Government Experience

Inside a growing push from state and community leaders to modernize re-entry, reduce recidivism and strengthen public safety through technology. Digital literacy, one said, can be a major barrier.

Washington state's most populous city has tapped Lisa Qian as its inaugural city AI officer. Her experience is largely in the private sector, including data-focused leadership roles for LinkedIn and Airbnb.

The state began recruiting this week for a chief technology officer after Alex Pettit, who formerly held the position, returned to Oregon state government for a role in digital transformation.

Craig Hopkins, the Texas city’s technology leader of eight years, will retire in early 2026. Officials are mounting a recruitment for a new CIO to oversee a department with more than 340 staff.

At a Georgia Technology Authority roundtable, Google and state tech leaders explored how AI is transforming the search function, why clicks aren’t everything anymore and what that means for government.

The United States Tech Force is being led by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to recruit and train technologists for service across multiple federal agencies. It is structured as a two-year program.

The Marin County Digital Accelerator takes an agile approach to gov tech, moving fast to get work done. A recent project found a “single source of truth” to modernize planning and permitting.

State CIO Bryanna Pardoe was previously the inaugural director of the state’s digital experience office. That work is shaping her approach to leading state IT and driving human-centered design.

Daniel Rister, a 26-year veteran of Cumberland County government, has been named its permanent chief innovation and technology services director after serving on an interim basis for about four months.

Pamela McKnight will serve as the city’s inaugural chief AI officer. Officials first announced plans to hire a CAIO and build out an AI team earlier this year, powered by a $2 million budget expansion.

The Indiana Secretary of State’s Office has launched a modernized Notary Education Learning Management System, to improve training and compliance for all notaries. It could serve as a model for other updates.

GL Solutions was recently awarded a contract by the state of Oklahoma to modernize its state licensing systems, marking the fourth statewide contract the company has worked with to revamp software.

Google users seeking information from the state’s official elections and business registration websites found questionable links instead. A site for the Kansas attorney general was similarly singled out.

The Olympia Police Department has contacted the vendor and requested their deactivation, which is imminent. The move follows community concerns around issues including privacy and immigration enforcement.

The U.S. Digital Response, a civic tech organization, has announced the recipients of its 2025 Digital Service Champions Awards, which honor state and local government modernization efforts.

The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority has led a rebrand of the Amtrak San Joaquins rail service to the Gold Runner. The endeavor, which follows the electrification of Caltrain, is intended to improve connectivity.

A pact between the Southeastern Public Service Authority of Virginia and an AI-powered recycling company is expected to enable the technology to increase recycling and divert a significant amount of landfill waste.

The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting has temporarily shuttered its building permit counter to resolve a backlog. Other services remain open. A “first look” at new AI software is imminent.