IE11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Among Tech Appointments, Newsom Elevates Official from Acting to Deputy State CIO

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who reappointed Amy Tong this spring as state chief information officer, made two appointments Tuesday at the California Department of Technology — the agency she directs — and one reappointment at the California Department of Transportation.

richard-rogers-cropped.jpg
Gov. Gavin Newsom made two significant technology appointments late Tuesday and reappointed one veteran IT official.

The governor appointed Richard Rogers as deputy state chief information officer and chief deputy director of the California Department of Technology. Rogers, 58, has been acting deputy state CIO and CDT chief deputy director since 2019; and had served as chief of the Office of Technology Services and state chief technology officer since 2017. Previously, Rogers had been CDT’s deputy director of engineering from 2015 to 2017.

Rogers’ position of state technology officer is “currently vacant,” CDT said via email, though Ellen Ishimoto has been acting state technology officer since Rogers became acting deputy CIO and acting CDT chief deputy director more than a year ago. Rogers, originally appointed under the Gov. Jerry Brown administration, said he was honored by the permanent appointment and thanked state CIO Amy Tong, whom Newsom reappointed in April.

“I want to thank Amy Tong for giving me the chance to take on this critical role and Ellen Ishimoto for doing an outstanding job as the acting State Chief Technology Officer, which gave me the freedom to concentrate on this new role,” Rogers said in a statement. Tong praised Rogers’ diligence and performance.

“Richard and I have worked together as a team for well over a year, and every day has been a pleasure,” Tong said in a statement. “His deep experience in state technology has delivered another level of capability, service and professionalism to CDT, which benefits our staff, our customers and the state’s residents.”

Before joining CDT, Rogers spent nearly 30 years at the California Employment Development Department — serving as chief of its infrastructure and application services divisions, business applications services supervisor and member of the enterprise architecture team in a tenure that ran from 1986 to 2015. Rogers, a registered Democrat and Roseville resident, holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, from California State University, Sacramento. He is paid $181,464 per year.

Newsom also appointed Adelina Garcia Zendejas as CDT deputy director of special projects. She rejoins the state technology agency from California Complete Count, Census 2020, where she has been chief deputy director since 2018 — but has been serving as a special advisor to CDT’s director since last year. Zendejas, 60, has worked in several key state departments and was deputy director of CDT’s Broadband and Digital Literacy Office from 2012 to 2018. Zendejas said in a statement she is “honored and humbled” to serve in Newsom’s administration.

“Working as deputy director of special projects at CDT provides the opportunity to continue working with an exceptional leadership team led by Amy Tong and Richard Rogers, and CDT staff who are dedicated and focused on developing innovative and responsive solutions to meet business needs and deliver digital services to the residents of California,” Zendejas said.

Tong and Rogers congratulated Zendejas. The state CIO said: “Adelina has been an important extension of the directorate and has assisted several CDT offices with a variety of tasks. She’s always there whenever she’s needed and wherever she’s needed.” Rogers said Zendejas has “proved herself time and again” throughout her public service career, adding: “Her get-it-done attitude highlights a variety of positive attributes that help advance CDT’s mission.”

It’s unclear whether Zendejas’ CDT position is newly created. But her state career may have begun at CDT; highlights over 23 years include serving as a data processing manager III at the State Board of Equalization from 2004-2012; as chief information officer at the Victim Compensation Board from 2002 to 2004; and holding several CDT positions from 1997-2002 including senior information systems analyst. A Democrat and Sacramento resident, Zendejas has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Cal State Sacramento. She is paid $143,424 annually.

The governor also reappointed George Akiyama as chief information officer at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), where he has held that position since 2015. Per Caltrans’ website, he is also its deputy director of IT. Akiyama, 54, was previously an information technology manager at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2012 to 2015. His state career spans 25 years, including a time as strategic planning manager at the Franchise Tax Board from 2011 to 2012; as CIO at the Financial Information System for California from 2009 to 2011; and as IT manager at the Franchise Tax Board from 2001 to 2009. A Sacramento resident, Akiyama has a Master of Business Administration degree from Cal State Sacramento. He is paid $174,000 per year and does not declare a political party affiliation.

Theo Douglas is Assistant Managing Editor of Industry Insider — California.