Gov. Jay Inslee today named William Kehoe state chief information officer (CIO) with Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) effective August 1. He replaces Mark Quimby who has served as acting CIO since March when former CIO James Weaver departed from the agency earlier this year. Quimby will return to his position of deputy director for technology and operations.
Kehoe is currently CIO for Los Angeles County, where he has served since 2017. In the position, he made innovation the central tenet of the office, bringing business and IT together to transform the technology strategy and policy in security, information management, governance, and project investment and oversight. More recent work includes the initiation of a regional strategic plan to close the digital divide in the county.
Kehoe has a long history of managing information technology departments in local and state governments, including over 15 years in Washington state agencies and counties. Before working as CIO in Los Angeles, he served as CIO for King County and the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL).
“In our rapidly developing technological landscape, I have no doubt that Bill, a proven innovative leader, is the best person to lead WaTech through their next chapter,” Inslee said. “Under his leadership and experience of over two decades serving as a CIO, WaTech will continue to improve the delivery of quality technology solutions and protect the information of the people and agencies of Washington. I would also like to thank Mark for stepping in these past few months and look forward to our continued work together.”
“I am honored and excited to return to Washington and apply my experience and technology leadership as the state CIO to support the priorities of Governor Inslee, the state agencies and WaTech," Kehoe said. "Technology is a critical strategic component of the state strategy in transforming and improving services to the people of Washington, and WaTech provides important strategic and operational expertise to enable the improvements.”
During his time in Los Angeles, the county received the first Google Future Award for deploying innovative technology solutions, and during his time in Los Angeles County and King County, both counties received the top large County Digital Award from Government Technology.
Kehoe earned his bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University.
Photo of William Kehoe
