STATETECH: Can you characterize your time in office as you mark your first year as CIO? What have been the victories and challenges to date?
Thomas: I have one of the best teams out there. That’s one of the victories. Stepping into some of the challenges, we are always trying to stay one step ahead of threat actors. They’re getting more bold and more sophisticated. We do one thing, and they do two things.
Like everyone else, we’ve been facing supply chain issues. The pandemic has brought more challenges than we could have imagined. Still, most of our vendors are doing a pretty good job at keeping up. Another challenge is supporting agencies in adapting to change. We are encouraging transparency and trying to get everybody to share and to open their environments to us. Making changes to established ways of operating isn’t always easy.
EXPLORE: How the Port of Long Beach is establishing supply chain information.
STATETECH: How are you making government more attractive to younger workers?
Thomas: Attracting younger workers can be tricky, especially for the public sector.
The public sector is not cool in any way. We’re trying to change that by adopting new technology, which can spur a whole new innovative environment. So, with new technology, you’re killing two birds with one stone. Young workers are used to the latest and greatest tools and technology, not old, antiquated tools and desktop boxes. We’re trying to create that new space for them to want to come to work.
State government should always be trying to build a pipeline of new, skilled resources. We need talented workers ready to help agencies serve constituents in a rapidly changing environment.