Governors and State CIOs seek collaboration with Office of Management and Budget to harmonize disparate federal cybersecurity regulations and normalize the audit process

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Tuesday, November 7, 2017 — Yesterday, the National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) sought the engagement of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to harmonize disparate and often conflicting federal cybersecurity regulations and normalize the audit process. 

In a letter to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney signed by NGA Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee Leadership and their respective state chief information officers (CIO), NGA and NASCIO highlighted the regulatory burden faced by state governments when attempting to consolidate/optimize state government IT. State governments must comply with a long list of federal cybersecurity regulations that were promulgated in a silo-ed fashion which led to disparate compliance rules and duplicative audits by multiple federal agencies. 

The federal IT compliance environment hampers the work of state CIOs who seek to bring cost savings to the state by operating state government IT as a unified, single entity or “enterprise.” The letter references the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in June 2017 when Oklahoma CIO Bo Reese, then vice president now president of NASCIO, testified on the $286 million savings he brought to the state through IT consolidation/optimization. Reese stated during the hearing that compliance with federal cybersecurity regulations served as a large implement to the IT consolidation/optimization process. 

Regarding the letter, Reese stated: “We are extremely pleased to have the support of NGA and eagerly look forward to working with our federal partners to collectively craft a solution that secures citizen data while also being more efficient both in process and cost.” 

NASCIO Conference Attendees Give Back To Austin, Host City of 2017 Annual Conference

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Thursday, October 12, 2017 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) provided a $11,055 donation to Kids In a New Groove (KING), an Austin organization that provides music instruction and mentorship to youth in foster care. Donations were collected during the NASCIO Annual Conference held October 1-4 in Austin through the Give Back program as a thank you to the host city. NASCIO state, corporate, media and nonprofit members donated $6,055 through individual contributions and NASCIO provided a $5,000 donation.

“It was such an honor for Kids In A New Groove (KING) to be a part of the NASCIO conference this year,” said Laura Wood, KING Executive Director. “At KING, we provide Texas youth in foster care with a committed one-on-one mentoring relationship through weekly music lessons. Music provides a therapeutic outlet, teaches persistence, and nourishes self-esteem; tools for success that reach beyond our program.”

During the conference, Wood addressed the crowd and showcased the organization’s successes. “For the past three years, 100 percent of eligible seniors graduated high school; the national average for youth in foster care is less than 50 percent. Of those graduates, 95 percent went on to attend college, technical school, or enlist in the military, with the national average of youth in foster care attending college being less than 3 percent.”

Wood went on to say that “NASCIO's generous donation will allow KING to expand our services to enroll even more Central Texas youth in foster care, providing them with the benefits of a creative outlet and a committed one-on-one mentorship relationship.”

Prior to the conference NASCIO made a donation of $5,375 to the American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. “As we gather in Austin for our annual conference, we know that elsewhere in the state, residents are rebuilding their homes, their businesses and their daily way of life,” said NASCIO Executive Director Doug Robinson. “NASCIO staff and members are thinking of our host state as they move forward.”

To learn more about Kids In a New Groove, please visit kidsinanewgroove.org. 

NASCIO Observes Electronic Records Day

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Tuesday, October 10 — Today, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) observes Electronic Records Day, sponsored by the Council of State Archivists (CoSA). Electronic Records Day is celebrated every year on October 10 as an opportunity to share what your state or organization is doing to manage digital resources and preserve electronic records.

“With an increasing reliance on digital business in state government, it’s imperative that we focus on governance and management of electronic records,” said Doug Robinson, NASCIO Executive Director. “State officials know this, however greater attention to an enterprise e-records roadmap and more collaboration will accelerate progress.”

In recognition of the sixth anniversary of E-Records Day, CoSA has promoted electronic records awareness leading up to October 10 and placed a special focus on electronic communications in state government agencies, the general public, and related professional organizations.

CoSA reminds us that electronic records need regular attention and care in order to remain accessible. Join NASCIO and CoSA in raising awareness of digital records and the importance of their preservation.

See CoSA’s Electronic Records Day page for more information and tips on managing e-records at https://www.statearchivists.org/programs/state-electronic-records-initiative/electronic-records-day/. 

NASCIO Announces New Corporate Leadership Council Leadership and Corporate Longevity Award Recipients

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AUSTIN, Tex., Wednesday, October 4, 2017 — The Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) is comprised of dedicated National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) corporate members committed to utilizing private sector intellectual and financial resources to serve NASCIO and its members. CLC members promote information sharing among public and private-sector members, providing expertise to NASCIO issue focus areas and developing publications and projects. 

The NASCIO corporate members have elected a new CLC chair and vice chair for the 2017-2018 program year. The CLC will be led by Corky Allen, Dell EMC, as chair and Debra Cammer Hines, EY, as vice chair. The CLC chair and vice chair hold an advisory seat on NASCIO's Executive Committee. Allen is entering a second year as CLC chair.

Corporations holding memberships in NASCIO for five years (and at 5-year intervals thereafter) are recognized during the Annual Conference. Recognition of corporate longevity is automatic and nomination is not required. 

NASCIO’s Corporate Longevity Award recipients for 2017 are:

25-years – Century Link, CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc., Microsoft Corporation

20-years – Maximus

15-years – DXC Technology, Harris Corporation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, ViON Corporation

10-years – BMC Software, Google, Grant Thornton LLP, Intel, NetApp

5-years – Advocate Solutions LLC, FireEye, Workday

NASCIO Champions National Cyber Security Awareness Month

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AUSTIN, Tex., Wednesday, October 4 – The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) is once again observing National Cyber Security Awareness Month by being an official cybersecurity champion. For the 14th consecutive year, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and the National Cybersecurity Alliance are promoting cyber security awareness, safety and security online. Once again, NASCIO is partnering with these organizations to officially show support and promote a safer, more secure and trusted Internet.
 
"NASCIO advocates that cybersecurity is business risk, not just a technology issue," said Doug Robinson, NASCIO executive director. "NASCIO applauds states for keeping online safety and security in the forefront by hosting events and highlighting their own state programs and resources. NASCIO will continue to support states and state CIOs for their efforts during Cybersecurity Awareness Month."
 
Cybersecurity resources and advocacy efforts can be found on NASCIO's Cybersecurity Awareness resource page at www.nascio.org/cybersecurity. 
 
To learn more about participating in National Cyber Security Awareness Month, please visit www.staysafeonline.org. Consider joining NASCIO and becoming a cybersecurity awareness champion today.

State CIOs Face "New Engine" in Role Transitions, 2017 State CIO Reveals

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AUSTIN, Tex., October 3, 2017 – Shifting business models, emerging technologies that redefine "IT" and the drive to implement digital government lead a long list of challenges facing state CIOs, according to new research released today at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Annual Conference.

"The results of our 2017 survey highlights the critical leadership role of the state CIO," said Doug Robinson, executive director of NASCIO. "The need to sustain transformation and innovation will require CIOs to rethink the role and structure of their organization to serve the needs of state government."

A New Engine: Driving Innovation in State Technology, published jointly by NASCIO, Grant Thornton LLP and CompTIA, surveyed state CIOs on a range of issues, from cybersecurity and cloud migration plans to data management and the delivery of digital government services. 

"The nature of the state CIO role continues to evolve, with broker models becoming the norm and CIOs having to address the workforce, vendor and financial management challenges this brings," said Graeme Finley, principal with Grant Thornton's Public Sector practice. "The emergence of technologies such as the Internet of Things, drones and autonomous vehicles are also challenging the very definition of what should be considered 'IT' under the purview of the CIO."

Cybersecurity Remains a Key Priority
Almost all CIOs surveyed report they lead or participate in cybersecurity policy setting. More than 80 percent are responsible for setting overall direction and oversight. In contrast, only 64 percent are directly responsible for program execution. With recent legislation and executive orders expanding and strengthening, the CIO's role in cybersecurity efforts is expected to increase.

Metrics program to collect, analyze and report data on security processes, performance, and outcomes are in place in most states. Approximately one-quarter have a fully operational program, while nearly 70 percent are planning or establishing such a program. A fully operational program with documented outcomes is vital to garnering more political support and increased funding.

Internet of Things Leads Emerging Technology Landscape
There is growing recognition among state CIOs of the need to address emerging technologies by design rather than by default. Over the next three to five years, surveyed CIOs are most interested in the Internet of Things (43 percent) and artificial intelligence/machine learning (29 percent). Ten percent said digital assistants will be most impactful, and nine percent cast their vote for blockchain. 

Workforce Challenges Persist 
States continue to struggle to find and keep qualified IT talent, especially in the area of cybersecurity. Generally, IT job candidates do not perceive state government as an attractive and challenging work environment. When asked about the single personnel change that would be effective in reforming the state IT workforce, "modernizing IT job titles and classifications" ranked highest (31 percent). 

To attract and retain qualified staff, 71 percent of state CIOs are "promoting non-salary benefits like greater stability and diversity of experience." Incentivizing recruits with a call to public service and offering public/private internships were other popular strategies cited. 

Surprisingly, only 17 percent of CIOs indicated their organization had someone with primary responsibility for IT workforce initiatives including talent management, recruitment, and employee development and branding. 

The complete report A New Engine: Driving Innovation in State Technology is available on the NASCIO website at www.nascio.org/2017StateCIOsurvey.

NASCIO Honors Exceptional Contributions in State Government

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AUSTIN, Tex., Tuesday, October 3 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) presented the State Technology Innovator Award to three deserving public servants during the 2017 NASCIO Annual Conference in Austin.

The NASCIO State Technology Innovator Award honors outstanding individuals who have made contributions to advance state technology policy through the promotion of best practices, adoption of new technologies and advancements in service delivery. Nominees must be an employee, elected official, appointed official or other appointee representing state government. Nominations were gathered from NASCIO members as well as non-members. The following are the recipients of the 2017 NASCIO State Technology Innovator Award:

Derek Bridges, Program Administrator for the Ohio Administration Knowledge System
Bridges has overseen OAKS, an enterprise-wide data sharing and visualization platform that has vast possibilities for insights into public policy impacts, outcomes and government efficiencies. OAKS is changing the way Ohio does business and Bridges has been instrumental in its success.

Carrie Mayne, Chief Economist for the Utah Department of Workforce Services
In the past year, Mayne has overseen the production of a comprehensive decision support and data-rich economy dashboard. Training her team to effectively leverage vast amounts of cross-agency data has provided unique and valuable insights into the Utah economy. Mayne ensure these important tools are well utilized, sharing her work through social media and contributing to the state’s open data portal, providing a monthly livestream on the state’s economy.

Dr. Steve Nichols, Chief Technology Officer, State of Georgia
As CTO for Georgia, Nichols advises leadership of the Georgia Technology Authority and other state agencies on critical technology issues. He has played a key role in numerous initiatives to modernize the state’s IT infrastructure and has served on national boards responsible for developing and recommending technology policies and practices. Nichols is also responsible for Georgia’s web portal and the state’s enterprise web publishing platform, which has received recognition from NASCIO awards in past years. 

NASCIO Announces New Executive Committee Leadership

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AUSTIN, Tex., Tuesday, October 3 — Top state information technology leaders have been selected to serve as new program year Executive Committee for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). The association is now led by James “Bo” Reese, Oklahoma Chief Information Officer and NASCIO president for the 2017-18 program year. Reese succeeds Connecticut Chief Information Officer, Mark Raymond. 
    
NASCIO’s 2017-18 Executive Committee leaders are:

Executive Committee Officers:
President – Bo Reese, Chief Information Officer, Oklahoma
Vice President – James Collins, Chief Information Officer, Delaware
Secretary/Treasurer – Thomas Baden, Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Minnesota
Past President – Mark Raymond, Chief Information Officer, Connecticut

Executive Committee Directors:
Michael Cockrill, Director and State Chief Information Officer, Washington
Stu Davis, State Chief Information Officer and Assistant Director, Ohio
Todd Kimbriel, Chief Information Officer, Texas
Dewand Neely, Chief Information Officer and Director, Indiana
Shannon Rahming, Administrator and Chief Information Officer, Nevada
Phil Wittmer, Chief Information Technology Officer, Kansas

NASCIO Recognizes Outstanding Achievement in State Government

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AUSTIN, Tex., Monday, October 2 — Eleven exemplary initiatives were chosen as recipients for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ (NASCIO) 2017 Recognition Awards for outstanding achievement in information technology in state government.

Recipients were announced this evening during the NASCIO Annual Conference in Austin. This marks the 29th consecutive year NASCIO has honored outstanding information technology achievements in the public sector through the awards program. Recipients were selected by the NASCIO Awards Committee from a field of more than 100 nominees.

“It has been a great privilege to co-chair the NASCIO Awards Committee,” said Delaware Chief Information Officer James Collins. “The recipients honored tonight, as well as all nominated projects, demonstrate the integral and transformative nature information technology can have on state government and the experiences of citizens.”    

The 2017 Award Recipients are:

Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships
State of California, Virtual Integrated Mobile Office

Cybersecurity    
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Risk-Based Multi-Factor Authentication

Digital Government: Government to Business 
State of Minnesota, Tempo Go Live

Digital Government: Government to Citizen 
State of Georgia, Division of Child Support Services Mobile App

Disaster Recovery/Security & Business Continuity Readiness
State of Michigan, Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps

Emerging and Innovative Technologies
State of Utah, Utah Driver License Appointment Reminder and Public Meeting Notice Reminders

Enterprise IT Management Initiatives
State of Wisconsin, Star Project, The Blueprint for Efficient State Government

Improving State Operations
Commonwealth of Michigan, Michigan Forest Inventory System

Information Communications Technology (ICT) Innovations
State of Minnesota, Minnesota Geospatial Commons

Open Government and Data, Information and Knowledge Management
State of Oregon, MAGI Medicaid System Transfer Project

State CIO Office Special Recognition    
State of Colorado, Strategy of Success: Playbook and Five-Year IT Plans
 

NASCIO Recognizes State Chief Information Security Officers with Jarrett Scholarship

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AUSTIN, Tex., Monday, October 2 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has awarded the Thomas M. Jarrett Cybersecurity Scholarship to three exceptional state Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) for the 2017 Annual Conference in Austin. This is the fifth year for the scholarship program, which was created to pay homage to Thomas M. Jarrett, past president of NASCIO (2004 – 2005), for his passion for cybersecurity. The scholarship grants current CISOs the opportunity to attend the NASCIO Annual Conference and contribute to the national dialogue on cybersecurity and related issues. 

The 2017 Thomas M. Jarrett Cybersecurity Scholarship recipients are Erik Avakian, Chief Information Security Officer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (nominated by John MacMillan, Deputy Secretary of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania); Stan Gatewood, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Georgia (nominated by Calvin Rhodes, Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia); and Kirk Lonbom, Chief Information Security Officer and Acting Chief Information Officer, State of Illinois (nominated by Hardik Bhatt, former Chief Information Officer, State of Illinois).