State CIO Announces Formation of GITA Strategic Initiatives Unit

The Government Information Technology Agency (GITA) is pleased to announce the formation of a new Unit in support of statewide and strategic initiatives. The GITA Strategic Initiatives Unit will be responsible for innovative initiatives to improve services through information technology for the State of Arizona.

GITA has a long tradition of leadership on initiatives consistent with its mission as the strategic IT agency for the State of Arizona. Successful initiatives include common licensing, the State web portal, Arizona 2-1-1 Online, Health-e Connection, statewide security and privacy office formation, emergency preparedness oversight, business continuity planning, shared services and rural telecommunications initiatives.

The Unit’s project management staff will serve as advisors to or direct activities of technology policy initiatives to advance directives of the executive and legislative branches. The Strategic Initiatives Unit Chief will report directly to the State CIO and GITA Director, Chris Cummiskey.

The Unit will support initiatives at inception or during critical stages and will then transition leadership for these initiatives to other organizations for operation. The Strategic Initiative Unit’s staff will be responsible for planning, design and oversight of initiatives for Arizona such as e-health, N11, statewide communications interoperability, Google partnership, web conferencing, virtual office, document imaging, efficiency review initiatives and new program implementation. Members of the Unit shall:

	Form and lead multi-agency, intergovernmental and cross organizational project teams;
	Assess current practices, perform industry research, identify unmet needs, evaluate alternative solutions and recommend program improvements;

Develop strategic plans and provide oversight to initial program activities;

Serve as technical advisors to project teams;

Write policy statements, program summaries, white papers, statements of work, surveys, presentations, templates and web content;

Design roll-out and public information programs;

Speak at industry conferences; and

Represent Arizona to multi-state IT initiatives.

Lisa Dee Meyerson, formerly GITA’s Statewide Projects Manager, has been named the first Strategic Initiatives Unit Chief. Ms. Meyerson is a senior manager with over 20 years of business and information technology project management and consulting expertise. She has been with GITA since its inception, and has a proven track record of successful project implementation. As 2-1-1 Statewide Program Coordinator for the Governor’s 2-1-1 initiative, Ms. Meyerson led a multi-organizational project team in concept, design, development and implementation of Arizona 2-1-1 Online at www.az211.gov. As the first Unit Chief, Lisa will design how the Unit will operate and provide critical leadership in support of statewide and strategic initiatives. Ms. Meyerson can be reached at lmeyerson@azgita.gov and (602) 364-4780.

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