Chief Technology Officer Archana Vemulapalli has positioned Washington, DC to become a world class technology hub. DC has quickly moved up the ranks in smart city technology, data utilization and digital inclusion. This has led to DC becoming the first CISCO-designated “Lighthouse City” in the United States, an honor granted to cities with exemplary commitments to smart city technology.


Ms. Vemulapalli completed the pilot project of the Pennsylvania Avenue 2040 project (PA2040). This project enhances visitor experience all the while providing resulting real-time data to improve District operations with reduced costs through publicly accessible DC-Net Wi-Fi and remotely managed, sensor-based LED streetlights.

Ms. Vemulapalli’s dedication to bridge the digital divide is fueled by a passion to ensure that IT access is not a privilege but a right for every District resident. As co-chair and creator of the Council of Global City CIOs (CGCC), Ms. Vemulapalli’s role is to centralize city tech leaders from cities across the globe to share data and harness technology to transform cities.

Ms. Vemulapalli earned a master’s degree in Leadership from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, a master’s degree in Telecommunications from the University of Pennsylvania, and an undergraduate degree in Engineering from the University of Madras.