Mark Headd says his departure could push open data forward [Technical.ly Podcast]

Mark Headd, the city’s first chief data officer, is leaving the city for Syracuse to be closer to family.

It might be a good move for open data in Philly, he told us in this month’s Technical.ly Podcast.

“One of the benefits of me moving to a different place is that [the city’s new open data] team now has the chance to do really great things and they don’t have me sort of hanging around, mouthing off and espousing my opinions, which I’m wont to do from time to time,” Headd said. “I’m entitled to my opinion but at the end of the day, I’m not making those decisions anymore.”

Headd did an on-air Exit Interview with us for the podcast, where he talked about his proudest moments in Philly tech, his differences with the Nutter administration and lessons for other chief data officers (here are some of the blog posts he references).

We also highlight our Rise conference, held Oct. 22-24 in Old City, where civic tech leaders will talk about how to start a tech community, how to hold on to a city’s creative class and how to build a business community that’s focused on more than just profit.

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