ANNAPOLIS, MD—Francesca Ioffreda has been appointed as Maryland’s new chief innovation officer, Gov. Wes Moore announced. Ioffreda will lead the first-ever Bloomberg Philanthropies-supported state-level Innovation Team.

Ioffreda will oversee a seven-person team that will use data analysis, rapid prototyping, insight development, and project management to help state agencies create and test new efforts to reduce child poverty in the state.

“Our administration has been, and always will be, data-driven and heart-led,” Governor Moore said in a statement. “Francesca Ioffreda’s experience developing collaborative, data-driven solutions to big problems makes her the right choice to lead Maryland’s ambitious innovation agenda.”

Ioffreda has over 10 years of experience in economic development and public-private partnerships. She founded Breakthrough Strategy Partners, which builds communities through cross-sector collaboration, innovation, and workforce development. She also served as vice president of inclusive growth and talent at the Greater Washington Partnership, where she helped secure a $4.7 billion, five-year commitment to expand opportunities in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

“When government leaders want to be ambitious–and embrace creativity, data, transparency, and resident results–Bloomberg Philanthropies is glad to support them, every step of the way,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Governor Moore has focused state agencies on an ambitious mission–reducing childhood poverty–and we are excited to support Francesca and the new Innovation Team as they support State agencies to unlock creativity, collaboration, and new approaches on these challenging issues.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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