Governor Kelly Appoints Secretary of Administration, Interim Chief Information Technology Officer
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that she has appointed Adam Proffitt to serve as Secretary of Administration and has chosen Jeff Maxon to serve as Interim Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) for the State of Kansas. Proffitt, the current Budget Director, will serve in an acting capacity until the Kansas Senate confirms him as the new head of the agency.
Both positions were previously held by Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, who is departing state service on January 6th. However, moving forward the roles will be separate as they were before Dr. Burns-Wallace joined the Kelly Administration.
“I am proud to announce the appointment of these two individuals to serve in some of the most important roles of my administration. Adam’s work as Budget Director has been exemplary, and Jeff has been at the forefront of cybersecurity and technology issues for the past four years,” said Governor Kelly. “I’m confident each of them will continue the great work that Dr. Burns-Wallace began as Secretary and CITO.”
Proffitt has served as Budget Director since 2020. In this role, he serves as the chief financial advisor to the Governor and works to construct a budget that is both sustainable for the State of Kansas and reflects the Governor’s policy priorities. He will continue to serve in dual roles as Budget Director and Secretary of Administration.
Prior to his time as Budget Director, Proffitt served as Medicaid Director for the State of Kansas, managing the state’s $3.8 billion Medicaid system. Before transitioning to public service, Proffitt spent 15 years in the private sector, where he held various roles in financial planning and forecasting. Most of his time in the private sector was spent at the global headquarters of Payless ShoeSource. Proffitt is a lifelong Kansan and earned a degree in Economics from Washburn University.
“I’m humbled to be able to continue serving the people of Kansas in this new role,” said Proffitt. “I want to thank Governor Kelly for the opportunity, and I look forward to building on the accomplishments that Dr. Burns-Wallace has achieved in her time as Secretary.”
Jeff Maxon has served as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) since 2020 and will continue in the role while also serving as the CITO. He has served in many information technology and cybersecurity roles with the State of Kansas since 2009. Maxon also serves as a Cyber Defense Operations Craftsman with Kansas Air National Guard.
In 2022, Maxon was recognized as a top Global CISO by Cyber Defense Magazine. He holds a degree in Computer Science from Washburn University and a Master’s Degree in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity from Capella University. He holds multiple licenses and professional certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK).
“I’m so thankful to Governor Kelly for the chance to continue the work that we have started with Dr. Burns-Wallace as CITO,” said Maxon. “There are a number of opportunities for the State of Kansas to capitalize on as it relates to technology, and I’m excited to serve in the role of Interim CITO.”
The Secretary of Administration will serve in an acting capacity until confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Governor Kelly will begin the search for a permanent CITO soon.
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