Stephanie Hedgepeth has been named the state’s first-ever chief strategy officer (CSO) for the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (ITS), according to a recent LinkedIn post.
Hedgepeth, who was most recently the department’s chief administrative officer for two years and, before that, its director of procurement services, will guide its strategic planning, innovation and digital transformation efforts. She will specifically focus on AI integration, cloud adoption, data governance and project oversight across agencies.
In her announcement, Hedgepeth emphasized that the new role reflects “ITS’ bold commitment to modernization, strategic alignment and public value,” noting that the agency isn’t just planning for the future, but actively building it.
Her appointment comes at a time when ITS is advancing several major initiatives supported by legislative backing and funding — including the establishment of an AI Innovation Hub and a Cloud Center of Excellence.
The AI Innovation Hub, in particular, is a collaborative effort developed in partnership with Amazon Web Services and the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network, which will serve as a space to develop and test AI solutions in the state.
The Cloud Center of Excellence seeks to shift Mississippi’s approach to cloud technology from reactive to proactive. The initiative will help address skill gaps and define a long-term strategy to help the state better adapt to evolving cloud technology, state Chief Information Officer Craig Orgeron said earlier this year.
The state is also working to advance a Statewide Data Exchange and to create a Procurement Modernization Advisory Council. The mission for the council will be to identify potential bottlenecks in procurement and develop better methods to expedite the process without delays.
These initiatives, along with Hedgepeth’s appointment, support ITS’ central goal of coordinating all technology efforts under one cohesive strategy. The new CSO said she is looking forward to partnering with colleagues across the public sector “to shape a smarter, more connected Mississippi.”
