The Digital Service aims to improve residents’ access to digital services and benefits, lower the costs of providing these services and help state agencies offer “well-designed and user-centered digital experiences,” according to a press released shared with members of the media.
Rather than rely on vendors or contractors for this work, the state chose to make the Digital Service an in-house team of full-time employees. Their skill sets span engineering, design, product, web experience and strategic investments. This, according to the release, “marks the first time in the state’s history that the full range of digital skills is represented by full-time state employees.” Department of Information Technology Secretary Katie Olson Savage said in a statement that bringing engineering, design and product capabilities in-house will let the state develop solutions faster and more cost-effectively.
Department of Information Technology Chief Digital Experience Officer Marcy Jacobs will helm the Digital Service.
Jacobs’ new leadership team includes David Holmes, who will serve as the team’s senior director of engineering. Before joining the state in February, according to LinkedIn, he was the director of engineering at national defense startup Rebellion Defense; and, earlier, was a member of the U.S. Digital Service.
With Holmes is another former U.S. Digital Service member, Lilly Madigan, who now becomes the senior director of user experience and service design. In this role, she’ll spearhead creating the “Maryland Web Design System” and set digital policy. Madigan will also do user research into how to make government applications and programs more accessible and user-friendly.
Similarly, the Digital Service’s new Senior Director of Web Experience Jeffrey Pass will focus on finding ways to make state websites more resident-focused, and make using them a smoother and more consistent experience. Part of this work will involve promoting self-service options to residents. Pass’ background includes decades as a federal digital experience consultant, where he worked on websites for federal agencies including covid.gov and usps.com.
The Digital Service’s newly hired senior director of product and platforms will be Henry Hall. He’ll oversee the IT department’s statewide platforms, and create product teams to help agencies with “critical software development implementations.” In previous roles, Hall led product management teams at companies like Meta and Amazon.
Rounding out the team is Jenny Smith as its senior director of strategic investments. Smith will manage the state’s IT Investment Fund. She’s charged with ensuring the projects use their money efficiently and have an impact. Smith’s prior experience includes roles in the U.S. Digital Service, Planned Parenthood, and political and civic startups.
