advise government at the local, state, and federal levels to build and deploy their budgets using evidence-based data to reach effective outcomes that uplift their constituent communities.

This discussion took place at the University of Notre Dame’s Summit on the Opioids Settlement: A Pathway to Hope which focused on how to most effectively distribute the nearly $50 billion in settlement dollars to maximize the impact on our communities and citizens.

Held in August 2024, this summit brought together attorneys general from across the country to discuss best practices to proactively evaluate the efficacy of opioid abatement programs and develop strategies to best distribute the funds. Led by the University of Notre Dame’s Poverty Initiative, the summit explores how evidence-based practices can inform decision making and ensure that the Opioids Settlement best helps those victims it is meant to serve.

Featured Speakers:

Patrick Carter, Vice President and State Practice Lead, Results for America
Zachary Markovits, Vice President and Local Practice Lead, Results for America

Read this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/203cc2

This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled A Pathway to Hope.

Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career.

Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu.
Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.