Ep.115 Breaking Tech Barriers: From Business to IT Leadership with Carolyn Staats, Director of Innovation, Information Systems Department Sonoma County

Summary

Carolyn Staats is the Director of the Innovation and Information Systems Department in Sonoma County in California. She has a unique story of how she got into IT, having started out with a business background and then taking IBM's training courses in RPG programming, database architecture, and system design. She learned from IBM the importance of taking the long view and designing sustainable, supportable systems that can grow with a business. She also discussed the importance of having a team-oriented approach to success. Lastly, she discussed the issue of siloed government systems and how technology can be used to help fix this problem.

Timestamps

Business to IT (1:12): Discover how Carolyn transitioned from a business background to a leader in IT, breaking stereotypes along the way.

IBM Training Impact (5:21): Insights from Carolyn on how IBM's training in RPG programming and system design shaped her career.

Silos in Government Tech (7:22): Carolyn's expert advice on dismantling siloed systems in government for better efficiency

First Principles Approach (9:29): Problem-solving used to dissect complex problems and create original solutions Sonoma County

Private Sector Practices (10:04): Exploring the intersection of private sector methodologies and public sector service.

Overcoming Partnership Hurdles (11:15): What holds back collaboration in government IT, and how to overcome these challenges.

Federal Grant and Future Plans (42:58): A look into Sonoma County's strategies with a $2 million federal grant.

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