Building Community for Innovators: Reuniting Presidential Innovation Fellows
Last weekend, I joined fellow Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIFs) for a reunion in New York City — a gathering of technologists, designers, engineers, and strategists who have served at the intersection of technology and public good. It was more than a reunion; it was a reminder of how transformative public service can be when private sector expertise meets the mission-driven urgency of government.
The Power of the PIF Model
When I served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow from October 2019 to July 2021, I saw firsthand how powerful the model is: bringing in experts from industry and academia at a senior level (GS-15) to help modernize how the government delivers for the people. From the program’s early days helping rescue Healthcare.gov, to today’s work driving data interoperability, digital identity, and AI governance, the PIF program has shown that technical expertise can accelerate trust and effectiveness in public systems.
During my fellowship, I had the privilege of contributing to projects that spanned public health, cybersecurity, and biodefense. I helped design a data schema for sharing Fitbit data with the research community via the NIH’s All of Us Researcher Workbench, worked on protecting biotechnology companies during Operation Warp Speed from cyber threats, and helped shape biodefense policy and strategy alongside the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), National Security Council (NSC), and Department of Defense (DoD). Each of these experiences reinforced one truth: innovation in government isn’t about technology alone — it’s about people working together to solve problems that matter.
Reuniting to Strengthen the Mission
The New York City reunion was intentionally held outside Washington, D.C. - both to change perspective and to reflect on our shared purpose amid a shifting federal landscape. Gathering in a new space gave us room to reconnect as peers, mentors, and friends, and to explore how we can continue to make an impact beyond our official terms of service.
It was inspiring to see PIF alumni from across different cohorts - representing disciplines from AI to human-centered design - come together to exchange ideas and stories. Our differences in background, perspective, and experience are what make this network so strong. Diversity isn’t just a value statement; it’s a design principle that ensures what we build is more relevant and useful to more people.
Looking Forward
This reunion was just the beginning of something bigger. We plan to keep the momentum going — meeting annually in different cities, strengthening our community of practice, and continuing to support the current and future generations of PIFs.
The Presidential Innovation Fellows program continues to be one of the most effective models for bringing private sector expertise into public service at scale. It proves that government can innovate — and that when it does, it can have lasting impact on the lives of millions of Americans.
In many ways, this spirit aligns closely with the mission of the Federal Innovators Network (FIN) — to connect, empower, and uplift the people driving change across government. The PIF community embodies that same ethos: a belief that collaboration, creativity, and courage can transform how we serve the public. By building bridges between alumni, current fellows, and innovators across agencies, we’re not just sustaining a network — we’re cultivating a movement to modernize government for the people it serves.
As I left the reunion, I was filled with gratitude — for the opportunity to serve, for the people who share this mission, and for the enduring belief that innovation and public service go hand in hand.
