New Advisory Board Strengthens Coleridge’s Leadership in Secure Data Infrastructure, AI, and Digital Modernization

WASHINGTON, DC, February 24, 2026–Coleridge today announced the formation of its inaugural Technology Advisory Board, appointing three distinguished leaders in digital government, cybersecurity, and large-scale engineering: David Eaves, Associate Professor in Digital Government at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose; Max Everett, Chief Information Security Officer at Shaw Industries and former Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Energy; and David Carrico, Engineering Manager at Meta and veteran technical leader.

The creation of the Technology Advisory Board marks a significant step in Coleridge’s continued evolution in digital innovation, thought leadership, and technical expertise. The new board will provide strategic guidance on secure system architecture, AI integration, digital modernization, and the governance of public-sector data systems.

“Coleridge is entering a new phase as we embed AI and advanced digital capabilities into secure public-sector research environments,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, President and CEO of Coleridge. “David, Max, and David bring extraordinary depth across digital government, cybersecurity risk management, and engineering with globally successful organizations. Their insights will help ensure that our technological advancements are guided by deep knowledge and that our ADRF infrastructure remains secure, modern, and aligned with the evolving expectations of federal, state and local  government partners.”

David Eaves is Co-Deputy Director and Associate Professor in Digital Government at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, where he specializes in digital-era public administration and the governance of digital public infrastructure. A global expert in digital transformation, he has advised governments in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and Canada. He co-founded Teaching Public Service in a Digital Age and established the Digital Public Infrastructure Map, now a widely used resource among researchers, donors, and development institutions worldwide. Read David Eaves Full Biography.

Max Everett is a nationally recognized IT modernization and cybersecurity risk leader. Currently Chief Information Security Officer at Shaw Industries, he previously served as Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Energy, where he accelerated cybersecurity risk management, led cloud migration efforts, and developed a Department-wide Cybersecurity Strategy. His experience includes serving as CIO for the White House and holding senior leadership roles across multiple federal agencies. Read Max Everett Full Biography. 

David Carrico is an accomplished engineering executive with more than 25 years of experience building distributed systems and mobile platforms at scale. As an Engineering Manager at Meta, he leads teams within the Instagram Professional ecosystem overseeing systems that manage over 50 million queries per second. His leadership includes the launch of major consumer platforms and large-scale developer efficiency programs. A combat veteran and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, he brings operational discipline and strategic scale to engineering leadership. Read David Carrico Full Biography.

“The formation of our Technology Advisory Board strengthens Coleridge’s ability to build secure, scalable systems that meet the evolving needs of government partners,” said Rich Ferguson, Chief Technology Officer at Coleridge. “As we advance AI capabilities within the ADRF and continue modernizing our platform, this group’s expertise in world class AI  engineering, zero trust cyber security, and public sector innovation will help ensure our technology remains resilient, compliant, and built for impact.”

View the Full Technology Advisory Board

About Coleridge

Coleridge is a nonprofit organization working with governments to ensure that data are more effectively used for public decision-making. Coleridge provides agencies with the opportunity to enhance their data literacy and collaborate within and across states to develop new technologies through secure access and sharing of confidential microdata. Coleridge provides secure data enclave services to a diverse range of clients, including 24 state government agencies and several federal agencies, through the Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF). The ADRF is a FedRAMP-authorized cloud-based platform that enables government agencies to link their longitudinal data with other states and agencies. To learn more, visit www.coleridge.us.

Media Contact: Nick Obourn, nick.obourn@coleridge.us