Michael Watson

Former Director of Data and Technology
D.C. Policy Center

Michael Watson served on the D.C. Policy Center staff as the Director of Data and Technology from January 2017 until late 2019.

Before the D.C. Policy Center, Michael worked at RAND Corporation as a Technical Analyst.  During his time at RAND he worked on a wide range of projects including defining data science teams in the government, identifying new technology for law enforcement, and helping find slow points in government acquisition.  Before RAND Corporation he was an Adjunct Instructor at Towson University and Howard County Community College teaching introductory and elective science courses. 

Michael holds a Master’s of Science from Towson University in Applied Physics.  He conducted research on novel two-dimensional materials.  He has a Bachelor’s of Science from DePaul University in Physics where he conducted research on ultra-fast laser-matter interactions.He has additional education in project management, economics, and supply chain management.

Written By Michael Watson

What type of CTO does D.C. need?

D.C.’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Archana Vemulapalli, recently announced that she will step down in January 2018. In her 21 months of service to this city, Vemulapalli has led the development of a new data policy; hired D.C.’s first Chief Data Officer (CDO); and brought the city into the forefront of east…

December 21, 2017 | Michael Watson

Diving into D.C.’s data policy

Data policy history in D.C. The District recently established a comprehensive data policy, but it took many years to get there. We hardly think of governments as entities at the forefront of technological innovation, but government data policies can have a big impact by changing perceptions and expectations, invigorating (or stifling) innovation,…

August 31, 2017 | Michael Watson