In this episode, Brittany and Rachel sit down with Angela to explore her journey from serving as a Knowledge Management Specialist at USAID to her current work in holistic health advocacy.

They unpack what it is really like to practice KM inside a large federal system, where information exists everywhere but is not always accessible in ways that truly empower people. Angela shares candid reflections on operational onboarding gaps, lack of standardization, records management inconsistencies, and ongoing IT challenges that made knowledge flow harder than it needed to be.

But this conversation goes beyond systems and structure.

It is about transformation.

Angela reflects on how her experience at USAID sharpened her systems thinking, strengthened her leadership skills, and ultimately shaped her transition into holistic health advocacy. Brittany and Rachel explore the throughline running beneath it all: information is power.

Whether navigating global development structures or advocating for your own health, access to clear, organized, trustworthy knowledge changes outcomes. In her current work, Angela applies core KM principles such as clarity, accessibility, governance, and empowerment to help women better understand their bodies, their options, and their agency within healthcare systems.

In this episode, Brittany and Rachel discuss:

• The realities of knowledge management inside large institutions
• Operational onboarding and standardization challenges
• Records management and IT barriers
• How KM skills translate across industries
• The connection between knowledge access and empowerment
• Supporting women through holistic health advocacy

If you believe KM is more than repositories and documentation, if you see it as a vehicle for confidence, agency, and access, this episode will resonate.

Because when knowledge flows, people flourish.

Learn more and connect with Robust Health Advocacy
Phone - 240-997-3995
Email - forestang@mail (not Gmail)
WhatsApp - @AD Trees
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaforest/
Alignable - https://www.alignable.com/bowie-md/robust-health-advocacy-healthy-gut-phenomenal-life?user=3638379

In this episode of Not Another KM Podcast, Brittany and Rachel welcome their first guest, John Hovell, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Power + Systems, to unpack what they are officially calling The KM/OD Situationship, and unofficially calling (How Do We Get Rid of John?!)

They dig into where Knowledge Management (KM) and Organizational Development (OD) overlap, where they diverge, and why the lines between them can feel blurry at best. They talk definitions, common misconceptions, and the ongoing identity struggle that seems to follow OD around. More importantly, explore how both disciplines show up in real organizations and what happens when they are practiced intentionally.

Finally, they also get into experiential learning, systems thinking, and why change does not stick without clarity, structure, and shared understanding.

Smart. Honest. A little nerdy. Exactly how we like it.

Rachel and Brittany talk about their very non-linear, accidental paths into knowledge management and why KM shows up everywhere, no title required. They share KM “aha” moments, personal knowledge hacks, and the real magic of the work: connecting people and untangling messy systems. Expect honest takes, light buzzword roasting, and a whole lot of human-centered KM.

Takeaways

• Knowledge management careers are often stumbled upon rather than intentionally pursued
• Knowledge management can be practiced in any sector and does not necessarily require formal education or certification KM is a gift for connecting people and solving problems
• The importance of clear communication in explaining knowledge management

Chapters

• The Journey to Knowledge Management
• Rachel's Journey to KM
• Brittany's Journey to KM
• The Human Side of KM