Governor Laura Kelly Announces the Departure of Secretary of Administration, Chief Information Technology Officer DeAngela Burns-Wallace
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced the departure of Secretary of Administration and Chief Information Technology Officer Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace. Dr. Burns-Wallace will be leaving her dual roles as the head of two executive branch agencies on January 6, 2023. She looks forward to spending more time with her family before returning to teaching in the spring.
Dr. Burns-Wallace has served as head of the Department of Administration since her appointment in June 2019. She was confirmed by the Kansas Senate the following January. In addition to her role as Secretary of Administration, Dr. Burns-Wallace also has led the Office of Information Technology Services as Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) since August 2019. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Burns-Wallace was a driving force around continuity of state operations and oversaw the Governor’s Office of Recovery, which was tasked with administering federal Covid-19 relief funds.
Dr. Burns-Wallace also served on numerous executive boards and commissions. She served as chair of the State’s Health Care Commission and as a member of the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice, the Governor’s Cybersecurity Taskforce, and the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee.
“Dr. Burns-Wallace has been a singular force in my administration for ensuring the delivery of high-quality government services to Kansans,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “From modernizing the state’s IT infrastructure to advancing key projects like the Docking State Office Building and the KDHE Health and Environment Laboratory, she has been a consistent source of leadership and excellence. I am so proud of what she has accomplished both here in Kansas and across the country, and I wish her well in the future.”
Dr. Burns-Wallace played a critical role in strengthening state operations at all levels. She prioritized making the state an employer-of-choice through the implementation of new initiatives, including the launch of a standardized performance review and training process, the Statewide Learning and Talent Management Systems; the relaunch of the Statewide Internship program; the creation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative; and the KS Women in State Employment (WISE) affinity group.
In her role as Chief Information Technology Officer, Dr. Burns-Wallace was recently awarded the Orbie Award for the 2022 Outstanding CIO of the Year in Government. Through her efforts, Kansas was also invited to The National Governor’s Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices Cybersecurity Policy Academy in 2021.
Dr. Burns-Wallace has been recognized nationally for her leadership: In 2020, she was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees, and in 2022, she become a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
“It has been the greatest honor to serve under Governor Laura Kelly. Her leadership enabled the Department of Administration and the Office of Information Technology Services to thrive under very difficult circumstances. When state government works well, the citizen of Kansas all benefit. That was my job, to make it all work well.” said Dr. Burns-Wallace. “It is also a credit to the wonderful staff of the Department of Administration and the Office of Information Technology Services that we have maintained a high-level of service to Kansans. I know they will continue to make Kansas proud. Thank you to each and every one of my team members”
Governor Kelly will name candidates to the roles of Secretary of Administration and Chief Information Technology Officer in the coming weeks.
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