Executive Leadership

Executive Branch Chief Information Technology Officer

Jeff Maxon

Interim Chief Information Technology Officer

Chief Information Security Officer

Jeff was appointed Interim Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) in January 2023. He has been with the State of Kansas since 2009, most recently serving as the State’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). He will continue in his role as CISO while serving as CITO.

Jeff brings a wealth of experience to the role. In his 12 plus years with the State, he has forged relationships with agency leadership and the legislature. His work on cybersecurity from a whole-of-state approach has improved the cyber posture of Kansas and created collaborative opportunities for how state, local, and critical infrastructure work together.

While with the State, Jeff has been the recipient of several awards including recognition in 2022 as a top Global CISO by Cyber Defense Magazine. He holds licenses and professional certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). In addition, Jeff serves as a Cyber Defense Systems Operations Craftsman for the Kansas Air National Guard. He holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Science from Washburn University.

Office of Information Technology Services

Tanya Rodriguez-Heffel
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Appointed Chief Technology Officer for the State of Kansas in July 2021, Tanya plays an integral role in the strategic direction, development, and evolution of our state’s digital strategy across all technology stacks including information security and privacy. Tanya is committed to working across state agencies to provide technology solutions that will help Kansas position as an innovation leader.

Tanya’s extensive experience in the private sector includes Director of Technical Operations & Client Services for Georgetown University Law Center where she was the Director of Technical Operations, Client Services and Access Identity. In that role, she re-engineered operational, technical and support processes and platforms to deliver enhanced technology solutions and customer service to faculty, staff, and students. Prior to her time at Georgetown, Tanya served as CISO with SecureIT, as well as the Senior Director of Monster Government Solutions. At each of these organizations, Tanya has improved processes and responded to the needs of her customers.

Tanya holds a Dual Bachelor’s degree and an M.S.S from Virginia Tech.

Tanya and her Team provide Infrastructure Services to the State of Kansas as highlighted below:

Data Center as a Service
Mainframe as a Service
Email & Collaboration
Voice Services
Data Network Services
Web Services

For a detailed description of Infrastructure Services provided by the Office of Information Technology, please visit our website Infrastructure Services.

Email the CTO

Shelia Johnson
Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

Shelia joined OITS in August of 2021 as the Chief Experience Officer.

Shelia brings 20+ years delivering exceptional customer service within the information technology arena. Her wealth of end-user support knowledge in various 24/7 support operations will provide the leadership required for this critical role within OITS. Shelia comes to us from Greektown Casino-Hotel as their Director of Information Technology.

She holds licenses and professional certifications, including CompTIA Security + and Project Management Professional. She has a MS in Information Technology from Grantham University and a BBA from the University of Mississippi- School of Business Administration.

Shelia provides Professional Services to the state of Kansas as highlighted below:

Service Desk
ServiceNow Platform
Professional Services
NOC/SOC

For a detailed description of Professional Services, please visit Professional Services.

Email the CXO.

Alex Wong
Chief Information Technology Architect

Alex joined OITS in February 2022 as the Chief Information Technology Architect.

Alex came to OITS from San José State University in San José, CA, where he served as Associate CIO & Senior Director of Enterprise Solutions. In this role, Alex was responsible for overseeing research, planning, design, implementation, and support of Enterprise Applications in on-premise and cloud environments.

Prior to that, he previously worked at The University of Kansas for 17 years. He began his career there as an IT Manager in the Department of Administration & Finance and worked his way up to Chief Technology Officer.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Kansas State University and a Mini MBA for Tech Executives from Boston University.

Alex and his Team provide the following services:

Oversight of KITO Projects as outlined in statute
Kansas Project Management Training Program
IT Accessibility Compliance

For a detailed description of Kansas Information Technology Office Services, please visit the KITO site.

Email the CITA.

Kansas Information Security Office

Jeff Maxon
Chief Information Security Officer

Jeff Maxon was appointed CISO in July of 2020 after serving the state for more than 10 years. His intimate knowledge of the systems and history is invaluable to the security of the state’s most valuable assets. He is dedicated and enthusiastic about the key role the Kansas Information Security Office (KISO) plays in the security and service of Kansas citizens and their government. Maxon currently serves on the state’s Information Technology Security Council, reporting to ITEC. He holds licenses and professional certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). In addition Maxon serves as a Cyber Defense Systems Operations Craftsman for the Kansas Air National Guard. He holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Science from Washburn University.