Pennsylvania’s Top Technology Leaders Have Stepped Down

Pennsylvania’s top two tech leaders, its state chief information officer and chief technology officer (CTO), have stepped down.

CIO Amaya Capellán and CTO R. Brian Andrews have left state government. Capellán was named CIO in July 2023, after more than six years at Comcast during which she rose to vice president of product management for its technology, product and experience unit. Andrews, a longtime state executive, joined the Office of Administration in January 2014 as chief of its voice and unified communications division according to LinkedIn, and was named CTO in November 2024.

Bryanna Pardoe, who has been leading the new Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience, will assume the role of acting CIO, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Meanwhile, James Sipe, state chief information security officer, will take over as acting executive deputy secretary for information technology, according to the Inquirer.

In a post on LinkedIn, Capellán said serving as state CIO was “an incredible privilege.”

“I came to drive change, and together we strengthened our network, enhanced our security, and made real strides in delivering better technology experiences for employees and residents across Pennsylvania,” she said. “This week, leadership and I agreed that this was the right time for a transition. There is still important work ahead, and I have every confidence that the new leaders of OIT will continue advancing the mission.”

Two main ideas are foundational for the state’s IT strategy, she told Government Technology recently.

“As the Office of Information Technology, we have to deliver for our workforce and make sure they are equipped. Also, our residents and businesses are the recipients of agency services, and we have to think about them as customers as well,” she said.