Sarah Ortiz Shields:
program manager, problem solver,
civic-tech enthusiast &
chatterbox.
Hi y'all, I'm Sarah.
Some program leaders manage what exists. I build what doesn't. From a competitive City of Austin civic tech fellowship to directing six concurrent VA enterprise initiatives, my career has been defined by creating delivery infrastructure where none existed and making it stick. Public Trust cleared, 15+ years across federal contracting, civic tech, and commercial scale.
Over ten years ago I asked myself whether I could take my tech and project management skills and actually build something for my community. So I left the free lunches and seltzer water for $0.50 coffee in the City of Austin City Manager's office, and found out the answer was yes. That's where I learned that my real passion is building better government services and advocating for the people who use them.
These days I direct federal delivery programs, advocate for civic engagement in Texas, and connect people who want to make government work better.
To learn more about me, check out my resume. Thanks for stopping by.