While new here, innovation officers have been on the job for years in Boston, New York and Pittsburgh, tapping tech to boost economic development and tackle homelessness and other tough government challenges.
Demings’ choice for chief innovation & emerging technology officer is Andrea Wesser-Brawner, 37, a University of Central Florida grad experienced with tech start-ups.
Her annual salary is $105,000.
She most recently worked for the International Business Innovation Association, an Orlando-based nonprofit that bills itself as “the go-to organization" for business incubators and entrepreneurship support networks.
“I’ve been in the trenches with thousands of local entrepreneurs and companies over the years, and that’s not hyperbole,” Wesser-Brawner said in an interview.
She recently worked as a consultant with the creators of CytoSen, a medical company based on cancer-fighting technology developed by Dr. Alicja Copik, a cancer researcher at UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences.
Wessner-Brawner also worked for five years in different roles with federally funded business-development programs through UCF’s Office of Research & Commercialization.
In her new post, she is expected to help Demings create a “culture of innovation, collaboration and inclusiveness,” which he described in his inaugural state-of-the-county address in May as pillars for the county’s future.
“With my appointment of Ms. Wesser-Brawner, Orange County will continue to focus and grow as a global leader with innovative ideas that will take us through the 21st century and beyond,” Demings said.
According to a county news release, Wesser-Brawner will focus on creating public-private partnerships and leveraging technology to improve government services.
Demings was advised to create the new position by his transition team, a group of 37 advisers from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, after his election last year.
An innovation and technology subcommittee suggested “the person who fills this position...must have the ability to craft a strategic vision for how Orange County can be innovative through the use of technology.”
Its report recommended the officer “primarily focus on being the ambassador with the local tech community, driving strategies to grow, attract and retain tech talent.”
Wesser-Brawner, who was born in Flagler County and lives in Oviedo, studied engineering at UCF.
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