GoldenGov: State Executive of the Year

Several months into the pandemic, Jennifer Ricker was named acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology, while also maintaining the duties of her former role as assistant secretary. She successfully assumed responsibility for both roles while leading the state’s response to historic demands on information technology, including stabilizing systems to handle the increased workload, quickly introducing workflow automation, and expanding applications and tools to support the virtual delivery of services.

In addition, Ricker is guiding outreach efforts for staff to remain connected while working remotely and is recognized as a strong leader with the ability to deliver results.