Code For America names former California tech chief as new CTO

Code for America, the civic tech nonprofit, on Wednesday announced that Jonathan Porat, California’s former chief technology officer, will serve as its CTO, starting in June.

The nonprofit said that Porat, who will report to Amanda Renteria, the group’s chief executive, will help scale up its work in public benefits delivery and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.

Porat helped lead the California Department of Technology’s digital service delivery and technology innovation. He stepped down last month after nearly three-and-a-half years in the role.

The announcement comes one day before Code for America’s annual summit, in Chicago, where state and local government IT officials will discuss how best to modernize access to public benefits, including food assistance, healthcare coverage and tax credits.

The organization is also increasingly focused on integrating responsible AI into service delivery, an area Porat is expected to expand. Code for America’s recent Government AI Landscape assessment, published earlier this month, found that while states across the country are experimenting with AI tools, most are still in the early stages of adoption.

“Artificial intelligence is coming at a time where governments are also in transition, I mean huge measures of scale, right?” Renteria said in a recent interview. “We used to say government and technology together is really what can change people’s lives at scale. Both are opening up in different ways.”

In California, Porat helped develop early artificial intelligence pilot, projects like Poppy, an AI-powered digital assistant designed for use by state employees. In Code for America’s press release, Porat said he’s joining at a “pivotal time” for government service delivery: “As states grapple with shifting policies, new requirements, and reduced resources, AI offers a path forward to making government services more effective and human-centered. I look forward to working alongside Code for America’s partners to build solutions that truly meet people where they are.” 

As Code for America’s CTO, Porat will also help oversee the nonprofit’s technology vision, including infrastructure, security and AI governance, while guiding the development of tools aimed at improving outcomes for underserved communities, according to the announcement.

Before joining California, he held roles with the Seattle city government, the Small Business Administration and Office of Management and Budget.

“Jonathan’s deep public sector experience and demonstrated leadership in AI make him uniquely suited to lead Code for America’s technology strategy during a transformative moment,” Renteria said in the release.