Interactive: Who Are California's Chief Innovators?

The number of chief innovation officers populating city halls, county government centers and state capitols continues to grow. Relatively unheard of just a handful of years ago, many leading jurisdictions have added the post to their payrolls, seeking to transform the culture of their organization and usher in a fresh perspective on how a modern government should operate. 

Here's an interactive map of the nation's innovation positions across state and local governments. Did we miss someone?


 
Long Beach 

Lea Eriksen
Title: Director of Technology and Innovation/CIO
Date Hired: January 2018
Bio: longbeach.gov
Fast Fact: Eriksen has worked in local government for more than 20 years. 
Coverage: Meet the New Director of Technology and Innovation for Long Beach, Calif.; Long Beach, Calif., Names New Director of Technology and Innovation

Davis 
Diane Parro
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: July 2015
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Parro has been a Davis resident for 16 years.
Coverage: N/A

Rancho Cucamonga 
Darryl Polk
Title: Chief Innovation Officer/Director of Innovation and Technology
Date Hired: January 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Polk is Rancho Cucamonga's first chief innovation officer.
Coverage: N/A

Riverside 
Chris Tilden
Title: Deputy Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: February 2016
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Tilden started his career in government in 1999 as an application developer for Riverside County.
Coverage: Riverside Innovation Leader Promoted Amid City Hall Reorganization; Can Open Data Find a Business Model?

Sacramento 
Louis Stewart
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: May 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Stewart graduated from Santa Clara University in 1994. 
Coverage: California Innovation Official Becomes Sacramento's Innovation Chief; Tech Showcase Conveys that Sacramento, Calif., Is Not All Talk When It Comes to Autonomous Vehicles

San Francisco 
Krista Canellakis
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: February 2018
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Before moving back to San Francisco in 2010, Canellakis spent two months in Turkey as a development planning researcher. 
Coverage: San Francisco's Jay Nath Leaves City Hall to Focus on Startup in Residence; From Homeless Health Care to On-Street Parking: 9 More Startups from Bridge SF

San Jose 
Shireen Santosham
Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Date Hired: January 2016
Bio: sanjoseca.gov
Fast Fact: Santosham also serves as a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Coverage: Charting a Course to 5G; What’s New in Civic Tech: Bloomberg Cities Highlights 'Data-Driven Women to Watch'