Mai-Ling Garcia makes bold strategies that solve public problems using technology, design, and community engagement.
With over 15 years of experience in digital innovation and public service, Garcia has a track record of delivering streamlined and innovative digital services. As the Head of Digital Strategy and Engagement for the City and County of San Francisco, she led transformative initiatives in civic technology. Previously, as the Digital Engagement Officer for the City of Oakland, she architected the city's first Digital Service Team, co-led the development of Oakland's Civic Design Lab, and expanded the City's Digital Engagement program.
Today, Garcia serves as the Director of Emerging Technology and AI at the Bloomberg Centers for Government Excellence and Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. In this role, she leads research, development, and strategy on emerging technology, supporting hundreds of cities in combining cutting-edge practices with world-class research. Her work aims to drive impact where it matters most – in people's lives. A key achievement was leading the Center's Digital Innovation Team (i-team) program launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which powered digital innovation and service transformations in six global cities.
A native of California, Garcia holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science from the London School of Economics, focusing on cities.