Dallas CIO Reshapes IT Amid AI Threats
InformationWeek, Thursday, October 29th, 2026
New Dallas CIO Jeff Stovall describes hiring a CISO, reorganizing IT and prioritizing cybersecurity and AI talent amid AI-driven threats.
In an InformationWeek IT Leaders Fast-5 interview, Jeff Stovall, who became CIO of the City of Dallas in January 2026, explains hiring a new CISO after more than a year without permanent security leadership, upgrading the city's SIEM and appointing an interim CTO.
He moved IT service management from the CISO to the interim CTO so security can focus on emerging threats.
Stovall says he learned to communicate IT's value differently to a city council during budget hearings.
He is prioritizing cybersecurity and AI talent over traditional systems administration and says AI has made old vulnerabilities like PHP2Shell exploitable, affecting the city through its suppliers.