Untangled
State and local governments provide vital services to their citizens and keep them safe. They are also one of the largest employers in the country. They employ about 14 million people in the US, not including public schools and hospitals. However, they’re also wrought with antiquated systems, broken processes, paperwork overwhelm, lack of transparency, and underutilization of intelligent technologies.
If you are a municipal leader, everyday citizen, or work for a state or local government across the US, you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to Untangled, a podcast for municipal leaders, IT managers, CIOs, and city or county council members that focuses on trends in government IT and its current best practices and challenges. Hosted by Abhijit Verekar, the show features special guests from various municipal agencies across the US, team members at Avèro Advisors, and other experienced professionals in the field to share their insights on how to untangle problems and make the Government more innovative and more efficient.
Episodes
112 episodes
AI & GovTech: The Race to Do It Right
In this episode of Untangled, AV sits down with Vidhu Shekhar, AI thought leader and Microsoft executive, to explore what it really means to lead in the age of artificial intelligence—from space-based data centers to responsible AI ado...
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28:47
AI’s Tipping Point: July’s Seismic Shifts in GovTech
In this solo episode, AV breaks down what made July 2025 a defining moment in AI and government technology. From the release of Grok-4 and the anticipated rollout of GPT-5 to massive infrastructure investments and evolving federal AI policy—thi...
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42:02
Timelines, Trust & Transformation: What It Really Takes to Modernize Public Sector Tech
ERP projects don’t fail because of software—they fail because of unrealistic timelines, poor planning, and missing advocacy. In this episode of Untangled, Avero’s Abhijit Verekar and Robert Kornovich unpack the real drivers behind succ...
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29:21
Modernizing Government Finance: Insights from GFOA 2025
What’s really driving the future of government finance? In this episode of Untangled, Avero’s Megan Seaton, Abhijit Verekar, and David Buchan share raw, real-time insights from the 2025 GFOA Annual Conference.From AI tools that ...
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46:16
GFOA 2025: What Public Finance Leaders Are Really Talking About
Live from the GFOA 2025 conference, Avero Advisors recaps the real-world challenges, surprising confessions, and hard-earned lessons shared by finance leaders from across the country. In this special episode, AV and team break down the biggest ...
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30:37
Public Good, Private Code: AI Ethics in Local Government
AI in government isn’t just about automation—it’s about ethics, accountability, and public trust.In this episode of Untangled, we sit down with Tom Gilbert, CEO of Hortise.AI and one of the world’s first PhDs in AI Ethics, to ex...
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55:16
Beyond the Bid: What the UK’s £144M ERP Deal Teaches Us About Transformation
When the UK government awarded a £144 million contract to Workday and Cognizant, it wasn’t just about technology—it was a masterclass in scale, procurement efficiency, and what it takes to modernize across multiple agencies.In this episo...
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22:04
Flight Plan for ERP: Lessons in Leadership, Checklists, and Control
What do ERP transformations and flying a plane have in common? More than you'd think.In this unique episode of Untangled, Avero CEO Abhijit Verekar (AV) is joined by Associate Consultant and pilot-in-training Isaac to explore th...
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48:04
GovTech Unfiltered: Live Q&A with Abhijit Verekar
In this candid live session, Avero Advisors CEO Abhijit Verekar pulls back the curtain on the realities of public sector transformation. From vaporware promises in ERP demos to project red flags leadership often misses, this Q&A tackles the...
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48:56
Retaining Trust & Fueling Growth – The New Era of Government Client Success
What does real partnership look like in government modernization?In this episode of Untangled, Avero’s VP of Client Success, Robert Kornovich, joins Megan Seaton to unpack what it takes to build lasting, trust-based relat...
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26:42
The Future of AI for Constituent Services & CRM for Government
AI is a powerful tool in CRM, but how does it actually contribute to revenue growth? In this live session, Parth Shah, CEO of Polimorphic, will discuss how AI can convert customer data into tangible, measurable revenue. We’ll explore how AI enh...
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24:31
How We've Helped Our Clients Overcome the Biggest Challenges in Public Sector Transformations
In this episode, we explore how public sector organizations have navigated the toughest challenges during their ERP transformations. From managing outdated systems and data conversion to overcoming internal resistance and change fatigue, we div...
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56:17
Beyond the Comfort Zone: Leading Through Growth and Change
What does it really take to lead during periods of rapid growth and transformation? This episode explores how leadership evolves when an organization scales, why vulnerability is a strength—not a weakness—and how to create clarity amid chaos. Y...
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58:21
Jan Baan on Microservices, AI, and the Future of Enterprise Software
In this episode of Untangled, Jan Baan — the legendary founder of Baan Company and pioneer in enterprise software — unpacks the deep flaws of today’s ERP systems. From the rise of microservices to the misuse of RFPs and the myth ...
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1:06:06
Monolithic ERP vs. Best-of-Breed: How to Choose What Work
In this week’s episode of Untangled, we break down the practical differences between monolithic ERP systems and best-of-breed solutions. It’s not about buzzwords—it’s about what actually works for your team, your budget, and your long-...
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54:14
Beyond The Status Quo: How OpenGov Is Raising The Bar For Public Sector Innovation
In this episode we sit down with Eric DiProspero, Chief Revenue Officer at OpenGov, for an honest conversation about how cloud-first software is transforming local government. From busting myths about budgeting tools to diving deep into A...
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42:17
Turning Transactions Into Trust: Building Better Vendor Relationships
This week’s episode explores how government agencies can shift from transactional vendor relationships to true partnerships rooted in trust, transparency, and shared goals. From the misuse of terms like “ERP” to the challenges of aligning inter...
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27:35
Nevada's ERP Milestone: Modernizing Government One ERP at a Time
Big projects big promises and even bigger challenges. Nevada’s ERP modernization is making headlines but what does it really take to overhaul government systems? In this episode we break down the Core.NV project explore what went wrong with pas...
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22:36
Modernizing Government: Public Sector Digital Transformation & IT Modernization Summit
Public sector digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. In this episode, we dive into the shifting landscape of government technology, exploring trends like AI, process automation, and the ongoing debate between best-of-bre...
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3:30:08
Connecting EAM and ERP for Smarter Operations
Enterprise Asset Management is a critical piece of running efficient operations, but without the right connection to your ERP system, it can create gaps in financial tracking, resource planning, and decision-making. In this episode, we explore ...
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30:56
AI, Government Efficiency & The Future of Public Services
From federal budget cuts to AI-powered fraud detection, governments at all levels are embracing technology to drive efficiency. But what does that really mean? In this episode, we break down the latest efforts to cut costs, reduce waste, and mo...
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48:11
Government ERP Selection: Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Selecting the right ERP system is one of the most critical decisions an organization can make—but too often, mistakes in the selection process lead to costly failures. In this episode, we break down the biggest pitfalls to avoid, from poo...
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38:46
Inside the UK’s Largest ERP Transformation: Lessons for Government IT
What can the UK’s $144 million ERP transformation teach us about digital modernization, procurement efficiency, and IT strategy? In this episode, we dive into one of the largest ERP overhauls in UK public sector history—an ambitious initi...
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22:15
Stargate's $500B AI Initiative & What It Means for Local Governments
In this episode of Untangled, we’re diving into Stargate and what it means for local governments. This $100 billion AI initiative is making waves, but what does it actually mean for public sector leaders? Join us as w...
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51:56
People-First Technology: Redefining Public Sector HR With UKG
In this episode, we dive into the world of HR modernization in the public sector with Jamie Haskins, National Director of Sales for Public Sector, and Linda Madus, Government Strategist, from UKG. Together, we explore the critical role of peopl...
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53:34