Spotlight: Harrison MacRae

Harrison MacRae Headshot

Harrison MacRae

Director of Emerging Technologies

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Meet Harrison MacRae, whose journey from a management science and engineering degree to a Govern for America fellowship to his current role as Director of Emerging Technologies for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reflects a passion for systems thinking and a dedication to public service. 


Harrison is deeply involved in the exciting intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and governance, advocating for the thoughtful application of technology to address societal challenges. 


As the Director of Emerging Technologies, he is helping to implement Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s Generative AI Executive Order, which is focused on governance and embedding core values such as privacy, security, equity, and employee empowerment into the adoption of generative AI in state government. Harrison is currently leading a pilot of ChatGPT Enterprise with Commonwealth employees to identify potential use cases that can be applied widely across the workforce. 


"We are really interested in how generative AI can enhance the work that our employees are doing each day, so they can have an even greater impact on the well-being of our residents.”


When hiring or applying for AI roles

When hiring or applying for AI roles, MacRae noted that it’s important to be specific. As a hiring manager, be upfront about needs, clear about the problem you’re trying to solve, and what the role looks like. Individuals with experience in product, policy and governance, project management, or data science are potentially great fits. 


“Along with professional experience, we are interested in candidates who are enthusiastic about how technology can be leveraged in public service while maintaining our AI values.” 


Artificial intelligence is one tool within a larger focus on better service delivery within the Commonwealth. Governor Shapiro has also invested in building out CODE PA, a team focused on digital service delivery. The Commonwealth's north star through all this work: What are the problems we’re trying to solve and how can we provide the right tools and technologies to provide the most effective solutions to solve them.


Opportunity for positive impact

There are a lot of constraints in government, but for MacRae and many others, the opportunity to positively impact people’s lives through their work is the ultimate reward. MacRae emphasized that effective change requires collaboration across diverse departments and communities. "To be effective, you have to bring a wide range of folks across agencies together," noting the crucial role of communication and teamwork.


He also applies the same logic to his own career path. In reflecting on his career trajectory, MacRae underscored the value of adaptability and networking. "Be open to opportunities as and how they come," he advised, with the ever-evolving landscape of technology, and public interest technology more specifically.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to your network to find out about the field and get connected to a larger community. Learn about what types of jobs are doing what types of work.”

MacRae also points to the growing number of events and organizations popping up to support professionals in civic tech. 


In closing, MacRae highlighted the importance of aligning his career choices with a personal passion for public service. For him, he loves thinking about systems and structures with the ultimate end goal of serving communities. And now, he’s found that in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.