A featured contribution from Leadership Perspectives, a curated forum for enterprise technology leaders, nominated by our subscribers and vetted by the CIOApplications Editorial Board.
City of Gresham
Modern Technology for Meaningful Public Service
As a CIO for the City of Gresham, my role is really about helping the city use technology to serve people better. That means keeping our systems secure and running smoothly, but also thinking strategically—how can we modernize our tools, improve digital services and use data more effectively? I work closely with other departments to understand their needs and look for ways technology can make their work easier and more impactful. Right now, we’re focused on cybersecurity, data governance and supporting staff through a period of significant change.
Before joining the public sector, I spent many years leading digital initiatives in the private sector across different countries and cultural contexts. That experience taught me the importance of balancing global strategy with local execution— something that applies just as well in government. Aligning enterprise
Dual Focus on Protection and Progress
Balancing risk, compliance and innovation is one of the toughest parts of the job. On one hand, you need to meet compliance requirements and protect the organization from increasingly complex threats. On the other hand, you can’t let fear of risk prevent innovation. What has worked for us is a risk-based approach, prioritizing what’s most critical and embedding security into everything we do. It’s also about culture: training staff, raising awareness, and making cybersecurity something everyone feels responsible for.
Deciding how to approach new IT initiatives often requires evaluating the correct use of internal and external resources. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on the situation. If we’re talking about a short-term need or something highly specialized, bringing in external help can be the smart move. But for areas that are core to our mission or where we know we need ongoing capacity, I’m a big believer in growing internal talent. For example, we might start with a vendor and use that as an opportunity to train our team alongside them. That way, we get the best of both worlds: speed and sustainability.
Data as a Catalyst for Transformation
Data plays a huge role in driving internal efficiency. When it’s open and easy to understand, it builds public trust. People want to see where resources are going, what outcomes are being achieved and how decisions are made. Internally, good data helps us work smarter. It allows departments to collaborate better, identify trends and focus on what matters most.
At the City of Gresham, this is one of our critical initiatives right now. We’re working to define a clear data governance framework that ensures transparency, accountability and responsible data use across departments. The goal is to make data more accessible, not just to staff, but eventually to the community as well. We see data as a strategic asset that can help us be more efficient, more equitable and more responsive to our residents’ needs.
To initiate this kind of change in a resource-constrained environment, building relationships is essential. Technology alone won’t get you very far if you don’t have trust and collaboration. Understand what other departments care about, speak their language and show them how IT can help them achieve their goals. It’s especially important to think creatively and prioritize what brings real value. Start small, prove success and let momentum build from there.
