Spring 2024 Fellow
Ron Galperin was elected as Controller of the City of Los Angeles in 2013 and again in 2017. During his time in office, Galperin reconsidered how the City works with data, technology, and maps. He created L.A.’s first open data portal, Control Panel LA, which details every dollar spent on goods and services. Because of his work, L.A. was named “No. 1 Digital City” by the U.S. City Open Data Census three years in a row. Government Technology Magazine also named Galperin one of its “Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers.” In launching the first ever L.A. Equity Index, Galperin pioneered the use of data to promote greater social, economic, and educational equity.
Galperin has tackled some of the most serious issues of our time, including how to better address homelessness and affordable housing, protect our environment, improve public safety, efficiently manage budgets and pension funds, maintain and upgrade infrastructure and strengthen crucial services. His work has included oversight and management of airport and port operations, public parks, emergency services, illegal dumping, and city-owned properties.
Galperin is a leading voice for innovation in government, business, and the nonprofit sector. Before serving as the Los Angeles Controller, he led several City and County commissions and served on the boards of various community and non-profit organizations. Galperin has extensive experience as both an attorney and small business owner, earning his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, and a certification from the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. A son of immigrant parents, he and his husband, Rabbi Zachary Shapiro, are the proud parents of young twins – Maya and Eli.
Study Group: Age-Old Problems, Modern Day Solutions: Innovations That Can Transform Government and Address Some of Our Biggest Challenges
How can innovation and technology help us solve both age-old problems and the challenges of tomorrow? And, how can government, in collaboration with non-profits and businesses, leverage emerging tools to revolutionize how we approach improving our communities, our cities, and our planet? In this study group, we will delve into the transformative power of advancements in AI, IoT, blockchain, data analytics, smart city initiatives, crisis response tech, open data portals, predictive policing, and GIS. Through a diverse range of learning methods, we will explore how these tools can be used responsibly by local, state, and national leaders to tackle issues such as homelessness and housing, public safety, environmental sustainability, transportation, and equity.
Wednesdays, 3-5 p.m. PT
January 31
February 7
February 28
March 6
March 27
April 3