The outgoing deputy CTIO announced his departure from the CDT’s Office of Digital Services late last week in a LinkedIn post, noting that the new role “represents everything I have come to believe about the power of technology in public service.”
In an email to Industry Insider — California, Wasylkiw said he didn’t anticipate that his work in state government would have quite the transformational impact that it did.“When I joined CDT, it was my first role in state service, and I came in simply looking to lead some cool technology efforts. I now leave a committed and passionate public servant, dedicated to using technology as a force for public good,” he wrote. “That transformation is one of the greatest gifts this work has given me, and I leave feeling immensely proud of the many impactful efforts I had the privilege of supporting during my time with CDT.”
Wasylkiw joined CDT in November 2020, coming from the California Dental Association, and worked his way from the chief web officer role to deputy CTIO. Prior to that, he held leadership roles with Commerx Corporation, The Sacramento Bee, Darkseid Designs and others.
During his time with the department, the CDT team was tasked with the urgent digital response to the deadly L.A. wildfires in January 2025. That response, he said during an event in August 2025, was aided by an existing digital infrastructure that allowed the rapid spin-up of citizen-facing resources when they were needed most.
At the Civil Rights Department, Wasylkiw said the spirit of that mission will continue. The department, as the name implies, oversees the enforcement of the state’s civil rights laws around employment, housing, hate violence and human trafficking, among other areas.
“It is that same passion and commitment that makes this next chapter so meaningful,” he wrote in an email. “More than anything, I am motivated by the opportunity to use technology as a meaningful force for good, playing a leading role in helping real people navigate and access the services and protections they deserve in the real world.”
Wasylkiw is the latest in a growing list of department departures in recent weeks. Last month, CIO and Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins retired, followed closely by the departure of Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Porat.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped a former Government Operations Agency executive, Christopher Given, to lead CDT as its director.
