Data Foundation sets govDATAx 2026 for Sept. 15 in Washington

The Data Foundation will host govDATAx 2026 on Sept. 15 at George Washington University to make the case for public data as a driver of economic growth, accountability and evidence-based policymaking. The full-day event comes as concerns rise over data availability, integrity and access, with sessions on federal data trust, AI, fiscal accountability and fraud prevention.

Why it matters: - Public data underpins economic growth, government accountability and evidence-informed policymaking. - The event aims to show the real-world value of open, high-quality public data and the costs when data is missing or underused. - The convening arrives as availability, integrity and accessibility of government data face renewed scrutiny.

What happened: - The Data Foundation will host govDATAx 2026: Realizing the Value of Public Data on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. - The full-day event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET at The George Washington University’s University Student Center in Washington, D.C. - Registration is available on Eventbrite. - The Data Foundation says the convening will bring together government leaders, data practitioners, policymakers, technologists and researchers.

The details: - Sessions will include a panel on public trust and engagement in the federal data ecosystem. - Federal Chief Data and AI Officers will discuss how to turn data assets into faster, better-informed decisions. - Congressional staff will join a fireside chat on how Capitol Hill oversees and legislates federal data. - Another panel will focus on how data and analytics strengthen fiscal accountability and fraud prevention across government. - The full agenda is posted on the event page. - Confirmed public-sector speakers include Gus Chiarello of HHS, Ken Dieffenbach of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Austin Gerig of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Clark Hedrick of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Renata Miskell of the Treasury Department and Cindy Orellana Good of the Federal Transit Administration, who is invited. - Confirmed private-sector speakers include John Bernard of America’s Pulse, Andrew Clarkwest of AIR, Matt Graviss of Atlassian, Robert Shea of GovNavigators, Mike Horton of The Africa Economic Forum, Deidre Harrison of McKinsey, Sunny Wescott of GEOINT ISAC, Abed Ali of Deloitte and Maggie Cawley of OpenStreetMap US and the Interior Department’s National Geospatial Advisory Committee. - The 2026 Datum Awards reception will follow govDATAx at Sixty Vines in Foggy Bottom. - The awards honor people and organizations advancing the use of data and evidence in government and public policy. - Tickets for the awards reception are available on Eventbrite. - Media members can request complimentary registration by contacting J.B. Wogan at media@datafoundation.org.

Between the lines: - Data Foundation President and CEO Nick Hart framed the event as a chance to defend the value of public data across sectors, including fraud prevention, public health, scientific discovery and the economy. - Hart said the event also will focus on the data infrastructure needed as AI changes what is possible. - The speaker lineup suggests the event is positioning public data as both a policy issue and a management tool for federal agencies.

What's next: - The Data Foundation will release and use the full program agenda ahead of the Sept. 15 event. - The evening Datum Awards reception will cap the day and highlight data and evidence leaders in public policy. - Media coverage and attendee registration will continue ahead of the convening.