Meet the three Code for America fellows assigned to Kansas City

A former nonprofit worker, experience designer and software engineer make up the team assigned to the two Kansas Cities for Code for America, a year-long program that aims to help city governments use the web to increase efficiency, transparency …

A former nonprofit worker, experience designer and software engineer make up the team assigned to the two Kansas Cities for Code for America, a year-long program that aims to help city governments use the web to increase efficiency, transparency and citizen participation. Kansas City is one of nine communities in 2013 working with the four-year-old San Francisco-based non-profit.

“Today marks the beginning of a collective effort between Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri to improve the quality of services we provide to residents on both sides of the state line,” Kansas City, Kan. mayor Joe Reardon said today in a press release. The two Kansas Cities were Code for America’s first joint application to be approved for its program.

The fellows – Alison Jones, Andrew HyderAriel Kennan –  will spend February learning how each city’s government works, building a network of contacts in each city hall and identifying where Code for America can have the most impact. In March, the fellows will return to the organization’s California headquarters where they’ll have seven months to develop an application for Kansas City, which will be shared at the Code for America Summit in October. The program concludes in November when the fellows transition oversight of their application to Kansas City officials.

“It’s an honor to be working in the Kansas Cities, which have invested in great technology infrastructure and ideas to become the most entrepreneurial city in America,” Kennan said in the press release. “This is an exciting time to be in Kansas City and I look forward to spending the next month getting to know the community.”

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Both Kansas Cities will be introduced to their Code for America fellows at a reception today at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Here’s more about the Code for America fellows assigned to the two Kansas Cities (bios from Code for America):


Alison Jones

@ajones446

Jones has 10 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, primarily coordinating volunteer projects. She hopes to leverage technology to make a positive difference in communities. Jones attended the DaVinci Coders training program in Louisville, Colo.

Andrew Hyder

@ondrae

Hyder is an urban designer and software engineer dedicated to creating safe, fun, and healthy communities. He enjoys hacking on cities, making maps, and telling stories with data. His broad experience includes online mapping and data API projects, in addition to building several school yards, bicycle paths, and neighborhood parks around the Bay Area.

Ariel Kennan

@arielmai

Ariel Kennan is an interaction and experience designer, most recently with ESI Design in New York. Her passion is where experience design meets scale – from the palm of the hand to entire cities. She has created mobile applications, websites, kiosks, media walls, institutions, and master planning for new communities. Ariel holds a BFA in Integrated Design from Parsons the New School for Design.

Here's a Code for America video that provides an overview of its fellowship: 

Related: "KC Mayor Sly James seeks young professionals for 'Challenge Cabinet' "

 

Credits: Photo of fellows from codeforamerica.com. Photos Video from Code for America on Vimeo.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN's origin »

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