ODI Director Marino Swears in New Assistant Chief Data Officer

The California Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) has sworn in its new state assistant chief data officer in insider Matthew Zhou, who previously served as the office’s data and analytics governance lead.

Zhou, who was officially appointed in late August, brings a wealth of data-related experience to the role. Before joining ODI, he was a senior data engineer with Peloton Interactive, a tech policy fellow with The Aspen Institute, an engineering manager with VillageMD, and a data engineer with The New York Times.

In an ODI blog post about the appointment, Zhou said the new role holds special meaning for him as an immigrant and the son of immigrants.

“Throughout my life, I’ve gained access to so many opportunities with the help of a government program or service,” he wrote, adding that the position would continue to offer the chance to remove access barriers for others.

“A friend recently told me: ‘Bring your communities with you, wherever you go.’ I'm grateful to all the communities that raised me and shaped me and will always try to reflect their voices and values in the work I do,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post about the appointment. “Much appreciation to the wonderful people at the California Office of Data and Innovation that make it possible for me to bring my whole self to work every day!”

Zhou holds a Master of Public Health degree in health informatics from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from Northwestern University.