Adam Dondro took the helm as director of the Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) at the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) in 2022, all while continuing his tenure as the agency chief information officer (AIO) — a role he’s held since 2017.
He recently spearheaded the creation of the CalHHS 2024 IT and Data Strategic Plan to shift the agency from a program-centered service approach to a person-centered support network.
Dondro earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from California State University, Chico and his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.
Dondro spoke with Industry Insider — California about how state and local government technology departments can enhance their service to residents. He also shared his insights on the most surprising developments in the government tech landscape over the past year.
Industry Insider — California: Can you tell us about your background and how it prepared you for your current role?
Dondro: I took a wandering path to get to my current role. I started my career as a fellow in the state Assembly, handling natural resources policy for then-Assemblymember John Laird and general government budget items for the Assembly Budget Committee. I had planned to work on renewable energy policy (which I’m still passionate about) but fell in love with working on how government functions. I joined the then Office of the State Chief Information Officer to help them transition to becoming the California Technology Agency — and that’s where I learned the power that IT has to drive the transformations needed to improve how we serve all Californians.
When Pete Cervinka, then at the Department of Social Services, called me about an opportunity to help drive whole-person care (what we called horizontal integration), I found my home within CalHHS, where I could marry my passion for improving how government operates with the opportunity to create a healthy California for All. Though my role morphed to AIO for CalHHS and now director of OTSI, that continues to be my driving purpose.
IICA: What big IT initiatives or projects are coming up? What sorts of developing opportunities and RFPs should we be watching for in the next six to 12 months?
Dondro: As part of the California Health and Human Services Agency, we are committed to several ongoing and upcoming IT initiatives that focus on enhancing public access to health care, supporting vulnerable populations, and improving overall service delivery. Our projects span various programs, including expanding health-care coverage for individuals, implementing technology solutions to ensure the safety and well-being of children at risk, and improving systems to support the provision of food assistance to families across California.
A key highlight is our IT and Data Strategic Plan, which was launched earlier this year. Deputy CalHHS AIO Deanne Wertin, who helped craft the strategic plan, is leading our transition into Phase 2 of this initiative, focusing on detailed execution and action plans across CalHHS. This phase will involve the rollout of specific strategies that will continue to drive our commitment to whole-person care and data-driven decision-making.
For more detailed information about our strategic direction and upcoming opportunities that may arise in the next six to 12 months, I encourage folks to visit our website, Office of Technology and Solutions Integration | Home page (ca.gov). You can also find more details on the home page of the CalHHS website. These resources will provide up-to-date information on how to engage with our initiatives and contribute to our mission.
IICA: In your opinion, what should state and local government be doing more of in technology?
Dondro: I think that the state and local governments have the opportunity and capability to expand our collaboration in the delivery of services to the people of California. This collaboration can and should extend beyond just government and include health-care and social services providers, nonprofit organizations, and other providers. Working together allows for the development of comprehensive solutions that address the diverse needs of the communities we serve. Specifically, coordination around data is necessary to advance whole-person care. This model considers all aspects of an individual’s needs — physical, mental and social — ensuring that the care provided is comprehensive and cohesive. With more integrated data solutions, data sharing, and analysis, we can make more data-driven policy decisions, improve program implementation, and meet the needs of the individuals we serve more holistically.
As CalHHS works with providers to implement the Data Exchange Framework, we have the opportunity to integrate health and social services data. Whether an individual is at their doctor, the ER or a county social services office, they should be able to receive the services and treatment they need in a coordinated manner. Making this transition will require partnership and engagement from state, local and private partners, but is essential to creating a Healthier California for All.
IICA: How do you prefer to be contacted by vendors? Are social media sites such as LinkedIn preferable? How might vendors best educate themselves before meeting with you?
Dondro: Vendors should first familiarize themselves with our IT and Data Strategic Plan (available on our website). This document outlines our objectives and the technological directions we are pursuing. Vendors should thoroughly understand this plan and be prepared to articulate how their products and services can support or enhance these strategies. Both email and LinkedIn are effective ways to reach me.
IICA: Which IT project or implementation do you consider the most influential, in this role or a previous position?
Dondro: In my role as the AIO at CalHHS, each IT project carries substantial importance and potential to significantly impact the lives of Californians positively. Given that, while perhaps skirting the questions a bit, I would call out the collaborative effort of all the CIOs across the agency’s departments. Their collective efforts and collaboration have been pivotal in working towards an enterprise-wide approach to our technology strategies and implementations.
Working together, we are guided by our IT and Data Strategic Plan, which serves as a blueprint for integrating and aligning our technological efforts across all the departments and offices in CalHHS. This not only ensures that we are all moving in the same direction but also maximizes the impact of our initiatives by creating a cohesive and comprehensive technological environment.
Individually, we each have very important roles to play, but collectively we are much more than the sum of our parts.
IICA: What has surprised you most in government technology during the past 12 months?
Dondro: The biggest surprise/demand over the past year has been around information security. The security landscape has seen a concerning trend with a 21 percent increase in ransomware reports globally in the first quarter of 2024. This rise in cyber threats, particularly targeting the health-care sector, underscores the urgent need for robust security measures. These incidents reveal not only the vulnerabilities of our critical infrastructures, but also the crucial need for continuous enhancements in our cybersecurity protocols to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks. Training and preparedness are more important than ever and need to be incorporated not just into our infrastructure, but also into our business practices.
And of course, it’s impossible to answer this question without thinking of generative AI and the impacts it has had on all of us. CalHHS is running two of the Proofs of Concept (POC) under the governor’s GenAI executive order and is excited to see what comes of those and what we can learn to further venture into the GenAI space. In CalHHS we are focused on how we can enhance equity through the use of GenAI, both by protecting against exacerbating inequities in the system, and ensuring the benefits of GenAI are brought to bear to bring equity to our most vulnerable communities.
And just in case you were curious what AI would say to this question, here’s the answer … in poem form:
In government tech, a whirlwind dance,
A year of change, a bold advance.
COVID’s push, swift transformation,
Digital solutions, new foundation.
Remote work tools, a virtual tide,
Online services, no need to hide.
Data-driven decisions, clear and bright,
AI and ML, guiding light.
Cyber threats loom, a shadow cast,
Security strengthened, built to last.
Innovation blooms in every part,
A technological leap, a work of art.
Surprising strides, this tech terrain,
In the government’s realm, a digital gain.
IICA: What are your hobbies, and what do you enjoy reading?
Dondro: While I enjoy running, hiking, camping and just about anything outdoors, my evenings and weekends are generally centered around my two daughters and their activities. My favorite things are coaching my youngest in soccer and watching my eldest perform on the stage. In those rare instances I make the time to read for non-work purposes, my go-to authors are Orson Scott Card and Malcolm Gladwell.
“Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.” — Malcolm Gladwell
IICA: What would you consider the most important priority working in IT, i.e., is it cloud-first/migrating to the cloud, looking at opportunities in GenAI, heavily focused on cybersecurity, etc.?
Dondro: Integration of systems and data! Whether it be whole-person care, data-driven decision-making, human-centered design, or operational efficiency, integrated data and systems are the critical foundational drivers for success.
Across CalHHS we are creating processes and standards that will allow us to take an enterprise approach to solution planning, architecture design and data structure, and integration between systems.
These efforts will allow programs to continue to develop solutions that meet their particular needs, while also supporting the agency goal of whole-person care.
It takes a great deal of effort to move upstream and create these opportunities. We couldn’t be making the gains we are without the tireless efforts of the enterprise architecture community across CalHHS, under the leadership of our agency’s chief enterprise architect, Kimberly Crabtree.
