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.
Russ Watts is deputy division chief of the Infrastructure Service Branch at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), a role he has had since August 2022. A longtime Caltrans executive, Watts most recently served as chief information officer at the California Student Aid Commission from February-August 2022 before rejoining Caltrans to take on his current role. A 20-year state employee, his state service dates to November 2003, when he joined the California Department of Fish and Game as a senior network engineer.
Watts has a Bachelor of Science degree in math, with studies in computer science, computer applications and systems from California State University, Fresno.
Industry Insider — California: As deputy division chief of the Infrastructure Service Branch at 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?
Watts: I oversee five functional areas of enterprise infrastructure services that include Network Engineering; Network Operations; Server Infrastructure and Identity Management; Storage and Data Protection; and Database Middleware. Caltrans is a large and complex organization with a significant network and infrastructure presence, with equipment assets that exceed $100 million. The pandemic forced every organization to innovate and innovate swiftly. The challenge, from my perspective, is how we sustain the pace and continue the innovative thinking and focus.
IICA: Does your organization have a strategic plan, and may we hyperlink to it? How big a role do you personally play in writing that strategic plan?
Watts: Caltrans has a five-year strategic plan. I was not directly involved in the development of the organizational strategic plan but was very much involved in the development of the Caltrans IT strategic plan. Our four-year IT plan carefully aligns our IT strategy with the overall organizational strategy to ensure they are aligned with the needs of our business and Californians.
IICA: What big initiatives or projects are coming up related to IT and innovation? What sorts of developing opportunities and RFPs should we be watching for in the next six to 12 months?
Watts: It’s a great time to be a technologist; so much is happening in transportation. Like most other organizations, we are highly focused on the digital transformation process.
IICA: In your opinion, what should local government be doing more of in technology?
Watts: What comes to mind would be greater interaction and engagement with the public — looking for innovative ways to engage and leverage citizen engagement.
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?
Watts: From my perspective, it’s the organizational equivalent of “reinventing yourself.” And, I suppose, the answer to when you are done is when you’ve achieved all you set out to achieve.
IICA: What is your unit’s estimated budget for IT and how many employees do you have? What is the overall budget?
Watts: Our annual spending is approaching $50 million, which includes maintenance and operations as well as equipment life cycle asset management replacement. I oversee five enterprise infrastructure sections with subordinate managers and a total of nearly 100 staff.
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?
Watts: The usual methods all work with me, traditional when it comes to communications. I have limited time so concepts that directly impact my functional areas are important.
IICA: In your tenure in this position, which project or achievement are you most proud of?
Watts: I have so many, [it’s] difficult to pick just one. However, based on its lasting and overall impact to Caltrans, I would say securing funds to address ongoing infrastructure equipment life cycle asset management and taking a huge bite out of our technology debt was the most satisfying.
IICA: What has surprised you most this year in government technology?
Watts: The rise of and controversy surrounding artificial intelligence technologies.
IICA: What do you read to stay abreast of developments in the gov tech/SLED sector?
Watts: Everything I can get my hands on.
IICA: What are your hobbies and what do you enjoy reading?
Watts: I enjoy outdoors, golf, racing off-road motorcycles, woodworking or building anything. I like reading science fiction and action-adventure.
This story has been updated to correct the link to the Caltrans strategic plan.
Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for style and brevity.
State Branch Chief: ‘It’s a Great Time to Be a Technologist’
