Workforce & People
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A partnership between the North Carolina Department of IT and the Carolina Cyber Network is giving students real-world cyber defense experience while helping the state build up its workforce. -
Shawn Smith will step down this month as IT director for Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to join the Tennessee consolidated city-county as its permanent CIO. He replaces an interim CIO who has been in place since mid-2024.
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Lea Eriksen, who has been serving as director of the Department of Technology and Innovation for the Southern California city, will become the next senior assistant city manager in Culver City.
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Craig Hopkins, the Texas city’s technology leader of eight years, will retire in early 2026. Officials are mounting a recruitment for a new CIO to oversee a department with more than 340 staff.
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Officials are prepping for long-term technology needs, state CIO Matthew McCarville said, with efforts including a statewide IT apprenticeship program and a strong foundation in cybersecurity.
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The United States Tech Force is being led by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to recruit and train technologists for service across multiple federal agencies. It is structured as a two-year program.
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In 2025, state IT focused on resilience — including recovery from a significant cybersecurity incident — and technology modernization with the CORE.NV project, setting the stage for continued progress next year.
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The need to be connected is driving IT work across the state, from progress on a broadband expansion milestone to an interoperable radio network to collaborating with agencies to support their service delivery.
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The new executive will lead the state’s artificial intelligence and machine learning strategy as the Department of Innovation and Technology builds out a formal AI office.
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State CIO Bryanna Pardoe was previously the inaugural director of the state’s digital experience office. That work is shaping her approach to leading state IT and driving human-centered design.
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Holly Drake, the state chief information security officer, will join the University of Central Florida as its CISO. She was recognized for her work this fall by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.
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Daniel Rister, a 26-year veteran of Cumberland County government, has been named its permanent chief innovation and technology services director after serving on an interim basis for about four months.
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Pamela McKnight will serve as the city’s inaugural chief AI officer. Officials first announced plans to hire a CAIO and build out an AI team earlier this year, powered by a $2 million budget expansion.
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State leadership has been working on key IT initiatives in 2025, from a digital ID project to a customer experience initiative to bolstering their cybersecurity approach. That work is expected to advance in 2026.
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The Teradyne plant in Wixom is expected to house manufacturing for Universal Robots’ collaborative robots. It will serve as the company’s new U.S. Operations Hub, with support from a $2.7 million grant.
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Martha Norrick left her job earlier this year and has since joined the incoming mayor’s transition team on technology. She was an advocate of open data and data literacy.
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SponsoredOne-off ed-tech trainings aren’t enough for safe, meaningful AI use in classrooms. A new guide from SETDA and partners outlines practical steps for states and districts to build sustained professional learning systems that actually change practice.
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The state will join others in establishing a C-level artificial intelligence leadership role, as officials look to expand the use of AI tools under clear governance expectations, while ensuring that work follows state priorities.
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The Washington State Broadband Office has a new director, Jordan Arnold, who previously served as a senior policy adviser on broadband within the Biden administration. She will start in January.
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Jeffrey Stovall, who served as CIO for Charlotte, N.C., for more than 10 years will head up Dallas IT operations starting in January. The longtime technologist has said he places a high value on cyber infrastructure.
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Agencies report that critical IT positions remain hard to fill, but finding the right people takes more than job postings. States are expanding intern and apprentice programs to train and retain talent.
