Emily Binet Royall

Emily Binet Royall is an Assistant Director at Partners for Public Good (PPG), where she oversees the Procurement Excellence Network (PEN), a free virtual community designed to empower public sector leaders seeking to transform their jurisdiction’s procurement practices. Emily’s career has focused on advancing public interest technology through strategic procurement and governance. Her professional experience spans academic, non-profit, and government organizations, including City Form Labs in Singapore, the Massachusetts Office of Information Technology (MassIT), and the City of San Antonio, where she served as Emerging Technology Division Head and Smart Cities Administrator. In San Antonio, she established the city’s first smart cities program, Smarter Together, laying the groundwork for more equitable and community-driven approaches to innovation.

Beyond her work in local government, Emily has shaped the global conversation on responsible and people-centered technology. She has served on the boards of UrbanAI and the GovAI Coalition, a network of more than 850 public agencies advancing responsible AI in the public sector and has advised UN-Habitat’s “People-Centered Smart Cities Flagship Program,” authoring six playbooks for local governments worldwide. Recognized as one of GovTech’s 2025 Top 25 “Doers, Dreamers & Drivers,” Emily continues to champion the use of technology as a bridge for democratic participation and public good. She holds a Master’s in City Design & Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.