Judicial branch announces new chief information technology officer

TOPEKA—Alex Wong, chief information technology architect in the Kansas Office of Information Technology Services, will become chief information technology officer for the Kansas judicial branch effective October 28.

Wong will succeed Kelly O’Brien, who retired in June.

“We are confident Alex will meet our high expectations for this role as we continue our journey to modernize how courts provide service to the people of Kansas,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert. “We are impressed by his pattern of leadership in information technology and look forward to reaping benefits from the skill and insight he brings to the judicial branch.”

Wong has been with the Office of Information Technology Services, or OITS, since 2022. During his tenure, he has provided oversight of IT policy and projects involving all three branches of government. He also provided leadership for projects that:

• created an IT job standardization framework based on research involving industry leading organizations.

• established an enterprise licensing program that covered all stages of technology implementation.

He was also instrumental in creating the Generative AI policy for the executive branch that took effect in summer 2023. 

These projects and others contributed to his receiving the National Association of State CIO's State Technology Innovator Award in 2023. 

Wong said he’s honored to join the judicial branch because he holds courts in high regard. 

“Not only am I honored to be part of the justice system, but I am also excited to take a comprehensive look at the courts’ technology to ensure we provide secure and accessible systems,” Wong said. “By taking a holistic approach to bringing these elements together, we can deliver court technology that is easy to use and provides a good user experience.”

On November 5, the Johnson County District Court will be the last court to join a new case management system that allows all district and appellate case data to reside on a single web-based platform. It is a key component in the Supreme Court's eCourt plan to transform the way the state court system serves the people of Kansas.

“Our courts have undergone rapid change the last several years, and Alex will help us mature our information technology resources, infrastructure, and services,” said Stephanie Smith, judicial administrator. “He brings a fresh perspective backed by solid experience, and we’re fortunate to have him join us.”

Before joining OITS, Alex was associate chief information officer and senior director of enterprise solutions with San Jose State University in San Jose California. Before that, he was chief technology officer for the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

While at KU, Wong received the Institutional Excellence in Information Technology award from The Association for College & University Technology Advancement in 2015. 

Wong graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He earned a mini-MBA for tech executives from Boston University.