Pennsylvania promotes four interim IT officials to permanent roles

Neil Weaver, Pennsylvania’s secretary of administration, on Wednesday announced that four interim leaders at the state’s Office of Information Technology have been promoted to permanent roles.

Jim Sipe, who’s been the state’s chief information security officer since 2023, is now the state’s executive deputy chief information officer.

Andy Ritter, who’d been serving as interim CISO since October, was named as state CISO. Ritter previously served for nearly two years as deputy CISO after nearly six years as enterprise IT security risk manager, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Sara Hall, the acting executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience, was made its permanent head. She previously served as a senior product manager for PA.gov. The office’s former executive director, Bry Pardoe, was named to lead the state’s tech efforts as its chief information officer in October following the sudden departures that month of former state CIO Amaya Capellan and Chief Technology Officer Brian Andrews.

Sarah Kinter, acting chief of staff at the Office of Information Technology, is now chief of staff. She previously served as head of operations at CODE PA, according to her LinkedIn.

“All four have demonstrated themselves as highly capable leaders and experts in their previous positions, and we are excited to move ahead with certainty on the new OIT leadership team and direction forward,” Weaver wrote in an internal memo. “Please join me in congratulating each of them on their well-deserved career advancements.”