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Biography Chris Willey Interim Chief Technology Officer, District of Columbia Government

Chris Willey brings to the role of interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO) more than 17 years of IT experience in senior management and web development.

Willey most recently served as the Deputy CTO of Infrastructure Services for the Government of the District of Columbia. Among his duties were managing DC’s Information Technology (IT) infrastructure (desktop computers, servers, mainframes, networks and data centers) and leading the District’s public Wi-Fi initiative, which offers free Wi-Fi hotspots in government locations throughout the city. As Deputy CTO, Willey led a diverse staff of over 200 serving the District’s 500,000+ residents and 80 DC government agencies and departments.

Before joining the District, Willey served as the CTO for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (CoG) for over three years. In this capacity, he developed the organization’s first IT strategy plan and aided Chief Information Officers around the National Capital Region to envision and implement regional technology solutions, such as deploying wireless broadband and fiber-based networks for emergency communications. Previously, Willey was the CTO for One Economy, a digital divide-focused nonprofit that provides computers, Internet access, and content to low-income families in the US and abroad. At OneEconomy, Willey was responsible for the IT budget, policies and all organizational and partner websites.

Willey holds an MBA from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He earned Bachelor of Art degrees in English and comparative literature from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Chris Willey resides with his wife in Southeast DC.

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