Vera Zakem: 2026 Commencement Keynote Address

The commencement ceremony honors the class of 2026 with keynote speaker Vera Zakem and student speakers. The ceremony honors graduates from all four School of Information degree programs: Ph.D. in information science, Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS), Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS), and Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS), from Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026. . . . . . . . . . . . . Vera Zakem Vera Zakem is the first woman to serve as California’s chief technology innovation officer; the former chief digital democracy and rights officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); and a 2025–26 UC Berkeley executive fellow in applied technology policy. Zakem brings deep experience at the nexus of technology, democracy, industry, and public interest that resonates closely with the I School’s mission. She previously served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the U.S. Agency for International Development’s first-ever chief digital democracy and rights officer, where she led an agenda focused on rights-respecting technology, global coalition building, and AI for more than 100 lower- and middle-income countries. As the first woman to lead technology innovation for the state of California, Zakem currently leads digital services and the state’s emerging technologies agenda at the California Department of Technology, driving partnerships across California, the nation, and the globe — with a focus on ensuring that technology works for all Californians. Originally from California, her personal and professional story is shaped by ways that technology can be a force multiplier and a strength that brings society together from all paths, including academia, civil society, industry, and governments. https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/events/2026/commencement