- Amy Tong is leading a new AI working group at Ballard Partners, bringing deep public-sector technology experience to the firm.
- The AI working group signals growing demand for government-savvy AI advisors as federal and state policy debates intensify.
- Tong previously served as California’s Chief Information Officer, overseeing one of the largest state IT operations in the US.
- Ballard Partners is expanding its technology practice at a critical moment for AI regulation and procurement policy.
- Amy Tong is leading a new AI working group at Ballard Partners, bringing deep public-sector technology experience to the firm.
- The AI working group signals growing demand for government-savvy AI advisors as federal and state policy debates intensify.
- Tong previously served as California’s Chief Information Officer, overseeing one of the largest state IT operations in the US.
- Ballard Partners is expanding its technology practice at a critical moment for AI regulation and procurement policy.
Amy Tong and the AI Working Group Taking Shape at Ballard Partners
Amy Tong, who spent years steering California’s sprawling technology infrastructure as the state’s Chief Information Officer, is heading up a new AI working group at Ballard Partners — one of Washington’s most connected lobbying and advisory firms. The move puts one of the most recognizable names in government technology squarely at the intersection of AI policy, federal procurement, and corporate strategy, at a moment when that intersection has never been more contested.
It’s a notable career pivot, but not a surprising one. Tong built her reputation managing California’s Office of Digital Innovation and the Department of Technology, helping the most populous US state navigate everything from legacy system modernization to pandemic-era digital services. That kind of experience — messy, large-scale, politically complex — is exactly what the private sector is increasingly willing to pay for.
Why This AI Working Group Matters Right Now
Ballard Partners isn’t a household name outside political circles, but inside them it carries serious weight. Founded by Brian Ballard, a longtime Republican fundraiser and former lobbyist for Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, the firm has built a reputation for access and results across both parties. Adding a structured AI working group with Tong at the helm suggests the firm sees AI governance and procurement as a long-term, high-value practice area — not a passing trend.
And they’re reading the room correctly. Washington is in the middle of a genuinely complicated debate about how to govern AI. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has been central to shaping voluntary AI risk frameworks, while Congress and federal agencies continue wrestling over how binding any AI rules should actually be.
