Jim Loter
Experienced Leader in Government, Library, and Education Technology and Policy
Seattle, Washington
About
For nearly 30 years, Jim Loter has provided IT strategic leadership in higher education, libraries, and local government sectors.
Most recently, Jim served as the Interim Chief Technology Officer for the City of Seattle and Interim Director of the Seattle Information Technology department (2021-2024). He is currently the Strategic Technology Advisor for The Seattle Public Library.
Jim has led programs, coached leaders, and advised policymakers and elected officials in areas such as digital equity and inclusion, telecommunications policy and regulation, web and application development, enterprise data management and governance, privacy and accessibility, artifical intelligence (AI), and smart city and civic technology. He is also an experienced university instructor and lecturer in the subjects of IT governance, policy, and public sector management.
Jim hails from Dearborn, Michigan, and has a Master's degree in film studies from the University of Iowa. His academic work focused on Irish cinema, early American film, semiotics, and narrative theory. He enjoys running, playing chess, and fencing.
Contact Me
Email: jim at jimloter dot com
My Portfolio
The following are provided as examples of my writing and research work as both an academic and an IT professional. Unless otherwise noted, all works listed here were written by me, though some may have been produced as part of a collaborative process.
Published Works
- Digital Accessibility in e-Government Projects. Government CIO Outlook. February 2020.
- "Gaining Insights and Protecting Privacy: De-identifying Patron Data at The Seattle Public Library." [PDF] Alki: The Washington Library Association Journal. March 2016. Vol 32, No. 1: 11-13.
- "Cathal Black's Pigs: Ambivalence, Confinement, and the Search for an Irish Sense of Place." [Google Books link] In Contemporary Irish Cinema: From The Quiet Man to Dancing at Lughnasa. James MacKillop, ed.
Professional Work Products
- Capabilities and Impacts of 5G Wireless Service [PDF]. This is an briefing paper prepared for City executives in April 2019. Parts of the paper related to specific City policy have been removed.
- Smart City or 'City of Monsters'? [LinkedIn Post]. A variation of a presentation I delivered at the 2018 National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors Annual Conference (NATOA), August 2018.
- Technology and Access Service Plan - Final Report [PDF]. Final report of a strategic planning process for The Seattle Public Library.
Professional Blog Posts
- The Dark Patterns That Impose AI. July 2025.
- Yes, Data Privacy is Still Possible in 2025. January 2025.
- Seattle IT and the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (OIRA) partner to provide workforce support to immigrants and refugees. November 2024.
- How to Avoid Hiring Narcissists. November 2020.
- Why We Care So Much About Organizational Web Standards. May 2020.
- Why Private Sector Practices Don't Translate Well to the Public Sector. November 2019.
- The Reality Triangle. October 2019.
- Encouraging Innovation in the Workplace. October 2019.
Appearances, Podcasts, and Presentations
- Love Lead Change (podcast). Beyond the Family Metaphor. [Apple Podcasts] March 14, 2025.
- Curiosity at Work (podcast). Curiosity in Municipal Information Technology. [Spotify] August 27, 2024.
- ShiftAI Podcast (podcast). Setting AI Guidelines at Work. May 24, 2024.
- Seattle CityClub Civic Cocktail (panel). Decoding the Promise and Peril of Artifical Intelligence [YouTube]. March 11, 2024.
- Washington Digital Government Summit (panel). Ethical AI in Government: Strategies for Success. November 29, 2023.
- GovExec Financial Management Forum (panel). The Great Tech Modernization Era. October 3, 2023.
- KUOW Soundside (interview). State and local governments are using AI for work. But should they?. September 25, 2023.
- Government Technology Webinar (panel). Starting Smart: Successful Strategies for ChatGPT and Beyond. July 20, 2023.
- Geekwire Podcast (interview). What Generative AI Means for Cities. July 8, 2023
- MetroLab Summit 2023 (presentation). The Future of AI for Local Governments and Universities. June 27, 2023.
- League of Women Voters (panel). League of Women Voters' Forum: Internet Privacy. November 6, 2017.
- Geekwire Radio (interview). How Technology is Reshaping the Public Library. May 31, 2014
Academic Essays
- Adventures in Authorland: or Rethinking Intellectual History and the Death of the Author (1995)
- Early Motion Pictures and the "De-Rationalizing" of Advertising (1996)
- How Can One be a Formula 1 Race Fan? Fear, Technology and the Politics of Excess (1994)
- Miller's Crossing and the Critique of Genre (1996)
- Against Reception Theory (1995)
- A Re-Reading of Ferdinand de Saussure (1996)
- The Inspired and the Inspiring: The Surrealists' Cinematic Contemplation and Aesthetic (1995)