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Atlanta CIO Gary Brantley to Step Down, Mayor’s Office Says

As the city’s IT chief, Brantley spent the last two years working to bring the city back to normal after a debilitating ransomware attack knocked systems offline. Chief Technology Officer Tye Hayes will serve as interim CIO.

Gary Brantley
Atlanta Chief Information Officer Gary Brantley plans to step down from his post, though exact details about his departure are scarce at the moment.

Brantley will be temporarily replaced by interim CIO Tye Hayes, said spokesperson Michael Smith, with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom's office. Officials didn't disclose when exactly the transition would occur or where the outgoing CIO will be headed.

Brantley has led Atlanta's Department of Information Management (AIM) for the past two years and was hired roughly six months after two Iranian hackers launched a ransomware attack that disabled large parts of the city's IT infrastructure.

Under his watch, Atlanta saw recovery efforts take precedent, while a greater push towards adoption of smart city initiatives was also prioritized. Brantley has also helped the city weather its transition to telework in the midst of this year's COVID-19 pandemic, stating in an interview that IT leaders can seize this moment as an opportunity to positively transform government. 

Hayes, who replaces Brantley, has served as Atlanta's chief technology officer for the past two years. She previously spent over five years as deputy CIO for Atlanta's public school system and brings significant private-sector experience from companies like GE and Lockheed Martin, according to her LinkedIn.

Lucas Ropek is a former staff writer for Government Technology.