Episode 104: Preparing for Portland – Regulatory Abundance and Crucial Conversations

This episode previews two keynote presentations at the 2026 CLEAR Annual Educational Conference. Host Line Dempsey first speaks with keynote speaker Jay Chaudhary about his concept of "regulatory abundance"—the idea that effective regulation requires continually balancing public protection with access, innovation, affordability, and opportunity. Drawing on his experience in legal aid and behavioral health leadership, Chaudhary discusses the importance of recognizing the trade-offs inherent in every regulatory decision, considering both visible and invisible harms, and designing regulatory systems that are practical while maintaining meaningful safeguards. The episode then features plenary speaker Jillian Morenz, who explores how leaders can navigate high-stakes conversations more effectively. She explains why people often default to silence or confrontation under pressure, shares common communication pitfalls, and emphasizes the role of psychological safety and practical communication skills in building stronger teams and higher-performing organizations. Together, the conversations offer listeners a preview of two conference sessions focused on rethinking regulation and strengthening leadership through better communication.

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Then, engage in further discussion on CLEAR's Regulatory Network (members-only, join here).

• What are you most looking forward to at the upcoming conference, and what topics or burning questions do you hope will be answered in the keynotes and sessions?