Kate Burns is the Technology Policy Advisor to Mayor Jenny Durkan in the City of Seattle.

In this role, she focuses on issues related to telecommunication networks, the “gig” economy, and privacy.

Prior to joining Mayor Durkan’s Policy Team, Kate was the Smart City Coordinator in the Department of Information Technology beginning in July 2017.

She continues to work across city departments on smart city efforts, focusing on data-informed policymaking, improving city performance and furthering innovation.

Previously, she was with the Office of Mayor Sly James in Kansas City (Missouri) as the Innovation Policy Advisor, drafting ordinances and policy recommendations to foster a culture of innovation in Kansas City.

She attended the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law, where she was the Student Editor in Chief of The Urban Lawyer, the national ABA publication on state and local government.

Before attending law school, Kate was the Government Affairs Specialist at Black & Veatch, an engineering firm in Overland Park, Kansas.

She has a journalism degree from the University of Kansas.

She loves hiking, exploring other cities, and appreciates almost any and all puns.