Chief Innovation Officers in State and Local Government (Interactive Map)

The number of chief innovation officers populating city halls, county government centers and state capitols continues to grow. Relatively unheard of just a handful of years ago, many leading jurisdictions have added the post to their payrolls, seeking to transform the culture of their organization and usher in a fresh perspective on how a modern government should operate. 

Here's our rundown of the people occupying innovation positions across the state and local government landscape. Did we miss someone? Email ehopkins@govtech.com with the details.

STATES

Alaska
Jason Schneider
Innovation Stakeholder Change Manager
Date Hired: May 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Schneider moved from Michigan to become Alaska's IT leader.
GovTech Coverage: Alaska Adds Innovation Officer to Its Ranks

New Jersey Beth Simone Noveck
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: August 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Noveck is a director and co-founder of The Governance Lab in Brooklyn.
GovTech Coverage: New Jersey Hires GovLab Founder as Its First Chief Innovation Officer

CITIES

Anchorage, AK Brendan Babb
Chief Innovation Officer
May 2016
Bio: LinkedInFast Fact: Babb was Anchorage's first CINO.
GovTech Coverage: Tech and Innovation Work Takes Hold in Anchorage, Alaska; What’s New in Civic Tech: A Range of Exciting Work is Under Way in Alaska; How Anchorage Is Investing in Innovation, Nurturing Creative Thinking

Aurora, CO
Nick Kittle
Title: Government Performance and Innovation Coach
Date Hired: July 2017
Bio: nickkittle.com
Fast Fact: In 2014, Kittle watched over 300 sunrises and sunsets.
GovTech Coverage: Will the Chief Innovation Officer Transform Government?

Aurora, IL Adrienne Holloway
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: June 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Holloway spends her time volunteering on the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, Hesed House and at the Aurora Housing Authority's Northern Lights Development Corporation.
GovTech Coverage: Aurora, Ill., Mayor Creates City Innovation Team

Austin, TX
Kerry O'Connor
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: March 2014
Bio: austintexas.gov
Fast Fact: O'Connor got her start in government over 20 years ago when she joined the U.S. Department of Commerce as a presidential management intern.
GovTech Coverage: Incubating Innovation: Bloomberg Mayors Challenge Profiles, Part 1

Boulder, CO Julia Richman
Title: Chief Innovation and Technology Officer
Date Hired: March 2018
Bio: bouldercolorado.gov
Fast Fact: Richman is an avid endurance athlete.
GovTech Coverage: Settling into the C-Suite; Incubating Innovation: Bloomberg Mayors Challenge Profiles, Part 2; Nobody Loves Government Procurement, but How Can It Be Fixed?; Boulder, Colo., Innovation Chief Shares Hopes for Participating in Startup in Residence

Carlsbad, CA David Graham
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: November 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Graham is Carlsbad's first chief innovation officer, and possibly the first for any San Diego-area local government.
GovTech Coverage: Carlsbad's First Innovation Officer Has Plans that Could Stretch Beyond One City

Chicago, IL Danielle DuMerer
Title: Chief Innovation Officer and Commissioner
Date Hired: April 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Danielle developed K-12 education technology products with McGraw-Hill before joining the city of Chicago.
GovTech Coverage: Chicago CIO Danielle DuMerer Works to Streamline Citizen Service Delivery; Chicago Names Tech Insider CIO to Replace Brenna Berman

Columbus, OHMichael Stevens Title: Chief Innovation Officer Date Hired: March 2017 Bio:LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Stevens is leading the Smart Columbus initiative to make the city "the nation's teacher in how to become a Smart City."
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Davis, CA
Diane Parro
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: July 2015
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Parro has been a Davis resident for 16 years.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Ferndale, MI Name: Joseph Gacioch
Title: Chief Innovation Officer/Assistant City Manager
Date Hired: January 2013
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Gacioch was promoted to the chief innovation officer position after just one year of employment with the city.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Kansas City, MO
Bob Bennett
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: December 2015
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Bennett was a 2018 recipient of Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers award.
GovTech Coverage: Kansas City, Mo., Issues RFP for Smart City Partner; Kansas City, Mo., to Share and Receive Rental Car Data; Kansas City, Mo., Maps Data Related to Digital Inclusion; Meet Kansas City, Mo.'s New Chief Innovation Officer

Long Beach, CA Lea Eriksen
Title: Director of Technology and Innovation/CIO
Date Hired: January 2018
Bio: longbeach.gov
Fast Fact: Eriksen has worked in local government for more than 20 years.
GovTech Coverage: Meet the New Director of Technology and Innovation for Long Beach, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif., Names New Director of Technology and Innovation

Mobile, AL
Jeff Carter
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: April 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Carter worked as a county EMS for eight years before becoming the executive director of Mobile's innovation team.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Miami, FL Michael Sarasti
Title: CIO/Director of Innovation and Technology
Date Hired: May 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Sarasti has been with the South Florida government for 12 years.
GovTech Coverage: Settling into the C-Suite; Miami Innovation Chief Adds Tech to Title

Pittsburgh, PA Lee Haller
Title: Innovation and Performance Director
Date Hired: December 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Haller worked in the private sector before joining the city's public works department in 2014.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Darryl Polk
Title: Chief Innovation Officer/Director of Innovation and Technology
Date Hired: January 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Polk is Rancho Cucamonga's first chief innovation officer.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Riverside, CA George Khalil
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: August 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Khalil spent 20 years managing networks, servers, storag and security infrastructure.
GovTech Coverage: Riverside, Calif., Names Insider as New Innovation Officer

Sacramento, CA
Louis Stewart
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: May 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Stewart graduated from Santa Clara University in 1994.
GovTech Coverage: California Innovation Official Becomes Sacramento's Innovation Chief; Tech Showcase Conveys that Sacramento, Calif., Is Not All Talk When It Comes to Autonomous Vehicles

San Antonio, TX
Jose De La Cruz
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: November 2012
Bio: sanantonio.gov
Fast Fact: De La Cruz is also a certified project panagement professional.
GovTech Coverage: San Antonio Launches CivTechSA, a Variation of STiR with an Emphasis on Students

San Francisco, CA
Krista Canellakis
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: February 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Before moving back to San Francisco in 2010, Canellakis spent two months in Turkey as a development planning researcher.
GovTech Coverage: San Francisco's Jay Nath Leaves City Hall to Focus on Startup in Residence; From Homeless Health Care to On-Street Parking: 9 More Startups from Bridge SF

San Jose, CA
Shireen Santosham
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: January 2016
Bio: sanjoseca.gov
Fast Fact: Santosham also serves as a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations.
GovTech Coverage: Charting a Course to 5G; What’s New in Civic Tech: Bloomberg Cities Highlights 'Data-Driven Women to Watch'

Southlake, TX Dale Dean
Title: Chief Strategic Performance and Innovation Officer
Date Hired: July 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Dean recently received his master's in Biblical Counseling.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Spokane, WA
Eric Finch
Title: Chief Innovation and Technology Officer
Date Hired: March 2015
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Finch was in the U.S. Army for eight years before joining the Spokane team.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Westland, MI Craig Brown
Title: Interim Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: April 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact:
GovTech Coverage: N/A

Woburn, MA David Mastronardi
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: July 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Mastronardi worked in Woburn public schools for 12 years, acting as tech support for more than 10 schools.
GovTech Coverage: N/A

COUNTIES

Cuyahoga County, OH Catherine Tkachyk
Title: Chief Innovation and Performance Officer
Date Hired: November 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Tkachyk worked for the city of San Antonio for eight years before transferring to Cuyahoga County.
GovTech Coverage: N/A