Cecilia Muñoz leads Public Interest Technology at New America

 

POSTED ON Jul 23, 2017

 

Cecilia Muñoz has been directing a major new initiative in public interest technology to lead the New America National Network, since April 1, 2017.

The former White House Domestic Policy Council Director is in an emerging field of public interest technology that allows professionals to use their technical expertise in service of the common good.

But opportunities to deploy these skills across sectors remain rare, and the career path is often uncertain.

With a major five-year grant from the Ford Foundation and Reid Hoffman, New America seeks to become a unifying hub for these professionals. The initiative—which is expected to grow with additional funders—will apply research, fellowships, interdisciplinary programming, and encourage cross-sector collaboration among different civic organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions.

“The work of American renewal is central to becoming a more perfect union; I am thrilled and honored to join the outstanding team at New America at this important moment,” said Muñoz.

Muñoz will serve as Vice President for Policy and Technology and Director of the New America National Network. New America is building hubs across the country, beginning with New York, California, and Chicago, to support, connect, and publicize successful efforts to tackle important public problems from the bottom up.

“As a former law professor, I have seen the evolution and expansion of public interest law, on both sides of the political aisle,” said New America CEO Anne-Marie Slaughter. “We need as many technologists as lawyers, economists, and subject matter experts working in the public interest in multiple sectors. I cannot imagine anyone better suited than Cecilia Muñoz, with her broad experience across all realms of domestic policy and her enthusiasm for integrating technology, to lead this work.”