Concourse

New York

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Kathy Hochul (D)

CIO

Dru Rai

CISO

Laurence Gieger

IT Organization

Office of Information Technology Services (ITS)

State Agencies

50

Population

19.6M

✓ Key Strengths

  • Largest consolidated state IT organization in the U.S. with $1.05B budget, 3,757 FTEs, and centralized services across 50+ agencies managing 4,900+ applications
  • Dedicated Chief Cyber Officer (Colin Ahern) with separate Cyber Command Center, statewide incident reporting procedures, and $1B federal grant program supporting local government cybersecurity
  • Appointed Chief AI Officer (Dr. Eleonore Fournier-Tombs) and Chief Digital Officer (Stephen Graham) in January 2026, building on Empire AI initiative launched in 2024 for responsible AI governance
  • $664M ConnectALL broadband deployment program with NTIA-approved proposals and active Request for Applications distributing federal BEAD funding across unserved communities

⚠ Key Risks

  • Massive legacy application portfolio of 4,900+ applications across 50+ agencies creates significant technical debt and modernization complexity with no published application retirement roadmap
  • New Chief AI Officer is third appointee in less than two years -- leadership instability in a critical emerging technology role risks inconsistent AI governance execution across agencies
  • FY2026 budget proposes 300 new IT staff positions but state government IT compensation consistently trails NYC private sector by 30-50%, creating persistent recruitment and retention challenges
  • DOJ WCAG 2.1 AA compliance deadline of April 24, 2026 looming with no published audit results across 50+ agency web properties and thousands of public-facing digital services

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

Cybersecurity & …AI & AutomationDigital Governme…Data Management …Workforce & Tale…Cloud ServicesBroadband & Conn…IT Procurement &…Interoperability…Legacy Moderniza…
New York

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
Empire AI InitiativeIn ProgressGovernor Hochul's flagship AI governance program establishing responsible AI adoption framework, Chief AI Officer role, and statewide AI strategy for safe and effective government AI use.2024-2027
ConnectALL Broadband DeploymentActive$664.6M BEAD-funded broadband expansion distributing federal grants to deploy fiber and wireless infrastructure to unserved and underserved communities statewide.2025-2029
Agency IT Model TransformationIn ProgressStrategic shift from centralized ITS service delivery to agency-embedded technology teams, placing dedicated IT staff within each agency for improved support and alignment.2025-2027
Cybersecurity Workforce ExpansionProposedFY2026 budget proposal to add nearly 300 new IT staff positions focused on enhancing cybersecurity capabilities across state government operations.FY2026
Statewide Cybersecurity Resilience ProgramOperationalComprehensive cybersecurity program led by Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern, including $1B federal grant support for local governments, Cyber Command Center, and incident reporting framework.2022-ongoing
Digital Equity Grant ProgramIn ProgressConnectALL Digital Equity Plan implementation addressing broadband affordability, digital literacy, job readiness, and device access across underserved communities.2025-2028

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. New York State Office of Information Technology Services -- Official Website (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. ITS Executive Team Leadership Page (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. ITS Appoints Chief AI Officer Dr. Eleonore Fournier-Tombs (January 2026) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. StateScoop: New York State Replaces AI Chief, Names New Chief Digital Officer (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. GovTech: New York Names New Leaders to C-Level AI and Digital Roles (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. StateScoop: New York State Names Jenson Jacob Deputy CIO (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. Fast Company: How New York Is Battling Hackers Despite Trump Cuts (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Route Fifty: Preparing New York for Evolving Cyber Threats (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. NYS ITS FY2025 Budget Appropriations (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. NYS Cyber Incident Reporting Procedures (Updated March 2025) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. ConnectALL Broadband Deployment Program -- Official Page (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. ConnectALL BEAD Initial Proposal (NTIA Approved) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. Empire State Development: Five-Year BEAD Action Plan (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. DOJ Title II Web Accessibility Rule -- WCAG 2.1 AA (April 24, 2026 deadline) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Survey: Leading Change Through Uncertain Times (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. New York IT Leadership Forum 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)