Jessica Wattman

Jessica Wattman is an expert in creating innovative approaches to social change. With a PhD in Political Science from MIT, as well as a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, she has applied leading-edge thinking to practical problems in fields as diverse as countering violent extremism, disaster relief, athletics-oriented nonprofits, and local causes. Recently she has led efforts by a South African organization, Yowzit, to use crowdsourced sentiment analysis, citizen ratings, and open reviews to improve public service delivery. Her focus on technology in governance is enabling public decision-makers to learn in real time about local attitudes and issues. She has written for Mercy Corps and the Institute of Development Studies, among others, and her work has been featured on CBS News.