This week we welcome newcomer Rachel Stern the show to chat with Jim about their shared enjoyment of NCSL as well as Rachel's work with InState Partners. Rachel Stern is a Senior Vice President for InState Partners, a business line of Advantage Capital. As the founder of the business line, over the last decade she has invested in and advised InState’s extensive portfolio companies on how to foster effective partnerships between innovative technology solutions and state and local governments across the country. Rachel is also a graduate of the CORO™ Fellows Program, an intensive, full-time, graduate-level fellowship in public affairs. Through CORO, she worked in multiple sectors of public affairs, including non-profits, public companies and private equity-backed businesses, state government and electoral campaigns. She received her MBA from University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and her bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show. Don't forget to subscribe! Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@ThePoliticalLife.net  Follow The Political Life on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates.