Local-First Conf @localfirstconf.com Connect with a rapidly-growing Local-First community. Join us for our third edition 12-14th of July 2026 in Berlin. www.localfirstconf.com
Jay Foreman @jayforeman.bsky.social ‘This Way Up: When Maps Go Wrong’ (the MAP MEN BOOK) is available now: https://lnk.to/mapmen 🗺️ 📕
Adam Brown @adamlbrown.bsky.social Economist, formerly a physicist. Head of UK Economic Policy & Modelling @ Cambridge Econometrics, Visiting Researcher in Innovation Systems @ Oxford Brookes, & Associate @ CityREDI. Also interested in cricket, baseball and metal. Displaced Salopian. Vmo
@sweynh.bsky.social @sweynh.bsky.social 
OllieJC @olliejc.uk I’m a digital civil servant at GDS/DSIT focused on building practical, reliable services for the UK public sector.
Alex Coley @alexrcoley.bsky.social Data Strategy & Design Leader
Passionate about the power of data to help organisations make a positive difference in the world. Director at Epimorphics Ltd, former Deputy Director for Data at Defra. Based in South Wales, UK. With #aphantasia
Linda Humphries @lindah.bsky.social Digital strategy delivery, open standards, open data, responsible tech.
Was moominlounge in the other place 🐦
Pic credit: Adam Tinworth @odcamp
Public Digital director
Open Data Manchester CIC chair
360Giving Trustee and standard committee member
Mark Dalgarno @markdalgarno.bsky.social Delivery @ http://createchange.io - Digital Transformation, UCD, Agile methods.
He/Him. I don't speak for my clients.
Organiser Agile Manchester, Agile Cambridge, Lean Agile Scotland, Ripples: Bristol, UX Scotland, SDinGov, Lean Agile Exchange
Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing.org.uk Man of many talents—some of them useful. Multiple monomaniac. Author, 'Pink Floyd: The Music & The Mystery'.
Also Wikipedia, Wikidata &c. OpenStreetMap. Birds. Birmingham. Open data. FoI. Art. Architecture. History. FRSA.
Everything is interesting.
tom hoyland @tomhoyland.bsky.social I Build the Teams that Build Your Products 💥 Agile & DevOps Leader - Enterprise Agility and Systemic Change Consultant | Professional Coach, Expert Mentor and Facilitator | MD @ that agile
Antony Poveda @tonytoners.bsky.social Some sort of designer/Head of Morale, mainly content. Working for users of government. Stealing all your best ideas since 2014 (reading stuff, not much posting). antonypoveda.design Sheffield.
Aoife @chiefbreenie.bsky.social product manager
disabled and liver transplant recipient
whippet owner/servant
she/her
peterkwells @peterkwells.com BlackpoolFC, books, tech, people, policy & delivery, realist. Hopes to make stuff work for everyone.
https://peterkwells.com
Lizzie Bruce @lizziecake.bsky.social Not everything needs to be digital. Content strategist, project manager: arts, nature, law, gov. Author, readability specialist, online course creator. Run #UCDFreelancersDirectory. Books, films, hikes. Photo by me. cakeconsultancy.com
Victoria Stead @victoriastead.bsky.social Service Designer in HE, Natural Voice Leader, inclusive singing circles and workshops. 
Duncan McAlester @mcalester.design Design Technologist • Dot Connector • Culture Builder
Former Lead Astro UX Design System
Sarah Mount @snim2.org Service Lead at dxw | author | Software Sustainability Institute Fellow | recovering academic
allyhook.bsky.social @allyhook.bsky.social Welsh Coventrian, loves waterparks, making stuff accessible and finding better ways to do things. Would like to be able to keep plants alive.
Frankie Roberto @frankieroberto.com Freelance interaction designer. X-GOVUK contributor. London dad. Car-free cities. Working for NHS England.
https://www.frankieroberto.com
dorianmfreeman @dorianshmorian.bsky.social Retired from a career in tech (UX). Volunteer for a local food pantry garden in Massachusetts. Managing care for my elderly father.
Profile picture: sculpted cement head with a plant growing out of the top.
Arvind Venkataramani @avenk.bsky.social design researcher, ritual technologist, neuroatypical in unsatisfactory ways. i sense and work towards emergent futures. let’s make the world a place of flourishing for all life.
Mary @missmarycl.bsky.social She/her. Newly grieving. Content designer following UCD principles. TV buff. Lefty Londoner. Love funny/silly stuff. Black lives matter. Intersectional feminist. Trans ally. Politics/news junkie. Book devourer. Dog/cat enthusiast. Cat butler. Views my own.
Shannon Leahy (she, her, hers) @shannonleahy.bsky.social Mum, wifey, snuggler of Ginger Snap and Muffin. Content design, UX, and asking questions are my jam. Leopard print is the best neutral.
Ignacia Orellana @ignaciaorellana.bsky.social Independent design consultant, specialising in service design and strategy. Mainly works in public sector. Previously: Service Design lead @gdsteam. Chilena en Londres
She/her
https://ignaciaorellana.com/
Ré Dubhthaigh @redubhthaigh.bsky.social design / data / dad / dublin
Salman @schdhri.bsky.social Strategic designer. Curious about political economy.
Pauline Roche @paulineroche.bsky.social Sector knowledge + convening power + technical understanding; Amplifier, Producer, Librarian, Freelance journo - *Digital Inclusion/Open data*; Producer/Co-presenter #DrTechShow, Co-organiser Open Data Camp
Linda O'Halloran @lindasasta.bsky.social Sr Partner @TPXimpact @BcorpUK. Previously #LocalDigital @LUHC (#FixThePlumbing @LDgovUK) http://unitinetworks.com
@gdsteam and @mayoroflondon #SmartLondon Board
techUK @techuk.bsky.social The UK's tech trade association championing tech's role in preparing and empowering the UK for what comes next.
https://www.techuk.org/
Paris Marx @parismarx.com 💥 PREORDER MY NEW BOOK HYPERSCALE 💥
🎙️ @techwontsave.us
📬 https://disconnect.blog
📖 https://hyperscalebook.com
Jennifer Pahlka @pahlkadot.bsky.social Author: Recoding America, Founder: Code for America, Co-founder: USDS and USDR.
Andy Parker @theavangelist.bsky.social Self facilitating media node.
Creator of UX Coaching™
Digital Transformation Consultant.
I believe the internet was made for cats
Sym Roe @symroe.bsky.social Turning Python and UK elections into Democracy Club, from Stroud
https://democracyclub.org.uk/
Kate Martin @kate-martin.bsky.social Executive Director City Futures @sheffcitycouncil.bsky.social. Director @theied.bsky.social . Y&H Member of ADEPT UK. Fellow @cihhousing.bsky.social . Love coffee and doing a bit of amateur art …
Carla Denyer @carladenyer.bsky.social Green MP for Bristol Central.
Former Co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
Engineer. Bi 🏳🌈. She/Her.
Need to get in touch?
📧 carla.denyer.mp@parliament.uk
emma c @workemma.bsky.social local govt computer person
Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social Northern correspondent, Financial Times
Experimental cook, purveyor of Andy Burnham content
“Cynical” - Boris Johnson
📍Manchester
Ben Shave @ben-shave.bsky.social I work at the House of Commons. Currently: Science, Innovation and Technology select committee. Previously: Public Accounts and Brexit committees.
Apart from that, I'm mostly being a dad and cycling. My views.
Chris Stokel-Walker @stokel.bsky.social Tech journalist and author, who increasingly also talks on TV and radio. Interested in the sparks that happen when the online and offline worlds collide
@stokel on the other place. Buy my book: How AI Ate the World!
Andrew White @pixeltrix.bsky.social CTO @unboxed.co
Ben #ActNow 🔥🌳🌊 @benaldo.bsky.social People+planet-centred Service Designer / Product Manager
Service Manual & Service Standard, GDS, DSIT
Woke
he/him
David Durant @bowsy.co.uk I've been a long-time supporter of the government technology and transformation communities since 2009. I've worked for mySociety, the GLA, HackIT and GDS. I'm on the committees for GovCamp, TransformGov Talks and the UK Polyamory Association.
PSA Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group @psalocalpol.bsky.social We are the Local Politics & Governance Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social)
Web: www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-groups/local-politics-and-governance
The Exploding Heads @explodingheads.bsky.social Anthony Richardson & Mark Davison Sports Horn http://lnk.to/SportsHorn Buy us a coffee! http://ko-fi.com/explodingheads explodingheads@unitedagents.co.uk
Hannah Keenan @hannahkeenan.bsky.social Associate Director at Institute for Government, and former civil servant (cabinet office, dfid).
West Berkshire Council @westberkshire.bsky.social 
Britain Elects @britainelects.com Britain's leading aggregator for polling, forecasts and election results. Run by @bwalker.uk. Est. 2013 with the late, great, Lily Jayne Summers.
Sarah Campbell @sarah-cam.bsky.social Healthwatch Barnet Manager
Health inequalities, primary care access, community engagement and the voluntary sector - own views, reposts≠endorsements
Notwestminster 💚 @notwestminster.bsky.social Want to help redesign local democracy? We bring people together to create and share new ideas for doing local democracy. We are #Notwestminster – are you?
Julia Higginbottom @gabysslave.bsky.social You can find me @croft_22 on TikTok
or on Signal 
Jon @jonpoole.bsky.social Social Research person. Currently #localgov data, also here for ttrpgs and Warhammer stuff.
Pretend Cato @pretendcato.bsky.social Democracy things as COO/Director at Delib. She/her. Not all work. Rhymes with potato.
Cllr Tom Hunt @tomhunt100.bsky.social Leader of Sheffield City Council | Councillor for Walkley ward
Roger Swannell @rogerswannell.com Usually wrong. Never done.
rogerswannell.com
John O’Connor @johnoconnor10.bsky.social Postdoctoral researcher at Maynooth University | creation, sharing and use of evidence in public policy. @maynoothuniversity.ie
@mu-ssi.bsky.social https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9027-8214 🇮🇪
Dan Goodwin @bouncingdan.bsky.social Emergency care (I drive ambulances and assist paramedics) and design-y, communication-y things.
Very slow trail and coast path runner. And an enjoyer of music, TV, movies, and culture.
All in lush North Cornwall.
Emmanuelle Avril @emmanuelleavril.bsky.social Professor of British Politics and Society at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle. I work on UK political parties, political participation and democracy. Also interested in everything North-East
http://www.univ-paris3.fr/avril-emmanuelle-29364.kjsp
Alex Sturtivant @alex-sturtivant.bsky.social Product for good | Senior PM in Local Gov
Tyler Borchers @tylerborchers.com SVP, Strategy & Operations. Building products, growing audiences and driving revenue. Previously TIME and VICE News. Posting about media, technology and AI.
Website: https://tylerborchers.com/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tylerborchers/
Adam Jennison @adamjennison.bsky.social Geek and professional cat herder
Work at Hull City Council as Smart City lead & enjoy all things data
Opinion is mine & not that of my employer
Local Partnerships @localpartnerships.bsky.social Local Partnerships is jointly owned by the Local Government Association, HM Treasury and the Welsh Government - delivering value and efficacy for the public purse
localpartnerships.gov.uk
Ian Watt @watty62.bsky.social Open Data advocate. Wikimedia Board Member. Data scientist. Tinkerer with Python etc. Enthusiastic reader. Wikimedia UK trainer. #Jazz lover. Drawer, painter, photographer. Whisky afficionado. #FRSA #FIoL Burgess of Guild of #Aberdeen, OSS Taisho.
Jack Gilmore @jackgilmore.bsky.social Software Dev in public sector | Sassy GIF poster | Maintainer https://opendata.scot | Views are my own
Code The City @codethecity.bsky.social A charity based in #Aberdeen. We use tech and data for civic good. Dedicated to education, community- building, and #opendata, #openknowledge, #opensource.
Https://codethecity.org
Grace Pollard @gracepollard.bsky.social Head of Policy and Insights @wearenewlocal.bsky.social
local government, community power, innovation in public services, devolution. Views own.
Joshua Mouldey @joshuamouldey.bsky.social Product @scotgov. That and other gubbins. 
Local Government Association (LGA) @local.gov.uk We are the national voice of local government, working with councils to support, promote and improve #LocalGov
Visit our website: https://www.local.gov.uk/
James O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk @Psythor on Twitter. Freelance writer covering politics/tech/nerd stuff.
Read my content: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
Yes, I inevitably have a podcast too: abundancepod.com
Free the Postcode Address File!
Alex Brown 🇵🇸 (they/them) @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social librarian, archivist, author, Ignyte award-winning & Hugo-nominated writer and critic, rat obsessive, hella queer
words in reactormag.com, locusmag.com, npr, reader's digest, and elsewhere
bookjockeyalex.com
bryanglick.bsky.social @bryanglick.bsky.social Editor in chief of Computer Weekly; VP of international editorial at InformaTechTarget; BSME Editor's Editor of the Year 2024; Liverpool FC 
computerweekly.bsky.social @computerweekly.bsky.social The UK's leading business technology publication - since 1966. Read all the latest news and features at www.computerweekly.com. Orwell Special Prize 2024. We're the team that exposed the #PostOfficeScandal
Ahmad Barclay @bothness.bsky.social Architect // #DataViz storyteller // tech wrangler. Making useful stuff with #OpenData at the ONS. Occasionally #PalOpenMaps. Views my own. Portfolio @ ahmadbarclay.com
Jim McMahon MP @jimmcmahon.co.uk Labour & Co-operative MP for Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton | Chair of @CoopParty.bsky.social
Bryan’s Gunn @bryansgunn.bsky.social A football man
Nic Teeman @teeman.co.uk Former @Nic_Teeman on X
Delivery Lead at BJSS working on NHS Website and NHS App
Director at Connetix IT
Previously: Hippo Digital, Hackney Council and Agilisys
Terence Eden @edent.tel Longer hair than you.
Chaotic Good.
Doesn't work for The Man™ any more.
If you're involved in Blockchain or Crypto you will be blocked on sight.
All content © and personal. May not be reproduced without consent.
Blog https://shkspr.mobi/blog
Paul Frazee @pfrazee.com CTO at Bluesky. Not a nerd.
@sangitamyska.bsky.social @sangitamyska.bsky.social Journalist & Presenter | 📻 Formerly LBC ‘Sangita Myska 1-4pm Weekends ’, BBC @Radio4 Documentaries & 📺@BBCNews TV | @JSchofieldTrust | RTs not an endorsement
Carly Walker-Dawson @carlywd.bsky.social Advocate for participatory democracy and striving for a more equitable society • Grad @LSEgovernment • Former IFM-SEI SecGen • Proud Geordie • She/her 🌹🌈 •
Dr Lisa McNally @lisamcnally.bsky.social Director of Public Health for Worcestershire. Loves parkrun. Runs marathons & ultras. Eats plants. Supports Everton. Thrives on anxiety,
dxw @dxw.com We design, build and run digital public services that make people's lives better.
dxw is employee owned.
Find out more about us 👉 https://linktr.ee/_dxw
Tom Symons @tomsymons.bsky.social Head of Policy Insights at @thefea.bsky.social
Education, innovation, government, tech, policy and the unrelenting woes of Southampton Football Club. May contain cats. All views my own.
Al Collier @alcollier.bsky.social Director of Procurement and Sustainability at Norfolk CC; chair, LGA procurement national advisory group. Views my own.
MBE for services to local govt. Slow travel, slowish biking, net zero, history, policy, law.
Tracey Wilson @trackiew.bsky.social Delivering digital services in government. Bridging user needs, policy, and tech with a focus on collaboration, agile, and public value. Cursed with the “how hard can it be” gene—always juggling personal projects on shiny new things! 😁
Imran Hussain @imhuyorks.bsky.social Love all things collaboration and community. Founder of GovCamp North and Design System Day. Organiser UKGovCamp, Services Week and GovJams.
Currently doing community @gdsteam.
Site: https://www.imranhussain.uk
Laura Yarrow @laurayarrow.bsky.social Head of Design for GOV.UK at GDS. Ex HM Land Registry. Public speaker. Observer of humans. Crisp connoisseur. Yarn hoarder. Northerner.
Mel @smelaniepickles.bsky.social Revelling in the bliss of actually getting to read interesting thoughts of knowledgable people without having to wade through the hate.
Uk local govt minion. Knitter. Cat servant. East Sussex. 
Summer Simpson @summersimpson.bsky.social Research and engagement @wearenewlocal.bsky.social
Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social Chief Analyst, Insights and Analysis, at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation working to solve UK Poverty
Will Phillips @will-phillips.bsky.social Midlander in Manchester. Policy researcher interested in education, labour markets, social mobility and inequality. Football, music, politics & history outside of that.
Adam Sparks @sparkstonepdx.com Software Engineer, indiedev, local first web enthusiast
https://sparkstonepdx.com
https://github.com/odama626
party game: https://katachi.pro
mtg tabletop playtester: https://arcanetable.app
interactive event slideshow: https://liveframe.app
Timothy MacNeill 🇨🇦 @timothymacneill.bsky.social Musician. Senior Teaching Professor Ontario Tech University.
Rescue Liberty - Reject the Bullies
Liberty Girl by Arlibido:
View and share here:
https://youtu.be/cBRgQ78o5EA?si=VW3Byzt--ayxf2_B
Stream on your service
#elbowsup #Resist #canadianmusic
Mackenzie Kitchen @mackenziek.bsky.social Doing digital in the government of BC. Ski and motorcycle nut. Mom/wife. Views are my own.
Kyle Soo @kylesoo.bsky.social Partnerships & Product Manager at B Lab UK | Lawyer | Design Council Expert | Service Designer | Lego® Serious Play® facilitator | Organiser of PechaKucha Night Manchester | Year Here Fellow and Trustee | Leathercrafter
Tobias Chalcraft @tchalcraft.bsky.social Senior Policy Advisor, working on devolution and local government reorganisation. Views are my own.
Neil C @soton80.bsky.social Gaming and social policy geek.
Dave Harris @djharris.bsky.social Charity digital transformation consultant | Human-centred digital strategy, products and services for meaningful, real-world impact | Also a runner, dad, nature lover, novice gym-goer