Meredith Isola, Managing Director at Narrative, said on Mar. 11 that while Washington appears volatile from the outside, government agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are focused on recalibrating their efforts without abandoning their core missions.
Isola said this distinction is important for companies in regulated industries, who may misinterpret external pressures as signs of instability within agencies. She explained that internal discipline typically increases when scrutiny rises, leading to more deliberate decision-making processes rather than reactive policy changes.
Drawing from her experience in senior communications roles at both DHS and FDA under different administrations, Isola described how statutory authority and established frameworks guide agency actions regardless of leadership changes or public attention. “At DHS, infrastructure security and resilience efforts continue under authority established by law, even when there is leadership change. The same principle applies at FDA where authorities, user fee commitments, and Center structures remain intact,” she said.
Isola also noted that increased visibility or communication from agencies does not necessarily indicate rapid policy shifts. “Agencies under scrutiny often communicate more frequently. That does not mean policy has shifted at the same pace. Meaningful change still emerges through guidance, rulemaking, advisory committee processes, and formal review decisions. High-profile remarks or social posts are signals, not endpoints,” she said.
She emphasized that during periods of transition or heightened attention, career staff intensify risk management practices rather than succumb to chaos. “Leadership transitions are demanding for career staff. When pressure rises, institutional risk management intensifies… What can feel unpredictable externally is often internal calibration,” Isola said.
In conclusion, Isola advised companies to focus on statutory authority and center-level priorities instead of reacting to every shift in public narrative: “That discipline allows companies to stay aligned with how agencies really make decisions rather than reacting to every shift in the public narrative. In moments like this, understanding how government works internally becomes a strategic advantage.”
