Concourse

Oregon

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Tina Kotek (D)

CIO

Terrence Woods

CISO

Ben Gherezgiher

IT Organization

Enterprise Information Services (EIS)

State Agencies

30

Population

4.2M

✓ Key Strengths

  • State CIO Terrence Woods provides rare leadership continuity with tenure since 2018, delivering stable governance through the State Government AI Advisory Council (SB 293), cloud-first policy development, and cybersecurity centralization -- enabling multi-year strategic execution
  • Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE, HB 2049) established pioneering academic-government partnership with Portland State, Oregon State, and University of Oregon to bridge cybersecurity research and practice -- unique model for workforce pipeline development
  • Cloud-first policy and $91M data center investment demonstrate commitment to infrastructure modernization, with centralized cybersecurity function under CISO Gherezgiher consolidating information-security professionals across agencies
  • State Government AI Advisory Council (SB 293) delivered final action plan in February 2025 with appointed Chief Privacy Officer and AI Strategist Nik Blosser ensuring responsible AI integration -- proactive governance before widespread agency adoption

⚠ Key Risks

  • Highly decentralized IT structure with approximately 30 agencies, many operating independently -- roughly 30 agencies lack dedicated IT staff and rely on external services, creating inconsistent security posture and modernization pace
  • 2,344 IT classified positions supporting 47,680 employees produces a ratio of 1:20 IT-to-staff -- thin coverage that limits proactive technology initiatives and creates vulnerability during staff turnover or surge demand
  • $689M BEAD allocation must address digital equity challenges across Oregon's vast geographic diversity, from Portland metro to remote eastern Oregon ranching communities and tribal nations with fundamentally different infrastructure needs
  • Legacy system modernization faces structural challenges as decentralized agencies control their own IT budgets and priorities -- EIS can set policy but has limited authority to mandate modernization timelines or technology standards

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

Cybersecurity & …AI & AutomationDigital Governme…Data Management …Workforce & TalentCloud ServicesBroadband & Conn…IT Procurement &…Interoperability…Legacy Moderniza…
Oregon

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
BEAD Broadband Deployment ProgramPlanning$689M BEAD-funded broadband expansion targeting unserved and underserved locations across Oregon. Oregon Broadband Office managing deployment with 5-Year Action Plan, subgrantee selection, and NTIA compliance monitoring. Emphasis on serving rural, tribal, and coastal communities.2025-2030
Data Center Infrastructure ModernizationIn Progress$91M investment in state data center infrastructure supporting hybrid cloud migration, improved disaster recovery capabilities, and enhanced data backup systems. Foundation for cloud-first policy execution across state agencies.2024-2027
Enterprise Email Service MigrationIn Progress$60M migration of state enterprise email services to modern cloud platform, replacing legacy communication infrastructure across state agencies. Improves security, collaboration capabilities, and operational efficiency.2024-2026
AI Advisory Council Action Plan ImplementationActiveImplementation of the State Government AI Advisory Council's February 2025 action plan under Chief Privacy Officer Nik Blosser. Includes developing agency AI guidelines, privacy impact assessments, and responsible AI deployment standards aligned with SB 293 requirements.2025-2027
Cybersecurity Centralization and OCCoE DevelopmentActiveContinued centralization of state cybersecurity function under CISO Gherezgiher and maturation of the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE). Includes expanding the Cyber Resilience Certificate program and strengthening the Cyber Disruption Plan for local governments.2023-2027
Digital Equity ProgramPlanningOregon Digital Equity Program funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Developing comprehensive strategy for broadband adoption, digital literacy training, device access, and affordability programs to ensure equitable access across all communities including tribal nations.2025-2029

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. Oregon Enterprise Information Services (EIS) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. Oregon State CIO Terrence Woods (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. EIS 2024 ASCIO Report: Forging the Path Towards Digital Transformation (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. DAS IT Strategic Plan 2024-27 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. CTO 2025-2027 Biennial Outlook (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. EIS 2025-2027 Budget Overview (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. December 2025 EIS Digest (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. Oregon Cyber Disruption Plan (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. Oregon BEAD Program - Oregon Broadband Office (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. Oregon Digital Equity Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. Link Oregon - Middle Mile Connectivity (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. Oregon Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit 2026 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. CitizenPortal: State CIO Outlines Oregon IT Workforce, Cybersecurity Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. EIS Statewide IT Policy and Covered Vendor Policy (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. Oregon Counties and BEAD - Increasing County GDP With Broadband (accessed 2026-02-23)
  17. NASCIO 2025 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)