NEVADA GOVERNOR’S TECHNOLOGY OFFICE ANNOUNCES MICHAEL D. SMITH AS CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

CARSON CITY, NV. — May 25, 2026 — The Nevada Governor’s Technology Office announced today that Michael D. Smith has been named Chief Technology Officer, bringing over a decade of State of Nevada information technology experience and a service-first leadership approach to one of the state’s most critical technology roles. 

Smith will help lead statewide technology strategy with a focus on operational excellence, customer service, modernization, and stronger coordination with executive branch agencies. His appointment reflects the Governor’s Technology Office’s continued commitment to making state technology more reliable, responsive, and aligned with the needs of the agencies serving Nevadans every day. “Technology strategy only matters if it shows up in the field as a faster fix, a clearer process, or a smoother day for our agency partners,” Smith said. “My focus is turning strategy into operational playbooks, guardrails, and measurable outcomes so our teams know what to do, not just why we are doing it.” 

Smith’s State of Nevada career includes several Information Technology Professional roles with Enterprise IT Services from 2016 to 2022, where he helped launch and train staff across the state on Office 365, Teams, and SharePoint. He later served as an enterprise architect and Technology Investment Notification administrator before being promoted in 2022 to Information Technology Manager III of Service Management. In that role, he provided leadership for the Enterprise Service Desk, HR Help Desk, Field Support Services, and Application Server Support teams.

As CTO, Smith will focus on strengthening the customer experience for state agencies, improving service delivery, and advancing ITIL-based practices that make technology support more consistent, transparent, and accountable.

“When an agency contacts us, they are usually not asking for IT help in the abstract,” Smith said. “They are trying to get back to serving Nevadans. Our job is to understand that mission, restore service quickly, communicate clearly, and learn from every issue so we can prevent the next one.”Smith said his approach to public-sector technology is shaped not only by his technical background, but also by his earlier experience managing retail operations.

“Retail taught me to meet customers where they are, not where I wish they would be,” Smith said. “It is the same in government technology: clarify the need in plain language, set expectations, follow through, and make it easy to do the right thing. Most IT problems are also process clarity and communication problems. Solve those, and the technology follows.”

The Governor’s Technology Office has emphasized the importance of building a service culture that supports agencies as they deliver benefits, issue licenses, protect public safety, and provide essential services to residents across Nevada. Smith said that means moving beyond ticket counts alone and measuring whether the office is improving the actual experience of the customer.

“Closing a ticket is not the same thing as solving a problem,” Smith said. “We have to focus on value: was service restored, was risk reduced, did the customer know what happened, and did we learn enough to keep it from happening again?”
Smith said agency partners should expect a stronger sense of ownership from the technology teams supporting them.

“You should feel ownership,”  Smith said. “The person who takes your issue should stay with you, keep you informed, and make sure the fix holds. Even when work has to move between teams, there should be a single accountable point of contact.”

In addition to his State service, Smith holds a Master of Science in Information Technology Management from Western Governors University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Chapman University. Born in Virginia and raised in Southern California, Smith has called Nevada home for the past 25 years. Outside of work, he spends time with his family and serves as music director for his church’s gospel choir. 

“Michael understands both the technology and the people who depend on it,” said Timothy Galluzi, State Chief Information Officer. “He has worked across the stack, led customer-facing teams, and built the kind of practical experience that helps turn big goals into better service. That combination matters in state government, where reliable technology is not an accessory to public service, it is part of how public service gets delivered.”

Smith said his goal is to help build a technology organization that is predictable, competent, and grounded in care for the agencies it serves.

“When we are doing it right, customers feel three things: predictability, competence, and care,” Smith said. “They know what will happen and when, they trust that we can solve the problem, and they know we understand their mission. That is the standard.”

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About the Governor’s Technology Office

The Governor’s Technology Office serves Nevada by fostering innovative technology, collaborative governance and the delivery of exceptional services and solutions. Through the Office of Information Security and Cyber Defense, GTO helps state agencies strengthen security, manage cyber risk and support resilient public services.

Media Contact

Michael Hanna-Butros Meyering Chief Communication and Policy Officer, Governor’s Technology Office (GTO) Phone: 775-495-0603 Email: Michaelhbm@it.nv.gov Office: 775-684-5800 | Carson City, NV