Philly government gets data-centric

A former information analyst for the state of Delaware has been appointed the city’s first chief data officer, tasked with developing the city’s new open data platform.

Mark Headd will work in the Office of Innovation and Technology and be responsible for providing data to the public online through a searchable, user-friendly catalog. Mayor Michael Nutter established the city’s open data policy with an executive order signed in April.

Headd comes from Code for America, a nonprofit organization that helps city governments become more connected through innovation, where he served as government relations director. Prior to joining Code for America, he served as chief policy and budget adviser for Delaware’s Department of Technology and Information and technology adviser to former Delaware Gov. Thomas Carper.

“The way cities work is changing. They’re evolving to better engage citizens, connect with each other, and leverage data for better decision-making,” said Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America. “Philadelphia has been a leader in that movement, and we’re honored to have one of our own join their ranks as the chief data officer.”