About Us
Who We Are
580 Strategies is a Native and LGBTQ-owned small business led by former White House and State Department technologists. We build mission-aligned digital solutions rooted in public service and defined by delivery excellence.
What We Do
We bring expertise to recover failing digital projects, modernize legacy systems, and scale platforms like Salesforce, Snowflake, and AWS. We deliver under pressure, within procurement constraints, and with the discipline to finish what others could not.
Our Mission
We help government teams deliver better digital services faster. Our mission is to rescue, rebuild, and accelerate platforms that serve people by applying agile, cloud-first methods adapted to the unique constraints of public sector.
About 580 Strategies
580 Strategies is a Native and LGBTQ-owned small business grounded in the spirit and wisdom of a resilient people, and guided by cultural integrity and a deep commitment to public service.
We are named for the 580 area code where our founder first accessed the internet from his hometown of Stonewall, located in the heart of Indian Territory and the Chickasaw Nation where Rusty is an enrolled member. That same Oklahoma red dirt is home to the Scissortail Flycatcher, pictured in our logo. The bird is a symbol of adaptability and purpose that reflects the heart of our mission.
Our team brings proven experience, grit, and a results-driven mindset to every engagement. We deliver complex, time-sensitive technology initiatives with precision, while maintaining the highest standards of security, compliance, and long-term sustainability.
We specialize in helping public sector teams modernize legacy systems, adopt agile delivery methods, and scale resilient cloud platforms such as Salesforce, Snowflake, and AWS. Our work is designed not just to function, but to endure in service to the people. The goal is to deliver measurable value to citizens and stakeholders at every level of government.
We don’t just build software. We build public interest technology infrastructure and products that last. Our mission is to create secure, scalable, and human-centered solutions that support both the missions of our clients and the communities we serve.
Founder: Rusty D. Pickens
Rusty D. Pickens is the Founder and Principal of 580 Strategies and an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He is the former Senior Advisor for Digital Platforms at the U.S. Department of State, and former Acting Director for New Media Technologies at the White House, where he led teams who operated cloud platforms for the Obama Administration to increase public engagement, improve user experience, enhance staff productivity, and heighten security posture.
During this time, Rusty created new systems for and built new teams to lead Whitehouse.gov, the Presidential correspondence system, the We The People petitions system, the White House Appointment Center, and the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy CRM systems.
Rusty’s two decades of leadership experience aligning organizational vision with technology strategy across top federal agencies and start-up environments included the Federal Salesforce Community of Excellence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee, Obama for America 2008, and the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Centered from the Start: Supporting Equality and Giving Back
Just as our tribe values sustainability and balance, 580 Strategies believes that each person carries a unique gift to give the world and that our various contributions should never be diminished. From the very start we support 100% equality across our team family. This means equal pay for equal work, regardless of your gender identity and that all our staff and family are welcome at the table regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, race, tribe, homeland, or background. We strongly believe that when our people bring their whole selves to work, we all thrive and are better for it.
Public and civic service are deeply rooted in our cultural values, so we follow the Pledge 1% model of giving back to our communities from our time, product, and profit as a matter of corporate policy. Our team members are encouraged to support a charity or non-profit of their choosing to volunteer time for each year and we also strive to support various organizations each year financially when possible.