Kristin White is a visionary leader serving as Transportation Industry Executive and Field Strategist for Google Public Sector, where she bridges the gap between Silicon Valley innovation and the public good. With a distinguished career that includes serving as the youngest-ever acting Federal Highway Administrator, COO of nonprofit ITS America, Minnesota DOT Innovation Director, and other roles, she’s managed $300B+ investment portfolios and led major state and nonprofit initiatives.
A lawyer and former Fulbright Fellow, Kristin pairs deep policy expertise with a human-centered philosophy to tackle global mobility challenges like road safety and expanding mobility access. Beyond her professional achievements, she’s a dedicated mentor, “human sunshine”, women’s nonprofit founder, and a fierce advocate for advancing women in transportation.
Why transport innovation isn’t always a technology problem. The biggest barriers to progress aren’t always related to tools (like AI or data) but the systems around them: procurement processes, institutional inertia, and misaligned incentives. Learn why solving “people and process” challenges is often the real unlock for innovation.
Why outcomes matter more than outputs. The difference between measuring activity (e.g. kilometres of road built, number of signals installed) and measuring impact (e.g. reduced fatalities, improved safety).
Why collaboration between public and private sectors is harder, and more important, than it looks. The structural differences in incentives, education, timelines, and risk between government and tech companies, and what it takes to build partnerships that genuinely deliver value.
Why human-centred design is critical to innovation. Understand how designing around real needs leads to better outcomes for both private and public entities and the communities they aim to serve.
“It’s not a technology problem—it’s a people and process problem.”
“We’re great at imagining the future and terrible at predicting how long it takes.”
“Too often, we see solutions in search of a problem… Procurement shouldn’t prescribe the solution; it should define the problem.”
“Partnership starts with understanding what each side can—and cannot—do.”
“Humility is a prerequisite for collaboration...Put people at the centre—and the system starts to work.”
01:00 – Meet Kristen White (Google Public Sector)
From federal government to big tech: bridging policy, law, and innovation.
05:15 – It’s not a tech problem, it’s people and process
Why innovation challenges are more about systems than solutions.
07:00 – Human-centred design vs “solutions looking for problems”
Why empathy and co-creation lead to better transport outcomes.
16:00 – What effective public–private collaboration looks like.. and what’s missing
Beyond “partnerships”: roles, responsibilities, and communication.
30:30 – Taking risks and creating psychological safety
Why innovation requires permission to fail and leaders who support it.
Future Mobility Institute’s Website
Connect with Emily via email: emily@compassiot.com.au
Connect with Kristin via Linkedin
Connect with Byte Size via LinkedIn
Connect with Compass IoT (the producer of this podcast) via our website
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