Government ineffectiveness is increasingly cited as a driver of populism and extremism. If liberal governance continually fails to deliver basic safety, education, and social services … well, bad things happen. Jen Pahlka is one of the most prominent advocates and policy crafters for government efficiency and effectiveness. Pahlka is a leading voice in government reform and the author of the critically acclaimed book, Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. As the founder of Code for America, she spent a decade bridging the gap between the public sector and the digital age. She’s joked that DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) could have had legs under proper leadership, and her good sense of humor is how she endured a traumatic run-in with the impacts of what happens when the government fails its citizenry. Jen’s personal experiences with the failures of government coupled with her passion and acuity for good policy have contributed to how she earned the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and was named by Wired as one of the 25 people who has most shaped the past 25 years. In this session, Jen will share her story and observations on failures of different levels of government and her role in solutions for rebuilding Americans’ trust with their government.