Davenport Discussion w/ Almis Udrys
On September 23, 2024 the Davenport Institute welcomed Almis Udrys to Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy in a Davenport Discussion event, which was co-hosted by the Office of Student Services and the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) student chapter. The event occurred in the Executive Dining room with over 40 current students and staff of SPP in attendance.
Almis began by speaking of his experience as an immigrant to the United States and having to deal with the dichotomy of being so excited and grateful to have been allowed to come, while also going through the very real experience of prejudice and hate that was directed towards him and his family by some of his neighbors. This did not deter him from appreciating the freedom that he was now experiencing, however, as he grew up under Soviet oppression in Lithuania. His experiences eventually led him to SPP and then onto the State Legislatures office where he gained extensive knowledge in how to review and analyze policies, as well as write reviews on their benefits and drawbacks. He eventually ended up working for the City of San Diego before moving to the private sector and assisting local governments with data collection and improving efficiency with the company OpenGov.
His specialty centers around technology, specifically AI, and how it is being used to advance the capabilities of local government in how they address the needs of the city and ensure the residents are heard. During the Question and Answer portion, Almis mentioned one such project that addressed how the city would be notified of infrastructure maintenance needs, such as potholes or street lights that had burned out. Previously, the city relied on phone calls or city workers to make a note. However, with the creation of an app that all residents could download, they enabled the identification of these issues to be much more rapid, allowing for the issues to be addressed quicker. These types of improvements make cities run more effectively and efficiently for its citizens.
The Davenport Institute, Office of Student Services, and the ICMA student chapter all appreciated the time and effort Almis gave in addressing the students and giving them career advice and insights into what it looks like being a local government professional. We hope to have him back soon!