As part of Industry Insider — California’s ongoing efforts to educate readers on state agencies, their IT plans and initiatives, here’s the latest in our periodic series of interviews with departmental IT leaders.
Scott MacDonald is California’s deputy state chief technology officer and an executive at the California Department of Technology (CDT), roles he has had since January 2021. CDT is the state’s technology department and works with a variety of state and local public-sector technology entities on IT projects. It is budgeted for $572.1 million and 1,050 positions, with rounding, in the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year state budget. MacDonald’s state service, which dates to January 2007, includes time at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he was agency information security officer from March 2010-November 2015, before joining CDT in October 2015 as deputy director of network and cloud services/deputy director of infrastructure services.
Per his CDT bio, MacDonald’s experience includes “application development, enterprise architecture, telecommunications, and information security.” His education includes studies in information systems at the University of San Francisco.
Industry Insider — California: As deputy state chief technology officer for your organization, how do you describe your role? How have your role and responsibilities changed in recent years in terms of their intersection with IT and innovation?
MacDonald: As part of CDT’s executive team, the responsibilities of the deputy chief technology officer are varied and haven’t changed much except to ensure we are providing our customers with the latest and best services possible. In my position, I serve as the right hand of the state CTO for strategic planning, and guide and oversee the implementation of new IT system development, projects and network infrastructure enhancements, as well as research new industry trends, technologies and software developments to improve our customer offerings. Currently, OTech (the Office of Technology Services) makes available more than 60 services to state and local government customers, including the network services we provide over our California Government Enterprise Network (CGEN) and communications services over CALNET (the California Network and Telecommunications Program). All of these services are categorized by infrastructure and platform, network and telecommunications, software, professional and security.
IICA: What big 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?
MacDonald: We’ve nearly completed 22 strategic initiatives supporting our statewide IT strategic plan, Vision 2023, including making improvements to our service, process, and organization structures. Among the initiatives underway are “Containers as a Service” and “Secure Access Server Edge (SASE)” technologies which will empower our customers and grow innovation and modernization to better meet the business needs of the state. In order to provide more competitive services, we are re-evaluating our service offerings and rates to ensure we are providing maximum value back to our customers.
IICA: In your opinion, what should local government be doing more of in technology?
MacDonald: I think local governments are being smart in the way they apply technology and utilize data to create better experiences for their residents. Moving forward with modernization efforts and improving access is a big step and as they modernize, they’re doing more to improve their cybersecurity. We’re seeing a greater adoption of California’s Cal-Secure cybersecurity road map by local governments.
IICA: How do you define “digital transformation?” How far along is your organization in that process, and how will you know when it’s finished?
MacDonald: Basically, I define digital transformation as the process of leveraging digital technologies to meet business challenges, create new business processes and drive fundamental change. I believe transformation requires cultural, organizational and operational changes to create value and services that can adapt to a dynamic environment. California has been at the forefront of transforming government technology. When you look at our accomplishments, it becomes clear that we are working on Vision 2023 goals, such as delivering secure and dependable public services quickly and ensuring the equitability and inclusiveness of those services. I see digital transformation as an ongoing process.
IICA: What is your unit’s estimated IT budget and how many employees are in your unit?
MacDonald: The Office of Technology’s budget is $207 million, with 540 permanent positions.
IICA: How do you prefer to be contacted by vendors, including via social media such as LinkedIn? How might vendors best educate themselves before meeting with you?
MacDonald: I prefer to be contacted at my work email rather than on social media, but only if the contact regards an applicable service or product. It’s important for vendors to do their homework and identify where and how their product fits into our organization and our offerings. A good place to start is our website, which has a lot of specific information about our products and services. Additionally, Vision 2023, our annual report and Cal-Secure can all be found on our homepage. I suggest reviewing them prior to making contact to see where products and services may fit into our business lines.
IICA: What do you read to stay abreast of developments in the gov tech/SLED sector?
MacDonald: There’s a wealth of industry information available, and I ingest a lot of it. I read CDT’s morning newsclips that collect the latest from tech sites, and I receive alerts and updates from other sources. I also read surveys and reports put out by many top technology organizations, and I try to attend, either virtually or in person, applicable local technology events, including CDT’s Vendor Forum, where we hear from the vendor community.
IICA: What are your hobbies and what do you enjoy reading?
MacDonald: I’m an avid marathon runner and have participated in events such as the Boston and New York marathons. It’s my way of fighting the aging process and maintaining my health. Additionally, I’ve been a performing musician since my high school days and can often be seen around town playing keyboards and guitar at various venues. I find performing in front of a crowd to be a great way of diverting my attention away from the daily stressors in life. Between running, music and staying up on technology, I don’t find much more time to read for pure enjoyment.
Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for style and brevity.
Deputy State Tech Leader: Initiatives Underway to Support Statewide IT Strategic Plan
