June 7, 2022 – Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Liana Bailey-Crimmins as state CIO and CDT director. Bailey-Crimmins, who has been serving as state chief technology officer and CDT’s deputy director of the Office of Technology Services since February 2021, has more than 30 years of state government technology experience.
Bailey-Crimmins’ public service includes executive positions as chief information security officer at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, where she led and oversaw the team responsible for protecting the private data of nearly 2 million CalPERS members and a $400 billion investment portfolio. She also served as CalPERS’ chief health director and its chief information officer. Before joining CalPERS, she was the information technology director and CIO of California Correctional Health Care Services and project director of the California Information Technology Infrastructure Project.
Russ Nichols has been recognized for his efforts to stabilize the department as acting state CIO and CDT director during the transition. He will continue to be part of CDT’s directorate in the role of deputy state chief information officer and chief deputy director, giving the department the seasoned and skillful leadership it needs to implement the state’s IT strategic plan, Vision 2023, and set new goals for the future.