FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2021
Media Contact:
Rachel Davis, Communications Director & Press Secretary, Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo
SAN JOSÉ, CA - Today, Mayor Sam Liccardo announced Clay Garner as the new Chief Innovation Officer and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation (MOTI) for the City of San Jose. Clay first joined the MOTI team in 2019 after having worked at Google and has since launched a variety of initiatives and programs aimed at closing the digital divide in San José.
“Clay has a deep commitment to public service and his leadership will carry our digital initiatives to new lengths,” said Mayor Liccardo. “Clay believes that innovation should be inclusive and equitable, and his service to San José continues to initiate positive impact on the community through tech.”
During his tenure with MOTI, Clay helped launch several initiatives benefiting residents through tech, including:
- The first citywide Digital Privacy Policy,
- Working to close the digital divide in San Jose by digitally connecting over 300,000 residents by the end of 2022,
- Created an online mental health platform, OneSJ.org,
- Through collaboration with Revivn, developed a device refurbishment program to bridge the device gap for low-income families,
- Deployed 15,800 wifi hotspots with AT&T to San Joséans,
- Co-founded the San José Data Equity program, in partnership with the Knight Foundation; and
- Launched the Helium pilot program, a first-of-its-kind cryptocurrency mining initiative with proceeds that fund the purchase of low-cost internet programs for low-income households.
During the onset of the pandemic, Clay also assisted with the launch of
Silicon Valley Strong - an online hub for resident resources and volunteer and mutual aid opportunities.
“The pandemic has underscored the vital role of the City in serving our most marginalized communities, and I will work tirelessly to improve digital access and opportunity for all San Joséans,” said Clay Garner, Chief Innovation Officer, MOTI. “In the urban heart of Silicon Valley, we can’t afford to leave anyone unconnected.”
Clay holds a Master of Global Affairs from Tsinghua University in China, where he was a
Schwarzman Scholar and recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, and a B.A. with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University. Beyond his work with the City of San José, he consulted on mobile health projects for the United Nations Population Fund. His portfolio includes projects in digital services, transportation, public safety, privacy and transparency, digital inclusion, and emerging technologies.
In his personal life, Clay was once described as a
Chinese pop singer-songwriter and is an avid learner of languages, fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese as well as conversational Indonesian.
The Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation focuses on building a safe, inclusive, user-friendly, and sustainable San José. More information about the team’s work can be found at
www.motisanjose.org
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About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José comprises the 10th largest city in the United States, and one of its most diverse cities. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.
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