New York State Office of Information Technology Services Employee...

On Thursday, September 18, in front of a capacity crowd at the 2025 New York Digital Government Summit in Albany, individual ITS employees and ITS employee teams were recognized as "Best of New York" award winners for their exceptional use of technology and service work done for the people across the state.

"To be recognized as the "Best of New York" truly signifies a level of technological excellence and commitment to client service that many of us may work toward, but not all can attain," said New York State Chief Information Officer Dru Rai. "The examples of innovation, client focus, and operational excellence set by these ITS employees and teams are milestones on a path we all can follow today, and I congratulate these outstanding ITS employees for setting a high standard for professional success and service to New York."

We congratulate the following 2025 Best of New York Award winners: 

Best Workforce/Workplace Initiative

Data Center Services (DCS) Linux Team

The New York State Office of Information Technology Services' Data Center Services (DCS) Linux Team has redefined operational excellence by revolutionizing the Red Hat Enterprise Linux server patching process. The team compressed a once six-month patching cycle into just five weeks for more than 3,500 servers statewide. This innovation significantly strengthened cybersecurity defenses, closed vulnerability windows, ensured faster compliance, and improved system availability-all while reducing operational risk and downtime for critical state services.

Unemployment Insurance Modernization - Test Case Automation

Through visionary leadership and innovative application of technology, the New York State Office of Information Technology Services team transformed how the New York State Department of Labor tests and delivers critical unemployment insurance systems.

The team developed more than 300 automated scripts - exceeding their original goal of 250 - more than a month ahead of schedule. Their achievement stands as a model for how public sector IT can maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver lasting value to New Yorkers.

Excellence in Project Management

Ryan Pitts - Project Manager 3, NYS Office of Information Technology Services

Ryan Pitts is being honored for his exceptional leadership in managing the New York State Artificial Intelligence Initiatives - a cornerstone of Governor Hochul's vision for a future-ready New York. Through his strategic vision and meticulous project management, Ryan oversaw the launch of three groundbreaking Gen AI-powered tools, developed a scalable AI training model reaching a vast workforce, and championed responsible AI adoption through robust policy and ethical frameworks.

Best Application Serving an Agency's Business Needs

Capacity Management Application (CMA) - NYS Office of Information Technology Services & NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

The Capacity Management Application (CMA) developed jointly between ITS staff and those from the NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), replaces the outdated Certified Residential Opportunities (CRO) system - once dependent on Microsoft Access, SharePoint, and manual email processes - with a modern, cloud-based platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. This groundbreaking system gives Care Managers at Community Care Organizations (CCOs) real-time access to housing request data, streamlining workflows, improving data integrity, and delivering advanced reporting capabilities.

Best Application Serving the Public

Team Award: Integrated Eligibility System (IES): Child Support Online Enrollment - NYS Office of Information Technology Services & NYS Office of Temporary Disability Assistance

The Integrated Eligibility System (IES) Child Support Online Enrollment project represents a major leap forward in how New Yorkers access critical child support services. A partnership between the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), this initiative reimagined a process that for decades relied on paper forms, in-person visits, and complex technical language.

In just six months, the team designed and delivered an accessible, secure, and user-friendly online enrollment system. The result: parents can now apply anytime, from anywhere, on mobile or desktop, in plain language, with smart question technology and multilingual support, reducing barriers for both customers and employees.

New York State Design System (NYSDS)

A transformative initiative designed to unify and simplify the online experience for millions of residents, NYSDS is more than a design toolkit - it is a living promise to bridge digital divides, restore trust, and ensure that every click leads to clarity, dignity, and opportunity. This project exemplifies how innovative, human-centered design can redefine the relationship between government and the people it serves.

Outstanding IT Client Service

Maria Peek

Maria Peek exemplifies what it means to deliver exceptional client service in government IT. Known for her unwavering commitment to the Department of Veterans' Services and the New York State Gaming Commission, Maria combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of her clients' priorities.

Tammy Rogers

With an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades, Tammy Rogers has been a steadfast pillar of the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), dedicating her talents to the Department of Taxation and Finance. Rising through the ranks to become Director of Applications for the ITS Dedicated Support Team - Tax, Tammy leads the modernization, maintenance, and support of over 500 mission-critical applications used by Tax Department staff, local governments, businesses, and taxpayers across the state.

Mia Andal

Mia Andal exemplifies what it means to deliver exceptional IT service at the highest level. As a key member of the ITS Workforce Dedicated Team, she has played a pivotal role in maintaining and enhancing the Oracle dataset environment for the New York State Electronic Personnel System - one of the state's most critical enterprise HR applications. Mia's contributions go far beyond technical expertise. She is known for her proactive approach-anticipating potential issues, responding swiftly to incidents, and implementing sustainable solutions that ensure uninterrupted service.

Kacie Rea

Since joining the New York State Office of Information Technology Services in March 2024, Kacie Rea has made a remarkable impact on her client agency, the Division of the Budget (DOB). Known for her professionalism, detail-oriented work, and unwavering commitment to excellence, Kacie quickly earned the trust and respect of her colleagues and agency partners. She consistently delivers high-quality results, embraces new challenges, and demonstrates a proactive approach to learning and process improvement.

Nicholas Herrewyn

Nicholas Herrewyn, Project Manager with the New York State Office of Information Technology Services' Communications Experience (ComX) Team, has been instrumental in transforming how New Yorkers connect with state services. His work exemplifies the perfect balance of vision, execution, and measurable impact, delivering faster, more accessible services without adding strain to agency resources. Through his leadership, New York State has not only modernized how it serves its residents but has also paved the way for a new era of intelligent, user-focused government technology.

Michelle Colwell

When an unexpected internet bandwidth issue brought productivity to a standstill at the New York State Parks office, Michelle Colwell rose to the challenge with dedication and ingenuity. Recognizing that the outage was preventing nearly a dozen employees from completing both routine responsibilities and critical long-term projects, Michelle went above and beyond her professional duties. She worked tirelessly to identify solutions, implement a fix, and - importantly - took personal responsibility for following up to ensure the resolution remained effective, adjusting as needed to keep operations running smoothly.

Congratulations to all of the 2025 "Best of New York" award winners!

About the New York State Office of Information Technology Services

The NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) was established in 2012 and is the largest consolidated IT organization in America. At ITS, we deliver modern technology solutions that connect NYS agencies, entities, commissions, and local governments with millions of New Yorkers.

Our skilled cyber professionals protect the state's systems and data from intrusion and attack, provide cyber incident response assistance, distribute real-time advisories and alerts, provide managed security services, and deliver comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training for state and local employees. Through the establishment and expansion of the highly successful Joint Security Operations Center, we are now safeguarding 160,000 endpoints, 4600 applications, billions of sensitive records, and have quickly made New York a national leader on cybersecurity.

We have enhanced the customer experience by creating simple, seamless and improved digital services which are easily accessed by our citizens. At ITS, we are guiding the State's next phase of Artificial Intelligence and helping agencies strengthen their operations, increase productivity and get more done for New York.

We proudly stand by the quality of our products and services and collaborate with suppliers to boost our offerings even more. We leverage data to drive informed decision making that helps government work better for hardworking people and save taxpayer money.

Our talented ITS employees are leaders, innovators and drivers of positive change who have won countless state and national awards. We believe technology is transformational, and we will never stop striving to do better, be better and improve the way we operate.

Want to know more about how ITS, a NYS Agency on the rise, makes IT Happen? Visit our website at its.ny.gov.