We were honored to have a special guest on the Women in Leadership Impact podcast: Emily Ryan, the 2023 Leading for IMPACT Award winner. Emily had an impressive career, and in this episode, we dove deep into her journey, exploring the key moments and experiences that shaped her path to success. As the Director of Design for CivicActions, Emily’s work was at the forefront of the civic tech space, where technology and social impact intersected.
Throughout our conversation, Emily shared her career highlights and the challenges she had faced along the way. We discussed her passion for design and how it drove her commitment to creating meaningful technology solutions that serve communities and improve people’s lives. Emily’s journey was filled with valuable insights and lessons learned, offering guidance and inspiration for anyone looking to make an impact in their own career.
Listeners tuned in as we uncovered the story behind Emily’s success, from her early career choices to her role at CivicActions, where she led a talented team of designers. We discovered how Emily’s focus on civic tech allowed her to make a real difference and learned what advice she had for those aspiring to follow in her footsteps.
Whether you were interested in design, civic technology, or leadership, this episode had something for everyone. We celebrated Emily’s achievements and gained a deeper understanding of what it meant to lead with purpose in the civic tech space. It was an engaging and insightful conversation with one of the industry’s most inspiring leaders. If you missed it, you’ll want to catch up on this extraordinary episode.
Emily Ryan, Director of Design
Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate enough to work cross-functionally to solve a variety of digital issues for the public and private sector spaces. I began my career as a web and print designer, then transitioned into a full-stack and database developer and finally, in the last 13 years, have worked primarily in the user experience / user research competency, focusing on the civic tech space. I’ve worked in start-ups, the federal government, consulting agencies and the non-profit space.
I hold a BFA in Design, an MA in Criminal Law and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Government, focused on technology’s influences on mis/disinformation and the impact that has on global democratic movements and free and open elections. In my (limited) free time I run ultramarathons and travel. I have a deep love for traditional European holiday markets, walking food tours and modern art exhibits.
CivicActions
Founded in 2004, CivicActions is a digital services company that enables the government to deliver better public services through the implementation of open technology and design. With specialized knowledge in digital accessibility, free and open source software, and humanity-centered design, CivicActions is deeply committed to leveraging technology to foster a more inclusive world that works for all.
