Rachel Stone is a civic technologist and data strategist who has been instrumental in modernizing governmental institutions through human-centered design and data-sharing initiatives. She earned her degree in Political Science with a minor in Computer Science from Brigham Young University, driven by a deep interest in the intersection of technology, government, and human progress. During her undergraduate studies, she gained early hands-on experience helping her local city council improve IT and e-service delivery.
Stone’s work is heavily influenced by a passion for e-governance, crowdsourcing, and direct democracy. Drawing inspiration from democracy activists like Pia Mancini and technologists like Beth Novick, she has consistently advocated for a top-down redesign of governmental processes to better meet the demands of the twenty-first century. In 2018, Stone was selected as a Product Fellow for Coding it Forward, a prestigious civic tech program, where she was placed at the U.S. Department of State. There, she collaborated on interdisciplinary teams to redesign web platforms and build impact maps—an experience that cemented her belief in the necessity of bringing dedicated product managers, designers, and user experience researchers into public service.
Her technical acumen and proactive initiative soon brought her to the State of Utah’s Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Tasked with launching a massive data-sharing project, Stone recognized a critical gap in state leadership and successfully advocated to become Utah’s first Chief Data Officer. In this role, she championed the state’s Social Service Blueprint Solution, a pioneering effort that broke down institutional silos to improve the effectiveness of key social service programs. Later, Stone transitioned to a role as a Product Manager for Utah’s Department of Government Operations Division of Technology Services, where she continued to spearhead user research and optimize digital service delivery.
Within the transhumanist and techno-progressive communities, Stone is recognized for her forward-looking approach to civic architecture. At the MTAConf 2015, she presented Ask Siri: A Glimpse of Tomorrow’s Technological Government. In her presentation, Stone articulated a bold vision for integrating technological advancement into traditional governmental institutions, emphasizing transparency, e-participation, and the unique potential of technology to elevate the human condition through intelligent, responsive governance.
