As chief information officer, Selissen oversees a more than $500 million annual IT budget and serves as a principal technology adviser to the agency’s executive director. That vantage point has shaped how TxDOT is using automation and AI, with Selissen insisting that new tools earn their place by delivering tangible outcomes.
“We start with outcomes, not technology,” she said. “Does this improve safety? Does it save time or money? Does it help our employees focus on higher-value work?”
Her team pilots carefully, measures results and scales what works. “Scaling without discipline creates risk; scaling with purpose creates impact.”
That discipline has translated into practical wins across transportation and back-office work. TxDOT has automated invoice workflows in the Professional Engineering Procurement Services Division, saving an estimated 22,000 staff hours annually. It has also deployed traffic incident detection tools in the Austin area that reduced roadway incident notification times and are being evaluated for expansion statewide.
As those efforts grow, Selissen has made governance part of the strategy rather than a checkpoint at the end.
“As AI adoption expands, so do the risks related to privacy, security, bias and accountability,” Selissen said. “Without governance, organizations either over-restrict innovation or expose themselves to unacceptable risk. Our approach is human-led, AI-supported. Governance ensures that humans remain accountable for outcomes and decisions, that AI use aligns with policy and law, and that risks are evaluated consistently.”
Having navigated a ransomware event at TxDOT early in her tenure, cybersecurity helped cement that mindset. “That experience reinforced that cybersecurity is not an IT issue, it’s an enterprise risk issue,” she said, adding that leadership and trust matter as much as technical response.
The through line, she said, is collective effort.
“Our IT organization shows up every day focused on serving Texans, often behind the scenes, ensuring systems are reliable, secure and evolving to meet the needs of a growing state,” said Selissen. “This honor belongs to the entire TxDOT IT team.”
