In this episode of NASCIO Voices, Amy is joined by NASCIO guest host Kalea Young-Gibson to break down NASCIO's latest report on the state Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) role. The report — based on responses from all 28 currently active state CPOs — reveals a role that's growing fast but still fighting for the resources it needs.

Amy and Kalea dig into the rapid expansion of CPOs across state government (from just 5 states in 2015 to 31 in 2026), the push toward formal privacy programs and frameworks, and how AI is reshaping — and sometimes overshadowing — the privacy function. Despite CPOs stepping into enterprise leadership roles, most still lack dedicated budgets, enforcement authority, and sufficient staffing.

The conversation also covers what CPOs say they need most: funding, CIO support, and a stronger seat at the table. Amy's key takeaway? CPOs know exactly what to do — they just need the authority and investment to do it.

Key topics covered:

• Growth of the state CPO role
• Privacy program maturity and the NIST framework
• CPO involvement in AI policy and risk
• Top challenges: funding, authority, and awareness
• What CPOs need to succeed in 2026 and beyond
• And what we're reading!

Join Amy Glasscock and Alex Whitaker as they sit down with Craig Orgeron, Mississippi's CIO, for an in-depth conversation about digital transformation in state government. Craig shares his unique journey from state CIO to the private sector and back again, offering valuable insights on AI innovation, procurement modernization, and building resilient digital infrastructure. Discover how Mississippi is tackling the digital divide, establishing AI frameworks, and preparing for the future of government technology.

Show Notes

0:00 - Introduction
Amy and Alex welcome Craig Orgeron back to NASCIO Voices

0:21 - Return to State CIO Role
Craig discusses his unexpected return to Mississippi's CIO position after three and a half years in the private sector, reflecting on the challenges of his first year back

3:00 - Lessons from Private Sector
Craig shares key insights from his time outside government, including deeper appreciation for private sector competition and the value of the NASCIO network

9:18 - Mississippi's Digital Government Agenda
Overview of major initiatives including procurement modernization, cloud migration, innovation fund, AI executive order, and new cybersecurity legislation

15:06 - Digital Equity Initiatives
Craig highlights grassroots efforts like the Mississippi AI Network (MAIN), AI Collaborative, and Mississippi Cyber Initiative working to close the digital divide

18:42 - AI Strategy and Policy
Discussion of AI governance, the democratization of technology, data quality, change fitness, and the importance of transparency and accountability in AI deployment

24:11 - Lightning Round
Quick questions about vacation plans (European river cruise!), Mississippi travel recommendations (blues trail, museums, Elvi's restaurant), and excitement for the NASCIO midyear meeting

Amy and Alex discuss how AI is moving beyond generating text to executing real tasks and workflows. In this episode, we unpack the rise of agentic AI, what it means for state governments and how technology leaders can prepare for this next phase of AI innovation. 

Find the report here: https://www.nascio.org/resource-center/resources/beyond-generation-the-rise-of-agentic-ai-in-state-government/

Alex and Amy are joined this week by NASCIO policy analyst Kalea Young-Gibson. We discuss vendor accountability, litigation trends and how states can reduce legal and operational risk as the DOJ final rule for accessibility of web content and mobil apps approaches.

Alex and Amy talk about NASCIO's recently released 2026 federal advocacy priorities--as well as our personal goals for the new year.

Find the priorities here: https://www.nascio.org/government-affairs/federal-advocacy-priorities/

Alex and Amy talk with NASCIO President and Arizona state CIO J.R. Sloan about his presidential initiative for 2026 and priorities in Arizona. He also tells us what he loves about living in Arizona.

Alex and Amy are joined by Eyal Darmon of Accenture to talk about our recent joint report. Specifically we are talking about how citizens and CIOs view the challenges of accessing state services--where they align and where they don't. 

See the report here: https://www.nascio.org/resource-center/resources/harnessing-genai-to-elevate-the-citizen-experience/

Alex and Amy are joined by NASCIO's Eric Sweden to hear all about the NASCIO Top Ten lists for 2026. There's a big change to the #1 spot this year! We also get some historic perspective on the top issues and technologies, and as always get to hear Eric play the guitar!

https://www.nascio.org/resource-center/resources/state-cio-top-ten-policy-and-technology-priorities-for-2026/

Today Amy and Alex talk about the issues that dominated NASCIO this year from AI and EA to procurement and accessibility. Plus we share what was on our Spotify Wrapped lists and our musical ages.

Alex and Amy are joined by NASCIO's program director for enterprise architecture and governace Eric Sweden to discuss the 2025 State CIO Survey sections on data management and cloud services. We also talk Thanksgiving food!

Read the State CIO Survey here: https://www.nascio.org/resource-center/the-2024-state-cio-survey/