Matt Bailey to Serve as D.C.'s First Director of Technology Innovation

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on May 9 the appointment of Matt Bailey as the district’s first director of technology innovation. Bailey, who previously served as a user experience manager for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), will work under the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, an office temporarily filled by Tegene Baharu after the departure of CTO Rob Mancini.

Bailey will use technology to improve life for citizens, Bowser explained in a press release, with an emphasis on improving transparency and creating new pathways to the middle class. New roles like Bailey’s serve to instigate and connect resources between the realms of technology, finance and politics, similar to other roles in economic development.

"Innovation isn’t just about creating the latest app or deploying the newest technology,” Bailey said in a written statement. “Innovation is about improving how we live and making government more accessible and accountable to residents. I look forward to working with Mayor Bowser to make the District of Columbia a better place, defined by its responsiveness and its collaborative spirit.”

Before joining the CFPB, Bailey worked as a Web developer and as an information security analyst in the private sector. The district notes that Bailey is also co-founder of Code for DC, a civic activist group that develops technology to help citizens.

Bailey officially started his new position on May 11, and shared on Twitter his enthusiasm about the role.