NASCIO honors three with State Technology Innovator Award
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers on Tuesday honored three state tech leaders with the State Technology Innovator Award during its annual conference in Denver, Colorado.
The award honors “outstanding state government employees who have made contributions to advance state technology policy through the promotion of best practices, adoption of new technologies and advancements in service delivery,” according to NASCIO.
Keith Perry, chief development officer with the Georgia Technology Authority, was awarded for work transforming the agency’s Office of Application Development, and his deployment of a “strike team” to rapidly deliver solutions aligned with state priorities, such as like legacy modernization, digital services and cybersecurity.
“Under his leadership, GTA migrated critical systems which realized major cost savings, built secure data exchange platforms and modernized applications to improve accessibility and efficiency for citizens. His initiatives—over 90 in the past year—have reduced processing times, expanded access for underserved populations and delivered measurable savings,” NASCIO’s news release reads. “His collaborative, secure-by-design approach has positioned Georgia as a national leader in responsive, sustainable and citizen-centric government IT.”
Also honored was Bry Pardoe, executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience Pennsylvania, or CODE PA. She was nominated for her work consolidating 70 agency websites into PA.gov, streamlining access to more than 1,000 digital services through an accessible, modern design. The redesign, the news release says, has led to record web engagement with nearly nine million visits in December 2024 alone, and it serves as a national model for efficient, user-friendly and sustainable digital government services.
Josiah Raiche, Vermont’s chief data and AI officer, was also honored with the award, for his work to make Vermont “a national leader in ethical, citizen-focused technology.”
“He unified data and AI teams, launched the Council on Artificial Intelligence and developed Vermont’s first statewide AI Code of Ethics, ensuring transparency, accountability and responsible use of generative AI,” the release reads. “Through his vision, Vermont demonstrates how innovation can be both forward-thinking and grounded in public trust.
The awards were made based on nominations made by NASCIO members, and selected by the group’s executive committee.
