Laake will head up the Communications and Technology Management (CTM) Department, which manages multiple programs and serves central services across the city. Stewart will advise on various initiatives during the coming reporting changes as announced by the city last week in a news release.
Stewart began his tenure as city CIO in May 2021 and previously served as interim. He was the Austin Water CIO from 2017 to 2020 and has more than 20 years in city IT.
Stewart has a master’s of public administration from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and holds degrees in business administration and computer information systems. He served as a computer systems operator in the U.S. Air Force, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Laake has served as deputy CIO since October 2021 and previously worked as an IT director at Austin Energy. She holds a communications degree from the University of Texas at Austin, according to her profile.
Amid the shuffling, the city announced in the release that it will also make the chief information security officer and interim chief innovation officer part of CTM.
CTM is responsible for providing IT to city departments and some entities in Travis County. Responsibilities include:
- Communications and technology management
- Wireless communication services
- The Combined Transportation, Emergency and Communications Center (CTECC)
- The Greater Austin/Travis County Regional Radio System (GATRRS)
Austin, located in Travis County, has about 962,000 residents and a 1.16 million daytime population, according to its demographic data hub.
Its general fund is $1.3 billion, and the capital budget is $1.5 billion. CTM's proposed FY 2023 budget is $136.5 million, with 331 full-time employees.
