Executive Profile: Public Sector Chief Information Officer
If you know of a forward-thinking leader who we should consider profiling and who buys enterprise technology, we look forward to hearing from you at CEN.
David L. Stevens
Chief Information Officer
maricopa County, Arizona -Fourth Largest and Fastest Growing County in the US

Q: Tell us about your role.
A: I serve as the Chief Information Officer for Maricopa County, AZ â the fourth largest (4.2 million citizens and 9,200 square miles in size) and fastest growing County in the Nation; it is larger than 23 States by population with an overall budget of $2.2 Billion dollars and a technology budget of $200 Million dollars. My focus is strategic technology investments that deliver value, keep the customer first, and create a winning culture.
Q: Whatâs your typical day like?
A: Typical day starts before the office when I wake up to do a quick check of email, texts, and news. In the office my day starts by huddling with my executive assistant to make any needed adjustments to the schedule, handle items needing my immediate attention, and also direct any action to my team. Then I usually spend time with customers, business partners, and stakeholders. The âendâ of my work day is reviewing performance metrics, dashboards/ reports, and financials. I go to the gym late each night, and before bed, read new research, a book, or other relevant information.
Q: What are your biggest initiatives or challenges for the next 6 - 18 months?
A: We are making our next 18 months all about voice of customer, customer experience, and service quality â to strive to make saleable, secure, and contextually relevant services for our customers and citizens. We spent the last 3 years building the foundation (network, security, telecommunications, metrics, ERP, culture, and financials) so we could build a reliable technology stack that will deliver first-class customer service. Our new strategic plan can be viewed on our website.
A: My sense is that Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IoT, and Data will continue to be major disruptors â the intersection of these Big Four will generate new growth, discovers, and impact business and society in profound ways.
Q: If you could have a different job, what would it be?
A: I think I would either want to be an exotic vacation tour guide or a fighter pilot.