Explore every episode of the podcast GovEx Data Points
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #88 - The GovExperts: Potential of public sector AI with Andrew Nicklin | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:19:52 | |
--- The GovExperts is the new mini-series from GovEx Data Points spotlighting some of the top minds in public sector data. In our inaugural episode we discuss what generative AI is good at, how cities are interacting with it, and what it means for the workforce. --- We’re chatting with Andrew Nicklin, Senior Research Data Manager at GovEx. Andrew takes us from his early days at the NYC parks department to his pivotal role in launching the NYC Open Data platform, and how this experience led him to GovEx at the invitation of founder Beth Blauer.
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| #87 - Increasing Access while Reducing Emissions: Iowa City’s Fare Free Pilot Program | 16 Aug 2024 | 00:33:53 | |
Iowa City and GovEx collaborate to solve a problem: How do you gather ridership data without fares? --- In the latest episode of the Data Points podcast, GovEx and Iowa City staff about collaborative efforts to track bus ridership for a free-fare program aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Iowa City is a participant of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Data Track, a program aimed at connecting cities with coaches and data practitioners to build data skills and techniques to tackle complex challenges and improve residents’ quality of life. ---Iowa City bus ridership dropped precipitously during the pandemic and had not rebounded, leading the city to consider shifting to a free-fare program to increase ridership and help the city reach its goal of reduced carbon emissions. But, without fares to count, the city struggled to find a way to track ridership for a free-fare program to help it determine whether the increased ridership was having the desired impact. Rachel Bloom, the GovEx coach working with Iowa City, consulted GovEx data analyst Maeve Mulholland, who presented the city with a creative solution that leveraged data the city was already collecting. --- Since moving forward with its free-fare program, the city has used data to show an increased bus ridership of 40% - compared with a 10% post-pandemic increase nationwide - and a reduction in tailpipe carbon emissions by approximately 284 metric tons. It is now using an analysis of timing and location data to gain further insight into the program and to increase equity in access to public transportation. --- Learn more about Iowa City’s Fare Free Pilot Program --- Learn more about the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative | |||
| #86 - Celebrating 10 Years: Reflections on the DATA Act and the future of open data | 16 May 2024 | 00:50:29 | |
--- GovEx Executive Director Amy Holmes introduces highlights from the organization’s recent event marking the DATA Act’s 10th anniversary --- In the latest episode of GovEx Data Points from the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence, GovEx Executive Director Amy Holmes, a key figure in the passage and implementation of the 2014 DATA Act, reflects on the organization’s recent event marking the law’s 10th anniversary at the new Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC. The DATA Act, the nation’s first open data law, standardized data for more than $6 trillion in annual spending and enabled taxpayers to monitor how federal funds are allocated and trace those funds to direct investments in their community. It became a model for open data laws around the country and around the world. | |||
| #85 - Teaching Mayors to Tap Data’s “Sneaky Super Power”: Bringing People Together | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:42:55 | |
--- The Data Track at Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative helps leaders to the see the people behind city-level data. --- Today, we’re throwing a spotlight on the Data track of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a collaboration between Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and GovEx. Launched in 2017, the Initiative has worked with 539 mayors and 2500+ senior city officials in 560 cities worldwide, and has also advanced research and developed new curriculum and teaching tools to help city leaders solve real-world problems. Latricia Boone, GovEx’s Senior Director of Partnerships, talks to Sari Ladin-Sienne, the Initiative’s program director and former Chief Data Officer of the City of Los Angeles, about the program’s history and goals, what the experience is like for mayors, and how the Data track teaches mayors how to leverage data to address challenges and realize their vision. --- Learn more about the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative | |||
| #84 - Women’s History Now: The Women Behind the Coronavirus Resource Center | 22 Mar 2024 | 00:44:49 | |
--- In this episode, we celebrate Women’s History Month by talking to some of the women who made history by leading the development of the Coronavirus Resource Center, or “CRC.” Launched in January 2020, the CRC became the indispensable source for data about COVID-19 for government officials, academics, journalists, and the public, surpassing 2.5 billion website views before winding down last year. --- Our history-making guests include:
--- We discuss the origins and ongoing relevance of public-facing data dashboards like the CRC, look at some of the challenges involved in capturing and reporting public data, and unpack if and how the fact that women led most facets of this project impacted the project. We will also hear about how these women balanced their essential work with the uncertainty and chaos that COVID-19 brought to all of our lives. | |||
| #83 - City AI Connect: Risk vs. Opportunity in Government AI | 01 Feb 2024 | 00:28:17 | |
--- In this episode, we discuss City AI Connect, a global learning community and digital platform for cities to trial and advance the usage of generative artificial intelligence to improve public services. --- Generative AI, powered by advanced machine learning algorithms, has the potential to analyze vast amounts of data to predict trends, helping cities improve emergency response, mitigate severe weather events, and target resources for infrastructure enhancements. The technologies might also be harnessed to design creative solutions that could transform government delivery by reducing processing delays, eliminating cumbersome paperwork, and expanding multi-language access to reach many more residents with vital, public services. --- To maximize the potential and expand the availability of generative artificial intelligence learning for local governments, City AI Connect might offer locals officials a single destination to ideate, develop, and test new utilizations with peers across cities. Through social networking features, digital forums, virtual events, and a repository of blueprints and resources, city leaders might have the opportunity to exchange strategies and work with data and technology experts brought together by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University to accelerate implementation in their city halls. --- We're joined by Beth Blauer, Associate Vice Provost for Public Sector Innovation at Johns Hopkins University and the founder of GovEx; Mary Conway Vaughan, Deputy Director of Research and Analytics at GovEx; and Denise Reidl, the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of South Bend, Indiana. --- City AI Connect --- "Gen AI: Get Ready!" Webinar (City AI Connect Members Only) | |||
| #82 - A Year In Review: A conversation with GovEx Executive Director Amy Edwards Holmes on her first year of leadership | 19 Oct 2023 | 00:23:55 | |
In the latest Data Points Podcast from the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University (“GovEx”), GovEx Chief of Staff Dr. Rudy de Leon Dinglas talks to Amy Edwards Holmes, who recently completed her first year as the center’s Executive Director. Amy came to GovEx with years of public service experience in both the non-profit and government sector. In this podcast, Amy explains the origin of her passion for helping cities use data to improve people’s lives. She and Rudy also review the past year of GovEx programming and discuss future engagements with partner cities across the Americas, including those engaged with the center’s flagship program, the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance. To learn more about GovEx, Amy, or any of our programming, please visit us at govex.jhu.edu. We would also love to hear from you! Fill out our listener survey at https://forms.fillout.com/t/tvfZVqXrqXus | |||
| #81 - Democratizing Data in City Workforces: A conversation with Baltimore Chief Data Officer Justin Elszasz | 10 Jul 2023 | 00:27:18 | |
In the latest Data Points podcast from the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University (GovEx), GovEx Research Manager Jacquie Greif talks to Justin Elszasz, Chief Data Officer for Baltimore City. Elszasz describes the city’s long-standing partnership with GovEx, including the collaborative development of the ground-breaking Baltimore Data Academy, which is providing city staff in every department with the opportunity to learn about data and use it to improve their work and, ultimately, the lives of Baltimore residents. In a wide-ranging discussion, Elszasz also touched on the role of the CDO, how to incentivize good data practices in cities, and how AI is already shaping the way cities work. To learn more about our work, visit us at govex.jhu.edu | |||
| #80 - Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for Local Governments | 20 Feb 2023 | 00:36:25 | |
Among the lessons many cities learned from the COVID-19 pandemic was that local governments need to be better prepared for disruptions to the food system caused by public health crises and other natural and man-made disasters. To help local leaders address this need, the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence (GovEx) and Johns Hopkins’ Center for a Livable Future (CLF) developed a new tool, Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for Local Governments, in collaboration with five cities: Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; Denver, Colorado; Moorhead, Minnesota; and Orlando, Florida. In this episode, two authors of the planning guide, Meg Burke, a Researcher with GovEx, and Elsie Moore, a PhD candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discuss their approach to researching the guide, the data about food resiliency, and the ways different cities can and should support resilient food systems. To learn more, visit govex.jhu.edu | |||
| #79 - The Charge to Invest in Intersectional Culture Change in Cities | 09 Nov 2022 | 00:34:47 | |
The past several years have revealed a major shift in the way we relate to our jobs, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing political and civil unrest. Increasingly, the roles of social and emotional wellbeing in the workplace have taken center stage as we negotiate our return to the office. This changing paradigm about our relationship to our work has prompted employers to re-evaluate the workplaces they create for their workforces, and cities are no exception to this phenomenon. Today, we’re joined by Mykella Auld, an instructional designer for GovEx and Co-author of The Social Emotional Learning Handbook: Practical Applications for Trauma-Informed and Anti-Racist Social Emotional Learning in Educational and Communal Settings, to explore this topic more deeply. To learn more, visit govex.jhu.edu | |||
| #114 - Data Science for Social Good: Training the Next Generation of Civic AI Leaders | 23 Jul 2026 | 00:34:39 | |
--- How students, cities, and researchers are using data science and AI to tackle housing, blight, and other real-world government challenges through the Data Science for Social Good program. ---- In this episode, Oliver Wise speaks with Data Science for Social Good Fellows Rayid Ghani, Jaspreet Ranjit, and Alibi Shakputov about how students, researchers, and local governments are using data and AI to solve public challenges. From roof damage in Baltimore to urban blight in Baton Rouge, they share how real-world partnerships and open-source tools can help governments make more proactive decisions while preparing the next generation of civic technology leaders. | |||
| #113 - AI, Data Leadership, and Trust in Government with former San Francisco and California data chief Joy Bonaguro | 16 Jul 2026 | 00:29:41 | |
--- How the role of city chief data officers is evolving, why generative AI is changing government work, and how data leaders can build capacity, trust, and better services. --- In this episode, Bonaguro reflects on her path from philosophy and mathematics to data leadership roles in San Francisco and California. She discusses how chief data officers can navigate bureaucracy, build trust across departments, and create practical data programs that solve real problems. She also explains why generative AI is reshaping government technology and what public sector data leaders need to do to build capacity, manage risk, and improve services. | |||
| #104 - What’s Your AI IQ? How Cities Are Measuring and Making Progress | 15 Jan 2026 | 00:37:18 | |
--- The AI Capacity Quiz is helping cities reflect, compare, and take confident steps forward --- The GovEx team created the AI Capacity Quiz to help local governments understand where they stand with AI and where to go next. In this episode, Mai-Ling Garcia, Justin Elszasz, and Michael Montgomery joined the podcast to talk about how the tool came to life, what makes it different from traditional assessments, and why it’s designed to encourage cities on their AI journey. | |||
| Ep. 18 - The Police Data Initiative - GovEx Data Points | 05 Oct 2016 | 00:28:46 | |
Transparency in policing has come to national attention in recent years due the exposure of numerous civilian deaths at the hands of police officers across the country. To help improve understanding of police and community interactions, the Police Data Initiative was formally launched by the White House in May 2015. Although the Police Data Initiative is a federal initiative, it seeks to work with state and local governments to improve public safety and relations with police departments.
In this episode, we talk with Clarence Wardell and Denise Ross who lead the Police Data Initiative on behalf of the White House to find out how the initiative came about, what it entails, and how police departments can start to work with the initiative to improve public relations.
To learn more about the Police Data Initiative, visit: htnbv ntps://www.policefoundation.org/ | |||
| Ep. 16 - What is Data Science? - GovEx Data Points | 23 Sep 2016 | 00:23:57 | |
A phrase often used in our field without much clarity is "data science." This week we try to demystify some buzzwords and explain data science through a discussion with two GovEx staffers who recently attended the Data Science for Social Good conference held in Chicago. GovEx Senior Implementation Advisor Matt Pazoles and Analyst Nick Hadjigeorge attended the conference a few weeks ago and in this episode they shared their thoughts on the highlights and implications of the conference.
Through the discussion, we try to answer questions like: What is data science? What is the coolest data science project you've seen? Why should data scientists really be called data janitors? If the answers to those questions aren't enough and you want to learn more about data science, read up on Data Science for Social Good and check out GovEx's Data Science 101 resources.
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Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 15 - Seattle's Plan for Openness - GovEx Data Points | 01 Sep 2016 | 00:28:03 | |
Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the US and has long been known for being data-savvy due its association with companies like Amazon and Microsoft. However, it's not just the private sector that's promoting innovation and data use. The City of Seattle also works hard on incorporating data, being open about its practices, and pushing the envelope on providing better services to residents.
This week guest host Matt Raifman and I talked with Candace Faber, Civic Technology Advocate for the City of Seattle, about what the city is doing to better use data to support residents. As the first ever person in this role, Candace connects actors across the technology and civic ecosystems to advance the Mayor's vision for Seattle to be a safe, affordable, vibrant, innovative, and connected city. Candace also helped champion the recent release of Seattle's Open Data Playbook, which helps guide city staff through the process of opening data.
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Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 14 - Using Data to Curb Gun Violence - GovEx Data Points | 26 Aug 2016 | 00:28:45 | |
Gun violence is an issue that plagues many major cities in the US. It is a complex and politically fraught issue, with a variety of causes and strategies to address it. This week, we try to get a better understanding of gun violence in the US through a discussion with Ted Alcorn, Director of Innovation at Everytown for Gun Safety. Originally founded by a group of concerned mayors, Everytown is a nonprofit focused on building a movement of Americans who work together to end gun violence and build safer communities. To do this, they provide research, convene stakeholders, and advocate for legislation that will help reduce gun violence across the US.
As Director of Innovation for Everytown, Ted focuses much of his work on exploring new frontiers for reducing gun violence. This includes looking deeply at data from across the US to find ways for government leaders and community members to join forces to address critical public safety issues. Check out everytownresearch.org to learn more about Everytown’s research and data analysis on gun violence and read their most recent report – Strategies for Reducing Crime in American Cities.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 13 - Shining Light on Data - GovEx Data Points | 18 Aug 2016 | 00:25:52 | |
The concepts of sunshine laws and open government have grown in prominence around the US in recent years. However, governments often have difficulty keeping up with changes and determining what works in terms of transparency and accountability. One of the oldest nonprofits focused on helping communities make sense of these shifts is the Sunlight Foundation. If you’re not familiar with Sunlight, it is a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government globally and uses technology to make government more accountable to all. The GovEx team also works closely with Sunlight on our What Works Cities engagements focused on open data.
This week I had the chance to talk with Alex Howard from Sunlight to discuss how governments and communities can effectively and productively focus on transparency. At Sunlight, Alex is Senior Analyst focusing on advancing openness and accountability at all levels of government. Alex has also had an extensive career in data journalism and has a unique perspective on how government and communities can engage around data to build public trust.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 12 - Eating Your Open Data Vegetables - GovEx Data Points | 08 Aug 2016 | 00:26:06 | |
A lot of US cities are just getting started with open data, but Philadelphia has been in the data game for awhile. Philly's open data program has released over 200 datasets, including those focusing on city contracts and the city budget. In this episode, Sharon and Eric chat with Chief Data Officer Tim Wisniewski of the City of Philadelphia to discuss how cities can improve their data practice and learn from the experience (both good and bad) of Philadelphia.
Tim has served in the Philadelphia city administration since 2012, helping to build a nationally renowned open data and digital services program. Tim is a Philly native and was previously Executive Director of the Frankford Special Services District, where he led efforts to revitalize the Frankford Avenue Business Corridor. You can read more about Tim, his hobbies, and his current projects at timwis.com.
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Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 11 - Making Analytics Work - GovEx Data Points | 29 Jul 2016 | 00:29:16 | |
A lot of people these days are using the buzz word "analytics," but few people actually know what it is or how it works in government. Getting started with analytics can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode, Sharon and Eric chat with What Works Cities fellow and former New York City Chief Analytics Officer Mike Flowers to discuss how analytics works and how cities can get started with their own analytics programs.
Mike has a wealth of experience using data to drive improved decision-making in government. He founded the Mayor's Office of Data Analytics (MODA) in New York City and has worked with governments around the world to infuse analytics into government operations. Throughout his career, Mike has focused on improving operational decision-making by arming public servants with the information they need to improve outcomes.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
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Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 10 - 600,000 Trees and One Map - GovEx Data Points | 22 Jul 2016 | 00:27:42 | |
Nearly 30,000 acres of land. 600,000 trees on city streets. How does the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation manage so much of the city?
“Everything starts with a map,” says Jacqueline Lu, NYC Parks Director of Data Analytics. Visualizing and analyzing data to understand how all the assets it oversees is the Department’s fundamental approach.
In this episode, Andrew chats with Jackie not just about what data usage on such a scale looks like, but also about the Parks’ street trees census. The Department is in the midst of its third such census now. Because NYC Parks relies heavily on 2,500 volunteers to collect tree census data, the project is also a community stewardship opportunity.
Learn more about the New York City Department of Parks by visiting nycgovparks.org or following them on Twitter @nycparks.
Thanks for listening!
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
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Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 9 - Open Source Kindness - GovEx Data Points | 15 Jul 2016 | 00:42:08 | |
"Open source kindness." That's how OpenReferral talks about how it helps people connect to food pantries, medical clinics, mental healthcare, youth services, computer refurbishment programs, et cetera.
OpenReferral, a "non-organization" community of practice, is the latest advancement in a century-old field helping people access human services. GovEx's Director of Open Data, Andrew Nicklin, sits down with OpenReferral's Chief Organizing Officer, Greg Bloom to talk about how are they leveraging old-fashioned network development and cutting-edge technology.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
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Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 8 - Nudges for Government - GovEx Data Points | 30 Jun 2016 | 00:23:21 | |
What is a "nudge?" How can human behavior, and errors, affect the everyday work of government? How can data help government start to correct those errors? We discuss these questions and more with Elspeth Kirkman of the Behavioral Insights Team (or BIT) in this week's episode of Data Points. Elspeth is the Head of BIT North America, which launched last year as a part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Initiative (which also launched GovEx).
BIT grew out of 10 Downing St, where it was the United Kingdom’s “nudge unit” and the world’s first government institution dedicated to the application of behavioral sciences. BIT's work focuses on redesigning services based on empirical evidence from the behavioral science literature. Their work also involves rigorous testing of behavioral science concepts to ensure that governments know what works before they scale up new practices.
Through What Works Cities, BIT has expanded its work to the US and is working with several cities across the country on low-cost evaluations. These evaluations help cities test different a variety of techniques in service delivery to determine which ways are more effective, and which ways aren't, to improve service delivery.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| #103 - AI City Showcase: How Guatemala City is using AI to Combat Climate Change | 19 Dec 2025 | 00:22:25 | |
--- The city developed its AI prototype as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance AI Track --- As one of eight cities in the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance AI Track, Guatemala City worked with GovEx coaches to develop an AI prototype to determine where and how to build tree cover to best mitigate the impact of growing urban heat islands. City officials Julia Galindo and Griselda Valdez joined the podcast to talk about how they did it, what they learned, and why Latin America cities may be more eager to embrace the possibilities of AI. | |||
| Ep. 7 - Applied Math and City Data in Baltimore - GovEx Data Points | 23 Jun 2016 | 00:18:40 | |
“The problems and the data are alike in city work and astronomy,” according to this episode’s guest, Tamas Budavari, Assistant Professor of Applied Math and Statistics at Johns Hopkins University. Tamas is working to apply the same solutions he built to answer how the universe was formed to understand how housing becomes vacant and blighted in Baltimore* City.
Connecting Baltimore to his previous research was a bit of serendipity, according to Tamas. His support for the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative fostered this collaboration. Since starting to work with Baltimore Tamas has gained a broader understanding of the questions the city wants answered by its data. As a response, he’s creating a centralized database from which the city “can easily ask questions and answers come back right away.”
There are some snags, however, owing to a variety of formats and standards, and limited resources. Still, Tamas and his team are able to make connections to provide what he calls “common denominators” and move quickly to think about solutions for Baltimore.
*As Baltimore locals having a conversation, we fell into a comfortable habit that might leave our listeners confused. When Tamas talks about the city, he mentions “Station North” which is a arts and entertainment district constructed in an underpopulated part of town and “MICA” which is shorthand for the much lauded Maryland Institute of Art.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
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Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 6 - Visualize Data Like a Pro - GovEx Data Points | 16 Jun 2016 | 00:22:42 | |
Data visualization is a hot topic. Everyone wants visualizations that are simple, fun, and easy to understand. But where should you start when visualizing your data? This week we talk to Jon Schwabish, a Senior Research Associate at the Urban Institute and data visualization guru, to discuss his thoughts on how to get in the data visualization game and how to do it right.
Jon is working on a variety of projects related to data visualization, including his new book Better Presentations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks. In our conversation with Jon, we explore his recent work and a wide range of topics on data visualization from software and chart options to telling a coherent story with data.
For more information, get in touch with GovEx or check out Jon’s website Policyviz. If you look hard enough you can also find GovEx staff Eric Reese and Rebecca Williams as recent guests on Jon’s podcast!
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 5 - Broadly Bantering About Broadband - GovEx Data Points | 06 Jun 2016 | 00:16:52 | |
What is a Broadband Coordinator? Does a city need one? Why would a broadband coordinator need a broadband report card? We talk to Jason Hardebeck, Broadband Coordinator for the City of Baltimore about his post and his intentions to make it obsolete.
Hardebeck is working with GovEx (via MetroLab) to develop a broadband report card, which will help determine how available broadband access is and should be in Baltimore. We dive into that effort and find out how it can scale to other cities.
We also talk about Jason’s other efforts around Baltimore, such as his burgeoning makerspace, The Foundery.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 4 - Taking Data to the Next Level in San Francisco - GovEx Data Points | 31 May 2016 | 00:17:44 | |
The City of San Francisco is often thought of as a leader in technology and data-driven government. The city’s Chief Data Officer Joy Bonaguro joins us to discuss how that reputation became a reality and how data is making San Francisco a better city for all its residents.
As the city’s (and county’s) first chief data officer, Joy has a unique perspective on integrating data in the daily life of government. Prior to joining the City, Joy worked from the birth of the open data and open government field, spending seven years designing and managing the development of information systems to support planning and decision-making at Greater New Orleans Community Data. She also worked at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to help develop technology, cyber and privacy policy working closely with both the National Lab CIO Council and the Department of Energy Information Management Advisory Group.
In our discussion, Joy touches on a variety of topics including, overcoming the challenges she faced in changing government culture, building a strong data network and inventory, and making data easy to use. To find out more about San Francisco’s use of data, check out datasf.org or get in touch with GovEx
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 3 - Making Cities Smarter - GovEx Data Points | 18 May 2016 | 00:17:04 | |
Shireen Santosham, Chief Innovation Officer for the City of San Jose, California, joins us to discuss all things data and innovation in San Jose. San Jose is a city of just over 1 million people in the Bay Area. You might know it because of its tech reputation and its location right in the heart of Silicon Valley, but our focus through our conversation with Shireen is on what the city itself is doing to work better for residents using data.
As Chief Innovation Officer, Shireen leads leads efforts to build the Smart City Vision and strategy for Mayor Sam Liccardo and the city as a whole. Using her past experience on innovation projects across sectors, Shireen works on partnerships and programs that help advance the city’s goals, including becoming a safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive city. San Jose also works with GovEx on open data through the What Works Cities Initiative, making it clear the city is committed to exploring a variety of strategies to use data to improve outcomes for residents.
Our discussion with Shireen touches on everything from using data to support diversity and inclusion to tech workers and private partnerships in San Jose. To find out more about San Jose’s use of data, check out their Smart City Vision or get in touch with GovEx
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 2 - The Ferguson Effect in Baltimore - GovEx Data Points | 18 May 2016 | 00:21:23 | |
Two Johns Hopkins University (JHU) researchers join us to take a deep dive into a discussion of policing and data in Baltimore. Since GovEx is a research center based in Baltimore and at JHU, we have a unique interest in partnering with our colleagues and exploring how data can be used in our home city. In this episode, I talk with Professor Stephen L. Morgan and researcher Joel Pally of the sociology department at JHU, who recently published their research report titled “The Ferguson Effect.”
Steve and Joel’s goal was to determine whether increased scrutiny on police actions around the country following the events in Ferguson affected police behavior in Baltimore. Their research focused on analyzing open arrest and crime data from the City of Baltimore following the shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, MO (check out the JHU Hub for a great overview of Steve and Joel’s research). Their research is especially relevant, as approximately 8 months later Baltimore had its own high profile police incident involving the death of Freddie Gray in police custody in Baltimore.
Our discussion with Steve and Joel focuses on their research process, the data they used and how they worked with it, and whether their research is something that can be easily replicated in cities across the US. To find out more about Steve and Joel’s research, read their full report and check out their data and methodology.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 1 - Flint's Water and Lead Poisoning - GovEx Data Points | 18 May 2016 | 00:24:21 | |
GovEx Director of Performance and Analytics Carter Hewgley joins us to discuss the important issue of lead poisoning across the country. His experience at FEMA and at the District of Columbia government gives him a great perspective on what can be done at both the national and local level to combat this issue. Check out his blog post on lead to get more information on strategies that governments can use in the short and long term to address lead poisoning.
Overall, the key issue is that lead poisons people and there is no safe level of lead. 70% of homes in the US were constructed when one or more unsafe lead practices were legal. This means residents, cities, counties, states, and the federal government must continue to pay attention to this issue.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.
* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast
Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| Ep. 0 - Introduction to Data Points - GovEx Data Points | 12 May 2016 | 00:02:47 | |
Welcome to GovEx Data Points, a podcast focusing on all things data and government! This is our first ever episode, so thanks for listening. In this episode, we’ll walk through some background information on GovEx and provide an introduction to what we plan to cover in future episodes.
The podcast is brought to you by the team at the Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, or GovEx for short. We’re a team of data fanatics focusing on helping government use data more effectively. We work with hand-in-hand with governments around the world on open data and performance analytics projects designed to improve outcomes for residents. We also provide training and resources for governments to help improve their data use.
Each week we’ll examine a particular example of data use in government. We’ll explore examples from our own work at GovEx, the research of Johns Hopkins professors, and innovative practitioners from around the world. Sometimes we’ll focus on success stories and other times on challenges, but in all cases, the bottom line will be to learn how better use of data and evidence can help governments improve decision-making and ultimately, outcomes for people.
Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch
We’ll be aiming to produce one podcast each week and you can find it in several ways.
* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points
* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/resource-type/podcast/
As we continue with future episodes, we of course want to make sure that we’re meeting our listeners needs. So get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact. | |||
| #102 - Rewriting a Narrative: How El Paso’s mayor is using data to highlight the city’s promise | 01 Dec 2025 | 00:16:07 | |
--- Mayor Renard Johnson’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative offers an example of the power of data storytelling. --- Today, Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence Executive Director Oliver Wise talks to Mayor Renard Johnson of El Paso, Texas, a participant in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. The city finds itself at the center of two national conversations: immigration and AI infrastructure. The mayor is using data to broaden prevailing narratives about El Paso and elevate the social and economic opportunity the metropolitan region has to offer. | |||
| #101 - City Spotlight: Recife leads a wave of Latin American AI innovation | 21 Nov 2025 | 00:16:40 | |
--- With Conecta Recife and “zero-click” service delivery, the Brazilian tech hub is creating scalable solutions to address resident needs. --- Our new “City Spotlights” highlights GovEx city partners doing great things with data and AI. In this episode, we talk to two public servants from Recife, Brazil: Rafael Cunha, Secretary of Digital Transformation, Science and Technology, and Rafael Toscano, Executive Secretary for Science, Technology, and Business. --- Recife, a city of 3.7 million people that was part of the third cohort of Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance cities, leveraged data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve service delivery. Today, the city continues to build its data infrastructure to make public service faster, fairer, more interconnected, and more human-centered. --- Recife uses a “describe the problem” approach for requests for proposals, opening the door for creative, innovative solutions to meet residents’ needs. Their app, Conecta Recife, gives residents access to over 800 public services right from their smartphones, and a “zero-click” approach to service delivery automatically provides free parking permits to residents on their 60th birthday. The city views AI as an opportunity to continue the trend of robust digital service delivery by simplifying previously complex, cumbersome problems. For them, AI is not simply a tool, but a strategic pillar for building a more functional government for resident impact. | |||
| #100 - The Chief Data Officer: An Essential and Evolving Role in the Age of Generative AI | 29 Oct 2025 | 00:20:35 | |
--- Miami CDO Cheriene Floyd shares how Generative AI is shifting the way cities think about their data. --- A Chief Data Officer’s role in cities is to turn data into a strategic asset, enabling insights that can be leveraged for resident impact. How is this responsibility changing in the age of generative AI? --- We’re joined today by Cheriene Floyd to discuss the shift in how CDOs are making data work for their residents. Floyd discusses her path from serving as a strategic planning and performance manager in the City of Miami to becoming the city’s first Chief Data Officer. During her ten years of service as a CDO, she has come to view the role as upholding three key pillars: data governance, analytics, and capacity-building, helping departments connect the dots between disparate datasets to see the bigger picture. --- As AI changes our relationship to data, it further highlights the adage, “garbage in, garbage out.” Floyd discusses how broad awareness of this truth has manifested in greater buy-in among city staff to leverage data to solve problems, while private sector AI adoption has shifted residents’ expectations when seeking public services. Consequently, the task of shepherding public data becomes even more important, and she offers recommendations from her own experiences to meet these challenges. | |||
| #99 - Cities as Engines of Innovation: Insights from GovEx Executive Director Oliver Wise | 29 Sep 2025 | ||
--- Oliver Wise has been a data leader in local and federal government, as well as the private sector, and as GovEx’s new Executive Director, he’s betting on cities to lead the way to Gen AI-driven innovation. | |||
| #98 - Making Visions Reality: The African Mayoral Leadership Initiative | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:30:40 | |
--- The innovation program that helps African leaders leverage data tools to achieve legacy goals --- Today, we’re talking about the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative or AMALI, which helps African city leaders reach legacy goals and improve local governance. In particular, we’ll talk about the AMALI Data Program, which provides direct coaching and technical support city leaders focused on connecting data to goals, closing data gaps, and establishing performance management to monitor and evaluate programs. --- We are joined by Tiffany Davis, the founding director of the AMALI data program and current Director of Emerging Initiatives and Alumni Programs at GovEx and Mawande Ngidi, the current director of the AMALI data program. | |||
| #97 - Making Data Accessible: The BREATHE Center’s Lung Health Dashboard | 01 Aug 2025 | 00:21:49 | |
--- How can data storytelling improve health outcomes and save lives? The Lung Health Dashboard offers one example. --- Today’s episode explores how effective data storytelling connects the public with life-saving research, using the Lung Health Dashboard as an example. This project a collaboration between GovEx and the Johns Hopkins BREATHE Center, which promotes the science and medicine of lung health by interfacing with the community. The dashboard seeks to overcome the challenges of data communication through dynamic, “scrollytelling” visuals to provide research findings to viewers in a relatable perspective. --- We’re joined by Meredith McCormack, Director of the Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Division of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Director of the BREATHE Center; Kirsten Koehler, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and Deputy Director of the BREATHE Center; and Mary Conway Vaughan, Deputy Director of Research and Analytics here at GovEx. --- Learn more about the BREATHE Center | |||
| #96 - Equipping Staff to make Better Decisions: The JHU Travel Emissions Dashboard | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:32:23 | |
--- According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. For short trips, flying is much more carbon-intensive than rail or bus travel. At Johns Hopkins, faculty members travel the most of all affiliate types, producing more than double the emissions of administrative employees and staff. --- The Johns Hopkins University Office of Climate and Sustainability, through its Campus as a Living Lab initiative - a program that supports sustainability innovation - partnered with GovEx to build a tool to help address this problem. Using interactive visualizations with comparable statistics across all Johns Hopkins divisions, users can compare the emissions data of different methods of transportation, enabling them to make more environmentally-friendly choices as they conduct their business. --- We sit down with four contributors to the project to discuss how the tool was built and how cities can use it as a model to support their own climate change initiatives: Sara Betran de Lis, Director of Research and Analytics at GovEx; Heather Bree, Data Visualization and D3 Developer at GovEx; Debi Denney, Assistant Director of Johns Hopkins Office of Climate & Sustainability; and Rose Weeks, Senior Research Associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, working with the Campus as a Living Lab Program at the Office of Climate & Sustainability. | |||
| #95 - The GovExperts: The "Squishier" Side of Data Use in Cities with Vidushani Jayalal | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:15:53 | |
--- The GovExperts is a Data Points mini-series spotlighting the brilliant minds at GovEx who are shaping the future of public sector data work. Today we’re talking to Vidushani Jayalal, who works with cities in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. She talks about the importance of thinking not just about how data works, but about how people work together and solve problems using data as a shared language. | |||
| #112 - Former NYC data chief Mike Flowers on AI, Trust, and the Future of City Data | 28 May 2026 | 00:33:56 | |
--- Why cities need faster, smarter decision-making and why empathy, judgment, and trust still matter most in the age of AI. --- In this episode, Flowers reflects on his path from prosecutor to New York City’s first Chief Analytics Officer and explains how cities can use data to improve operations, break down silos, and better serve residents. He also discusses why governments are struggling to keep pace with generative AI, what today’s chief data officers need to succeed, and why public trust depends on competence, transparency, and accountability. | |||
| #94 - The GovExperts: What Data-Driven Culture Means for Cities with Dr. Sara Bertran de Lis | 11 Apr 2025 | 00:24:24 | |
--- The GovExperts is a Data Points mini-series spotlighting the brilliant minds at GovEx who are shaping the future of public sector data work. Today we’re talking to Dr. Bertran de Lis, GovEx’s Director of Research and Analytics, about her path from astrophysics to data science, what it means for cities to adopt a “Data-Driven Culture,” and her groundbreaking work on the Coronavirus Resource Center and the new City Data Explorer. | |||
| #93 - Communicating with Data: How Do Cities Measure Up? | 28 Mar 2025 | 00:31:14 | |
--- How well do cities communicate with data? What opportunities are they missing? --- GovEx Senior Research Manager Dr. Jacquie Greiff and Senior Researcher Chance Carter address these questions and more in their recent analysis of 2023 State of the City speeches. Their key finding: While mayors often illustrate progress by referencing data, they rarely offer the kind of context and analysis most likely to resonate with residents. Jacquie and Chance review how mayors can move beyond reference statistics and use data to compare trends, illustrate their decision making and build public trust. | |||
| #92 - The GovExperts: The Power of Effective Instructional Design with Dr. Jessica Arends | 17 Mar 2025 | 00:14:07 | |
--- The GovExperts is a Data Points mini-series spotlighting the brilliant minds at GovEx who are shaping the future of public sector data work. Today we’re chatting with Dr. Jessica Arenda, GovEx’s Instructional Designer. She helps us understand what makes adult learning experiences engaging and effective, how to connect with city leaders, and how COVID re-shaped the world of instructional design. | |||
| #91 - 2024: The Year Cities Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI | 21 Feb 2025 | 00:18:45 | |
--- Outgoing GovEx Executive Director Amy Edwards Holmes reflects on a momentous year for cities and data --- While the characters in Dr. Strangelove, referenced in the title of this episode, grappled with the invention of the atomic bomb, cities in recent years have only tentatively explored the potential of artificial intelligence to benefit residents. As outgoing GovEx Executive Director Amy Edwards Holmes discusses in this episode, many cities pivoted in 2024 - with GovEx support - to develop thoughtful use cases for AI, based on solid data and comprehensive data strategies. As Holmes prepares to move on, she also discusses the progress GovEx has made in recent years and the crucial work that lies ahead. | |||
| #90 - Strengthening Community Food Systems: Resilience Strategies in Adams County, Colorado | 06 Nov 2024 | 00:36:06 | |
--- In this episode of Data Points, GovEx’s Meg Burke sits down with Tessa Cushman, the Food Access and Systems Coordinator in Adams County, Colorado and a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow, to discuss Cushman’s experience putting the Food System Resilience Planning Guide, which GovEx created in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future in 2022, into action. --- Burke and Cushman review the importance of authentic engagement with local communities and the need to leverage existing resources, like local food policy councils, to enhance food resilience efforts. They also cover challenges, particularly the complexities of coordinating among multiple stakeholders to put a plan in place, and staying connected to a changing policy landscape. --- Partially as a result of supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic, more governments recognize the need to build and secure food systems, but this is a nascent research topic. The Food System Resilience Planning Guide is one of the few resources currently available to government leaders thinking about how climate change, natural disasters, and public health crises can affect their communities’ access to food. Cushman notes that creating a road map, as recommended in the guide, helped her conceive of what a plan could look like in growing suburban/urban Adams County. --- Learn more about the Food System Resilience Toolkit here! | |||
| #89 - Co-creating Solutions for Economic Mobility: The Opportunity Accelerator | 16 Oct 2024 | 00:47:14 | |
--- In partnership with Results for America, GovEx helps empower communities to solve problems. --- In the latest episode of Data Points, we get an overview of the Opportunity Accelerator, a recently completed program in support of place-based initiatives focused on economic mobility with the goal of specific, population-level outcomes. Place-based initiatives aim to improve quality of life and access to opportunity, particularly for people of color and families with low incomes who live in neighborhoods, cities, and rural communities experiencing disinvestment. The program was administered by Results for America in collaboration with a variety of organizations, including GovEx. --- We’re joined by three GovEx Senior Advisors who were involved with Opportunity Accelerator engagements and discuss what makes place-based initiatives like these different from traditional technical assistance engagements. We also discuss the ways in which the coaches needed to adjust their approaches to meet the needs of the communities they were serving and develop new toolkits to bring the engagements to successful conclusions. | |||
| #111 - D.C. CDO Matt Sokol on the AI-Driven Future of City Government | 14 May 2026 | 00:16:12 | |
--- Matt Sokol discusses why better data is the foundation for successful AI, smarter services, and public trust. --- In this episode, Sokol shares how Washington, D.C. is breaking down data silos, improving data quality, and making open data more accessible through tools like DC Compass. He also reflects on lessons cities are learning from one another as they navigate modernization, transparency, and the growing demand for faster data-driven decision-making. | |||
| #78 - It Takes a Village: The Value of Place-Based Partnerships in Racine, WI | 01 Sep 2022 | 00:29:36 | |
Place-based partnerships can serve a major role in supporting governments’ commitment to serving and improving the lives of residents. But partnerships on a city-wide scale rely on good data governance practices in order to be successful, data-driven, and self-sustaining. In particular, collaboration between government and non-government organizations (NGO’s) poses an extra layer of complexity, and successful service delivery through these partnerships demands robust data governance and open communication between all participants. Today, we’re joined by Jenelle Zito, Director of Continuous Improvement for the Racine, WI Unified School District, Geoff Zimmerman, a consultant with StriveTogether, a nation-wide network of cradle-to-career place-based partnerships, and Ben Taft, Data Impact Manager of Higher Expectations, a collective impact organization local to Racine and member organization of Strive Together. We’ll explore the needs of the Racine Unified School District and how collaboration with Higher Expectations and StriveTogether to address these issues was made possible through a shared responsibility for data governance and communication by all three organizations. If you’d like to learn more, come visit us at govex.jhu.edu. | |||
| #77 - Public Health Data Lessons Learned: The Pandemic Data Initiative | 01 Jul 2022 | 00:26:15 | |
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how unprepared our public data reporting practices were to handle such an event. Incomplete, poorly-formatted, or irregularly-released datasets were a norm, and drawing useful insights from these data presented a major challenge for governments seeking to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. While working on the Coronavirus Resource Center, GovEx analysts took note of the many data governance problems they encountered. These thoughts were given voice through the Pandemic Data Initiative, a component of the Coronavirus Resource Center aimed at driving the national and international conversations on public data, how to best respond to the COVID-19 pandemic data issues, and how to prepare for the next public health crisis through modernized data systems. We’re joined by Dr. Joshua Porterfield, Content Lead for the Pandemic Data Initiative, to discuss the origins of the initiative and explore the practices that presented the greatest challenges. You can find the Pandemic Data Initiative at http://coronavirus.jhu.edu/pandemic-data-initiative. To learn more about our work at the Johns Hopkins Center for Government Excellence, please visit http://govex.jhu.edu. | |||