When asked for ways to improve local government, most people wouldn't say that better computer programming and smart phone applications should be the first item on the agenda.
But Jennifer Pahlka, executive director of Code for America, thinks that making better government is a matter of better computer programming and smartphone apps. Thursday on Up to Date, Pahlka joins Steve Kraske to talk about how Code for America is working to use the web in service of local government.
Got a question for Ms. Pahlka about Code for America? Join the conversation: call 816 235 2888 during the show, email uptodate@kcur.org, Tweet us @KCURUptoDate, or join KCUR's Facebook discussion.
Jennifer Pahlka is the founder and executive director of Code for America, which works with talented web professionals and cities around the country to promote public service and reboot government. Government Technology named her one of 2011’s Doers, Dreamers and Drivers in Public Sector Innovation and the Huffington Post named her the top Game Changer in Business and Technology the same year. She is known for her TED talk, Coding a Better Government, and is a frequent speaker at a wide range of events. She spent eight years at CMP Media where she ran the Game Developers Conference, Game Developer magazine, Gamasutra.com and the Independent Games Festival. Previously, she ran the Web 2.0 and Gov 2.0 events for TechWeb, in conjunction with O’Reilly Media, and co-chaired the successful Web 2.0 Expo. Jennifer’s early career was spent in the non-profit sector. She is a graduate of Yale University and lives in Oakland, Calif. with her daughter and eight chickens.
