
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Day 2 Opening Keynote: HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson
On Day 2, we’ll recap highlights from day 1, showcase more than 20 new products focusing on the built environment and civics education, and open our playbook to share what we’ve learned from 5 years of TOP. Don’t miss the opening keynote to hear about HUD’s vision for economic empowerment, partnership with the tech industry, and a vision for leadership and self-actualization in achieving our goals.
Lifting Up Families for Economic Success: The Latest in Tech Towards the American Dream
The American dream means we can all achieve economic success and growth for our families - but what is the role of technology in ensuring that dream is available to everyone? This year, we took on two challenges with that question at their core: enabling families to lift themselves up and achieve economic self-sufficiency - building on the groundbreaking Envision Center model championed by HUD, and helping resettled refugees to thrive in the new communities they now call home. Hear from 6 teams who took on these challenges about the solutions they created to support families nationwide, and what they learned in the process by hearing from refugees and families themselves. Featuring speakers from Julius Education, OPS 1, Mapbox & Graphicacy, Georgetown University, SAS, USA Hello, and more.
Empowering Communities for Resilience and Sustainable Growth

Jake Akervik
HUD: US Dept of Housing & Urban Development, Federal Liaison/Analyst, Community Initiatives
Matthew Dalbey
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Director, Office of Community Revitalization
Patrick Corrigan
White House Office of Management and Budget, Senior Advisor, Performing the Duties of the ControllerCo-hosted by Orange Sparkle Ball
The health of rural communities and access to services, infrastructure, and data is critical to implementing solutions that tackle economic, environmental and human health challenges. In this session, technologists and community leaders come together to showcase creative solutions that help the American public understand the challenges, gaps and opportunities to help facilitate sustainable rural economic development and track federal financial assistance to local communities in response to emergencies and disasters. Featuring speakers from the White House Office of Management and Budget, Environmental Protection Agency, Center on Rural Innovation, Citi Ventures, UrbanFootprint, Alteryx, Baruch College, Syracuse University, and Columbia University.
Translating Tools to Change: Community Reactions and End User Discussions
After hearing about these new products, are you curious to know how these tools will ultimately get into the hands of end users? Join a group of brilliant community and subject matter experts , each from distinct communities across the country, and hear their reactions to the tools presented and reflections on how they will translate to real change and impact. Featuring speakers from the National Indian Gaming Association, Pew Trusts, HUD, and Refugee Congress.
Don’t Forget the Data – or the Civics: Digital Education for a New Generation

Terri Susan Fine
University of Central Florida, Content Specialist, Florida Joint Center for Citizenship and Professor of Political ScienceThis session is a must-attend for anyone who came into the government or tech space to promote democracy and civic participation. Civics education is at a crossroads: In 2014, less than 25% of 8th graders scored proficient on the National Civics Exam, and in 2018, only 9 states required year-long US government courses. This fall, the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance (F) took on the challenge of reimagining civics education through a sprint to develop data-driven digital tools. Groundbreaking not only in the subject matter, but also as the pilot of TOP’s new open source toolkit - TOPx. Hear from Jim Richardson, Director of F on data transparency and usability, and from tech teams from Syracuse iConsult and Suffolk University about the products they developed. Then, join us for a fireside chat with the State team on their experience using TOPx, a newly launched toolkit that allows federal agencies to leverage the TOP model and resources to facilitate sprints on flexible timelines and topics. If you’re an edtech company, a teacher, student, education advocacy organization, or a federal agency looking for new innovation strategies - this session is for you!
Closing Keynote: A Fireside Chat with Census Bureau Deputy Director & COO Ron Jarmin
In our closing keynote for Day 2, hear from Census Bureau Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Ron Jarmin about how the Bureau has led innovation through its history, the mission ahead for the data community, and how the unknown future of technology will shape the Censuses of 2030 and beyond. Join us for a fireside chat between Ron Jarmin and Amazon AI's Chief Economist, Pat Bajari.