The common thread running through these initiatives for the West Virginia Office of Technology is practicality. State agency leaders aren’t rushing to adopt the newest technology to say they have it, according to state Chief Information Officer Heather Abbott. Instead, they’re weighing which moves make financial sense, protect security and deliver value to residents. That philosophy is reflected, for example, in their approach to cloud migration, which Abbott summed up as: “A cloud-right environment, not a cloud-first environment.”
By that, the CIO said that while some states and companies have taken an aggressive “cloud-first” stance — mandating that every system be moved into the cloud regardless of fit — West Virginia is instead focused on what makes the most sense. Forcing all systems into the cloud, Abbott said, can actually drive costs higher, especially for high-traffic systems that constantly move large volumes of data.
The expense doesn’t come from long-term storage, she said, but from the constant “pulling and pushing” of information, which can end up costing far more than maintaining the system in a state-run data center. Under a “cloud-right” strategy, her team evaluates each system individually — considering costs, security requirements, performance needs and compliance factors — before deciding whether it should remain on-premises or transition to the cloud.
And that type of distinction also guides some of the state’s biggest projects. Abbott’s team is building secure cloud environments with Google, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, while at the same time studying which systems are better left on state infrastructure. The ultimate aim is to step away from the aging mainframe, which Abbott says has become increasingly unsustainable as fewer professionals are trained to manage and maintain it.
Their modernization effort is also about untangling processes that slow down businesses. Abbott pointed to the upcoming One Stop Licensing Portal, which will pull together requirements scattered across agencies into one system. In her view, the change will prevent entrepreneurs from spending months navigating red tape and instead give them a clear path forward. The One Stop Licensing Portal is in the request for information stage, she said, with officials gathering ideas from vendors and reviewing practices in other states.
New tools are also being tested inside West Virginia agencies. Early pilots with Google Gemini are showing how AI can handle transcription, summarization and email drafting. Other departments are experimenting with Microsoft’s developer tools or rolling out chatbots to answer routine public questions. The goal isn’t to replace staff, Abbott said, but to give them time back for work that demands more attention.
Those priorities echo what’s laid out in the West Virginia Office of Technology’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which sets the course for the next five years. Six central goals anchor their IT vision: enhance core services, align digital information strategy, improve service quality, strengthen cybersecurity, foster collaboration and partnerships, and develop talent for the future. Those are underpinned by core values — customer service, integrity, innovation, accountability and teamwork — that Abbott’s office aims to carry through each initiative.
The changes are already visible, according to the CIO. DMV license renewals can now be completed online, something Abbott called “huge” for residents. The state’s medical cannabis licensing system has been overhauled to make oversight more efficient. And by 2026, every state website is expected to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Connectivity has been another focus for the state’s IT office. Expanding broadband has made it realistic and easier, according to the CIO, for the state to move major systems to the cloud. That same push is also reaching more unexpected places — like campgrounds. The state is working to have Wi-Fi installed in every state park “hopefully by the end of 2025,” a move Abbott said is about more than convenience for visitors; it also keeps reservation systems running and park revenues steady.
But big technology shifts can only succeed if there are people with the skills to sustain them. That’s why Abbott’s office revamped its internship program to rotate students through networking, field support, application development, and cybersecurity. The idea, she explained, is to give young professionals “a little bit of a leg up” compared to what classroom training alone provides.
Her highest priority, Abbott said, is moving every legacy system off the mainframe within the next 18 months. She acknowledged the timeline is aggressive, but said waiting isn’t an option when the talent pool for maintaining mainframes is shrinking by the year.
The state’s IT migration goals, according to Abbott, can’t be achieved by her office alone — they are dependent on all individual state agencies working together as one.
