Tom Cochran

[Commentary] Beginning eight years ago, the Obama Administration embraced a fresh approach to leveraging technology platforms and improved the experience of interacting with government. While leading the White House’s digital technology team, I witnessed the impact of private-sector principles and ideas becoming embedded in government. It was a push to close the digital experience gap between the private and public sectors, embracing the philosophies of open government: Transparency, participation and collaboration.

[Tom Cochran is the chief digital strategist and VP for public sector at Acquia. he was most recently a deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of State.]