Stefanie Costa Leabo named City’s new Chief Data Officer

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the appointment of Stefanie Costa Leabo as the City’s new Chief Data Officer (CDO) to lead the Analytics Team within the Department of Innovation and Technology. In this role, Costa Leabo will lead the City's efforts to work with departments to solve challenging problems, make government more effective, and deliver better outcomes for constituents through the use of data, process improvement, and technology. She brings expertise in quantitative methods, performance, program and project management to her new role.

Stefanie Costa Leabo has been a member of the Analytics Team since 2015. In her time with the City of Boston, she led the development and release of Mayor Walsh's CityScore initiative and facilitated the launch of Boston's Community Assistance Team pilot program. You can learn more about the Analytics Team’s work through their 2018 Year in Review.

Before joining the City of Boston, Costa Leabo began her career in local government with the City of Somerville as a senior analyst in the SomerStat office working with departments to increase their use of data to improve operations and service delivery as well as coordinating cross-departmental projects like the citywide LED street light retrofit. Prior to working in local government, she served as a research fellow and program coordinator for the UMass Civic Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to promoting democracy through public policy education in the U.S. and abroad.

"It's an honor to take this position with the City. I’ve had the privilege of helping to shape the growth and development of this team since 2015. Both in my time with Somerville, and with the City of Boston, I’ve worked closely with programs and departments to encourage and support their use of data to enhance operations and provide better services," said Costa Leabo. "I look forward to furthering the mission of my Department; to improve the lives of people who live and work in Boston through the use of data.”

Born and raised in Massachusetts, and a resident of the North End, Stefanie is a graduate of UMass Amherst with B.A.s in Political Science and History. She earned an M.A. in Political Science from George Washington University. Stefanie is closely connected to her UMass and Boston communities having served as a mentor and board member for UMass Women Into Leadership and as a “Big Sister” with Big Brother Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay.

The City's Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) strives to engage, empower, and improve life for residents in the City through technology. The focus areas of their work includes digital engagement and services, data and analytics, and broadband, cable and digital equity. The department oversees the development and implementation of new digital tools, open data, Wicked Free Wi-Fi, mobile apps, and cybersecurity practices. You can learn more about the department online.