September 19, 2024 – The 2024 Best of California Awards, hosted in August by Government Technology as part of the California Government Innovation Summit, celebrated the State’s most innovative IT projects and outstanding leadership across seven service categories. Among the honorees were two key initiatives from the California Department of Technology (CDT), showcasing the department’s role in transforming how Californians engage with their government through technology.

Left to right: Tiffany Wilson, Greg Duncan, Koji Kumpulainien, Blaine Wasylkiw, Sharon Rabang, Christina Florente, Artem Khomishen

Best Innovation Serving the Public 
CDT earned the ‘Best Innovation Serving the Public’ award for its State Department Website Emergency Alerts project. Designed to enhance the State’s emergency communication methods, the system allows authorized personnel to quickly post emergency alerts on websites with ca.gov domains. This ensures that critical information is disseminated in a timely, coordinated manner across multiple platforms, providing the public with essential updates during emergencies.

Best Collaboration 
CDT was also recognized with the ‘Best Collaboration’ award for its leadership in the Governor’s Office website redesign, a joint effort with the Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) and the Governor’s Office. The project focused on creating a dynamic, accessible, and user-friendly website that reflects California’s diversity and aligns with the Governor’s policy priorities. This milestone project is a testament to the state’s commitment to innovation and user-centric design, setting a new standard for government websites nationwide.

The Best of California Awards highlight the exceptional work being done across state government, honoring the individuals and teams who are driving technological progress. Congrats to all the winners for their incredible contributions to advancing public service!

Click here for a complete list of all California award recipients.