OAKLAND, CA - The board of U.S. Digital Response (USDR), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works alongside governments to ensure they have the capacity to meet the public's needs, today announced the appointment of Tina J. Walha as CEO following a comprehensive search process.
Walha, who has served as USDR's chief partnerships officer since 2021, brings a unique perspective to the role, having previously been both a USDR government partner and a key member of the organization's leadership team. Prior to joining USDR, Walha served as the director of innovation and performance for the City of Seattle for six years, where she experienced firsthand the challenges governments face in delivering digital services and the transformative impact of USDR's collaborative approach.
"As USDR celebrates five years of helping governments respond at the speed of need, Tina is uniquely positioned to lead our organization into its next chapter," said Avni Shah, U.S. Digital Response board chair. "Her deep understanding of both government operations and USDR's mission, combined with her proven leadership within our organization, makes her the ideal person to guide USDR forward. We're thrilled to have Tina at the helm as we continue to deepen our partnerships with state and local governments and expand our impact."
"I'm honored to step into this role at such a pivotal moment for both USDR and for governments across the country," said Walha. "Having worked as both a government partner and a USDR leader, I've seen the tremendous impact our organization can have in building capacity for effective digital service delivery. As state and local governments are increasingly asked to do more with less, USDR's role as a trusted partner has never been more critical. By building digital resilience at the state and local level, we can ensure governments at all levels can meet their communities' most pressing needs. As we mark our fifth anniversary, I'm excited to lead USDR in deepening these connections."
Founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, USDR has grown from an emergency response initiative into a lasting and valuable partner for governments at all levels. The organization has built a community of over 11,000 pro bono technical experts and has assisted nearly 550 government and nonprofit organizations on more than 600 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 – at the state and local level. 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 across multiple states with tools to manage poll workers and improve election administration processes
"We value our collaborations with USDR and other organizations in the civic tech community as we work to build more accessible and user-friendly digital services for our residents and state agencies,” said Amaya Capellan, chief information officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. “Tina brings first-hand understanding of the challenges that local and state governments face and a commitment to collaborative problem-solving to her role as CEO and we look forward to seeing how she will build on USDR’s foundation of impact.”
“City halls have long benefited from Tina’s energy and expertise—and our team at Bloomberg Philanthropies has been fortunate to see her efforts up close,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “As governments everywhere work to make their organizations more agile, their services more responsive, and their delivery more effective, Tina’s leadership positions USDR as a force—helping localities meet the moment and lead the way.”
The appointment builds on momentum created by USDR's founding and previous leadership teams, who established the organization as a trusted partner for governments seeking to improve digital service delivery. Walha has been serving as USDR’s interim CEO and will immediately move into the permanent CEO role.
To learn more about USDR's work, visit www.usdigitalresponse.org. Government organizations interested in partnering with USDR can reach out at https://www.usdigitalresponse.org/contact-us, and those interested in volunteering can sign up at www.usdigitalresponse.org/volunteer
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 over 11,000 volunteers driven to serve in a time of need and has partnered with nearly 550 government and nonprofit partners on more than 600 projects. You can see more at www.usdigitalresponse.org
