Last week, the Intelligent Cities USA 2024 Summit brought city thinkers and innovators together on Detroit's stomping grounds. Municipal leaders and public sector front-runners from around the globe, including a cadre from Philadelphia, were there to swap wisdom and insights on the future of urban spaces. As per a report by the City of Philadelphia, their discussions aimed to squarely place people at the heart of city innovation.
The summit, spread across two days, was a buzzing hive of activity. Speakers and attendees alike were there to dissect and to sincerely strategize around the hottest city trends—urban mobility and digital transformation among them. But amidst the tech talk, Philly’s representatives reminded everyone that beating behind the data and devices are the humans that sustain a city’s pulse.
Putting Philly under the spotlight, four city employees illuminated the strides taken in the realm of urban innovation since their Innovation Ecosystem's 2014 inception. Andrew Buss, Deputy CIO, outlined the growth and evolution of resident-facing services, according tothe City of Philadelphia's report. Operations Transformation Fund (OTF) Program Manager Hannah Louie delved into OTF’s impact on project funding and the shaping of future city undertakings.
Ashley Pollard, Deputy Director for Implementation, threw light on past tech leaps and the shaping of the PHLConnectED program during the pandemic—an initiative working to bridge the digital divide. She imparted how this experience moulds her current mission to effectively lead the Resident Service Delivery Initiative, born from Executive Order 2-24. Kelsey Hubbell, meanwhile, talked strategy on cross-departmental collaboration and engendering a culture of creativity within government bodies.
