Who we are
We’re analysts, strategists, engineers, and designers, but more than that, we’re people who believe that the public sector and people who work in its ecosystem deserve better data and better tools. Our team brings together experience from state and local government, advocacy organizations, civic tech startups, enterprise SaaS, and research institutions. We’ve built platforms to track every political office in the country, published open data standards, and led government budget reform efforts.
What connects us isn’t just technical expertise—it’s a shared commitment to making public systems more equitable, efficient, and effective. We’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is to make decisions without the right approach and data, and we’re here to fix that.
Why we’re here
Public data is everywhere. Making sense of it is another story. We started GovFin to bridge that gap. Too often, the most important decisions in public sector strategy, advocacy, and product development are made without a clear picture of the landscape. We help our clients turn complex, fragmented government data into strategic insight.
Our mission is simple: empower organizations that serve or engage with the public sector to make smarter, faster, more impactful decisions. Whether you’re shaping policy, entering a new market, or building tools for public use, we’re here to ensure your decisions are backed by clarity—not guesswork.
Evan Kersten
Data Strategy & Intelligence Architecture
Evan is dedicated to improving the systems and processes that enable us to engage with the public sector. Collaborators and clients value Evan’s commitment to aligning his expertise to their organizational goals. His professional experiences span systems and data strategy, public administration, policy advocacy, and tech products. Evan’s passion for improving the quality and accessibility of public data, along with a love for telling stories with data, keep him moving forward.
Chris Knotz
Tech, Product & Machine Learning
I am an experienced executive passionate about creating products people love. My focus is on trying to make the world a better place.
David Spearman
Data & Operations Strategy
David leverages the power of data and technology to build solutions to large-scale social problems. He has scaled civic tech initiatives from infancy to sustainability and has a track record in data-driven strategic planning, innovative product development, and operational leadership. He is passionate about giving people the information and tools they need to make better decisions.
Thomas Rowley
Design & Marketing
Thomas Rowley is a Creative Director, UX/UI Designer, Research Specialist, and Brand Strategist. Throughout his professional journey, he has had the privilege of working with esteemed companies like NASA, Progressive Insurance, GE, Navigate360, and many others. With a passion for all things creative, his personal mantra has always been “Changing the World, One Pixel At A Time.”
Michael Paredes
Data Insights & Analytics
I’m a globally minded and entrepreneurially inclined economist solving issues in capital markets using data driven approaches to inform strategy and policy. I have co-founded two companies, Foodle and OlaCoral, which have given me experience across company management, financing, and growth; and I refined these experiences while developing the direction at Citizenly as an early employee.
Jonah Walker
Product & Engineering
I’m a full-stack developer passionate about powerful, accessible tools. I build to enable others, so that we can build effective community.