Name: Opening Session
Start: 2026-03-28T10:00:00-0400
End: 2026-03-28T10:45:00-0400

Welcome to NYC School of Data — a community conference that demystifies the practices and policies around open data, technology, and service design. Hosted by BetaNYC at CUNY School of Law, this year’s conference concludes NYC’s Open Data Week 2026 and is the TENTH edition of both SoData and Open Data Week!

Register for tickets: < https://ti.to/betanyc/nycsodata26 >

2026 is bigger than ever with 40+ sessions organized by NYC’s civic technology, data, and design community!

Day 1: the classic NYC School of Data conference, with programming across 12 rooms during 4 session blocks.
Day 2: NEW in 2026 – UnSchool of Data! The unconference agenda is created together on the day, with attendee pitches at the top of the day. Select sessions have been pre-seeded by BetaNYC to kick things off.

Our venue is accessible and content is all-ages friendly! If you have accessibility questions or needs, please email us at < [email protected] >.

Opening Session

Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

2-301 - Auditorium

NYC School of Data opens with a series of powerful keynote addresses from leaders shaping the future of public interest technology in New York City.

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Tayyab Walker, Noel Hidalgo, Martha Norrick, and Naeema (Nae) Haque will each take the stage to share their vision for how data, technology, and community power intersect at this critical moment. Through perspectives spanning government, advocacy, and grassroots organizing, these speakers will ground the day in the realities—and possibilities—of building a more transparent, equitable, and accountable city.

Together, these keynotes will explore how public interest technology and data can strengthen democracy, advance digital equity, and ensure that New York’s technological future is shaped by and for its communities.

This opening session sets the tone for the day ahead: ambitious, people-centered, and rooted in action.

Speakers

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez

State Senator for District 59 and Chair of the Internet and Technology Committee and Elections Committee, New York State Senate

Council Member Carmen De La Rosa

Council Member for District 10 and Chair of the Technology Committee, New York City Council

Tayyab Walker

Associate Commissioner from the Office of Data Analytics, New York City Government

Noel Hidalgo

Executive Director, BetaNYC

Martha Norrick

Principal at Backbone Strategies and Senior Fellow at Reinvent Albany, Backbone Strategies

Naeema Haque

Development and Strategy Manager, BetaNYC

Naeema holds a BS in Environmental Earth Systems Science concentrated in Hydrology and Climate from CUNY The City College of New York. She is also an alum of the 10th cohort of the Civic Innovation Fellow Program with BetaNYC and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.

As a strong believer in the public voice, her experience as a fellow with open data and public interest technology increased her passion for intersectionality in the environment, government and technology. Naeema is a proud native of Bushwick and enjoys giving back to the community... Read More →

Saturday March 28, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
2-301 - Auditorium

Main Stage - Livestream with ASL translation

NYC School of Data 2026

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez

Council Member Carmen De La Rosa

Tayyab Walker

Noel Hidalgo

Martha Norrick

Naeema Haque

Get help with the event

NYC School of Data 2026

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez

Council Member Carmen De La Rosa

Tayyab Walker

Noel Hidalgo

Martha Norrick

Naeema Haque

Log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Get help with the event