This past May, the TechCongress team attended Code for America’s annual Summit, held right here in the nation’s capital with a theme of “designing for change, delivering for the future,” as highlighted by Code for America’s CEO, Amanda Rentaria. At a time when digital technologies continue to rapidly evolve in ways we never imagined, this signified a welcome opportunity to chart a course for digital services that reach all Americans.
The Summit’s many engaging sessions provided valuable insights into how we can do just that. From a fireside chat discussing building public trust, to a conversation about digital service delivery in Memphis, Tennessee, and a session on utilizing AI to meet new federal web accessibility standards, the momentum driving technology deployment that advances digital service delivery for our nation continues to grow.
Many discussions encourage a paradigm shift. One lightning talk, presented by a former chef-turned-Director of Design and CX in the civic tech space, told us what cooking taught them about designing better public services. Another session showcased a mapping for equity initiative in New York City, bringing a community engagement and empowerment lens to civic innovation programs. By the end of the Summit, it became clear that civil servants and community members alike across the country are dedicated to doing just what Amanda Rentaria described: designing for change and delivering for the future.
The following week, TechCongress was invited to participate in the AI+ Expo, a conference for industry, government, and academia to showcase new innovations in AI. Organized by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonpartisan nonprofit that leads initiatives and events focused on emerging technologies and national security, the conference convened technologists, civilians and government agencies alike. The start of the conference marked the official launch of our 2026 fellowship applications, and over the course of three days, the TechCongress team spoke with hundreds of industry professionals and students about our mission and impact.
TechCongress also presented at the AI+ Careers stage, where Communications Manager Timour Razek interviewed 2020 TechCongress alum Victoria Houed, sharing her path from the tech industry to tech policy and entrepreneurship. Victoria started her career as a software engineer and product manager at Cards Against Humanity, an experience that led her to found BlackByte, a nonprofit for black women in tech with over 600 members. This step into advocacy guided her to the intersection of technology and policy at TechCongress, which she describes as a “moment that truly changed the trajectory of [her] life.”
As a Congressional Innovation Fellow, Victoria served in the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, where she worked on issues such as disinformation, Section 230, data privacy, antitrust, and broadband. Serving through the peak of the pandemic, some of her key accomplishments centered on supporting COVID relief legislation, achieving $7 billion for internet accessibility, and influencing bills such as the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act. Victoria recounts, “We really saw that need [for people] to be connected to the Internet, and I got to be in the room when that happened, to make that happen.”
TechCongress opened the door for Victoria, like ⅔ of our alumni, to work in the public sector and social impact spaces. After her fellowship, Victoria went on to work at Schmidt Futures and then as the Director of Al Policy and Strategy in the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs. She is now working to make applying for and receiving government benefits more accessible directly through text with the mission to “meet people where they are.” Her journey inspires the next generation of curious, innovative thinkers to push the boundaries of their work and their impact.
If you wish to join our nation’s ranks of technologists, civil servants, and community members who want to deliver for the future, please consider applying to our Congressional Innovation Fellowship! As a TechCongress fellow, you can advise our lawmakers on today’s most pressing technology issues and the advancement of technology as not just a tool, but a force for positive change. Applications are currently open and will close on Wednesday, July 2nd at 11:59 PM EST.