GovEx Data Points

#110 - Beyond Dashboards: How Boston’s CDO is Rethinking City Services

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- Boston’s Chief Research and Data Officer, Shin-pei Tsay, shares how cities can shift from analytics to impact by focusing on user experience, tr...

#109 – How AI Is Redefining the Chief Data Officer Role

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- Justin Elszasz, former Chief Data Officer for Baltimore and GovEx advisor and CDO-in-Residence, shares what it takes to lead data strategy, naviga...

#108 - Meet the CDOs: Melisa Breda on Trust and Responsibility in the Age of AI

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- Melisa Breda, former Chief Data Officer for Buenos Aires, and GovEx advisor and CDO-in-Residence, shares a candid look at what it takes to make da...

#107 - Trust Through Results: Data, Evidence, and the Future of Public Service

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- Michele Jolin, CEO and co-Founder of Results for America, and Oliver Wise, Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence, ...

#106 - From Vision to Impact: Lessons from GovEx's First 10 Years

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- Beth Blauer and Oliver Wise reflect on the roots, risks, and real-world impact of building a data-first culture in government.--- What began as a ...

#105 - From Potholes to Predictive Power: How One City Is Using AI to Stay Ahead

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- With support from the City Data Alliance AI Track, Luján de Cuyo embraced AI and shifted from reactive repairs to proactive service delivery.--- ...

#104 - What’s Your AI IQ? How Cities Are Measuring and Making Progress

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

--- The AI Capacity Quiz is helping cities reflect, compare, and take confident steps forward--- The GovEx team created the AI Capacity Quiz to help l...

#103 - AI City Showcase: How Guatemala City is using AI to Combat Climate Change

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

Rewriting a Narrative: How El Paso’s mayor is using data to highlight the city’s promise

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- Mayor Renard Johnson’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative offers an example of the power of data storytelling.---...

#101 - City Spotlight: Recife leads a wave of Latin American AI innovation

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- With Conecta Recife and “zero-click” service delivery, the Brazilian tech hub is creating scalable solutions to address resident needs.--- Our...

#100 - The Chief Data Officer: An Essential and Evolving Role in the Age of Generative AI

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#99 - Cities as Engines of Innovation: Insights from GovEx Executive Director Oliver Wise

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#98 - Making Visions Reality: The African Mayoral Leadership Initiative

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- The innovation program that helps African leaders leverage data tools to achieve legacy goals--- Today, we’re talking about the African Mayoral ...

#97 - Making Data Accessible: The BREATHE Center’s Lung Health Dashboard

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- How can data storytelling improve health outcomes and save lives? The Lung Health Dashboard offers one example.--- Today’s episode explores how ...

#96 - Equipping Staff to make Better Decisions: The JHU Travel Emissions Dashboard

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. For short trips, flying i...

#95 - The GovExperts: The "Squishier" Side of Data Use in Cities with Vidushani Jayalal

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#94 - The GovExperts: What Data-Driven Culture Means for Cities with Dr. Sara Bertran de Lis

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#93 - Communicating with Data: How Do Cities Measure Up?

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- How well do cities communicate with data? What opportunities are they missing? --- GovEx Senior Research Manager Dr. Jacquie Greiff and Senior Res...

#92 - The GovExperts: The Power of Effective Instructional Design with Dr. Jessica Arends

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#91 - 2024: The Year Cities Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

--- Outgoing GovEx Executive Director Amy Edwards Holmes reflects on a momentous year for cities and data--- While the characters in Dr. Strangelove, ...

#90 - Strengthening Community Food Systems: Resilience Strategies in Adams County, Colorado

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- In this episode of Data Points, GovEx’s Meg Burke sits down with Tessa Cushman, the Food Access and Systems Coordinator in Adams County, Colorad...

#89 - Co-creating Solutions for Economic Mobility: The Opportunity Accelerator

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- In partnership with Results for America, GovEx helps empower communities to solve problems.--- In the latest episode of Data Points, we get an ove...

#88 - The GovExperts: Potential of public sector AI with Andrew Nicklin

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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...

#87 - Increasing Access while Reducing Emissions: Iowa City’s Fare Free Pilot Program

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 podcas...

#86 - Celebrating 10 Years: Reflections on the DATA Act and the future of open data

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- GovEx Executive Director Amy Holmes introduces highlights from the organization’s recent event marking the DATA Act’s 10th anniversary--- In t...

#85 - Teaching Mayors to Tap Data’s “Sneaky Super Power”: Bringing People Together

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- The Data Track at Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative helps leaders to the see the people behind city-level data.--- Today, we’re throw...

#84 - Women’s History Now: The Women Behind the Coronavirus Resource Center

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- 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 Coronavir...

#83 - City AI Connect: Risk vs. Opportunity in Government AI

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

--- In this episode, we discuss City AI Connect, a global learning community and digital platform for cities to trial and advance the usage of generat...

#82 - A Year In Review: A conversation with GovEx Executive Director Amy Edwards Holmes on her first year of leadership

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest Data Points Podcast from the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University (“GovEx”), GovEx Chief of Staff ...

#81 - Democratizing Data in City Workforces: A conversation with Baltimore Chief Data Officer Justin Elszasz

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest Data Points podcast from the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University (GovEx), GovEx Research Manager Jacq...

#80 - Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for Local Governments

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 sys...

#79 - The Charge to Invest in Intersectional Culture Change in Cities

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ci...

#78 - It Takes a Village: The Value of Place-Based Partnerships in Racine, WI

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Place-based partnerships can serve a major role in supporting governments’ commitment to serving and improving the lives of residents. But partnersh...

#77 - Public Health Data Lessons Learned: The Pandemic Data Initiative

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how unprepared our public data reporting practices were to handle such an event. Incomplete, poorly-formatted, or irreg...

#76 - From the “Start” of Innovation to a New Center for Innovation – A Conversation with Amanda Daflos

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Innovation is about solving problems. Every problem and crisis a city encounters can unlock new opportunities to innovate and create better results fo...

#75 - “Did you get my email?”: A conversation on collaboration

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When tackling society’s big challenges, we often find ourselves collaborating with other departments or organizations external to our own. But as an...

#74 - Data Science: Easy as P.I.E.

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Governments are often on the hook for some of society’s most pressing challenges. How can city leaders find novel and flexible solutions to address ...

#73 - Saving for the Future with Lansing SAVE

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can cities and their partners help families start saving money for their children’s future college or career training expenses? Since 2013, Lans...

# 72 - Framing Results with the Results Framework

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Accountable, transparent government is something we all strive for in public service. But how do we make this aspiration a reality? It's not enough to...

#71 - A Year in Review: The Economic Mobility Policy Forum

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're joined by the Economic Mobility Forum's Policy Fellows as they wrap up a year of research and discussion at the Johns Hopkins University ...

#70 - Forging Ahead Despite COVID-19

01 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The disruptive effects of COVID-19 were widespread, but that didn't prevent the City of Paterson, NJ from moving forward on mayoral priorities. Today,...

#69 - COMIT: A Maternal Vaccination Policy Tracker by JHU

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is it safe for pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19? What if they're breast feeding? The answer, it turns out, is hard to find, and it de...

Data Points Episode #68 - The eSchools+ Initiative

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're joined by the creators of the eSchools+ Initiative, a program designed to address inequity caused by school closures through connecting p...

Data Points Episode #67 - Love Your Block in Lancaster, PA

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss the Love Your Block program in the City of Lancaster. Love Your Block is a Cities of Service initiative that con...

Data Points Episode #66 - Baltimore's CleanStat Initiative

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we discuss our engagement with the City of Baltimore and its CleanStat program. We'll also look at how the city relied on this ini...

Data Points Episode #65 - Knowledge Management in City Government

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We know that collecting and analyzing data generates insights. But how can we transform those moments of insight into enduring knowledge that guides t...

Data Points Episode #64 - GovEx Engagement with Rochester, MN

01 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we take a look at GovEx's engagement with the City of Rochester, MN to support their affordable housing initiative. We'll look at where the ini...

Data Points Episode #63 - Distance Learning During COVID-19

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We're all under pressure to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic. But how can we make the most of this time, and what benefits of this situation might we...

Data Points Episode #62 - Food System Resilience during COVID-19

01 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on food system resilience. Joined by two graduate students focused on this work, we’ll take a look at ...

Data Points Episode #61 - Asheville Reparations

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we join the City of Asheville’s Equity and Inclusion Director Kimberlee Archie and IT Director Jonathan Feldman to discuss the city's work on...

Data Points Episode #60 - Food Insecurity & Teens

03 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

During the holidays, food drives and charitable giving campaigns raise awareness of food insecurity, but people experience disruptions in access to he...

Data Points Episode #59: Improvement Science in Education

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When we thinking of measuring outcomes in education, we often think of test scores as the ultimate indicator. But a team of practitioners and research...

Data Points Podcast Episode 58 - Counties and Data

16 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

At GovEx, a lot of our work is focused on cities. But counties play a crucial role in using data to improve public outcomes as well. From health to el...

Data Points Podcast Episode 57 - Ethics and Algorithms

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Algorithms are a growing part of government work. They play a part in items ranging from traffic light decisions to criminal sentencing and a variety ...

Data Points Podcast Episode 56 - What is a Smart City?

19 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Being a Smart City is a new hot goal for cities. From Singapore to Amsterdam and anywhere in between, cities are trying to become smarter and implemen...

Data Points Podcast Episode 55 - Creating Racial Equity in Grand Rapids

29 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Racial equity is a challenge cities across America are grappling with on a daily basis. In this episode, we will take a deep dive into the innovative ...

Data Points Podcast Episode 54 - Tactical Data Use with Sunlight

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Enabling more use of public data is a key challenge for cities across the country. This week, we will be talking with our partners from the Sunlight F...

GovEx Data Points Episode 53: Culture Change Miniseries

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

About two years ago, Tempe, Arizona’s mayor and council committed to moving towards more transparent and data informed decision making. Since that...

3rd Birthday Minisode

09 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Happy birthday to us! As GovEx turns three, Eric and Sharon (who have both been around since its beginning) take a quick look back at the top highligh...

Data Points Podcast Episode 52 - Culture Shifts in Durham, NC

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re starting a mini-series on data and culture change. We will be taking a look at several different approaches to building a culture of...

Data Points Podcast Episode 51 - What's up with Participatory Budgeting

01 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Budgets are often long, complicated, and difficult for the average city resident to understand. But they don't have to be. Participatory budgeting is ...

Data Points: Open Data Day Special Mini-sode

26 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of Open Data Day 2018, cohosts Sharon Paley and Eric Reese bring you this special mini episode of Data Points. We share our three favorite (a...

City Health Dashboard - NYU

15 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk with Dr. Marc Gourevitch and Dr. Jessica Athens, professors at New York University’s School of Medicine and Public Health. They’...

Data Points Episode 49 - LEO Labs Fighting Poverty

01 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Fighting Irish are fighting poverty at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (otherwise known as LEO) at the University of Notre Dame...

Data Points Podcast Episode 48 – Cincy Insights with Leigh Tami

11 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cities use data to tackle almost every problem imaginable. This includes the serious issue of opiods and overdoses. Using data to tackle serious issue...

Data Points Podcast Episode 47 – 2017 Wrap-Up

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It’s always good to pause and reflect. As the calendar page turns from 2017 to 2018, Eric and Sharon take time out to wrap up 2017 and discuss every...

Data Points Podcast Episode 46 – Algorithms, Law, and Openness

07 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Many people know about algorithms. But we often don’t know much about them and how they work. In Episode 39 Weapons of Math Destruction, guest Cathy...

Data Points Episode 45 – Mayors Challenge

30 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the selection committee for its fourth US Mayors Challenge. The Mayors Challenge will invest $17.5 milli...

Data Points Episode 44 – Data Standards Directory

09 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data standards — what are they, where do you find them, and how should you use them? On this week’s episode of Data Points, we are highlighting th...

Data Points Episode 43 – Understanding the Fed

24 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve is a key part of the US financial infrastructure. But how does it work? And how does it make decisions using data the affects loca...

Data Points Podcast Episode 42 – Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellowships

11 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re interested in pursuing an advanced degree in public health, this is the podcast for you! The Bloomberg American Health Initiative is an un...

Data Points Podcast Episode 41 – Integrated Data Systems

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Linking data from one place or system to another is often key to putting data to use. But few people understand what it takes to integrate and combine...

Data Points Podcast Episode 40 – Neighborhood Indicators and City Outcomes

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It’s common knowledge that cities are made up of individual neighborhoods. But thinking about data at the neighborhood level is difficult. Often dat...

Ep. 39 - Weapons of Math Destruction - GovEx Data Points

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Algorithms are complicated. Yet they are used all the time in our daily lives, including by governments, to perform basic functions. From determining ...

Data Points Podcast Episode 39 – Weapons of Math Destruction

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Algorithms are complicated. Yet they are used all the time in our daily lives, including by governments, to perform basic functions. From determining ...

Data Points Podcast Episode 38 – Analog Hacking in Louisville

29 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Organizing a hackathon is common concept for the civic tech movement. Bringing people together to solve a problem in a short period of time creates u...

Data Points Podcast Episode 37 – Maps and More

15 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Maps are everywhere throughout our lives. Whether using Google Maps, Yelp, riding the bus, or hiking at a national park, maps can turn data into easil...

Data Points Podcast Episode 36 – Water and Data in California

02 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing is more critical to people’s lives than water. Local governments across the US usually do such a good job of providing safe, clean water tha...

Data Points Podcast Episode 35 – Improving with Transportation Data

18 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Transportation is a key issue for many governments. From transit planning to roads and bridges and autonomous vehicles, transportation affects all res...

Ep. 34 - Compared to Jackson - GovEx Data Points

05 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Comparing budget data is no easy task for cities. Categories aren't standardized, budget cycles often don't align, and each city funds its priorities ...

Ep. 33 - Data Science Done Right - GovEx Data Points

17 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data science is a hot topic among many cities. But few are doing it right. Understanding the buzzwords, data quality needs, skill sets, and what kin...

Ep. 32 - Understanding Cities across Space and Time - GovEx Data Points

03 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As cities work hard to help residents thrive, the neighborhoods they live in are often the front lines of some pretty tough challenges. Simultaneously...

Ep. 31 - Protecting Data, Protecting Residents - GovEx Data Points

24 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data privacy and security have been and continue be a huge conversation in the government data world. What data are sensitive? Do governments need to ...

Ep. 30 - Delivering with Data in Buenos Aires - GovEx Data Points

16 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data use is exploding across governments not only in the US, but around the world as well. To dive deeper into the international waters, Data Points i...

Ep. 29 - Open Government Partnership - GovEx Data Points

09 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data use is exploding across governments not only in the US, but around the world as well. To dive deeper into the international waters, Data Points i...

Data Points Episode 28 – Povilas Poderskis Podcast - GovEx Data Points

02 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data use is exploding across governments not only in the US, but around the world as well. To dive deeper into the international waters, Data Points i...

Ep. 27 - What's Up in Canada - GovEx Data Points

27 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Data use is exploding across governments not only in the US, but around the world as well. To dive deeper into the international waters, Data Points i...

GovEx Team - 2016 Wrap Up - GovEx Data Points

22 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

It's the final GovEx Data Points podcast of 2016! A time for reflection and celebration of the year that was. So, like our Thanksgiving podcast, we...

Ep. 25 - Engaging Civic Tech Communities - GovEx Data Points

15 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Engaging residents and communities is a key piece of work for city employees. However, many cities struggle to engage one specific community: civic te...

Ep. 24 - Tackling HIV with Data - GovEx Data Points

08 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Data Points, we explain how the District of Columbia used data to reduce HIV transmissions by 70% in 7 years. It’s a story rife w...

Ep. 23 - Holiday Resources and Fun - GovEx Data Points

23 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Stuffed with turkey? Avoiding conversations about politics with your family? Trying to build your data skills even though it's a holiday weekend? We...

Ep. 22 - Code for America Summit - GovEx Data Points

21 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The GovEx team attends events around the country (and world if you listened to our IODC recap). One of our favorite events each year is the annual Cod...

Ep. 21 - Race and Urban America - GovEx Data Points

04 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

At GovEx, we work with cities around the country whose leaders are committed to revitalizing aging neighborhoods, and reversing declining property val...

Ep. 20 - Education Data with Andy Smarick - GovEx Data Points

28 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Data Science and Open Data has proven to be useful in practically all fields of local government, including education and public school systems. In th...

Ep. 19 - IODC Recap - GovEx Data Points

20 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The most recent International Open Data Conference (IODC) took place in Madrid, Spain, during the first week of October.  GovEx Open Data Director ...

Ep. 17 - Data Quality - GovEx Data Points

07 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we talk with Stephanie Singer, a technologist with diverse career accomplishments as a data strategist, entrepreneur, professor, an...

Ep. 18 - The Police Data Initiative - GovEx Data Points

05 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Transparency in policing has come to national attention in recent years due the exposure of numerous civilian deaths at the hands of police officers...

Ep. 16 - What is Data Science? - GovEx Data Points

23 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 throu...

Ep. 15 - Seattle's Plan for Openness - GovEx Data Points

01 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Ep. 14 - Using Data to Curb Gun Violence - GovEx Data Points

26 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 strateg...