Ben Smithgall is a senior software engineer with an impressive background in public policy and government affairs. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago and has since held a variety of roles in the tech industry. He began his career as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Chicago and later worked as a Government Affairs Intern at the Center for American Progress. In 2015, he was a fellow at Code for America, where he worked as an engineer. He also served as Deputy Data Director at Obama for America, where he focused on data analytics.

In the tech industry, Ben held progressively senior roles at Spotify, where he was responsible for data engineering and analytics. He then joined the U.S. Digital Service as a Digital Service Expert before returning to Spotify as a Senior Software Engineer. Most recently, he worked as an Interactive News Developer at The New York Times. Ben's broad range of experience in both tech and public policy gives him a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and government.