Vermont ADS Secretary Will Resign in October
Denise Reilly-Hughes plans to depart her role as head of the Agency of Digital Services on October 16, 2026.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in People
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Vermont Agency of Digital Services Secretary Denise Reilly-Hughes will resign from her position on October 16, 2026, to pursue a private sector opportunity. Deputy Secretary Andrea DeLaBuere will take over as interim secretary following the departure.
Why it matters
The change in leadership marks a transition at the top of the state agency responsible for Vermont's cybersecurity oversight and technology delivery. Her exit follows a tenure that focused on implementing a shared service model across state government.
The agency manages a shared service model for technology delivery and established statewide standards for cybersecurity. These operational frameworks remain the core responsibility of the secretary position.
The players
Denise Reilly-Hughes
She is the outgoing Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Digital Services who joined the state administration in 2023.
Andrea DeLaBuere
She serves as the Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Digital Services and will act as interim secretary.
The details
Reilly-Hughes joined the Vermont state administration in January 2023 as Deputy Secretary before being appointed to lead the agency in September 2023. During her time in office, she oversaw the delivery of technology services and maintained statewide digital oversight.
Timeline
January 2023: Denise Reilly-Hughes joined the Vermont administration.
September 2023: Denise Reilly-Hughes was appointed Secretary of the Agency of Digital Services.
October 16, 2026: Denise Reilly-Hughes will officially leave her office.
Market Landscape
The Agency of Digital Services operates within the framework of Vermont's statewide shared service model, which governs how the state centralizes its technology and cybersecurity infrastructure. This leadership transition follows a period of consolidation where the agency standardized digital service delivery across state departments.
Residents and state employees may see changes in administrative procedures or agency priorities under interim leadership. Daily operations for digital state services are expected to continue as the transition process begins following the October 16 departure.
The takeaway
The departure highlights the frequent turnover of high-level administrative officials who transition between public service and private sector roles. Maintaining consistent technology standards remains a critical operational challenge for the state during these leadership handoffs.
Further reading
For more on changes in state leadership, visit the Vermont People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Vermont Business Magazine.
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