Sarah Tuneberg Named Colorado Chief Information Officer

The former Colorado Digital Service director assumed her new role leading state IT on June 1, 2026.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration of modular blocks arranged in a flexible structure against stylized mountains, representing state digital infrastructure modernization. — Sarah Tuneberg has been appointed as the new Chief Information Officer for Colorado, tasked with leading the state's initiative to modernize public benefits infrastructure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe state governments should prioritize modernizing digital services for residents?

Sarah Tuneberg, the former director of the Colorado Digital Service, began her tenure as the state Chief Information Officer on June 1, 2026. Her appointment aligns with a broader restructuring of the Office of Information Technology focused on digital service modernization.

Why it matters

The agency is implementing these changes to enhance the digital user experience for state residents and employees. By building a modular benefits stack, Colorado aims to improve efficiency across various public programs.

The transition to the myColorado mobile sign-in reduced application times to 25 seconds, down from the original two-minute requirement. This streamlining addresses a landscape where the average benefit recipient previously juggled nine different usernames and passwords.

The players

Sarah Tuneberg

She is the Colorado Chief Information Officer who previously directed the state digital service team.

Office of Information Technology

This Colorado agency is responsible for the state's digital infrastructure and IT modernization projects.

The details

The Office of Information Technology is utilizing cross-functional teams comprising a delivery engineer, service designer, product manager, and delivery manager to build its new modular benefits stack. This infrastructure is designed to be open-source and standards-based to facilitate modernization efforts.

July 2025: H.R. 1 established new Medicaid eligibility verification requirements.
2024: Sarah Tuneberg began serving as director of Colorado Digital Service.
April 2026: State launched myColorado sign-in for summer EBT program.
June 1, 2026: Sarah Tuneberg began role as Colorado Chief Information Officer.

Market Landscape

Colorado is positioning its IT strategy as a template for other states by developing open-source, standards-based verification tools that can be shared nationally. This approach contrasts with traditional, vendor-heavy IT procurement models in the public sector.

Residents can expect a more unified experience when accessing state benefits, as the state works to reduce the number of credentials required for government services. Future updates will include the data backpack project, which aims to allow individuals to store and share data across multiple state programs.

The takeaway

The move toward open-source, modular IT infrastructure represents a shift toward more sustainable and interoperable government service delivery. Residents may see decreased administrative hurdles as the state continues to integrate its various benefit platforms.