Profiles in Power highlights public officials nationwide who are improving their communities through their dedication, enthusiasm, creativity and experience. This week’s profile is the Director of Technology & Innovation and Chief Information Officer for the city of Tampa, Florida.
My public career highlights and education:
I serve as the Chief Information and Technology Officer for the City of Tampa, where I lead strategy, innovation, and resilience across municipal IT systems. Over the years and various roles within IT, I’ve helped the city modernize legacy platforms, transition to cloud infrastructure, and foster a culture of collaboration. My role blends technical mastery with systems thinking, ensuring not just performance but also continuity during emergencies and change.
I earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Computer Information Systems and an MBA with a specialization in Information Security Management from Saint Leo University. These programs, along with my practical experience, provided a solid foundation in operational leadership and strategic risk management. Coupled with my early experience in various technologies and visual storytelling, they’ve shaped how I approach problems from both the human and technical sides.
What I like best about public service:
Public service offers me the chance to build systems that quietly support others; it’s where technology meets trust. I find meaning in leading teams and designing tools and processes that enable sound decisions, especially when pressure is high and clarity is paramount. What I value most is the opportunity to help others navigate complexity with calm and confidence. With public service, our portfolio of influence spans many systems typically not accessible in private businesses.
The best advice you’ve ever received:
“Resist the urge to fix everything.” That idea profoundly influences how I mentor. Early in my career, I was often the go-to problem solver. But I realized that true leadership is about restraint—not rushing to resolve but creating space for others to grow and solve on their own. That kind of distributed wisdom lasts longer than any quick fix. I’m so proud of my staff and their ingenuity and enthusiasm for helping our customers. I’ll always feel like an on-field coach, positioning others for their moments to make a difference and feel the reward of being successful.
Something I wish more people knew about my division of government:
IT in government isn’t just wires, servers, and software—it’s resilience, sustainable operations, and business orchestration. Our division underpins everything from emergency communications to city planning, enabling continuity even in crisis. Creating solutions from what we have often results from our innovation. What people often overlook is how much intentionality goes into building systems that serve real human needs, especially when the stakes are high and time and budgets are tight.
Current project or initiative you’re working on:
We manage about 55 separate projects at any given time, year after year. Some run for a few months, while others take up to two years. My office is leading our organization’s adoption of smarter decision-making via a formal data strategy and tailored training. Additionally, we’re leading the responsible use of AI and integrating AI safety to help speed our work in high-demand areas such as legal contracts, permitting, and construction plan review.
Perhaps the most exciting project is one with 12 months remaining in an 18-month endeavor to replace our 911 fire dispatch application and fire station reporting infrastructure with the latest technology. There are so many integrated benefits for emergency operations to help not only our front-line responders but especially our dispatchers, along with numerous enhancements to our fire stations. This includes real-time situation awareness, caller and automatic vehicle location and recommendations, medical scripting, AI, and automation for voice and print communications. I’m very proud of the city leadership for approving and funding this project and very excited to complete the implementation in summer 2026.
One thing people may not know about me:
Outside of my government role, I was recognized with a National Scholastic Gold medal for my mixed media art in high school. That was long ago, and now I still work in pencil and charcoal. Art has always been a way for me to pause, reflect, and tell stories. Some of my most meaningful recent work has involved illustrating my wife’s poetry for family milestones—using visual narrative to honor memory, connection, and cement gentle reminders of our shared history. We’ve been together for most of our lives, and I greatly appreciate her part in shaping who I am and guiding the best of my qualities to shine through every day.
