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On Gov Tech Today, host Jennifer Saha talks with Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, about bridging technology and government to help residents access safety-net benefits like food assistance, school lunch programs, healthcare, SNAP, and Medicaid. Renteria argues modernization should start with real user experience—watching people apply at kitchen tables—and emphasizes “no wrong door” access across phone, in-person, and mobile, plus culturally competent language and iterative design tailored to each state. They discuss why the “apply once” vision is constrained by shifting policies such as new renewal and work requirements, and how better data sharing and common definitions across agencies are still lacking. Renteria outlines Code for America’s values-first approach to AI, warning it requires infrastructure and should be tested carefully with humans in the loop, while highlighting promising uses like document verification and caseworker support.
00:00 Welcome to Gov Tech Today
00:32 Meet Amanda Renteria
00:58 Code for America Mission
02:46 Modernization That Works
05:48 No Wrong Door Access
07:59 One Time Data Dream
11:17 Progress Since COVID
13:26 AI Values First Approach
18:11 Where AI Helps or Hurts
22:52 Lightning Round Trends
24:53 Modernization Mistakes
27:17 Predictions and Dashboards
30:49 Wrap Up and Thanks
