Longtime executive Melissa Scott has been named the city’s new chief information officer.
Scott succeeds Mark Wheeler, who had served as CIO since September 2018. Wheeler announced his departure in June; when he stepped down, Chief Operating Officer Sandra Carter stepped up as interim CIO.
“My vision for the Parker administration is a smart, interconnected government, where technology and innovation help produce better, more efficient delivery of services to every resident of Philadelphia,” Parker said in a city press release, indicating Scott’s IT experience makes her the “right person” for the work.
As the city's new permanent CIO, Scott will head up information security work, prioritizing accessibility and innovation. She will lead Philadelphia’s Office of Innovation and Technology in various initiatives and overall strategy, in line with the mayor’s vision.
“I am confident my experience, expertise in IT management and software development, and passion for collaboration will support my ability to lead the Parker administration’s technology strategy over the next four years,” Scott said in a statement.
Scott brings nearly a decade of experience with Philadelphia IT to the role, having served as IT director, IT program manager and senior IT project manager with the city since 2015. More specifically, Scott led a team of tech experts to create and launch the city’s Office of Licenses and Inspection’s mobile application.
Scott also has experience with software development, security planning and operations management. Prior to joining the city, her roles include serving as program manager at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2006 to 2011 and as IT project manager at Accolade Inc. immediately before joining Philadelphia. Her education includes a bachelor of business administration from Howard University.
