Meet the Team 🍉🎆🇺🇸 Summer 2020
We’re continuing to hire top technologists from communities across the country.
When you join USDS, you become part of a community that extends to life after your tour of duty. Since we were founded by the President in 2014, over 500 people have served, modernizing government, shifting culture, and showing what’s possible.
People have continued to join USDS because they deeply believe in our mission and are drawn to the impact of our work to help people. Irrespective of administration, people will always rely on government services, and making sure they get what they need in a way that’s simple for them is how they build trust with government. Nearly 80% of our staff have joined during this administration to try and make a difference in people’s lives.
Meet the newest members of the U.S. Digital Service family — recruited from tech communities across the country. They come from Facebook, the Federal CIO Council, Volkswagon, the east coast, midwest, and Bay Area.
Katie Aloisi (she/ her), Designer @ Department of Homeland Security Digital Service. Previously at Fannie Mae. From Vienna, VA.
I spent most of my career in consulting (at EY and PwC), where I helped government and commercial organizations apply human-centered design to improve products, services, and experiences for their customers. Most recently I worked at Fannie Mae, where I helped reimagine and transform the mortgage industry for the digital age.
The U.S. Digital Service is in many ways a dream job. I’m a mission-driven person and I’ve been looking for a home like USDS, where doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the greatest need is actually written into our mission. I’m especially passionate about understanding and helping people who are underrepresented or otherwise lack a voice, and am so excited to be joining the asylum team where I’ll be working to streamline and simplify the asylum process.
What do you most value in your friends?
We’re always there for each other. Whether what we need is a soul-renewing hug (something I’m missing a lot right now!), an inspiring pep talk, a no-judgment venting session, or a giant tub of cheese balls, we have each others’ backs.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Waking up to the sound of birds and the prospect of a full day of R&R at the most peaceful place on earth, La Selva Giardino del Belvedere. This is where our closest family and friends converged to celebrate my wedding — and my twin sister’s wedding — last year. Yes, we had a double wedding and I highly recommend it! We spent a whole week embracing la dolce vita, eating pasta and gelato, wandering the olive groves, cooking big family dinners, chatting by the fireplace, and sitting in the many spectacular outdoor spaces planning our next visit.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Two related traits: resignation and complacency. These can be dangerous things, for oneself, and at a large enough scale, for the world! I’m already so inspired by the optimism, tenacity, and initiative I see among USDS’ers working on the most pressing and intractable challenges in government.
Anshul Kumar (he/ him), Product Manager, USDS @ Health and Human Services. Previously at Volkswagen Credit. From Alexandria, VA.
My career before USDS was a mix of finance, analytics and product management. In my last position, I led the development of data-driven insights to improve customer satisfaction. Prior to that, I launched a digital ecosystem for sales enablement.
For some time now, I have been looking for an opportunity that allows one to serve the greater-good, is impactful, and can drive momentum towards a brighter future for our country. I find it both empowering and humbling to work on projects that address the well-being of our citizens, and restore faith in our public institutions. I’m very excited to join USDS to improve critical areas in our healthcare system.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Riding the Pan-American Highway — Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina — on a motorcycle!
Where would you most like to live?
New Zealand or the Central Coast of California
What is your motto?
Service before self.
Amy Paris (she/ her), Product Manager, USDS @ Health and Human Services. Previously Federal CIO Council, GSA, and OFCIO. From San Francisco, CA.
My first degree was in computer science, but I’ve been focused on serving the public good ever since leaving my early career in systems administration. Prior to USDS, I’ve worked on both federal cloud computing strategies, government-wide open source code adoption, optimizing federal data centers, and modernizing the federal IT workforce. I’m currently working on improving the interoperability of Medicare’s systems in support of better coordinated, more accessible patient care. It’s exciting to be part of such an impactful, important mission!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Completing the Federal Source Code Policy, all the way from initial stakeholder outreach to final post-public comment edits and publication. I was part of an amazing team, and we put together something that seemed impossible at the time.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My great-grandmother (who passed away on my 12th birthday) and my grandmother (still thankfully with us). My great-grandmother fled the Bolshevik Revolution alone as a young girl. Both of them survived the Nazi Occupation of Greece, and eventually immigrated to America. Both were educators and life-long learners, had incalculable patience, and were graceful under remarkable circumstances… I’ll be lucky if I’ve picked up 10% of that.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“That [product, process, organization, or system] is a trash fire.” It’s mostly hyperbole, but I have seen at least one actual literal trash fire during my time in government.
Brian Coyle (he/ him) Product Manager, USDS HQ. Previously Twilio. McLean, VA.
Most of my career has been in and around call center technologies which is how I found my way to Twilio where I spent the last four years. While at Twilio I helped build the first Professional Services team and along the way helped launch the Twilio Flex programmable contact center product.
I joined USDS to bring the same type of innovation to the Federal Government where it can have such an outsized impact on so many people.
Since joining I have had the opportunity to jump right into the COVID response working with teams at the CDC.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is being totally isolated from my family and friends with no means of contact. In this year 2020 we have all had to deal with some level of isolation and I have been fortunate to be surrounded my wonderful wife and two boys.
This year has showed me just how important my extended family and friends are to my well-being and I could not imagine if I were somehow not be able to see, talk, or lean on them in any fashion.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lack of empathy. I cannot stand when a person does not have the capacity to make the slightest effort to see where another person is coming from in their perspective before making judgement.
On what occasion do you lie?
Factoring how much my clothes weigh when I am on a scale.
Amy Quispe (she/ ella), Engineer @ USDS HQ. Previously at Facebook. From New York, NY.
The past few years I’ve been working in the tech industry in a variety of roles — from Developer Relations, to Solutions Engineering, to teaching and curriculum development. Although my last role was as a Software Engineer at Facebook, I spent a year in between pursuing other interests, including taking classes in public health and improv. USDS had been on my radar since I was at Google in 2015 but the timing was never right. The stars finally aligned, and I felt especially inspired to join now out of a sense of duty to help with the current pandemic. I’m currently doing work to assist state unemployment systems.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Intelligence. Most things we consider markers of intelligence are overrated. Most people are smart enough to do whatever they want to do. Human potential is generally underestimated.
Who is your hero?
Mark Watney, the protagonist of The Martian. He repeatedly employs creativity and knowledge, and patience and discipline, to solve each problem in front of him.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Being extra.
Cory Trimm (he/him), Engineer, USDS @ Department of Veterans Affairs. Previously Slalom Consulting. From Cleveland, OH.
I’m excited to join the United States Digital Service at the Department of Veterans Affairs to help create a more cohesive authorization and authentication experience across their suite of applications. Prior to joining USDS, I was a Technology Enablement Consultant at Slalom Consulting in Denver, Colorado working on a variety of projects at large telecommunications companies before relocating to DC. Before my stint in consulting, I worked at small to mid-sized startups in Pittsburgh, PA and Denver, CO focusing on full stack engineering, but mainly leaning towards sustainable front end development and architecture. Outside of work responsibilities, I like to contribute code to Open Source Software across various federal agencies.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Waking up early and having a “slow morning” where there are hours of time to enjoy a cup of coffee, walk the dog, and read a book before beginning work for the day. Taking it slow allows me to appreciate the moment.
Which living person do you most admire?
One that comes to mind as of late is Yvon Chouinard. Outside of creating the popular eco-conscious brand, Patagonia, Yvon taught himself blacksmithing in order to create his own climbing tools — which he then sold out of the back of his car in order to support his climbing and surfing habits.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Being able to pick up foreign languages quicker would be a great talent to have.
The best of technology.
The best of government.
And we want you.
We’re looking for the most tenacious designers, software engineers, product managers, and more, who are committed to untangling, rewiring and redesigning critical government services. You’ll join a team of the most talented technologists from across the private sector and government.
If you have questions regarding employment with the U.S. Digital Service, please contact us at usds@omb.eop.gov or visit our Hiring FAQ.
