Workforce and People

From eliminating four-year degree requirements to major reskilling programs and a focus on building agency culture, state IT shops are looking to new ways to overcome persistent staffing concerns.

Harry Coker Jr. is now the second official national cyber director for the federal government, and he comes to the job with a resume that includes leadership stints with the CIA and the NSA.  

Marchi previously spent seven years leading the Office of Central and Information Services for nearby Dutchess County, N.Y., with both jurisdictions being located just north of New York City.

With an election that promises to usher in a new administration for North Carolina, CIO James Weaver is focusing his energy on improving the foundations of state IT while also embracing new — and unstoppable — technologies.

City and county of San Francisco CIO Linda Gerull has set her retirement for Dec. 29. Chief Information Security Officer Michael Makstman will serve as the interim director of the Department of Technology.

The Georgia Technology Authority has appointed government technology veteran Subramanian Muniasamy to serve as chief technology officer. He brings public-sector IT experience from another Georgia state agency to the role.

Jimmy Godard previously spent more than two decades with the bank, holding roles such as senior vice president of strategy and governance and senior vice president of program service delivery manager.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Micron Technology pledged more than $70 million to renovate a high school building in downtown Syracuse that has been closed for nearly 50 years. Classes are expected to begin in 2025.

The Colorado Office of Information Technology is officially looking to hire for two executive-level IT roles: deputy executive director and chief information security officer.

Watertown City School District and nine others in New York state will begin piloting an educational program in 2024 developed by teachers and Micron to interest and train students in semiconductor technology.

At a recent gathering of public- and private-sector technology leaders, discussions included several examples of how AI can help the public sector without piling onto time and resource burdens.

A recent study of Generation Z’s attitudes toward STEM found that only 29 percent of them cite STEM jobs as their first career choices, despite 75 percent expressing interest in the subjects academically.

Career Ready DC, a new AI-matching technology platform from the DC Department of Employment Services and Eightfold AI, aims to help match residents with employment opportunities more efficiently and equitably.

Long Beach Utilities Department CIO Paula Crowell was set to take over as Santa Monica’s CIO Dec. 18, but the far-reaching impacts of a November cyber attack prompted her to reconsider the transition.

Edinger, the former CIO of the city and county of Denver, shared his priorities as he takes over from outgoing CIO Anthony Neal-Graves. He said special attention will be paid to empowering staff and process improvement.

The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education's internship program for high school juniors and seniors connects them with jobs at local technology companies that pay at least $50,000 per year.

As deputy executive director for the state’s Office of Information Technology, Richman focused on tech debt and other issues. She becomes senior vice chancellor at the University of Denver, a job that includes tech.

School IT departments could make progress on backlogs of device repairs by availing themselves of student tech-support teams, like those being piloted at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education through Vivacity Tech.