CDT Taps Longtime Security Professional as Deputy CISO

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has tapped longtime state IT professional Doug Novak to serve as its deputy chief information security officer under state CISO Vitaliy Panych.

Novak has been in state IT since joining the California Highway Patrol as a network administrator in 1993 and, after that, held the same role with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR).

He joined CDT as a security solutions administration manager in 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile, before being elevated to security operations center manager in 2023. During that time, he also held various roles within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC).

“I'm honored to share that I've accepted the position of deputy state chief information security officer for [the] California Department of Technology!” Novak wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “I'm grateful for the opportunity to support California's cybersecurity mission and help lead statewide efforts to strengthen information security, enhance resilience and protect critical systems and data.”

Novak was awarded the California Commendation Medal by the California Military Department in 2024 for his “extraordinary dedication, selfless service, integrity and commitment” during his time with Cal-CSIC.

He also holds a certification from the FBI’s Cybersecurity Academy.