U.S. Digital Response Announces Julie Dingley as Chief Operating Officer

OAKLAND, CA - U.S. Digital Response (USDR), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works alongside governments at all levels to ensure they have the capacity to meet the public's needs, today announced the addition of Julie Dingley as its Chief Operating Officer. 

Dingley brings extensive experience in public service, most recently serving as Budget Director for the City of Seattle. In that role, she led transformative efforts to improve sustainability and accountability in the city's financial infrastructure, including implementing innovative budgeting processes and a first-ever Fiscal Monitoring Program. Previously, Dingley managed Seattle's COVID-19 federal funding response and served at the White House Office of Management and Budget under two presidential administrations.

"After an extensive search, we’re thrilled to welcome Julie to our team. Julie's wealth of experience in government operations, finance, and strategic planning makes her the ideal leader to help guide USDR's next phase of growth," said Avni Shah, co-chair of USDR's Board of Directors. "We’ve seen demand for our services increase as more governments are working to meet their community’s needs. Her appointment reflects our commitment to building a talented team that can amplify our impact and shape the future of digital public service."

Dingley will join USDR’s executive team, including Hillary Hartley, CEO, Jessica Watson, chief product officer, Tina Walha, chief partnership officer, and Ruth Ashurst Weitzel, head of people operations, on August 21st, 2024.

In her new role as chief operating officer, Dingley will focus on enhancing USDR's operational capabilities, building out long-term budgeting and finance strategies, and strengthening the organization's ability to serve as a crucial link between federal, state, and local government partners.

"I am thrilled to join U.S. Digital Response at this pivotal moment," said Julie Dingley. "I believe USDR is at the tip of the spear in working alongside governments to help shape the future of public service delivery. I have a strong commitment to public service and look forward to leveraging my experience to help scale our impact and ensure we continue to deliver rapid, effective, and equitable solutions to our government partners."

Hillary Hartley, CEO of USDR, added, "Julie's addition to our executive team perfectly complements our strategic vision. Her expertise in government operations, combined with her values-driven approach and commitment to public service, will be instrumental in evolving our organization while maintaining our people-centered approach."

Dingley joins USDR at a time of significant growth and opportunity for the organization, as it continues to expand its services and deepen its partnerships with government agencies nationwide. Over the last four years, USDR has notably: 

• Helped governments attract and retain digital talent, including working with Pennsylvania to build CODE PA. 
• Launched a generative AI focus area along with support from Google.org, designed to provide governments with a safe space for experimentation and empower them to create solutions responsibly.
• Built simple, effective tools for election officials such as working with Grand Rapids, Michigan deploy an easy-to-use digital tool to manage poll workers.
• Supported nearly 300 government administrators across 17 different states and over 700 users through our Federal Grant Finder, helping government administrators maximize federal funding opportunities through improved search and collaboration tools.

Additional highlights can be found in USDR’s fourth-anniversary blog post.

This hire follows the recent expansion of USDR’s board of directors, welcoming Ja’Ron Smith, a partner at CGCN Group; and Tammy Mank Wincup, a partner at Rethink Education and a senior advisor at Get Well. USDR’s board of directors also includes Jennifer Pahlka, USDR co-founder, Code for America founder, and former U.S. deputy chief technology officer; Avni Shah, former VP/GM at Google; Janette Fong, USDR co-founder and chief digital officer for WorkMoney; John Bailey, a non-resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; and Hillary Hartley, USDR's CEO. 

The USDR team is continuing to grow. To see staff positions open at USDR, visit https://us-digital-response.breezy.hr/ or to volunteer at USDR visit https://www.usdigitalresponse.org/volunteers/. To support USDR’s work, visit their giving portal https://donorbox.org/u-s-digital-response.

About U.S. Digital Response‍

U.S. Digital Response is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works alongside governments at all levels to ensure they have the capacity to support the critical needs of the public. Founded in 2020, USDR connects governments with technology, resources, and support, leaving them better equipped to deliver services and support to millions of people nationwide. To date, USDR has built a dedicated community of nearly 10,000 volunteers driven to serve in a time of need and has partnered with over 500 government and nonprofit partners on more than 500 projects. See more at https://www.usdigitalresponse.org.