Friday, May 5, 2023

NCDIT Leaders Recognized Nationally for Broadband and Digital Equity Initiatives

The StateScoop 50 Awards honored two NCDIT leaders for their work to expand access to affordable high-speed internet in North Carolina and to deliver modernized solutions to partners in state and local government.
RALEIGH
May 5, 2023

Two N.C. Department of Information Technology leaders received national recognition this week for their work to expand access to affordable high-speed internet in North Carolina and to deliver modernized solutions to partners in state and local government.

The StateScoop 50 Awards honored NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver for his leadership in increasing affordable broadband, securing state IT systems and data, elevating privacy across state government and delivering modernized citizen-centric solutions since joining the agency in March 2021. NCDIT is directing $1 billion in state and federal funds to broadband infrastructure grants in underserved areas, affordability programs and digital equity.

Weaver received the GoldenGov: State Executive of the Year award for visionary state executives who lead state government into a new technology landscape with innovative ideas and inspire others to get on board.

NCDIT Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny was honored for transformative efforts to achieve North Carolina state government’s priority to close the digital divide, which disadvantages more than 1.1. million North Carolinians. He is leading initiatives to expand broadband access to unserved North Carolinians and to ensure that residents can afford internet service and have the knowledge to safely and effectively participate in the digital economy. He is overseeing the award and distribution of $1.1 billion in state and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand broadband infrastructure and create the state’s first Digital Equity Grant program ($272 million and $9.9 million respectively awarded in the past year).

Denny received the State Leadership of the Year Award for a public-sector principal helping government implement new technologies, strategies and IT programs

In addition, the N.C. Criminal Justice Analysis Center’s Justice Data Portal, within the Governor’s Crime Commission, received the State IT Innovation of the Year award for a cutting-edge state IT approach to cross-agency or intra-agency technology that embraces innovation. CJAC worked with NCDIT’s Government Data Analytics Center and its technical partner SAS Institute to launch a centralized, statewide interactive platform for criminal justice data to help inform the investment of criminal justice funds across the state.

The StateScoop 50 Awards annually recognize state leaders and projects across the nation that make state and local government more efficient and effective. The winning nominees are selected through voting by their peers in state government IT.