Emily Yates

Public-Sector Transit & Smart City Leader → Autonomous Vehicle Governance for Cities

Greater Philadelphia

About

I am a seasoned urban innovation leader with over twenty years of experience at the intersection of policy, technology, and community development. I specialize in translating complex urban challenges into scalable technology solutions, with deep expertise in innovation deployment, sustainable transportation systems, and public-private partnerships. Now working in the transit tech and private sector space, I bridge my public sector background with emerging mobility innovation — partnering with cities and states to navigate AV integration and build the policy and operational frameworks that make it work. My work continues to focus on enhancing urban resilience, mobility, and quality of life for the communities I serve.

Experience

  • Senior Vice President - Government Partnerships at Daro
    Jun 2026 - Present · 1 mo

    Building something new.

  • Senior Director - Emerging Solutions at Hayden AI
    Dec 2025 - May 2026 · 6 mos

  • Chief Innovation Officer at Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
    Apr 2022 - Dec 2025 · 3 yrs 9 mos

  • Board Member at CivStart
    Jan 2023 - Jan 2024 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • Smart City Director at City of Philadelphia
    Oct 2019 - Apr 2022 · 2 yrs 7 mos

    Led SmartCityPHL team and launched 14 tech and data pilots. Leveraged a total budget of $219,000 over three years to bring in over $800,000 of additional funds and in-kind services (equaling an overall investment of just over $1M). Curated and cultivated public-private-plus partnerships to help advance SmartCityPHL's goals of increasing efficiency and equity in the delivery of City services to all residents of Philadelphia, while working to improve quality of life.