OMF SUMMIT: EXPLORING CIVIC INNOVATION TOGETHER

Welcome Remarks: How OMF has Transformed Urban Mobility

Since its founding in 2018, the Open Mobility Foundation (OMF) has transformed how cities manage transportation through the creation and stewardship of open-source data standards like MDS and CDS. This talk will explore the evolution of OMF, showcasing how our community has fostered innovation, improved public space management, and advanced urban mobility for the public good.

Speaker: Francisca Stefan

OPENING FIRESIDE CHAT: The Next Big Idea in Civic Innovation

The world is rapidly changing. How can local governments work collectively – going beyond mitigating risk and harnessing the power of technology to increase public safety, protect privacy and security, advance civil rights, and confront the climate crisis? In this session, gain insights on how public and private sectors can keep pace with change and make big ideas in civic innovation a reality in the current social, economic, and political landscape.

Speakers: Julia Thayne, Karina Ricks

BREAK

PANEL – Exploring the Art of the Possible: Data, Digital Policy & Autonomy

Digital infrastructure tools like MDS & CDS allow public agencies to communicate policies like emergency response zones, speed limits, and designated parking areas in a digital, computer-readable format. This reduces a city’s reliance on manual and less accurate forms of communication – like email, text messages, social media, and phone calls – to share important information with mobility providers in real-time. In this panel, hear from cities, researchers, and companies on the leading edge of “digital policy” and discuss what public space could look like in a more dynamic, data-driven urban environment.

Speakers: Arielle Fleisher, Michael Schnuerle, Armand Shahbazian, Jarvis Murray

PANEL – From Paper to Pilot: The Digital Transformation of Public Space

“Curb management” is all about how we use and share the space next to the curb on the street. With changes in technology, the economy, and our communities, different groups want to use this space for things like loading and unloading goods, dropping off and picking up passengers, creating bike and bus lanes, and setting up outdoor dining areas and parklets. Global data standards like CDS help reduce friction and create digital interoperability between city departments, agencies, and the private sector. Hear from cities receiving USDOT SMART grant funding to bring their ideas to reality, and leverage technology to create more dynamic, productive, and useful public space.

Speakers: Sarah Abroff, Michael Lawrence Evans, Akshay Malik, Madeline Zhu

NETWORKING BREAK

Fireside Chat – A New Era of Data-Driven Local Government

From improving safety, advancing equity, increasing accessibility, and tackling the climate crisis, cities today are tasked with managing public space to meet complex policy challenges, with many players each having their own responsibility. In this chat, discuss how the public sector is breaking down internal silos, building cross-functional alliances with the private sector, thinking holistically and connecting the dots, and adopting a modern, data-driven approach to advancing the public good.

Speakers: Stephen Goldsmith, Art Pearce, Gemma Schepers

LUNCH

WORKSHOP – Building Community Support: The Key to Urban Innovation

Due to the complex nature of urban infrastructure, transportation, and today’s on-demand culture, making change involves a variety of partners. Engaging these partners is crucial for effective planning, implementation, and long-term success. In this hands-on workshop, learn who to engage, how to tailor your engagement approach, and how to manage feedback. Whether you’re introducing new technology or reimaging public spaces, this workshop will equip participants with the tools to build support, foster partnerships, and navigate challenges to drive meaningful urban change.

Facilitators: Em Burnett, Erin Clark, Wren Ruiz, Kelly Schmandt Ferguson

WORKSHOP – Meet the OMF: Data Standards, Innovation, & Open Discussion

Join us for an interactive introduction to the Open Mobility Foundation (OMF) where we’ll break down our open-source data standards and their role in urban mobility. This session offers a unique chance to ask questions, meet OMF staff, and deepen your understanding of how we collaborate with cities and partners to transform public space management.

Facilitators: Aylene McCallum, Mitch Vars

WORKSHOP – Walking Tour: LADOT’s Curb Digitization Projects

Join us for an immersive “walkshop” showcasing cutting-edge curb management projects in Downtown LA. See how zero-emission delivery zones, real-time curb data, LADOT’s intelligent parking systems, and other efforts are transforming public space management. Get insights from the teams driving these efforts and learn how these innovations will shape the future of mobility in Los Angeles.

Facilitators: Zackary Campos, Tomas Carranza, Ken Husting

NETWORKING BREAK

PANEL – The Intersection of Data, Innovation, & Safer Streets

As our urban transportation systems continue to incorporate more digitally-enabled ways of moving around, cities need new ways of ensuring those systems are safe for all. From better crash data to communicating emergency response information in real-time (and more), hear from public and private sector leaders at the forefront of using data and technology to improve safety for all road users.

Speakers: Laura Cornejo, Andrew Glass Hastings, Ryan Russo, Brian Simmons, Viktoriya Wise

PANEL – From Pilot to Program: Lessons in Creating Lasting Change

The USDOT SMART program was established to jumpstart innovation, providing grants to pilot technologies and systems that improve transportation efficiency and safety. Cities in OMF’s SMART Curb Collaborative are using those funds to tackle challenges in curb management, reducing congestion, enhancing livability, and improving safety and equity on city streets. In this discussion, learn how cities are thinking beyond the 18-month grant period and conducting their pilots in a way that creates lasting change.

Speakers: Russ Brooks, Brian Hamlin, Kelly Rula, Jacob Sherman, Hank Willson

BREAK

CLOSING REMARKS & KEYNOTE

COMMUNICATING WITH DATA: HOW TO TELL COMPLEX STORIES YOUR AUDIENCE WILL REMEMBER

From applying for grants to engaging with the community and managing change within your organization, data can be a powerful storytelling tool. But, information alone is not enough. In this talk, learn how the brain’s cognitive load impacts our ability to process complex information—and how to effectively wield data to tell stories that resonate with your audiences and communities.

Speaker: Teodora Popescu

NETWORKING HAPPY HOUR