Beyond Modernization: Rethinking Government Technology with CivicActions' Aaron Pava

In this episode of The Peel, Shelley McGuire sits down with Aaron Pava, co-founder and Chief Experience Officer at CivicActions, for a candid conversation about the future of government technology and why the way agencies think about “modernization” may be fundamentally broken. Drawing from decades of experience in open source technology, federal digital services, and procurement reform, Aaron explores how agencies often fall into costly cycles of rebuilding systems instead of investing in long-term stewardship. The discussion dives into the real impact of vendor lock-in, why technical debt continues to grow inside government, and how open source models create lasting public value instead of temporary fixes. Shelley and Aaron also unpack the growing shift toward outcomes-based acquisition, the evolving role of DITAP training, and what procurement reform could mean for the future of federal technology. From healthcare systems and accessibility to digital commons and public code, the conversation highlights how agencies can move away from dependency-driven models and toward building internal capability, transparency, and sustainable infrastructure that truly serves the public long after a contract ends. To connect with Aaron, visit him on LinkedIn here. To learn more about CivicActions, visit their website here.