Prior to joining GTA, Mr. Deshpande worked extensively in advertising and digital media. He also spent 10 years as adjunct faculty at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Atlanta, teaching interaction design and user experience (UX). An internationally recognized figure in digital government, Mr. Deshpande has received numerous awards for his work. He serves on the board of the Drupal Association and was named one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 in 2016.

Mr. Deshpande holds two master's degrees, one in visual communications from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB) and another in interaction design from SCAD.