John Tolva

John Tolva is a technology expert and urban innovator with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors.12 He holds a Masters in Information Design and Technology from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters in English Literature from Washington University.2 Tolva began his career at IBM, where he worked for 13 years and led the City Forward Project, an open analytics site for urban data worldwide.1

Notably, Tolva served as Chicago's first Chief Technology Officer under Mayor Rahm Emanuel.1 During his tenure, he implemented several key initiatives, including:

1. ServiceTracker: A ticketing system for citizens to track municipal service requests
2. Data Inclusion Efforts: Expanding internet access to underserved communities
3. CTA Tracker: A system for tracking buses and trains in Chicago1

After his role in Chicago, Tolva transitioned back to the private sector. He is currently a Scholar-in-Residence at the University of Colorado Denver and serves as an advisor to Code for America.1 Tolva is also a co-founder and board vice chair of the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, focusing on urban problem-solving at the intersection of technology and policy.3

Throughout his career, Tolva has been deeply involved in projects related to data collection, management, and urban technology applications.1 His work continues to focus on leveraging technology and data to improve urban environments and decision-making processes.