On March 27, 2026, Jeff Maxon, the State’s Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO), was joined by the Kansas Information Security Office’s (KITO) Chief Information Security Officer (KISO), John Godfrey, and the Office of Information Technology’s (OITS) Chief of Staff (COS), Jared Harsin, in a presentation for a Global Ties KC delegation. This presentation was on the State of Kansas IT Governance: its successes, challenges, and plans for the future.
Global Ties KC is an organization that hopes to address some of the “biggest global challenges” through connection. They mainly do this by linking growing international leaders in various fields with their Midwest counterparts (Global Ties KC). This delegation in particular was comprised of professionals from Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nepal, Serbia, South Africa, and Suriname. There areas of expertise are in Digital Economy, Cyber Security, and other IT centered roles aimed at developing the IT structure/security of their country.
During his presentation, Maxon spoke on the current governance framework and its impact on Agency to Statewide Levels. He provided a brief high-level overview on the Kansas governmental structure as it relates to IT including the: Governor, Cabinet Agencies, Board of Regents, and Non- Cabinet Agencies. Harsin provided additional insights on the vast number of agencies along with staff that are impacted through local IT programs and collaborative efforts.
Maxon continued to speak of more recently established changes to strengthen the established framework through the introduction of:
- Kanas Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC)
- Office of Information Technology Services (OITS)
- Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) Position
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Position
- Chief Information Technology Architect (CITA) Position
Through the establishing of the afore listed, a way was paved for a stronger IT framework in which policy focus areas could be better developed. These policy focus areas include cybersecurity, governance, architecture, and data/ai. After Maxon’s break down of the IT Operational Structure, Godfrey presented on the work being done in the realm of cyber security.
Godfrey spoke on active initiatives on Agency levels, such as the newly established 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC). In addition to that, he made a point to emphasize the importance of other active outreach efforts for Kansans. From the busy capital to the rural towns, cyber security (and other active digital networks), can positively or negatively impact essential needs of an individuals day-to-day. Due to the nature of potential issues, it is crucial to partner with local governments to provide training and exercises on threat detection, prevention, and incident responses. Godfrey stressed that these efforts are essential towards continuing to strengthen critical infrastructure, especially in difficult to access communities.
After the presentation, the delegates asked clarifying questions on the presented framework, projects, and how they could apply them to their unique challenges/situations. Through great conversation, Maxon, Godfrey, and Harsin were able to share insights on what efforts led to positive outcomes as well as current challenges that are in need of innovative solutions. Delegates were able to walk away with new perspectives and ideas to take home. When working in IT related fields, there are no “one size fits all” solutions. However, putting certain structures in place and collaborating with those around you, can greatly aid organizations in effectively formulating their next steps towards a solution.