Cities are at the forefront of innovation. We see cities leaning more and more on technology as they create smarter, more sustainable cities. Recognizing this trend, Microsoft formed the Tech and Civic Engagement Group to collaborate with the civic tech ecosystem to bring innovative ideas and advancements in technology together to make cities more efficient and effective for their community. The team combines deep technical, academic and policy expertise with the resources of a global tech leader. In addition to our thought leadership role, we also invest in Civic Innovation Fellows who roll up their sleeves and get involved in local projects. Katherine is our newest Fellow in San Francisco and will be assisting with several projects and teaming with Code for America.
– Scott Mauvais, Director of Technology and Civic Engagement
Meet Katherine:
Where are you from?: I grew up in White Plains, NY and have lived in the Bay Area for the last 4 years. 
School/grade/major/area of study: I have a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the Maryland Institute College of Art and am currently apply to business school.
Why did you choose to intern with Microsoft?: I became acquainted with Microsoft through Code for America and immediately was impressed with how committed to civic engagement. Working on SF’s National Day of Civic Hacking 2015 was the first true glimpse of how Microsoft helped with resources: promoting the event, helping with event planning, and sharing evangelists. I’ve been interested in learning more about the civic tech sector, and it was clear that Microsoft is a leader in this space at both the national level and within the Bay Area. For me, this was the place that I wanted to learn from and bring my developed skills.
What projects are you working on for your position as tech fellow for Microsoft Bay Area? Two main projects:
- Open Referral: Most socially-oriented organizations release a document that shares what public services are available to their clients. (ex. how someone who is homeless might also access food stamps) Open Referral wants to put this information online so that the staff of these organizations can easily update information allowing clients/individuals to seamlessly search for services and social programs they might qualify for. Code for America is working on updating this technology and has partnered with the Adult Probation Department of San Francisco. I’ll be managing the overall project and working closely with the Code for America team ensuring they have the needed Microsoft resources at their disposal and working to make Open Referral compatible with Azure.
- Hackathon-In-A-Box: I’ve been tasked with developing a toolkit of Microsoft resources for hackathons. If you see something related to hackathons please feel free to send it to me.
What excites you about civic tech?: Civic tech is unique because every project/initiative has a true variety of stakeholders, and the relationship between the tech sector, government, and citizens is an exciting challenge to tackle. Additionally, I was drawn to civic tech because the challenges are similar to other areas (i.e. arts non-profits). Progress in civic tech is achieved through methods I feel strong about like user-centered design, an entrepreneurial approach, experimentation and prototyping, and public/private partnerships.
What’s one problem you hope civic tech will solve for cities?: People having (and knowing about) ways to engage with their cities/surrounding spaces.
What gets you excited about you are of work?: I get excited about project management/toolkit building because with the right, streamlined tools your team can accomplish so much! An efficient communication method gives you the power to create better content. Effective tools is the base that empowers your team to produce the best work possible in a timely and strategic way. I am always looking for ways to improve the baseline and best support the work of my entire team.
