Megan Smith

Megan Smith
Megan J. Smith is the Chief Technology Officer of the United States. She was previously a vice president of Google at Google, was vice president of business development at Google for nine years, and was general manager of Google.org and the former CEO of Planet Out. She serves on the boards of MIT and Vital Voices, is a member of the USAID Advisory Committee on Voluntary Aid and co-founded the Malala Fund. On September 4, 2014, she was named as...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPublic Servant
CountryUnited States of America
elementary
I think it's so important in preschool and in kindergarten and elementary school that we're not biasing ourselves.
commission open played source technology truth
I think open source is an evolutionary idea for humanity, this idea of transparency. It played out for us in the technology world, but it also played out with the idea of a truth and reconciliation commission and Wikipedia.
government
The American government will be whatever we all make of it.
high mandatory school science
I was lucky that science fair was mandatory at my high school in inner-city Buffalo.
Malala Yousafzai is all of our daughter, like Iqbal Masih who was all of our son.
determination heart mentality wish
I wish I could put her heart and determination into all of my girls. She has the mentality that this is my year.
amazon country digital facebook federal government services websites
If we're the country that makes Amazon and Facebook and Twitter, why can't the federal government have websites and digital services that are awesome?
good great
I have a good eye for great projects, talent, and entrepreneurs.
attend developer developers including oracle technology worldwide
I have been able to attend many technology conferences around the world over the years, including some of the largest, like Google I/O, Microsoft's Developer Conference, Apple's WorldWide Developers Conference, Oracle World, Le Web, and more.
bringing computer founded growing institute levels needed network scientists skill visibility women work
Founded in 1994 by the Anita Borg Institute and growing every year, the Grace Hopper Celebration is bringing needed network connections, skill building, and visibility for women computer scientists who work at all levels of our industry.
computer divide everybody expected grade places science second several teaching vietnam
There are several places in Vietnam where they're teaching computer science from second grade in class, so they don't have a gender divide because everybody is expected to program.
federal government
I actually think that working in the federal government, or state or local, is one of the most significant things that a technical person can do.
second time
Second graders learn to read: that's a perfect time to make them code.
asked confidence hard pushed year
She's always pushed and pushed and always asked what she could do better. She's always been a hard worker, but this year she has the confidence to go with it.