Tina Walha, Director of the City of Seattle’s Innovation & Performance Team, joined us for a conversation about her team’s multidisciplinary approach to innovation across city bureaucracy. She discussed how data science, behavioral science and design thinking help City departments creatively solve problems.
Carlos Del Valle, Executive Director of Technology at Seattle Public Schools, joined us for a conversation about the district’s ongoing work to adapt to remote learning. He discussed the challenges of shifting from providing technology services internally to working directly with families, and how the digital equity factors into the SPS’s strategic plan, Seattle Excellence.
Cuc Vu, Director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs, joined us for a conversation about the City’s ongoing work to be a welcoming and equitable place for the diverse immigrant and refugee communities that call it home. She discussed the challenges that COVID-19 has exacerbated and shared ways that immigrant ingenuity is influencing the City’s work.
Alex Rose from the City of Seattle Offices of Arts & Culture and Film & Music joined us for a conversation about the local creative economy. Alex shared the challenges that creatives are facing because of the pandemic, the disparities between creatives in tech and those in other fields (as well as the overall disparities in creative fields) and how the city is collecting data and responding to these challenges.
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David Keyes, Seattle’s Digital Equity Manager, has 30+ years working at the intersection of information and communications technologies, race and social justice, and community engagement. David enlightened us to the complexities of digital equity work and how the City is taking action on the recently passed “Internet for All” resolution.
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Patty Hayes, Director of the Seattle & King County Health department, has over 30 years of experience in public health, policy development and advocacy. Patty has been responsible for the COVID-19 response for King County and gave some straight talk on how we’re doing in King County right now, how we know it’s working and what we can expect in the coming 6-12 months.