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Massachusetts’ Inaugural Data, Digital Officer Departs

Mass., Chief Data and Digital Officer Holly St. Clair leaves to pursue job in the private sector. Gov. Charlie Baker tasked St. Clair with redesigning the state's website after she was promoted to her dual role in 2016.

Massachusetts' first Chief Digital and Chief Data Officer Holly St. Clair has stepped down from her dual position with the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) to pursue an opportunity in the private sector.

Shortly after St. Clair was promoted from her role as director of enterprise data management in 2016, Gov. Charlie Baker tasked her with rebuilding the state’s website into a citizen-focused and data-driven format.

In tackling that assignment, St. Clair used polling methods to determine the percentage of residents who used the website and what they accessed most. Those areas with high traffic were then streamlined while being monitored and adapted as needed.

According to her LinkedIn page, the undertaking streamlined the portal from 250,000 pages to 60,000 pages while boosting site traffic and the overall satisfaction score of the state website. 

Prior to coming to the state, St. Claire served as the director of data services for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

Matthew Moran, assistant secretary and chief engagement officer for the agency, said Oct. 25 was St. Clair's last day with the organization. The responsibilities of the job will be split between himself and Deputy Chief Digital Officer Bryan Hirsch. Moran will serve as acting chief data officer and Hirsch has been named acting chief digital officer.

“We are in the early stages of developing a recruitment strategy for the positions of Chief Digital Officer and Chief Data Officer,” Moran said in an email to Government Technology. “Our hope is to compile a diverse and talented candidate pool from within the Commonwealth, and across the country.”

Patrick Groves was a staff writer for Government Technology from 2019 to 2020.