Data & Analytics

North Carolina names former health exchange director as new chief data officer

Christie Burris, former executive director of North Carolina's health exchange, is the state's new chief data officer.

January 12, 2024

(Getty Images)

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology on Friday announced that Christie Burris, the former executive director of the N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority, is the state’s new chief data officer.

Burris replaces Carol Burroughs, who was appointed to the role in 2022 and retired last month, according to a news release from the technology department. As the state health exchange’s executive director, Burris oversaw the strategy of NC HealthConnex, the state’s health information exchange system.

Christie Burris, North Carolina’s chief data officer. (NCDIT)

According to the news release, under Burris, NC HealthConnex achieved a fivefold increase in its participant base and strengthened partnerships with other state agencies and the private sector. Burris also oversaw two technology platform upgrades, a comprehensive security assessment and the development of population health and analytic services to support the health care community, according to the state.

Burris also helped to provide the North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety and its Department of Adult Corrections with access to the exchange to improve prison health care.

“Christie is an innovative and skilled strategic communications and policy executive with proven experience delivering complex programs in the public and private sectors,” state Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver said in the release. “In her new role, she will continue to apply her knowledge of data governance, data sharing and data analytics to serve NCDIT and the state.”

Along with serving as the chief data officer, Burris will serve as director of the N.C. Government Data Analytics Center and oversee the state’s data division, which encompasses several entities, including the state’s health exchange, the N.C. Center for Geographic Information and Analysis and the N.C. Longitudinal Data Service.

In her new role, Burris will continue to be closely involved in the strategic vision for NC HealthConnex as a member of the NC HIEA Advisory Board, the news release said.

“It has been a pleasure to serve as the executive director of the NC HIEA, guiding the development of NC HealthConnex,” Burris said in the release. “During this time, I have been privileged to see tremendous growth in our efforts to support whole person care. I look forward to supporting and expanding GDAC’s vision of using data to inform policy and decision making to improve the management of state resources and the lives of North Carolina residents.”