Anh Selissen is the chief information officer and director of the Information Technology Division for the Texas Department of Transportation. She has more than 20 years of private- and public-sector IT experience, including working for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; NuStats, a travel and transportation research consultancy; the University of Texas at Austin; and the Texas Water Development Board.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Baylor University, a master’s degree in geoscience from Michigan Technological University and is a certified scrum master.
Industry Insider — Texas: As CIO of your organization, how do you describe your role? How have the role and responsibilities of the CIO changed in recent years?
Selissen: I joined the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in 2019 as the chief information officer (CIO). I serve as a principal technology adviser to TxDOT’s executive director and the senior leadership team and lead the department’s efforts to transform TxDOT by implementing smart technology solutions, promoting innovation and strengthening TxDOT's cybersecurity.
The role and responsibilities of the CIO have changed significantly in recent years. In the past, the CIO was primarily responsible for IT infrastructure and operations. However, the role has evolved to encompass a broader range of responsibilities, such as:
- Leading the organization’s digital transformation efforts
- Driving innovation and adoption of modern technologies
- Ensuring the security of the organization’s information assets
- Managing the IT budget and resources
- Developing and implementing IT policies and procedures
- Supplying strategic technology guidance to the business
- Capitalizing on the use of artificial intelligence and automation
IITX: In your tenure in this position, which project or achievement are you most proud of?
Selissen: I am most proud of the work we have done to transform the customer relationship at TxDOT. When I started in this role, the IT Division had many improvement opportunities. Over the last four years, we have worked hard to rebuild trust and respect in the organization by building a team that focuses on excellent customer service, collaborates with business customers to achieve tangible technology results and is trusted to be an effective partner.
We have made considerable progress in this area, and I am proud of the work that our team has done. Our team is passionate about what we do and fosters a collaborative and supportive culture that encourages people to utilize their skills to make a difference in each of their roles.
IITX: What projects will you be looking to fund in the next biennium? Do you have exceptional requests that may be before the Legislature?
Selissen: TxDOT is working on several exceptional projects, such as:
- Legacy modernization — upgrading our IT infrastructure and systems
- Advances in cybersecurity — investing in cybersecurity to protect our information assets from cyber attacks
- AI and machine learning efforts in the traffic space, including autonomous vehicles — exploring the use of AI and machine learning to improve traffic safety and efficiency
- Efforts to improve safety on roadways — implementing innovative technologies to improve safety on our roadways, such as intelligent transportation systems and road weather and condition notification systems
- Transforming data warehouse practices — increasing the efficiency of interfacing and extracting data among several applications
Selissen: We are currently working on a procurement of our help desk services to help achieve our mission to provide exceptional customer service and improve the user experience. In addition, we are looking to diversify the number of vendors we have supporting our network and application development. In this next year, we plan to release solicitations to procure vendors to help with various transformation activities in this space.
IITX: How do you define “digital transformation?” How far along is your organization in that process, and how will you know when it's finished?
Selissen: I define digital transformation as the process of using digital technologies to fundamentally change the way an organization operates and delivers value to its customers. It can involve changes to business processes, customer experiences and even the underlying culture of an organization.
Some examples of this transformation at TxDOT include automated application integration, standardized data access, e-contracting and digital delivery.
TxDOT began integrating application programming interfaces many years ago. This is in a very mature state and continues to grow. Application integration allows us to remove manual processes, such as extracting data for use in spreadsheets.
TxDOT is also moving toward a fully electronic contracting process. We have some paper contracting processes that are still in use today, but TxDOT’s plan is to move toward full electronic contracting as part of our modernization of maintenance and construction contract letting processes. I don’t believe the digital transformation will ever be considered “finished,” as there is an exponential growth with technology, and we cannot foresee what this growth will mean to our industry.
IITX: How often do you update your organization’s enterprise catalog?
Selissen: As services (software/hardware) are acquired and made available, we routinely update our catalog so customers can easily request the items they need.
IITX: What is your estimated IT budget, and how many employees do you have?
Selissen: Our IT budget is approximately $700 million. There are just under 200 full-time employees and approximately 300 contractors in the IT Division.
IITX: What do you read to stay abreast of government technology/SLED sector developments?
Selissen: I am an avid reader and am engaged in various technology organizations and subscription services to stay abreast of industry topics.
IITX: What do you think is the greatest technology challenge in Texas?
Selissen: Keeping the solution simple. Technologies do introduce complexities, but at the end of the day, the goal should be to create a simple and elegant solution that meets the business needs instead of technology for technology’s sake.
IITX: What advice would you give someone who would like to lead an IT department?
Selissen: Find a good mentor and listen to their feedback. Learn to communicate effectively. Listen to your customers and build relationships with them. Drop the technical jargon and speak in business terms. Surround yourself with a good team and provide them with constant reassurance, support and resources to be successful.
IITX: If you could change one thing about IT procurement, what would it be?
Selissen: I would reduce the time it takes to market. I understand that procurements are complicated, but I believe that there are ways to streamline the process and make it more efficient. This would be beneficial for both vendors and customers, as it would allow us to get the solutions we need more quickly.
IITX: How do you prefer to be contacted by vendors, including via social media such as LinkedIn?
Selissen: LinkedIn.
IITX: How might vendors best educate themselves before meeting with you?
Selissen: The TxDOT website provides a plethora of information about our agency and initiatives.
IITX: What professional or affinity groups do you belong to? Do you volunteer, and would you like to share that experience with readers?
Selissen:
- I serve on multiple state of Texas government executive leadership associations, such as the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communications (TASSCC). Partnering to advance education and networking among professions supporting IT for the Texas public sector is a priority for me.
- I am an active participant of AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), of which TxDOT is a member. I have presented at multiple conferences and events sponsored by AASHTO.
- I am the chair of the State Agency Coordinating Committee's IT subcommittee. This is a role that is at the Texas state leadership executive level.
- I serve on several university professional mentoring programs.
- I founded a Women in IT Leadership group to help empower IT women leaders in the government sector.
Selissen: I try to attend multiple technology conferences each year to stay abreast of current trends, along with the Gartner IT Symposium, AASHTO conferences and some of the many TxDOT-sponsored industry conferences. These conferences allow me to stay up to date on the latest trends in technology and learn from other professionals in the field.
IITX: What are you reading or listening to for fun? What do you do to unplug in your downtime?
Selissen: I like to have music on in the background while I’m working around my home. I am an avid cook and love to spend time with my family, friends and our dogs. It’s even better if I can do these while at Lake LBJ.
