Danny Whalen

Bet, let me tell you something about Danny Whalen, this guy’s a straight-up legend in the civic tech world. Started out in Phoenix, AZ, just a web dev with a real passion for open source and community building. You know, the kinda dude who’s all about making tech work for the people, not just for the hype.

Back in 2014, he jumped into Code for America as a fellow. That’s a big deal, right? It’s where people like him get hands-on with city governments, trying to fix shit with tech. And Danny crushed it. He worked with city residents, made civic tech more accessible, more engaging. That experience lit a fire in him, he saw how tech could actually make city life better, more connected.

Then, he co-founded Remix, this is the real deal. Remix started as a project during his time at Code for America, but it blew up. It’s a platform for public transit planning, super useful, making it easier for cities and folks to figure out transit routes and schedules. He teamed up with Tiffany Chu, Dan Getelman, and Sam Hashemi, all heavy hitters. The thing really took off, caught the attention of Via, a giant in mobility solutions, and they ended up buying Remix. That’s some serious cred, turning a civic project into a company that got acquired by a leader in the space.

But before all that, Danny was just messing around with web apps at Integrallis Software and even ran his local Ruby user group. Dude’s always been about coding, community, and pushing tech forward. His background’s kinda wild, studied finance at Ithaca College, then switched gears into computer engineering at Arizona State. Shows he’s got that mix of business smarts and technical chops.

What’s crazy is, his whole process screams one thing: he’s genuinely motivated by making a difference. Starting Remix wasn’t just about building a product, it was about solving real problems for cities and people. He’s not in it for bullshit fame; he’s in it to change how cities move, how communities connect. That’s why his story matters, he’s proof that if you jump into something you care about, work your ass off, and keep the mission front and center, you can actually make a difference.

So yeah, Danny Whalen? He’s the guy who saw how tech can improve civic life, jumped into the trenches, built something meaningful, and if you ask me, he’s just getting started.