Making Better Decisions with Government Data

Featured: 

Colby Clabaugh, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Longitudinal Data System (PALDS), Pennsylvania Office of Administration 
Scot Barker, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Burlington, Vermont

Moderator: Tiffany Blair, Digital Strategist for State Government at Salesforce

Colby Clabaugh and Scot Barker shared actionable strategies for building data-driven cultures in government, from creating research agendas to operationalizing insights through cross-agency collaboration

This engaging session with Colby Clabaugh (Pennsylvania Data System) and Scot Barker (City of Burlington) reveals how to turn information into real impact.

Start with the Right Questions
Colby shares how Pennsylvania’s research agenda focuses analysis on what truly matters – like their groundbreaking prisoner re-entry program tracking jobs and health outcomes across agencies.

Make Data Work for Your Community

Data isn’t just numbers—it’s the key to fairer, smarter, and more responsive government.

Pro Tips to Overcome Resistance

• Position data as a "flashlight" (not a hammer)

• Create peer champions (Barker’s trick for skeptical departments)

• Keep crisis-born momentum alive (like those COVID dashboards we all relied on)

Future-Proof Your Approach
"Automate the boring stuff, but keep humans in the driver’s seat," advises Barker. Clabaugh adds: "Standardize systems now – your future self will thank you."

By treating data as a flashlight rather than a hammer—and investing in both technology and trust—agencies can transform information into measurable public impact.