San Francisco has created a new position to measure how City Hall delivers on its promises, and Mayor Daniel Lurie has chosen a technology veteran to lead it.
Jessica MacLeod will serve as San Francisco’s first chief of strategy and performance, Lurie recently announced. In this newly created role, she will join the mayor’s leadership team to work with senior policy staff and department leaders on improving outcomes in areas such as public safety, neighborhood cleanliness and economic growth. MacLeod’s core responsibilities will center on using data to guide decisions and reduce bureaucratic hurdles that can slow progress.
“This role is about bringing clarity and alignment to our citywide goals, reducing complexity where possible to deliver results, and improving our ability to make evidence-based decisions,” MacLeod said in a statement.
In revealing the appointment, the mayor described the new role as a key part of the city’s efforts to ensure accountability and track measurable outcomes.
“My administration is focused on producing real results for the people it serves,” Lurie said, highlighting MacLeod’s experience in “building a more accountable, data-driven city government that works better for everyone.” In her new role as the administration’s fifth policy chief, he noted MacLeod will help define those measurable objectives to “accelerate progress, improve public safety, address behavioral health and homelessness, and drive economic recovery.”
MacLeod has over 15 years of experience bridging government operations and technology in the public and private sectors. She has spearheaded projects that utilize data and performance metrics to improve municipal services; collaborated with state and local agencies on monitoring and tracking solutions; and previously managed San Rafael’s technology initiatives as the director of digital service and open government. In 2020, she co-launched U.S. Digital Response, a volunteer organization that mobilized technology professionals to assist governments with pressing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including election support and delivery of critical services.
Her appointment drew support from state government leaders. Michael Wilkening, former secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency and a special adviser to the governor on innovation and digital services, said MacLeod stands out for her ability to “connect people, process, and technology” and turn complicated challenges into clear next steps.
In discussing her vision for the city in the months to come, MacLeod signaled that teamwork and cross-departmental partnering will be central to her approach.
“San Francisco is the innovation capital of the world and has the people and the tools to build a more effective government for the people that it serves,” she said, indicating she looks forward “to working across the city to foster a culture of continuous collaboration and improvement … .”
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