Louisville names new chief of Civic Innovation and chief of Performance Improvement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 24, 2016) — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer today named Grace Simrall chief of Civic Innovation and Daro Mott chief of Performance Improvement.

Simrall, founder of iGlass Analytics and most recently executive director of innovation for Intel Care Innovations, has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a master’s from the University of Louisville.

Mott, currently chief innovation officer for Cuyahoga County in Cleveland, earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and has two master’s degrees from the University of Louisville.

Simrall starts this week, and Mott, who previously was director of quality and performance for Louisville Metro Government and integral to the success of the LouieStat program, will return this fall/winter.

They replace Ted Smith and Theresa Reno-Weber, who are leaving for other endeavors.

Smith helped create the AirLouisville program, which equipped asthmas inhalers with GPS devices to better track health data, and helped found Code Louisville, which teaches computer coding skills to citizens. Reno-Weber brought a culture of data to Metro Government through creation of the nationally recognized LouieStat program. Both Smith and Reno-Weber were named by Government Technology magazine to its “Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers” Lists.

Reno-Weber helped secure national partnerships with the What Works Cities initiative to better use data and evidence to deliver more effective city services and the Racial Equity Here initiative to advance racial equity across our community. She created the LouieStat data program, which has become a national model, implemented LEAN training for all new Metro employees, and created the first of its kind strategic planning model for the city.  Reno-Weber has been nationally recognized by Governing Magazine, Code for America, Governing Technology, and others for her work integrating the Office of Performance Improvement, HR, and IT.

Smith and Reno-Weber will volunteer as co-chairs of the new Civic Innovation Advisory Council.