Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Liana Bailey-Crimmins state CIO and director of CDT in June 2022. Director Bailey-Crimmins, who has been serving as state chief technology officer and CDT’s deputy director of the Office of Technology Services since early 2021, has more than 30 years of state government technology experience. In these pivotal roles, she is tasked with improving technology performance as an investment in California’s future and advises the governor on the strategic management of the state’s technology resources. She provides the administration with best approaches to implement state technology-related strategic plans, policies, standards, and enterprise architecture. She is also working to close the state’s digital divide as chair of the California Broadband Council and Middle-Mile Broadband Advisory Committee. Director Bailey-Crimmins’ public service includes executive positions as chief information security officer at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, where she led and oversaw the team responsible for protecting the private data of nearly 2 million CalPERS members and a $400 billion investment portfolio. She also served as CalPERS’ chief health director and its chief information officer. Before joining CalPERS, she was the information technology director and CIO of California Correctional Health Care Services and project director of the California Information Technology Infrastructure Project.

Chad Bratton currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for the Office of Data and Innovation (ODI). As Chief Information Officer, he is responsible for IT and security operations for ODI's office and cloud platforms. Chad is passionate about improving service delivery within state IT operations, with over 10 years of IT experience in both the public and private sector. Chad was the co-founder of Survival Servers LLC, where he worked full time from 2012-2015 before joining state service.
Chad previously served as Head of Information Technology for ODI where he procured and implemented ODI's cloud infrastructure to support development, engineering, and IT operations for a brand new department. Chad led the implementation of Google Workspace and MacOS for ODI, bringing in a new and innovative approach to state IT operations. In a prior role as DevOps Engineer and Digital Services Consultant with the California Department of Technology, Chad implemented improvements for critical services and was focused primarily on establishing continuous integration and deployment pipelines, and high availability architecture for ca.gov and other state websites.
Chad is a graduate of California State University Sacramento, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Management Information Systems and is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) helps departments meet Californians where they are. ODI uses best practices in content design, engineering, and research to create services that are easier for everyone to use. ODI’s mission is to transform how the State of California works by partnering with departments to build a culture of innovation by:

Rita Gass is the Chief Information Officer for the Employment Development Department (EDD). She has been in this role since April 2020 and is the leader of an IT organization that supports thousands of staff at hundreds of service locations throughout the state. The Information Technology Branch has five divisions and an Information Security Office. Major recent projects include the Benefit Systems Modernization Project for EDD’s Unemployment Insurance, Disability Insurance, and Paid Family Leave systems. Prior to her role at the EDD, Rita served in a variety of increasingly responsible roles with the Franchise Tax Board, the California Energy Commission, and the California Conservation Corps before being named CIO for the Secretary of State’s Office in June 2016. Rita joined EDD during one of the most challenging times ever and has been able to address many issues including a major focus to reduce fraud while leading a modernization effort that aims to transform the user experience for California residents. She introduced cloud computing and is leveraging RPA, chat bots, and AI driven fraud solutions to bring the EDD to the forefront of tech innovation.
The Employment Development Department is in the Labor & Workforce Development Agency and is one of the largest state organizations with nearly 10,000 employees at hundreds of service locations throughout the state. EDD offers a wide variety of services to millions of Californians under Unemployment Insurance (UI), State Disability Insurance (SDI), workforce investment (jobs and training), labor market information programs, and also collects payroll taxes and maintains employment records.

Scott is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience in developing and managing complex IT implementations across local, state, and federal government, as well as the private sector and academia. Scott has served in a variety of senior management and executive roles where he has provided strategic visioning and delivery of technology statewide. In Scott’s previous role as the State’s Chief Technology Innovation Officer at the California Department of Technology, he was instrumental in the development and delivery of critical innovative and data-centric technology solutions for the state as well as the residents of California. Scott’s focus on technology and innovation leadership has provided the state with a strong foundation for ways to better serve our constituents through technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Geography from Sacramento State University, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Regis University.

Jacob Johnson is Deputy Director of the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). He is a member of DOR’s executive leadership team. He serves as a voice for assistive technology, accessibility, employment, and independence in the information technology arena, including with CalHHS Agency, California Department of Technology, Department of Finance, CIO peers, information technology providers, and information technology stakeholders throughout state government. He provides executive oversight to DOR’s ITSD, leading managers and staff who provide support in Database Administration and Applications Development, Project Management and Administration, Software Quality Assurance, Web Services, Technical Support Services and Assistive Technology, Field Support, Infrastructure Services, and Information Security and Privacy.
Mr. Johnson has been legally blind since birth and is a former DOR consumer. He has been with DOR since 2012, and most recently, serving in an acting role as Deputy Director and CIO since July 2022. Prior to his current role, he was the Customer Service and Administration Branch Chief in ITSD. Previous roles at DOR include, managing the Applications Development, Software Quality Assurance, Web Services, and Accessible Technology Services functions. Before joining DOR, Mr. Johnson worked for Franchise Tax Board as an Information Security Specialist and for the Department of Finance as Enterprise Budget Systems Technical Lead. He has a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Linguistics, a master’s degree in Education, and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional. He is a graduate of the California IT Leadership Academy and Sierra Health Foundation Leadership Program. He has served as President of the Association of California State Employees with Disabilities (ACSED) and remains active in the State’s civil rights community as a member of ACSED and the Asian Pacific State Employees Association.
The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) is a department in the Health & Human Services Agency and works in partnership with consumers and other stakeholders to provide services and advocacy resulting in employment, independent living, and equality for individuals with disabilities. DOR administers the largest vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs in the country. Approximately 1,300 vocational rehabilitation staff in over 85 offices throughout California provide direct services to individuals requiring multiple services over an extended period of time.

Kristin is the CIO and Director of Enterprise Information Services for CDCR. She provides leadership for the continued development and management of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment throughout CDCR. Prior to taking the role of Director she was the Deputy Director of Operations and Support at CDCR. In this role she managed all the enterprise infrastructure functions including network services, storage/server services, telephony management, radio management, and active directory management.
Prior to CDCR, Kristin served as Controller at California Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (CalPERS). She managed all functions in the Financial Reporting and Accounting Services Division, which included accounts payable, accounts receivable, cashiering, pension and health accounting, investment accounting, financial reporting, and treasury management.
Kristin has more than 20 years of experience in the investment, financial, and pension industries. Before joining CalPERS she worked as a consultant, providing technology and change management services for accounting, investment, and enterprise-wide pension projects.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) operates all State adult prisons and juvenile facilities, oversees a variety of community correctional facilities, and supervises all adult and juvenile offenders, including adults released to parole supervision. Their mission is to facilitate the successful reintegration of individuals back to their communities equipped with the tools to be drug-free, healthy, and employable members of society by providing education, treatment, rehabilitative and restorative justice programs, all in a safe and humane environment. CDCR is one of the largest State departments, with over 57,000 employees and a $14 billion total annual budget.

Joseph Morris is the deputy chief innovation officer for the Center for Digital Government and a national keynote speaker on issues, trends and drivers impacting state and local government and education. He has authored publications and reports on funding streams, technology investment areas and public-sector priorities, and has led roundtables, projects and initiatives focused on issues within the public sector. Joe has conducted state and local government research with the Center for Digital Government since 2007 and knows the ins and outs of government on all levels. He received his Bachelor of Arts in government and international relations from the California State University, Sacramento.

Kanuri became the Chief Information Officer and Deputy Director of Information Technology (IT) of FI$Cal in February, 2023. Most recently, he served as the Chief of FI$Cal’s Infrastructure and Platform Services Office. Prior to joining FI$Cal, Kanuri held various positions within the state of California and had over two decades of private industry experience.
He started his civil service career as an enterprise architect at the California Department of Technology in 2015, where he was responsible for guiding statewide enterprise architecture and digital transformation and technology initiatives. Prior to starting with the state of California, Kanuri worked in various roles as an executive IT architect, senior IT architect and systems manager for the International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Covansys Inc. and Tata Consultancy Services. He led the implementation and operations of several large-scale information technology systems, including the state of Nevada’s NOMADS system and California’s Child Welfare Services and Case Management system.
Kanuri has a master’s degree in Electronic Engineering. He was a certified IBM Information Technology Specialist and served on the IT Specialist Certification Board while at IBM.
The Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal) is a department in the California Government Operations Agency (GovOps). FI$Cal operates the statewide financial system to enable California to perform budgeting, procurement, cash management and accounting functions transparently and efficiently. The FI$Cal system, which handles over $2.5 trillion a year in transactions, modernized how the state of California manages its finances and stands as one of the largest and most dynamic IT and business-transformations in California’s history, including replacing hundreds of independent legacy systems with a single financial-management system. With an annual budget of approximately $84 million, IT accounts for about 55 percent of its budget and 199 of the 318 department’s positions performing IT work.

Jason Piccione was appointed in December 2020 as Agency Chief Information Officer for BCSH. As CIO, he sets the Agency’s direction for information technology and coordinates infrastructure and service delivery across the Agency. Prior to his appointment, Jason served as Department of Consumer Affairs’ chief technology officer. Prior to this, he has held various positions at the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and the Contractors State License Board. Jason has worked more than 22 years in public service. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis.
With over 6,000 employees and a $4.6 billion operating budget department-wide, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency is responsible for fostering an equitable and inclusive California. BCSH does this by: licensing and regulating over 4 million professionals, businesses, and financial services; funding and facilitating the preservation and expansion of safe, affordable housing; advancing statewide collaborative efforts to prevent and end homelessness; and guarding and enforcing California’s civil rights laws.