Sauerhoff steps into the role following the departure of Amanda Crawford, who was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve as commissioner of insurance at the Texas Department of Insurance. Crawford had led DIR since 2019 and described the role as “the most rewarding chapter” of her career. DIR’s leadership changes also include the exit of Deputy Executive Director Steve Pier, who has been named executive director of the Texas Workforce Commission. Both Crawford and Pier are scheduled to begin their new positions in February.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are deeply grateful for the exceptional leadership and steadfast service that Mandy and Steve provided to the agency,” DIR Governing Board Chair Ben Gatzke said in an announcement. “While we are saddened by their departure, we have full confidence in Tony’s leadership, technical expertise and ability to guide the agency through this transition.”
Sauerhoff, who most recently served as DIR’s chief AI and innovation officer, brings decades of experience in information security and emerging technologies. He was named chief AI and innovation officer in October 2025 and tasked with leading the agency’s new AI Division, which supports responsible AI deployment across Texas government. His prior roles include serving as the state’s chief information security officer and chairing the Texas Cybersecurity Council.
In addition to his responsibilities at DIR, Sauerhoff was recently named president of the board of GovRAMP, a collaborative initiative supporting government risk-based decision-making and secure technology adoption. In that role, he will help expand GovRAMP’s reach to additional jurisdictions and promote cross-state collaboration in cybersecurity and cloud services.
Sauerhoff has an extensive background in cybersecurity and public-sector technology. Prior to joining DIR, he served as a circuit IT security officer for U.S. Courts and held the role of deputy director with the Marine Corps Reserve. His career began in the U.S. Air Force as a communications specialist. He holds a master’s degree in information security and privacy from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity from Champlain College.
As DIR continues to navigate a statewide reorganization that includes transferring cybersecurity operations to the new Texas Cyber Command, Sauerhoff is positioned to oversee the agency’s focus on innovation, AI strategy and modernization of statewide digital services.
A search for a permanent executive director will be conducted by the DIR Governing Board, with details expected in the weeks ahead.
