Two Nevada officials receive Champion Award for DMV ‘transformation effort’
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers on Tuesday honored two technology officials in Nevada’s motor vehicles department with its Champion Award, a recognition of “individuals whose leadership has shaped how technology is positioned, supported and applied within the public sector.”
The group, which concluded its midyear conference in Philadelphia on Wednesday, presented the awards to Suzie Pollard, the CIO of Nevada’s motor vehicles department, and Molly Lennon, the department’s administrator. According to a press release, the two transformed the state DMV’s services, “shifting from legacy, in-person processes to a modern, digital-first operating model focused on adoption, scalability and measurable outcomes.”
NASCIO pointed to Nevada’s DMV “transformation effort,” a multiyear project that aims to put “most” DMV services online, though physical locations will remain open to accommodate those who prefer doing business in person, according to the project’s website. While it is a technology initiative, the website continues, its emphasis is largely on improving customer service: “It’s more than just a system upgrade – it’s a restructuring of our entire DMV to better support you while you do business with us.”
The Champion Award is typically bestowed at NASCIO’s midyear conference to a single individual who’s advanced a notable IT project. The group last year presented the award to Jorge Cardenas, the CIO of Brownsville, Texas, a city near the Mexico border, for creating the city’s first IT department, improving its wireless network and assisting with local issues like stopping stolen vehicles from crossing the border.
