Texas: Governor Abbott Appoints Eight To Public Sector Artificial Intelligence Systems Advisory Board

~ Governor Greg Abbott has recently appointed eight individuals to the Public Sector Artificial Intelligence Systems Advisory Board. The board, which advises state agencies on the use of artificial intelligence, will serve until September 1, 2027.

One of the appointees is Heather Hall, Ph.D., who currently serves as the chief information officer at the Texas Workforce Commission. She is also the president of the Texas Association for Strategic Solutions and Collaboration in Computing (TASSCC) and a member of various committees and organizations related to information technology. Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from Baylor University, a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from The University of Texas at Austin, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science from the University of North Texas.

Sylvia Hernandez Kauffman, another appointee to the board, is currently the chief information officer for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHS). She has previously held leadership roles at HHS and worked as a software development leader at Exxon Company, USA. Kauffman received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Stanford University and a Master of Science in Public Policy from Harvard University.

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Tina McLeod, who serves as the chief information officer for the Texas Office of the Attorney General, is also among those appointed to the board. She has previously worked as deputy director of IT applications at Texas Health and Human Services and is a former advisory board member for Austin Women in Technology. McLeod holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

Anh Selissen, chief information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), brings her experience leading TxDOT's information technology division since September 2019 to her role on the advisory board. She has also served as deputy chief information officer for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Selissen received her Bachelor of Science in Geology from Baylor University and a Master of Science in Geoscience from Michigan Technological University.

Ronald Steffa, chief financial officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), is another appointee to the board. He has previously held leadership roles at TDCJ and is also a deacon and Sunday school teacher at University Heights Baptist Church. Steffa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University.

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David Bolduc, who has over 49 years of legal experience in government and private practice, will also serve on the advisory board. Bolduc currently serves as the agency head and public counsel at the Office of the Public Insurance Counsel. He has previously held positions at various state agencies, including the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Department of Agriculture. Bolduc received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Bowdoin College and a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law.

Jaclyn Beerens, vice president of consulting services at CGI, brings her expertise to the advisory board as well. She is a former advisory board member for TASSCC and a former board member for Healthier Texas. Beerens holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Lastly, Josh Chacona, regional vice president of solution engineering at Snowflake, will also serve on the advisory board. Chacona has previous experience as a sales engineer at Oracle and National Instruments, as well as a manufacturing process engineer at Scapa North America. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California State University.

The Public Sector Artificial Intelligence Systems Advisory Board will play an important role in guiding state agencies on the use of artificial intelligence technology. With these eight highly qualified individuals appointed to serve on the board, it is expected that their expertise will greatly benefit state agencies in utilizing AI effectively and ethically.

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