New cohorts of Presidential Innovation Fellows will focus on high-impact priorities, AI

March 25, 2024

21 fellows will support technology modernization goals at 14 agencies with second cohort on AI coming soon

WASHINGTON — Today, GSA announced its twelfth class of Presidential Innovation Fellows, a cadre of 21 private-sector technology and innovation leaders who will begin a yearlong tour of duty in civil service, embedded at 14 federal agencies. 

Focused on improving government for the public through technology, the new cohort will work alongside partners to create innovative solutions that advance national priorities.

Fellows are known for applying their expertise in data science, design, engineering, product, and systems thinking to tackle hard problems such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing customer experience in healthcare, improving national nutrition programs, and enabling programs to serve constituents quicker after national disasters.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these seasoned technologists and innovators into government service. More than ever, federal agencies are looking for top talent to help them improve the digital experience of their customers, better leverage data, and enhance cybersecurity,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “We’re excited to see how these innovators put their skills to work for the public good and collaborate alongside agency leaders to better deliver services for the American people in their moments of need.” 

PIFs serve as strategic senior advisors supporting executive level leaders and their teams in areas that are crucial to how the government delivers. Pairing top-tier subject-matter expertise with public sector institutional knowledge provides an opportunity for each fellow to shape, define, and lead initiatives, including those that address pressing agency challenges. 

Past fellows have contributed to a broad range of efforts including:

• Working with the Department of Labor’s Chief Innovation Officer to leverage innovative technologies to ensure the successful delivery of services and benefits to workers.
• Improving data sharing to enable medical research and improved health outcomes for veterans in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Ensuring data-driven decision making through department-wide data and technology modernization at the Department of Justice.

The new fellows and their agencies are:

• Ankita Dhussa, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Brad Wintersteen, U.S. Department of Energy.
• Burgan Shealy, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
• Cherreka Montgomery, U.S. Department of Energy.
• Erin Doherty, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Glennette Clark, Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• Jasmine Miles, Federal Aviation Administration.
• Jennifer Gardner, Small Business Administration.
• Jon Roberts, Department of Agriculture.
• Jordan Eccles, Executive Office of the President.
• Madhavi Bharadwaj, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Matt Law, Department of Homeland Security.
• Michael Conlin, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Nina Daoud, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Rachel Shi, U.S. Department of Energy.
• Rajesh Jain, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Ricky Abisla, Small Business Administration.
• Stephanie E. Farquhar, Office of Management and Budget.
• Sweta Maturu, Department of State.
• Todd Holloway, General Services Administration.
• Vishal Dubey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Having worked in both the technology and government sectors, I’m excited by the opportunity to bring my career full circle by contributing my skills to advance technological innovation in delivering government services,” said PIF Nina Daoud, a user experience strategist who will be focused on national nutrition programs for children and adults.

This is the first time that PIF will launch two cohorts in one year. This first cohort includes a broader technology focus while a second cohort will launch this summer focused exclusively on artificial intelligence. The second cohort will deliver on the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworth Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which identified the PIF program as one of the existing federal technology talent pipelines to recruit top AI talent into government. 

PIF, part of Technology Transformation Services, is a highly competitive fellowship. It pairs talented, diverse technologists and innovators with top civil servants and change-makers working at the highest levels of the federal government to be innovation catalysts. Since the program launched in 2012, PIF has recruited over 250 fellows who have worked at more than 50 agencies to advance government innovation and deliver stronger public services. The program was founded by the White House Office of Science and Technology in 2012. GSA has proudly housed it since 2013.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing about $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

About TTS: GSA’s TTS applies modern methodologies and technologies to improve the lives of the public and public servants. TTS helps agencies make their services more accessible, efficient, and effective with modern applications, platforms, processes, personnel, and software solutions. TTS offices include 18F, Centers of Excellence, Presidential Innovation Fellows, and a diverse portfolio of TTS Solutions, including initiatives like FedRAMP, USAGov, Digital.gov, cloud.gov, and Login.gov.