California Department of Technology Deputy Director Christie Borchin, who has led the Office of Professional Development since 2013, plans to retire in June.
Prior to joining CDT, Borchin was agency CIO of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (2010-13) and CIO of the Department of Insurance (2008-10). As a career civil servant, she started her career as a student assistant and office assistant with the Employment Development Department's Data Processing Division, and worked her way up from there.
During the past three-and-a-half years, Borchin told Techwire her memorable accomplishments with the Office of Professional Development included work with her team to publish an IT workforce succession plan, launching the Project Academy Series training program and helping improve the IT Leadership Academy (ITLA) each year.
Borchin also mentioned work that set up an internal employee onboarding and orientation program, exit surveys, and increasing training in security and management.
"I really feel like I made a difference in the public sector, and I'm very proud of that. I have been successful because the folks in my circle always supported me and saw more in me than I did myself," Borchin wrote in an email to Techwire.
Borchin credited her early experience at EDD for sparking her interest in information technology and prompting her to take night classes to further her education.
"Throughout my career, I was quick to volunteer for projects as needed, and ended up learning almost all aspects of IT, which prepared me for my eventual promotions," Borchin added.
