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| 27 Aug 2026 | |
| Written by J.B. Wogan | |
| Data For the People (Podcast) |
By Lisa Le, Summer 2026 Digital Communications Intern, Data Foundation
For many Americans, accessing public services means navigating multiple agency websites, repeatedly entering the same information, and figuring out which programs they may qualify for. According to Natalie Evans Harris, Chief Data Officer for the State of Maryland and a Data Foundation Senior Fellow, it does not have to be this complicated.
On a recent episode of Data for the People!, Harris joined Data Foundation Director of Communications J.B. Wogan to discuss how Maryland is building a statewide data infrastructure that enables agencies to work together, strengthens data governance, improves data literacy, and prepares the state for responsible artificial intelligence. Throughout the conversation, one message stood out: data is most valuable when it improves people’s lives.
“It’s not about dashboards and websites,” Harris said. “It’s really about, how do we use data to help families keep heat in the winter, to not worry about food insecurity?”
When Harris joined Maryland state government two years ago, she saw that while agencies collected significant amounts of data, they lacked the infrastructure needed to share it effectively. She compared the challenge to a neighborhood where every house exists but there are no roads connecting them.
“We were all living in the same community,” she explained, “but there were no roads to get the data from out of the houses to where it needed to be.”
Instead of replacing existing systems, Maryland focused on building the connections between them. The state developed a statewide data governance policy, established collaborative compliance programs, and launched the Maryland Data Exchange to make cross-agency data sharing more practical and sustainable.
The goal is not simply better technology. The goal is better government.
One of Maryland’s most impactful efforts is its One Application initiative for public benefits.
Previously, residents seeking assistance had to complete separate applications for programs such as SNAP, housing assistance, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, or WIC even when those programs required similar information.
Through One Application, hosted on the Maryland Benefits cloud platform, residents can provide their information once and be considered for multiple benefits at the same time. Behind the scenes, interoperable systems and shared governance make such an efficient interface possible. For residents, the result is a simpler and more accessible benefits application experience.
For Harris, One Application reflects a larger mindset shift in how government should approach data.
“Our goal is to shift the conversation from, ‘What does my program need?’ to, ‘What do constituents need in order to benefit from my program?’”
Responsible data sharing requires more than technology.
Harris emphasized the importance of privacy protections and transparency, including the Maryland Data Privacy and Protection Act of 2026, which was recently enacted into law. The law holds state agencies accountable to implement privacy best practices and gives residents greater visibility into how their personal information is collected and used.
She also highlighted another critical piece of effective data use: data literacy.
For Harris, data literacy is not about making everyone a statistician. It is about helping decision-makers ask better questions:
By embedding data literacy into agency training and connecting learning opportunities to real-world needs, Maryland is helping employees make stronger, more informed decisions.
As artificial intelligence becomes more common in government, Harris offered an important reminder:
“AI is only as good as the data infrastructure underneath it.”
Without high-quality, well-governed data, AI can amplify existing challenges rather than solve them.
Harris expressed excitement about AI tools that can help residents navigate government information more easily. Instead of searching through complicated websites and documents, people could ask questions in plain language and receive clear, reliable answers.
For example, the Data Foundation’s recently launched Evi, a beta AI assistant built on the Evidence Act Hub. Evi allows users to search federal evidence resources using natural-language questions while connecting responses back to original government documents. By grounding AI responses in verified sources, Evi demonstrates how technology can improve access to public information while maintaining transparency and trust.
In the spirit of the People’s Data 100, a Data Foundation’s initiative to identify federal datasets that provide the greatest value to Americans, Harris shared her favorite public dataset: The Social Vulnerability Index, which is maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ranks communities by their vulnerability to external shocks, such as a natural disaster, disease outbreak or economic disruption. The index takes into account poverty, housing density, disability status, access to transportation, English language proficiency, and other factors. “What I love about it is that it is an index that can actually help the government be more proactive,” Harris says. “The data from this type of index can help government predict where help is going to be needed most, and then prepare [...] So it's not us being just responsive, but it's us being proactive about meeting the needs of people.”
The conversation concluded with a reflection on Harris’s own “data story.”
Early in her career, while working in the intelligence community during the September 11 attacks, Harris saw firsthand how valuable information could remain disconnected across organizations. That experience shaped her belief that data must be treated as a strategic asset.
Later, navigating the college financial aid process exposed her to another challenge: systems designed around institutions rather than people. Completing multiple forms and navigating fragmented processes showed her the importance of making government services easier to access.
These experiences embody the spirit of the Data Foundation’s #MyDataStory initiative, which highlights how government data helps Americans solve problems, make decisions, and strengthen communities. Whether accessing public benefits, preparing for severe weather, or researching opportunities, every dataset ultimately connects back to a human story.
What’s your data story? Share it in writing or over video.
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