From Tech to Government and Back Again

​The worlds of tech and policy are increasingly integrated, for good or ill. Tech professionals are recognizing government service as a vital way to contribute to the national interest, at the same time that politicos and policy experts have realized that they need the tech industry’s experience and insight. Ten years after the Foundation for American Innovation was formed to serve as a bridge between Silicon Valley and DC, the fusion of technology and public policy is greater than ever. But can technologists, founders, and investors really accomplish more in a sclerotic political environment than they can in industry?

​To discuss their experience moving from tech to government and back again, Jennifer Pahlka and Michael Kratsios will be joining the Foundation for American Innovation and Project 47 in San Francisco on Monday, December 4. Jennifer Pahlka, founder of Code for America, served as the Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States under President Obama, and as a member of the Defense Innovation Board under Presidents Obama and Trump. This year, she published Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. Michael Kratsios, former Principal and Chief of Staff at Thiel Capital, served as Chief Technology Officer of the United States and Under Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon during the Trump administration. Today, he is Managing Director at Scale AI, where he leads corporate strategy and helps accelerate AI applications across industries.

The conversation will be moderated by Marshall Kosloff, a Media Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, where he co-hosts The Realignment podcast.

​Join the Foundation for American Innovation and Project 47 as we consider the case for a tech “tour of duty” in government.