Kristina Hagberg, chief transformation officer, Ohio
Can you describe your role?
Ohio has an IT innovation technology strategic plan, so the CIO and leadership team is really focused on that plan. My role as the first chief transformation officer for Ohio is that I’m focused on collaboration, strategic investments, service quality and IT projects success. I’ve introduced and applied best practices and standards to ensure consistency for on-time, on-budget and goal focused program and project delivery, increasing our success rates and improving cost effectiveness.
What do you love most about your job as a public servant?
I am very happy to be in state government. Much of my career has been in financial institutions and the private sector, so I am happy to be here and honored to serve the great state of Ohio working to deliver Gov. [Mike] DeWine and Lt. Gov. [Jon] Husted’s administration technology goals. I feel like I’m contributing to a larger purpose, the interests of Ohio’s people, helping others, and a chance to make a positive difference to the lives of others here in Ohio.
What lesson will you take with you from the pandemic?
We were required to act fast among the mess of rapid change. We went from working from an office every day to working from home for what we thought was days that turned into weeks that turned into months. And in state government, this was unprecedented: We had to quickly figure out how to set up our employees to be successful with working from home, we didn’t have a rulebook. For me, as a manager, it became necessary to be flexible and understanding to be successful in this new way of working.