Former California technology leader Amy Tong to lead new AI working group at Ballard Partners

Amy Tong, the former Secretary of Government Operations and Chief Information Officer for California, has joined the lobbying firm Ballard Partners to lead its newly established Emerging Technology and AI Practice Group. During her tenure in Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration, Tong was instrumental in launching the state’s first generative AI strategy and overseeing significant investments in cybersecurity and public safety technology. Her transition to the private sector marks a strategic move to bridge the gap between technological innovation and public-sector policymaking as governments increasingly focus on AI governance and procurement.

Amy Tong officially joined Ballard Partners on June 1 to head the firm's Emerging Technology and AI Practice Group after serving 30 years in California state government. In her previous role as government operations secretary, she managed a $67 billion portfolio and supervised over $8 billion in technology investments and 22,000 employees. Tong was a central figure in California's digital modernization, spearheading the state's first executive order on generative AI in 2023, which established critical frameworks for risk management and procurement that have since served as a model for other states.

Tong’s influence on the public safety technology sector is evidenced by her stewardship of California’s initial AI pilot projects in 2024. These initiatives recruited five companies to develop solutions for highway traffic management, road safety, and public safety, alongside health care inspections and customer service. Under her leadership, the state also launched "Poppy," a secure generative AI digital assistant for internal state use, and established the California Cybersecurity Integration Center to modernize the state's defense against digital threats.

In her new capacity at Ballard Partners, Tong aims to advise government clients on navigating the complex intersection of AI, emerging technology, and public policy. She has expressed a strong desire to advocate for federal-level AI regulations to prevent a fragmented landscape of 50 different state-level policies, which she believes could stifle innovation. Brian Ballard, the firm’s founder, noted that Tong’s experience managing one of the nation's largest government technology portfolios uniquely positions her to guide organizations through the evolving regulatory and procurement challenges inherent in the public safety and technology sectors.