Florida

Hayden has held various tech-related positions with the city since 1986, bringing a depth of operations, applications and systems programming knowledge to the job.

Hayden has been at the city since 1986, most recently as infrastructure services manager, a role he has had for nearly 17 years. He's leading the Technology and Innovation Department, which has a staff of around 128.

If Florida is to continue growing as a national leader, its schools will need to cultivate career-ready skills of the future in artificial intelligence, digital literacy, critical thinking skills and multilingualism.

On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a ban on social media for kids under 16 and lawmakers introduced new legislation that would let 14- and 15-year-olds access social media with a parent’s consent. The ban would still apply to children 13 and under.

HiPerGator AI, a supercomputer constructed by Nvidia at the University of Florida, is losing out on hiring skilled AI researchers thanks to SB 264, which prevents the state from working with “countries of concern.”

During a recent Tallahassee event, the CIO of Leon County and Okta’s solutions engineer discussed how the Florida Digital Service has enhanced customer experience, notably through securing a $30 million cybersecurity grant in 2023.

Hundreds of UF professors have petitioned university leaders to undo restrictions from a state law that effectively blocks universities from recruiting researchers from seven countries “of concern."

The funding will benefit students at high schools in 15 Florida districts, and at three colleges. It will pay for training in emerging fields like enterprise cloud computing and mobile applications development, as well as traditional vocations.

At Angeline Academy of Innovation in Land O’ Lakes, Fla., three students found the superintendent’s latest proposal so distasteful they made it the subject of their entrepreneurship class project.

The department recently tapped the government operations consulting firm to provide independent verification and validation services for its CCWIS project.

During a recent class discussion in River Ridge High School’s New Teacher Academy, however, students suggested that the adult decision-makers have some misplaced priorities.

A new proposal in the state Legislature could claw back $40 million in local government cybersecurity grants. The move would be a substantial blow to the state’s Local Government Cybersecurity Grant program.

In recently updated budget documents is a proposal that could potentially impact local governments’ ability to maintain and implement security measures.

Overseeing Florida’s SLED market for Pluralsight, Smatt said his previous public-sector experience helps him “know what it means to be a customer” and “how to navigate the procurement process and how decisions are made at a higher level.”

On April 25, Industry Insider — Florida will host its inaugural Central Florida Digital Government Summit, featuring city of Orlando CIO Rosa Akhtarkhavari and Orange County CIO Rafael Mena.

The Department of Children and Families unveiled MyACCESS, a platform allowing residents to apply for and renew benefits such as SNAP and Medicaid. However, the portal has faced substantial issues.

Research shows a correlation between the Internet, social media and an increase among children for suicidal thoughts and other health-related concerns, experts say.

Lawmakers in the state are considering legislation that would make the unauthorized use of tracking technology, like surveillance software and GPS devices, a felony.