Megan Smith

Public Service: U.S. Chief Technology Officer

On September 4, 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Megan Smith as the U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Assistant to the President. She was the first woman to hold that role. In that capacity, she focused on infusing innovation into government, improving data and technology capabilities, and expanding public-private collaboration.

Among the signature initiatives during her tenure:

• TechHire — a public-private effort to connect underrepresented populations to tech jobs.

• Computer Science for All — a push to expand computer science education access across the U.S.

• Image of STEM campaigns — efforts to shift public perceptions of who can succeed in STEM fields.

• The “#FindTheSentiments” initiative — an archival/digital project to locate the historical Declaration of Sentiments from the Seneca Falls Convention.

Smith also recruited talent from the tech industry to serve in government and pushed for modern approaches to open data, evidence-based policy, and cross-sector collaboration. She left the post on January 20, 2017.

Post-Government: shift7 & Impact Work

After her White House service, Smith founded shift7, a technology-forward organization aimed at addressing systemic social, environmental, and economic challenges through inclusive innovation. At shift7, she continues to support projects, partnerships, and programs to scale solutions and support underrepresented innovators.

She also helped launch the Tech Jobs Tour, traveling across U.S. cities to connect local tech talent to opportunities.

Smith serves on numerous boards and advisory bodies, including MIT, Vital Voices, LA2028 (Olympics), Thinkof-Us, the Algorithmic Justice League, and Earth Conservation Corps. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (elected 2017) and the Council on Foreign Relations (elected 2018).

Historical Milestones & Context

• Smith’s service as U.S. CTO came during a period when governments globally were increasingly focused on digital transformation, open data, civic tech, and bridging the “innovation gap” in public institutions.

• Her appointment as the first female U.S. CTO—and as an openly LGBTQ+ person in that role—broke barriers in the intersection of government, technology, and diversity.

• Many of her governmental programs aligned with broader trends around STEM education, future-of-work preparation, and leveraging tech for social challenges (e.g., social inclusion, economic opportunity).

• Post-2017, Smith’s shift into mission-driven philanthropy and systems innovation mirrors the rise of tech-for-good, social entrepreneurship, and impact investing as vehicles for social change.

Legacy and Influence

Megan Smith’s legacy lies at the nexus of technology, public service, and inclusion. She has:

• Demonstrated how public institutions can adopt agile, data-driven, and collaborative practices.

• Served as a role model for women, LGBTQ+ people, and underrepresented groups in STEM and public leadership.

• Helped reshape how technologists think about applying their skills to government and civic challenges.

• Created lasting initiatives (TechHire, CS for All) that continue to influence education, workforce development, and civic tech ecosystems.

• Through shift7 and her board engagements, she continues to influence innovation strategy and systems-level change.

Personality and Talents

Megan Smith combines deep technical grounding with a collaborative, systems-thinking mindset. Her approach is characterized by:

• Inventiveness and curiosity — her early projects (solar car, engineering designs) reflect a hands-on and exploratory spirit.

• Bridge-building skills — she moves fluently between sectors (private, nonprofit, government) and disciplines (engineering, policy, design).

• Advocacy for inclusion — she actively promotes diversity in STEM and encourages underrepresented voices.

• Agency in public service — she believes in bringing innovation to government instead of leaving governance to status quo systems.

• Resilience and vision — shifting between high-tech roles, public office, and social impact enterprises, she embodies adaptability and forward-looking vision.

Famous Quotes of Megan Smith

Here are a few quotes attributed to or closely associated with Megan Smith that reflect her philosophy and priorities:

“You have to iterate before you’re successful. You’re always learning with each step.”

“Those of us who love science and math should also do service through innovation and invention to make the world a better place.”

“We need to know women have always done these jobs … even if they’ve been written out of the story.”

These words echo her belief in iterative learning, social purpose, and reclaiming narratives in science and technology.

Lessons from Megan Smith

1. Technology as public good — Smith demonstrates that engineering and innovation should not be confined to private markets; they have crucial civic applications.

2. Start before you’re perfect — her quote about iteration reminds us that progress often comes through experimentation, not all-or-nothing leaps.

3. Cross-sector fluency matters — understanding both tech and policy permits one to translate between worlds and effect real change.

4. Diversity strengthens innovation — her work promoting inclusion is not just morally right but expands the repertoire of problem-solvers and perspectives.

5. Sustained impact beyond office — her post-government shift into mission-driven work shows that influence can extend beyond formal roles.

Conclusion

Megan Smith’s career is a powerful example of how technologists can bring their skills into the service of society. From her early engineering feats at MIT to shaping parts of Google’s portfolio, to leading U.S. technology policy, and now guiding systems innovation through shift7, she continues to push boundaries. Her story affirms that public service and innovation are not mutually exclusive—but deeply complementary.