After nearly 20 years of state service, Delaware’s top technology officer leaving for private sector technology post

WILMINGTON, Del. — Governor John Carney announced on Tuesday that Delaware Chief Information Officer (CIO) James Collins will step down later this month after nearly 20 years of state service; the past six years as head of the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI).

Collins is leaving DTI to join Microsoft Consulting as a General Manager focused on state and local government, and higher education.

Jason Clarke, chief operating officer at DTI, will serve as acting CIO. Governor Carney will send a CIO nomination to the Delaware Senate for consideration before the General Assembly reconvenes in January 2021.

“James has been a central member of our team since Day 1 when I asked him to continue to lead DTI and Delaware’s transition to a more digital government,” said Governor Carney. “But his work and expertise has never been more important than over the last six months – as we have battled this COVID-19 pandemic. James and his team have kept state workers connected throughout this crisis, making sure they could continue to deliver vital services to Delaware families. He has worked with the private sector to expand high-speed broadband service across rural Delaware and to protect Delawareans from cyber threats. We will miss James’ leadership but wish him well at Microsoft.”

Collins, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, previously served as Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, Deputy Secretary of State, Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Deputy Chief of Staff to then-Governor Markell. Collins was first nominated as CIO by Governor Jack Markell and confirmed by the Delaware Senate in 2014.

During his tenure as the State of Delaware’s top technology officer, Collins leveraged his extensive experience in both the public and private sectors to implement synergistic, cost-effective and scalable IT solutions that help Delaware deliver digital government services to its citizens. Notable achievements under Collins’ leadership include expanding broadband high-speed Internet service across rural areas of Delaware and working to eliminate broadband deserts across the state by the end of this year. Collins also fulfilled multiple Executive Orders including creating the Delaware Cyber Security Advisory Council, expanding the State Open Data/Open Checkbook portal, and advancing IT centralization and virtualization cloud-based “as-a-Service” solutions. In 2019, Collins was elected as president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers and continues to serve on its Executive Committee.

In 2017, Collins worked to pass legislation – sponsored by Representative Paul Baumbach and signed into law by Governor Carney – that modernized protections for Delawareans affected by breaches of cyber security.

Collins also spearheaded a transition to digital government and led the State of Delaware’s technology efforts throughout the COVID-19 crisis. As CIO, Collins led major modernizations of information technology systems to improve Delawareans’ security and user experience – including elections and child welfare systems, corporate filing platforms, and licensing applications.

“It has been my great honor to serve in the Carney Administration and work with such dedicated public servants committed to improving life in Delaware throughout my years of public service,” said CIO James Collins. “I have been blessed with amazing opportunities in the course of my career, so I am excited for this next step to continue helping governments and institutions of higher learning transform to deliver digital services on a national scale.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 18, 2019

Media Contact:
Christina Dirksen, Strategic Communications Manager, DTI
(302) 739-9736 w Christina.Dirksen@state.de.us

 

GirlsGoCyberStart offers innovative online cybersecurity program, plus prizes and recognition for Delaware’s young women in grades 9-12

DOVER, Del. — Governor John Carney and Chief Information Officer (CIO) James Collins today announced that Delaware is again partnering with the SANS Institute on an initiative to empower high school girls by providing an opportunity for them to discover if they have an interest and aptitude for a career in cybersecurity. High school girls in grades 9 through 12 are invited to participate in the Girls Go CyberStart challenge in which they will compete for prizes and to win the opportunity for 50 additional students in their school to play, extending the competition. $200,000 in scholarships for high school juniors and seniors who do well in the game has also been made available. In Delaware, at least 10 high school girls will each win $500 scholarships to help them pay for college.

Girls Go CyberStart is a free, innovative, online game of discovery that guides participants through a variety of challenges and puzzles which tests decision-making skills and introduces concepts such as open-source intelligence, cryptography, and web application and more, to spark an interest in the field of cybersecurity.

In 2018, 287 girls represented 113 teams from 26 Delaware high schools that participated in Girls Go CyberStart. The goal for 2019 is to increase those numbers even more.

 

“Girls Go CyberStart is a really fun way for young women to try their hand at cybersecurity and parents like it because it’s free,” said CIO James Collins. “We have to be purposeful about creating opportunities that empower and inspire that untapped potential. We are grateful that the SANS Institute recognizes the importance and value of a diversified workforce and partners with us to achieve that goal.”

“The GirlsGo competition really impacted my view of cybersecurity and has caused me to consider a job in the field,” commented Olivia Lundstrom, a member of Padua’s 2018 Cyber Sister team. “I loved how fun and challenging it was to play, and it taught me a lot about cybersecurity that I would have never known had I not played.”

Students interested in participating do not need any programming or cybersecurity experience; only access to a computer and internet connection. Young women in high school in Delaware who excel in the GirlsGoCyberStart game will have the opportunity to win computers and other prizes from SANS.

“This is a phenomenal opportunity for young women to explore a high-demand career area.  Since no past experience is needed, there are no barriers to keep even more of our high school students from participating,” said Secretary of Education Susan Bunting.

Young women in high school in Delaware will be participating alongside students from across the nation. Registration will begin on February 18 and Girls Go CyberStart play will open on March 20.

When asked why SANS is partnering with Delaware in GirlsGoCyberStart program, SANS Director of Research, Alan Paller said, “Because the nation desperately needs more highly-skilled cyber professionals, and we have evidence that CyberStart improves the quality and preparation of people entering the cybersecurity field.  Women are significantly underrepresented in the technical side of cybersecurity. By opening CyberStart to thousands of girls in high school, and to all college students, we hope to help the nation identify the next generation of talented people who will excel in this critical field.”

Additionally, male and female college students will also be able to play this year in a companion program called Cyber FastTrack, which opens for registration on February 18. Play will being on April 5. Cyber FastTrack allows students who excel in both the CyberStart Game and CyberStart Essentials (an online course that extends the learning of CyberStart Game) to be eligible to win $2.5 million in scholarships for advanced cybersecurity training and to be introduced to employers for internships and jobs in the field.

For more information about cybersecurity, Girls Go CyberStart, or Cyber Fast Track please visit digiknow.dti.delaware.gov, girlsgocyberstart.org, and cyber-fasttrack.org.

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About the Delaware Department of Technology and Information

The Department of Technology and Information (DTI) is the state’s central IT organization, chartered to deliver core services to other state organizations and exercise governance over the technology direction and investments of the state. DTI provides enterprise services that enable other organizations to effectively fulfill their missions.

www.dti.delaware.gov
www.digiknow.dti.delaware.gov

 

About SANS Institute

The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS provides cyber security training and certification to professionals at governments and commercial institutions world-wide. Renowned SANS instructors teach over 50 different courses at more than 200 live cyber security training events as well as online. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners, representing varied global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community.
https://www.sans.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DELAWARE CIO JAMES COLLINS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF NASCIO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) is pleased to announce that Chief Information Officer James Collins has been elected to serve as the National Association for State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Executive Committee President for the 2018-19 program year. The organization made the announcement Sunday during its annual conference in San Diego. CIO Collins previously served as vice president and succeeds Bo Reese, Chief Information Officer for the State of Oklahoma as president.

“James has a history of hard work and of bringing good ideas to the table,” said Governor John Carney. “As Delaware’s chief information officer, James is tasked with leading our broadband expansion initiative, protecting the state from cyber-attacks, and promoting open data across Delaware. I’m confident that James will greatly contribute to the leadership of NASCIO, and I congratulate him on this achievement.”

“I am deeply honored to be elected to serve as NASCIO’s president and I am committed to continuing the outstanding work it does to support state CIOs and members,” said CIO James Collins. “NASCIO provides a forum for members to engage in unprecedented levels of collaboration, as well as opportunities to share ideas and best practices. I look forward to working with NASCIO staff, government leaders and our private sector partners to develop innovative solutions for the public good.”

NASCIO’s mission is to foster government excellence through quality business practices, information management, and technology policy. The Executive Committee is the elected governance body of NASCIO responsible for directing, through executive management, the general business of the Association. Duties include strategic planning, establishing membership policy, dues; and approving the annual budget and business workplan of the Association.

Under the leadership of CIO Collins, Delaware has worked diligently to expand broadband throughout the state — which boasts some of the highest speeds in the nation — increase citizen engagement, lead the effort to increase open data and utilize data analytics, and achieved 100% school connectivity. Additionally, Delaware is the only state to implement a single statewide Enterprise Resource Planning system supporting fiscal, payroll and human resources practices for all branches of government, including K-12 and higher education.

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About the Delaware Department of Technology and Information
The Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) is the state’s central IT organization, chartered to deliver core services to other state organizations and exercise governance over the technology direction and investments of the state. DTI provides innovative enterprise services enabling other organizations to effectively fulfill their missions.
www.dti.delaware.gov
www.DigiKnow.delaware.gov