Texas CAIO Tony Sauerhoff to Lead GovRAMP Board

Arizona CIO J.R. Sloan is shifting from GovRAMP Board of Directors president to past president in 2026, and Texas Chief AI and Innovation Officer (CAIO) Tony Sauerhoff will serve as the president.

“GovRAMP was built on the idea that governments are stronger when they collaborate, and our board leadership reflects that,” Leah McGrath, executive director of GovRAMP and an ex officio board member, said via email. “Having perspectives from different states ensures our programs are practical, scalable and grounded in real operational realities.”

Sloan will continue to lead state IT work for Arizona, and has taken on a new leadership role in the technology sector, too. He will serve as the next president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, per an October announcement.

Sauerhoff, named CAIO at the Texas Department of Information Resources in October, previously worked as the state’s chief information security officer. In his current role, he leads statewide efforts to advance secure, responsible adoption of emerging technologies, including AI. Before joining the state of Texas in 2022, he worked as the circuit IT security officer for the U.S. Courts, as deputy director for the Marine Corps Reserve, and as communications specialist for the U.S. Air Force. He also previously served as senior deputy CISO, state cybersecurity coordinator and chair of the Texas Cybersecurity Council, lending him an experienced perspective on cybersecurity.

“Texas relies on programs like GovRAMP to support informed, risk-based decision-making,” Sauerhoff said in a statement, underlining that he hopes to expand the organization’s reach to support more governments.

This story first appeared in Government Technology, Industry Insider — Texas’ sister publication.