TxDOT, Brownsville, Texas Tech Leaders Named to GovTech Top 25

Three Texas technology leaders have been named to Government Technology’s* 2026 Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers, recognizing work spanning transportation, broadband, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and public-sector IT operations.

The Texas honorees are Anh Selissen, chief information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT); Jorge Cardenas, CIO for the city of Brownsville; and Lin Zhou, vice president, CIO and executive director for artificial intelligence and quantum computing at Texas Tech University.

At TxDOT, Selissen oversees a more than $500 million annual IT budget and serves as a principal technology adviser to the agency’s executive director. Her work has centered on moving artificial intelligence from discussion into operations, with an emphasis on measured use cases, governance and outcomes tied to agency needs. The department has automated invoice workflows in its Professional Engineering Procurement Services Division, saving an estimated 22,000 staff hours each year. It has also deployed traffic incident detection tools in the Austin area that reduced roadway incident notification times and are being evaluated for possible statewide expansion.

Selissen told Government Technology that the agency begins with outcomes rather than technology, asking whether a tool improves safety, saves time or money, or helps employees focus on higher-value work. She also emphasized that governance is central to expanded AI use because of risks involving privacy, security, bias and accountability.

In Brownsville, Cardenas was recognized for technology work tied to connectivity, digital inclusion and reliability. He became CIO in 2022 after the city had been labeled the “worst connected city” in 2014 based on American Community Survey data, with nearly half of households lacking an Internet connection. When the ranking was refreshed in 2023, Brownsville was no longer on the list.

Brownsville installed about 100 miles of fiber in a build that began in early 2023 and finished in 2024, using public-private partnerships and coordination with utilities to support the work. The city has used that fiber backbone to support a citywide private 5G network for municipal operations and an AI factory intended to connect smart technologies and improve data transmission. Brownsville paired that infrastructure work with adoption and affordability efforts, including an agreement with Omni Fiber requiring a discounted service package for eligible customers in exchange for use of the city’s middle-mile network.

At Texas Tech University, Zhou was recognized for a technology leadership role that combines IT operations, AI, quantum computing and instruction. Since joining Texas Tech in September 2024, Zhou has focused on IT performance and organizational execution. The range between the shortest and longest project duration narrowed by a factor of three, the percentage of projects delivered on time increased fivefold and projects were completed four times faster. He also introduced an annual Net Promoter Score survey, with results showing faculty satisfaction with IT more than doubled in a year.

Zhou’s work has also extended into quantum computing. When he arrived, Texas Tech did not have a quantum computing course, so he developed one. He has supported statewide quantum initiatives, including testifying in support of Texas quantum legislation and attending the first Texas Quantum Summit. Texas Tech students are now researching quantum and AI applications to diagnose breast cancer.

*Government Technology is a sister publication to Industry Insider — Texas, both divisions of e.Republic.