Change Agent: Anh Selissen
After overcoming a major ransomware attack and the COVID-19 pandemic disruption, Anh Selissen, CIO of the Texas Department of Transportation, has digitally transformed the agency.
When Anh Selissen joined the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in 2019 as CIO, she was ready to bring her more than 20 years of public sector experience to transform the agency.
"I was brought in as a change agent to make sure I was able to change the way technology was viewed at TxDOT and offered as a service," she tells The CEO Magazine.
After starting at TxDOT, Selissen quickly realized the urgent need to focus on upgrading and modernizing infrastructure. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and a major ransomware attack that hit the agency, putting an intense focus on the vital role technology plays at TxDOT.
"My team really pulled together. It was instrumental to have leadership because, during the first couple of days of the ransomware attack, we had vendors pointing fingers at each other – we needed a strong figure to step in and say, ‘No, this is what we’re doing, and this is how we’re going to drive to get the agency back on its feet’," she recalls.
"Being able to manage contractors effectively really defines my leadership."
Effective leadership, paired with a clear organizational direction, meant TxDOT was able to recover in just 30 days.
"Making sure that our traffic signals were still working and making sure that our critical systems were still running during that time and without major outages was monumental," she adds.
"I think it tested my ability as a leader to bring this agency back at such a critical time."
Intense development
Over the past six years, it’s no exaggeration to say Selissen and her team have overseen a widespread transformation at TxDOT. While embracing innovative technology has been a central part of this shift, developing a solid workforce that is focused on the right tasks and is sustainable is an equally essential component.
"We made a huge effort to bring in the right people who are trying to do the right things for the public," she says.
"For all of our critical systems, we either have a road map to upgrade and get it into a modern solution, or we have already modernized. Most of our priority one systems are now at a very modern version of some kind, so we’re not playing catch-up."
As part of the growth at TxDOT, its portfolio has significantly evolved. When Selissen joined, it was managing critical software and systems, but now they have been fully integrated.
"We’re helping manage our intelligent transportation systems. We are instrumental in our strategies for not only key business systems but also traffic systems," she explains.
Cybersecurity has been heavily reinforced, too. Thanks to the work of third-party pen testers, Selissen now believes that TxDOT is probably one of the most secure agencies from a cybersecurity perspective in Texas.
Fostering talent
Finding the right balance between outsourcing and insourcing is a top priority for Selissen.
"We have about 200 full-time employees and then we have about 500 contract resources that work for us," she says. "But regardless of how you’re badged, it’s about family and doing the right thing. The culture of our organization is very positive and I think people enjoy coming to work."
By creating an environment with collaboration and teamwork at the center, Selissen believes that everybody has a very clear focus of what TxDOT is trying to achieve.
But perhaps the most exciting development made by Selissen and her team is the launch of a modern enterprise data platform.
"We’re moving toward answering, ‘How do we leverage the connected autonomous vehicle information and the data that comes off cars?’" she says. "In order to provide more proactive analytics and information to the public to reroute them safely, I think data is critical."
Public–private partnerships
Successfully adopting innovative technology requires strong public–private partnerships, according to Selissen, with accountability being placed firmly at the heart of these relationships. When assessing major contracts, she says she asks two core questions.
"Are they delivering results for TxDOT? And are the vendors being held accountable? Being able to manage contractors effectively really defines my leadership," she explains.
Creating a cohesive environment for all managed services contracts that work toward a common goal is essential for a department as large as TxDOT. "Being able to understand and learn from those people is critical to me," she says.
"We are instrumental in our strategies for not only key business systems but also traffic systems."
Working so closely with major technology companies offers TxDOT the ideal opportunity to leverage this external knowledge base. Everything from proof of concepts and accessing research to hearing the latest information on next-generation technology can be achieved through these partnerships.
"We’re able to leverage that knowledge and that data set in order to find out how this technology is working out, and how we can use the innovation that they’ve proven to help TxDOT from a productivity and operations perspective," she explains.
Today, after spending the past six years making a major mark on TxDOT, Selissen still has a strong drive to innovate. Enabling the technology capabilities and offering excellent customer service, where people know that the agency is going to help solve the problem, no matter how big or small, keeps Selissen focused on what’s next.
"My mission is enabling tech to fulfill its core mission," she concludes. "What drives me is waking up every day and knowing that I am doing the right thing for the state of Texas."