Department of Technology Services Leadership Team
Jack Belcher, Chief Information Officer
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves both as the Department Director for the Department of Technology Services and as the County's enterprise resource for technology guidance and consultancy. The responsibility of the CIO is to understand the business needs of both the County Government and the residents of Arlington County and to identify technology solutions to best meet the needs of both constituencies.
Jack Belcher is Arlington County's first Chief Information Officer for Arlington County, appointed in August 2000.
He came to Arlington County from the International Monetary Fund, where he led the effort to streamline the creation, review, dissemination and publication of Fund information. Prior to that he served at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, where he led the efforts to begin the modernization of the Commission’s internal mission system infrastructure. The majority of his professional experience has been with the United States House of Representatives where he was recognized by Federal Computer Week as one of the TOP 100 Federal Executives for his innovative work in deploying electronic mail and Internet access to the Congress.
As Arlington County's CIO he has demonstrated continued excellence and innovation and has proven an invaluable asset to the community. On September 11th, his office provided direct technological support for the County’s First Responders and the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which coordinated the region’s response to the Pentagon crisis. Within forty minutes of the first attack on the World Trade Center, the EOC was up and operational providing necessary coordination for all first responders. Consequently, he and his staff were recognized for their assistance and innovation in extending wireless connectivity to the Pentagon.
Active in community youth sports, Jack Belcher has served as the president of the Arlington Girls Softball Association, as a Board member of the Better Sports Club, and as a tournament Fastpitch coach in both Arlington and Fairfax Counties. Before coming to the County Government, he was recognized as one of the Volunteers of the Year for his civic efforts. He is also a member of the 2004-2005 Class of Leadership Arlington.
He holds both a Master's degree and Doctorate from Georgetown University.
Ajit Arya, Deputy Chief Information Officer
Responsibilities:
Acts as the Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Technology Services. Ensures that strategies and goals articulated by the CIO through the E-Government Master Plan are achieved.
Develops plans to implement technology solutions to support the long-term and tactical business needs of the County. Provides the necessary guidance to Departmental Technology Leadership to ensure the integration of services and optimal use of resources across the County.
Responsible for oversight of the daily operations of the Department to include program management, application development, network and telecommunications services, security, server administration, enterprise system management, call center/desktop support, and technology purchasing/procurement.
Background:
Mr. Arya has been with the County since July 2001 and held the Director of Data Management and E-Government Services position prior to being promoted to the Deputy CIO position in September 2008. In a career spanning nearly 30 years, Mr. Arya has worked in the government, telecommunications, banking and engineering business sectors in various capacities. Previously, Mr. Arya served at IBM, Teligent, TRW, and the Data Dimension in the US, at Westpac Banking Corporation, Sydney Water Board, Sydney City Council and Sperry-Univac in Australia, and at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited in India.
Education:
Certified in Operations Research – Indian Statistical Institute, India
B. Tech. (Electrical) Honors – G.B. Pant University, India
Katie Pegoraro, Acting Chief Digital Innovation Officer
Responsibilities:
Champions innovation in government by generating new ideas and strategies for product development, services, and business opportunities. Fosters collaboration, partnerships, and the sharing of information and expertise with external partners and internal departments to enhance the County’s value proposition and produce well-integrated programs, products and services. Supports the County's strategic Digital Strategy goals and Open Government Program.
Background:
Ms. Pegoraro was named Acting Chief Digital Innovation Officer in June 2017. Previously, she served as Manager of Enterprise Content Management Systems within the Department of Technology Services. Ms. Pegoraro joined the County in 2007, working since that time in various technology positions. Prior to her career with Arlington County, she served as a senior requirements manager and systems analyst and engineer for telecommunications and government contracting companies.
Education:
B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia