Yo Deshpande is the Technologist for the Public Realm in the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM). MONUM is the City of Boston’s civic research and design team, working with communities and city departments to explore, experiment with, and evaluate new approaches to government. Yo’s work crosses community empowerment and co-design, surveillance technology accountability, environmental sensing, and broadly how technology can make cities more connected and caring without compromising people’s freedoms. He practices Vipassana meditation and roots for the Celtics. Both are beloved rollercoasters.

Stephanie Dock manages the District (of Columbia) Department of Transportation’s Innovation Division. The program manages the permitting processes for testing autonomous vehicles and deploying sidewalk delivery robots, is exploring agency uses for drones, and helps guide the agency’s investments and strategy around piloting emerging technologies. Stephanie was previously with the DDOT Research Program supporting all aspects of the agency’s work with applied research and evaluation support, including coordination with academic partners and a research internship program. Stephanie chairs the TRB City Transportation Issues Coordinating Council and serves on the OMF Privacy, Security, and Transparency Committee.

Brian Hofer is Chair of the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission and the Executive Director of Secure Justice. His advocacy has been instrumental in a number of nation-leading ordinances, including ones that established a vetting framework for the potential acquisition and use of surveillance equipment. Mr. Hofer is presently consulting with the cities of San Diego, San Jose, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Portland on establishing similar frameworks and he has testified before various California state Senate and Assembly committees in support of privacy enhancing legislation.

Ryan Kurtzman is the Smart Cities Program Manager for the City of Long Beach. His experience includes developing community programs and policies that leverage technology to improve connectivity, mobility, digital equity, and economic outcomes for all residents. He also leads the City's open data and data governance programs. He graduated from UCLA with a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Jacqueline helps communities and organizations build new nervous system. She leads Helpful Places, a mission-driven start-up that helps organizations pilot and roll out new technologies in ways that are transparent, legible, and enable civic dialogue with the residents of that community about the use of those technologies. Formerly at Sidewalk Labs and the founding Director of Data Analytics at the NYC Parks Dept, she has more than 20 years of experience implementing data and tech that helps improve public spaces.