OAKLAND, CA - U.S. Digital Response (USDR), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that partners with state and local governments to modernize essential digital services, today announced the appointment of G.T. Bynum and Kelly Jin to its Board of Directors.
"G.T. and Kelly bring exactly the mix of experience USDR needs as we grow: on-the-ground executive leadership in city government, and a deep track record in civic technology, and philanthropy," said Avni Shah, chair of the board. "Their perspectives will help us make sure our work continues to stay grounded in what state and local partners need to best serve their constituents."
"USDR has spent the last six years proving what's possible when governments have real technical capacity to draw on," said Tina Walha, CEO of U.S. Digital Response. "G.T. and Kelly have each seen that need up close, both as leaders within city government and from unique outside perspectives. I'm thrilled to have them on the board as we take on our most ambitious work yet."
Bynum currently serves as vice president for community & government affairs at the Saint Francis Health System. He served on the Tulsa City Council from 2008 to 2016 and as Mayor of Tulsa from 2016 to 2024. As mayor, Bynum guided Tulsa through its most severe public health crisis and major natural disasters while never losing an election, for office or in support of public improvements. He led the physical transformation of Tulsa through projects including Zink Lake, Gilcrease Museum, and the Gathering Place, and oversaw a period of significant private-sector investment from companies including Amazon and American Airlines. He initiated the search for unmarked graves of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre victims, created the Tulsa Police Real Time Information Center, and paved more miles of road than any mayor in Tulsa history.
"I am honored to join the board for U.S. Digital Response because it combines the best of both worlds: national expertise and local service delivery," said G.T. Bynum. "During my 8 years as mayor, I saw firsthand how powerful that combination can be. I am excited to join the board at a time when the team at U.S. Digital Response is focused on doing even better work for more communities across the country."
Jin is an advisor and former senior government and philanthropy executive working at the intersection of AI, data, strategy, and public impact. She most recently served as vice president for AI & insights and chief of staff to the president & CEO at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where she worked across enterprise strategy, AI adoption, and organizational leadership. Previously at Knight, she served as vice president for community and national initiatives, managing a team of 20 and leading more than $230 million in grants and investments across 26 U.S. cities. Before Knight, Jin was appointed New York City's chief analytics officer and head of the Mayor's Office of Data Analytics, where she advanced the use of data to improve city operations and services for more than 8.5 million New Yorkers, including leadership of the nation's largest municipal open data platform. Earlier in her career, she worked in the Obama White House on technology, data, and cross-agency initiatives to improve government effectiveness and public service delivery.
"Across my career in city halls and in investing in local communities, I've seen how consequential it is when governments are equipped with the capacity to turn important ideas into real services for residents," said Kelly Jin. "To me, U.S. Digital Response represents the best of what public-interest and civic technology can be: practical, trusted, nonpartisan, and grounded in the real needs of state and local communities. I'm grateful to support USDR's next chapter under Tina's leadership and the entire board."
Founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, USDR has grown from an emergency response initiative into a lasting and valuable partner for governments specifically at the local and state level. The organization has built a community of nearly 15,000 pro bono technical experts and has assisted on more than 650 projects across over 50 states, territories, and tribal nations. USDR's work has impacted over 50% of Americans through improvements to critical government services where they're delivered most directly. In recent years, USDR has notably:
- Helped the New Jersey Department of Labor implement generative AI translation capabilities to improve language access for essential services, making information available to more residents in their preferred languages
- Partnered with Hennepin County, Minnesota to provide digital excellence coaching that enhanced their team's capacity to deliver human-centered digital services
- Supported election officials in Shelby County, Tennessee with tools to improve election administration processes
As part of this growth, USDR is also expanding its executive team, launching a search for its first Chief Technology & AI Officer to deepen the organization's technical leadership and guide its approach to emerging technologies in government service delivery.
Bynum and Jin join Avni Shah, former VP/GM at Google; Janette Fong, USDR co-founder and former chief digital officer for WorkMoney; Ja'Ron Smith, partner at CGCN Group; and Raylene Yung, USDR co-founder and former CEO on USDR's Board of Directors. Their appointments come as USDR marks continued growth heading into 2027, with an expanding portfolio of state, local, and tribal government partnerships under the leadership of CEO Tina Walha.
About U.S. Digital Response
U.S. Digital Response (USDR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that partners with state, local, and tribal governments to modernize essential digital services. Founded in 2020, USDR empowers governments to better serve their communities by connecting them with expert support and proven digital tools. Through 700 partnerships with governments and organizations across nearly 50 U.S. states and territories, USDR has already supported the delivery of government services to 50% of American people. The organization mobilizes a community of nearly 15,000 skilled volunteers—technical experts and public servants—who help build lasting government capacity from the inside out.
Visit www.USDigitalResponse.org to learn more.
