About Code for AmericaWe focus our iterative, user-centered, and data-driven approach to government primarily in four areas that have real human impact: Health & Human Services, Economic Development, Safety & Justice, Communication & EngagementCode for America helps show what's possible and changed tools, platforms, skills, and practices of government in hundreds of cities.Code for AmericaCfA_4600defa-65da-11e4-97ff-d43e955b75b0Jennifer PahlkaFounder and Executive Director -- Jennifer is founder and executive director of Code for America. She recently served as US Deputy Chief Technology Officer in the White House, where she helped found the United States Digital Service.Greg KerwinChief Revenue and Marketing Officer -- Greg brings 20 years of business development, marketing and product management experience to Code for America. He was recently at UBM where he developed leading global events and digital media products, including collaborating with O’Reilly Media on the successful Web 2.0 and Gov 2.0 events and GTEC...Meghan ReillyChief Administrative Officer -- Meghan Reilly joined Code for America in August, 2010. After graduating from the University of Colorado she moved out West to join The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco team. She participated in their rigorous training program and spent four years learning the hospitality industry. She then moved…Alicia RouaultSenior Advisor to the Executive Director -- Alicia is a former Code for America fellow and co-founder and CEO of urban planning software, LocalData. Before coming to CfA, Alicia worked in economic development and urban planning…Monique Baena-TanMonique supports the partnerships and ecosystems team by engaging with all the Brigades across the network. She helps them build a stronger community by connecting them, capturing best practices and providing resources for growth and sustainability. Monique...Catherine BracyDirector of Community Organizing -- Until November 2012, Catherine was a product manager and director of the Obama campaign’s technology field office in San Francisco, the first of its kind in American political history. In that role she was responsible for organizing technologists to volunteer…Hannah YoungProgram Manager, Brigade -- Hannah Young joined Code for America in December 2012. Before moving to San Francisco and getting bit by the startup bug, she worked in Wisconsin newsrooms, the U.S. House of Representatives, and on numerous political campaigns...Dan HonContent Director -- Dan Hon joined Code for America in October 2014 as Content Director. He works to make building digital government that works easy to understand and easy to copy. Prior to Code for America, Dan took a detour...Becca BlazakProgram Coordinator -- Becca joined Code for America in May 2014. As Programs Coordinator, Becca works across all five of Code for America’s programs, helping to further institutionalize program integration...Garrett JacobsFellowship Engagement Lead -- Garrett Jacobs joined Code for America in early 2014. He collaborates with the fellowship team to help scope projects, support both our government partners and the fellows throughout the program. Garrett also helps build community with our alumni members...Nicole NeditchFellowship Director -- Prior to joining Code for America, Nicole worked for the City of Oakland in the Office of the City Administrator. There, she helped launch initiatives related to open government, online engagement, service design and public participation. She launched an Open Data…Debs SchrimmerResearch & Editorial Coordinator -- Debs Schrimmer joined Code for America in August 2014. As Research and Editorial Coordinator, Debs helps develop resources for local government staff and community organizers to use modern technology tools to foster collaboration, improve internal government processes...Greg JohnsFinance Manager -- Greg Johns has worked in a wide range of industries over the course of his career. He began his career in the New York City area where he worked at an one of the first companies to offer online brokerage services and extended his career into investment research working at Smith Barney,…Efrem BycerDirector of Economic Development -- Efrem leads Code for America's efforts to help governments better leverage open data and civic technology to support their economic development efforts. Prior to joining CfA in May 2015, Efrem was a Manager, Economic Development at the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation…Caitlin DockerContent and Community Manager -- Caitlin joined Code for America in November 2014 to build and launch a community of practice around specific issues within economic development.SaraT L. MayerSenior Director, Health and Human Services -- SaraT (ST) Mayer leads Code for America's work to leverage civic technology and user centered design to transform the health and human services engagement landscape. Prior to joining CfA in November 2015, ST worked at the San Mateo County Health System as their Public Health Director...Jenny Montoya TanseyDirector of Safety and Justice -- Jenny leads CfA's public safety and criminal justice related work. She previously provided training and support to California counties on jail population management, pretrial programs, and access to health coverage and treatment at Californians for Safety and Justice...Luke NorrisDirector of Government Relations -- Luke Norris has 12 years of experience in executing growth strategies for start-ups, nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies through leading direct sales and innovation teams, as well as structuring strategic partnerships. Luke is a Denver native who lives...Zoe BlumenfeldMarketing Manager -- A passionate advocate for storytelling and social change, Zoe most recently served as Communications Manager at Global Fund for Women, one of the largest publicly supported grantmaking organizations focused exclusively on women's rights...Alexis CharlesAlexis is a writer committed to bringing awareness to social issues. Alexis joined Code for America as a Communications Writer in 2015. She most recently served as the Social Media Coordinator at Stanford University’s Women’s Community Center...Jaime-Alexis FowlerDirector of Marketing -- Jaime-Alexis Fowler joined Code for America as Director of Marketing in June 2014. Jaime-Alexis most recently served as Deputy Director at Exhale, overseeing organizational operations, programs, and strategy. Prior to that, she spent six years…David LeonardFrontend Developer -- David is a designer and developer. He helps Code for America focus on serving its users on the web and across digital platforms. David worked as a 2014 fellow in San Antonio, Texas, where his team developed open data practices and made Homebase …Matthew LovelessData & Analytics Manager -- Matthew Loveless joined Code for America in 2014. Before CfA, Matthew worked on data integration and management at the U.S. Department of Energy, the Democratic National Committee, and Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign...Molly McLeodDesigner -- Molly is a designer and typography geek passionate about social justice. As a 2014 Code for America fellow in Long Beach, she helped design a new process for city staff to coordinate to reduce 911 calls. Previously, she designed print and digital projects for federal public health agencies at CommunicateHealth...Leticia FigueroaLeticia joined Code for America in late 2014, after working with us on a project basis for a few months. Leticia’s background is in Marketing and Event-planning and includes Dignity Health and The Pour House...Brenda StoneBrenda Stone joined Code for America in 2015. She brings a broad HR knowledge with experience from both for-profit and non-profit organizations...Carolina YuOperations Coordinator -- Carolina joined Code for America in 2013. Originally from New York, she moved to the Bay Area after graduating from Boston University with a degree in psychology. Her diverse career spans from working in the non-profit sector to healthcare and retail operations. In her spare time, one will catch her volunteering...Colleen CotterUser Experience Lead -- Colleen Cotter is a user experience research expert, joining Code for America from IDEO.Norris HungFront-end developer -- Norris is a designer and front-end developer with a special enthusiasm for design thinking, typography, information design, and web development. He joined Code for America in 2015 and focuses on the Digital Front Door initiative...Jacob SolomonProduct Manager, Health Team -- Jacob is a policy analyst and project manager from Oakland. Most recently, he studied the quality of care for mentally ill veterans, the forthcoming Medicaid expansion, and medical marijuana policy in California at RAND Corporation. Previously, he worked as a Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir Technologies. Jacob studied Economics at Occidental College.Alan WilliamsDesigner, Health Team -- Alan is an urban planner, designer, and community strategist. Most recently he lead the Community team at Neighborland, a civic ideation platform. Alan's early experience as a community organizer informed his work as a spatial analyst and urban planner in post-Katrina New Orleans. In 2011, he joined…Mischa ByruckDirector of Institutional Partnerships -- Mischa leads CfA's relationships with its major foundation funders, along with other strategic partners. Previously, he was the Manager of Strategic Partnerships at DataKind, an organization harnessing the power of data science in the service of humanity…Jennifer ChildsSenior Manager, Corporate Partnerships -- Jennifer joined Code for America as Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships in November 2014. Jennifer most recently served as Associate Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations at the University of California, San Francisco, managing major gifts and sponsorships from corporate partners. Prior to UCSF,Chi OffomahA year before joining Code for America in August 2015, Chi was finishing up her public health degree and soaking up the sun in Tucson...Jessica SilvermanSenior Development Manager -- As Senior Development Manager, Jessica focuses on foundation relationship management and grants administration. She joined Code for America in April 2015, a recent San Francisco transplant from the great city of New York...Tomas ApodacaEngineer -- Tomas Apodaca joined Code For America in 2015. He's an engineer, focusing on the Code for America API and the Digital Front Door initiative. He previously worked as an Application and Data Specialist at The Asia Foundation, where he helped build an API for the 2014 Indonesian elections and…Dave GuarinoEngineer, Health Team -- Dave Guarino is a software engineer focused on increasing access and dignity in the social safety net. His primary interests these days include duct-taping programmatic APIs onto legacy government interfaces, data processing/ETL, and strategies for analytic rigor in early-stage product development…Andrew HyderDeveloper Relations Engineer -- Andrew Hyder is a civic hacker who enjoys making apps and maps. He is the developer relations engineer at Code for America where he travels the world helping volunteers build useful technology for their cities. As a 2013 CfA Fellow in Kansas City…Code for America Board of DirectorsJennifer PahlkaFounder and Executive Director -- Jennifer is founder and executive director of Code for America. She recently served as US Deputy Chief Technology Officer in the White House, where she helped found the United States Digital Service.John LillyJohn Lilly is a partner at Greylock Partners with a focus on consumer Internet and enterprise software. Prior to Greylock, John was CEO of Mozilla, the organization behind Firefox, an open source Web browser used by more than 400 million people. John also co-founded Reactivity, an enterprise security…Stacy DonohueStacy Donohue is a Investment Partner at the Omidyar Network. She brings broad technology, strategy, and financial expertise to Omidyar Network’s Media, Markets & Transparency initiative, managing investments in Government Transparency across the United States and Latin America. In this role,…Nigel JacobNigel Jacob is the Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics for the City of Boston. With an extensive background in collaborative, citizen-facing technology projects, Nigel Jacob co-founded the Office of New Urban Mechanics -- a civic innovation incubator within Boston’s City Hall.…Tim O'ReillyTim O’Reilly is the founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media Inc. Considered by many to be the best computer book publisher in the world, O'Reilly Media also hosts conferences on technology topics, including the O'Reilly Open Source Convention, Strata: The Business of Data, the Velocity Conference on…Shona BrownShona Brown joined the executive team of Google in 2003 and was responsible for building both the People Operations and Business Operations groups. In 2011, she took on the role leading all of Google’s technology for social impact efforts and in January of 2013 she became a Googler Emeritus and moved…Brett GoldsteinBrett Goldstein is currently the Senior Fellow in Urban Science at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. In this role, he advises governments and major universities around the world on how to use data to inform smarter government decision-making and leads research projects using big data and analytics to better understand urban ecosystems…Code for America Advisory BoardEric RiesEric Ries is an entrepreneur and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Business, published by Crown Business. He serves on the advisory board of a number of technology startups, and has consulted…Andrew GreenhillEmeritus -- Andrew Greenhill is the Mayor's Chief of Staff for the City of Tucson. He has worked extensively on wide-ranging issues facing Tucson and Southern Arizona such as water, transportation, environmental sustainability, urban planning, economic development and local government reform. Andrew's strong…... government works for the people, by the people in the 21st century._f89e83ee-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773bTo build open source technology and organize a network of people dedicated to making government services simple, effective, and easy to use._f89e872c-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773bDemocracyCode for America believes that a healthy democracy is one where government and people work together to improve their community.TeamworkTrustThis requires trust between government and residents.TransparencyThat trust is built when interactions between government and residents are transparent, inclusive, and respectful.InclusivenessRespectLocalityWhile trust in government is at an all-time low in the United States, we believe things can be different. And we believe this starts at the local level where government most directly touches our everyday lives.InnovationThrough our work with dozens of local governments since 2011, we've seen how local governments that practice a new way of working can better serve residents and address the important problems facing our communities.Public ServiceSelf-GovernanceThis is why we believe government can work for the people, by the people, in the 21st century.IncrementalismWe're working to make it so, one step at a time.SimplicityEffectivenessEasy of UseHealth & Human ServicesImprove the access and usability of services that have a deep impact on a community's health._f89e88b2-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b1Often, health and human services programs don’t work for the people that need them the most. Much can be done to make it cheaper and easier to deliver services to the public, while ensuring that they are being delivered with dignity. Code for America partners with local governments to improve the delivery of services by increasing program access and usability.SNAPImprove SNAP access across California_f89e8a38-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b1.1CaliforniaIn California around 40% of people eligible for CalFresh aren't receiving benefits, making for the second worst participation rate in the country. While there are many barriers to receiving CalFresh, one of the biggest is the difficulty to enroll. GetCalFresh.org is a mobile-freindly website, centered around the needs of users, that lets people apply for CalFresh in 10 minutes. We are currently looking for county partners in California who want to improve CalFresh enrollment and usability in their county.Emergency ServicesUse data to reduce demands on emergency services_f89e8bfa-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b1.2Long BeachIn Long Beach, as in many places across the country, a small percentage of people make up a majority of visits to the emergency room. 52 percent of last year's emergency medical calls came from just 10 percent of the addresses. AddressIQ is a web application that synthesizes and analyzes city data daily to identify addresses with the highest number of 911 calls. It then highlights them to city staffers and supports coordination of cost-effective ways to provide those addresses with better care and resources.Health ServicesStreamline the eligibility screening process for health services_f89e8d62-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b1.3More than a quarter of Richmond residents live in poverty, and many do not have health insurance. They depend on a network of public and private organizations that provide free or discounted care to the uninsured. Our fellows are building a web application that allows patients to find out if they are eligible for services online and helps organizations share this information to reduce redundant screenings, making the process easier and more efficient for everyone.Economic DevelopmentFoster inclusive economic growth by streamlining interactions between governments and businesses._f89e8ec0-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b2Redesigning how workers, entrepreneurs, and businesses interact with local government can foster the kind of growth a whole community can participate in. Code for America partners with local government to improve digital services that streamline interactions between governments and businesses, and bridge the skills gap.B2G InteractionsStreamline interactions between business and government_f89e9050-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b2.1BusinessesThe United States ranks 46th in the world for ease of starting a business, mostly because of how hard it is to understand and meet state and local requirements. Permit and zoning regulations, and difficult to access incentives intended to support businesses, are often prohibitively complex. Some business owners hire consultants to help, others give up. Over the last 5 years, we have created tools and services to improve business/government interactions and streamline the process for getting a small business up and running.Training DataHelp people build the skills they need for available jobs_f89e91b8-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b2.2Federal, State and local governments spend millions of dollars each year in training programs to help low and middle income workers build job skills. However, the government doesn't track if the people using these programs end up getting jobs using their new skills. Without this information, it's hard to tell which programs are working, or if programs are outdated and train people for jobs that aren't needed. We are working to connect people to resources that help them build the skills they need to compete in the workforce, while giving government the data they need to make decisions about where to invest.Business Startup & GrowthHelping people navigate resources to start or grow their business_f89e930c-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b2.3Local GovernmentsBusinessesPuerto RicoEntrepreneursToo often, local governments offer well-intentioned programs to businesses that businesses know nothing about or are unable to access. PrimerPeso was developed in Puerto Rico to help aspiring entrepreneurs identify the business incentives and services that are available to them.Safety & JusticeCreate justice systems that are safe, fair, and effective._f89e94a6-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3Across the country, practitioners are working to give our justice system a redesign. Code for America works with cities and counties to create justice systems that are safe, fair, and effective. Using data and technology, we help save public dollars and increase community safety.Jail ConditionsProvide Real-time Analysis of Jail Conditions_f89e9604-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3.1LouisvilleJudgesCorrections StaffPoliceThe Jail Population Management Dashboard gives judges, corrections staff, and police a real-time, in-depth view of the Louisville metro jail system. With unprecedented access to jail data, stakeholders are able to visualize how their decisions affect outcomes, discover trends, and coordinate efforts across agencies.Fresh StartsHelp People with Criminal Records Get a Fresh Start_f89e976c-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3.2CriminalsCaliforniaIn California, prop 47 provides individuals with past felony convictions for low-level crimes, the opportunity to request a record change with the court. Change My Record is Code for America's project to help up to 200,000 Californians take advantage of this opportunity.Police DataOpen Up Police Data_f89e99ec-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3.3PoliceWhite House Police DepartmentsWe're working with the White House Police Data Initiative to help police departments across the country increase transparency, with the aim of improving policing and communications strategies and fostering community dialogue.Failures to AppearReduce Failures to Appear with a Text Message_f89e9b72-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3.4Courtbot is a simple web service for handling court case data. It enables city residents who receive traffic tickets to text their citation number to get information on how to pay the ticket or get information and reminders about their court dates. Code for America is developing related technology to help people complete probation successfully.Emergency ServicesUse data to reduce demands on emergency services_f89e9cee-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b3.5City StaffersAddressIQ is a web application that synthesizes and analyzes city data daily to identify addresses with the highest number of 911 calls. It then highlights them to city staffers and supports coordination of cost-effective ways to provide those addresses with better care and resources.Communication & EngagementImprove government communications with residents, while developing ways to encourage productive participation._f89ea608-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b4Local governments must meet residents where they are spending more and more time: online. Public trust in government, access to services, and participation in civic life, can all be improved by redesigning how local governments engage with their constituents. Code for America partners with local governments to use data and technology to improve communications with residents, while developing ways to encourage productive participation.Online MeetingsMeet people where they are: online_f89ea7a2-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b4.1Local Government StaffUS CitiesResidents of US CitiesA government's main website is the online equivalent of city hall. Residents expect to be able to go there to do all of their government business in one place -- but for local government staff, providing this is easier said than done. Through our Digital Front Door project, Code for America is working with several US cities to rethink the government website in order to improve the experience for both residents and government employees.FeedbackProvide a place-based call in system to collect feedback_f89ea91e-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b4.2City ResidentsPublic ServantsCityVoice was created to make community feedback quick, easy and accessible for residents and actionable for public servants. It invites residents to participate through on-location signs and flyers; residents call a phone number, enter a location code, and answer structured polls as well as leaving voice answers to open-ended questions. The responses are collected and presented on a public website.Community EngagementEstablish a new standard for community engagement_f89eaad6-aff0-11e5-9675-9895f14c773b4.3City GovernmentsCommunity ResidentsWe have seen glimpses of a better model of engagement working for government staff and the public across America. The Civic Engagement Standard systematizes what we have seen work and offers both governments and residents concrete tools and tactics to use in their communities.2015-12-31https://www.codeforamerica.org/about/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net