When Liz Lewis-Lee stepped into the role of Chief Information Officer at Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to drive transformation, she inherited more than just a technology function. She took charge of a uniquely complex technology environment – one that spans office-based staff, frontline field workers, wildfire responders, scientists, and remote operations across vast geographic areas.
“I had worked at agencies in Washington where everybody did the same thing, and so managing their technology was straightforward,” she explains. “However, at DNR, all of our technology has to work to support all of the people all of the time, both in the office and out in the field.” That duality defines the agency’s technology challenge. Systems must be resilient, accessible, and effective whether used at a desk or in the middle of a wildfire zone.
Having spent three years as IT Operations Manager before becoming CIO, Liz brought a rare operational grounding into the role. That experience has proven invaluable as she transitioned into a more strategic position. “I had a really good foundation for how the technology works, how the people work, and what the business needs were,” she says. “Now I have this more strategic view of how IT fits into the needs of the agency.”
But her first year as CIO coincided with significant disruption: new executive leadership, statewide budget pressures, and evolving agency priorities. “It’s been a year of really aligning all of those competing priorities to build a solid platform for the future,” she reflects. “Building trust with my leadership, building trust with my partners, and building trust with my team.”
Leading with Trust
For Liz, leadership is rooted in a simple but powerful principle: trust is built through education. “I really believe that education and trust go hand in hand,” she says.
That philosophy was tested early, particularly in navigating budget constraints. Faced with difficult trade-offs – extending warranties, delaying upgrades, and prioritising critical systems – she recognised the need to clearly communicate the implications of those decisions.
“I had an opportunity to tell the story at the executive level and explain where we had to make trade-offs and why it was important that the agency understand those trade-offs,” she recalls.
The result was tangible. By articulating how IT decisions directly supported the agency’s mission, Liz secured an additional $1.5 million in funding. “I was able to tell a story about why the things we were doing supported the agency and were for the ongoing health of the agency.”
At the same time, she was building credibility with her own team. Following a long-serving predecessor, she faced the challenge of establishing her leadership with staff who were accustomed to continuity. Her response focused on openness and engagement.
From Fragmentation to Foundation
When Liz joined DNR in 2022, the technology landscape was underdeveloped. Core capabilities existed in theory but had not been fully implemented.
“The state agencies pay into the Microsoft suite of services, but these hadn’t been fully utilised,” she explains. “My first two years were about hiring enough people to do that work.”
In the absence of sufficient resources, she took a hands-on approach. “I was rolling up my sleeves and doing the work… As an Exchange administrator in a former life, I got in there and started helping with those technical things.”
At the same time, foundational gaps were addressed. “There was no process for requesting and approving new technology. And many of our other processes were either very old or incomplete” she says.
Over four years, the team has focused on building the basics: implementing tools, establishing governance, and creating repeatable processes. “We’re moving towards becoming an organisation that doesn’t have to rely on heroes. Instead, we’re just building the right processes for the work that we do.”