Seattle Council Confirms Shannon Smith as City CTO

The Seattle City Council unanimously approved the permanent appointment of Shannon Smith to lead the city's tech department.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration featuring stylized geometric municipal buildings and tech infrastructure blocks, representing Seattle's civic information technology systems. — The Seattle City Council unanimously confirmed Shannon Smith as the city's permanent Chief Technology Officer to lead the Information Technology Department. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Seattle City Council has officially confirmed Shannon Smith as the permanent Chief Technology Officer for the city. Smith, who served as the acting CTO since June, will lead the Information Technology Department.

Why it matters

Smith takes over the department as it seeks to stabilize following recent leadership departures and a high-profile cyber incident. Her appointment provides a consistent head for the city's technical operations and oversight.

The Seattle Information Technology Department manages an operating budget exceeding $300 million and maintains a workforce of over 600 employees. Smith has set a target to decrease HR-related applications by 35 percent.

The players

Shannon Smith

She is the newly confirmed permanent Chief Technology Officer for the city of Seattle and formerly served as the director of public sector for CAI.

Seattle City Council

This is the legislative body responsible for city governance, including the confirmation of department heads and oversight of municipal operating budgets.

Seattle Information Technology Department

This municipal agency manages the city's core digital infrastructure and serves more than 600 staff members with an annual budget of $300 million.

Rob Lloyd

He is the former Chief Technology Officer who previously held the position that Shannon Smith has now been confirmed to fill permanently.

The details

Following a restructuring in September 2026, Smith will oversee the department that was recently impacted by the 2024 ransomware attack on the Seattle Public Library system. She brings prior leadership experience as the former director of the public sector for CAI.

2024: The Seattle Public Library system suffered a ransomware attack.
June 8, 2026: Shannon Smith began serving as acting CTO.
September 2026: Key leadership roles including the CISO and Chief Privacy Officer were vacated.
October 20, 2026: The City Council held the confirmation vote for the permanent CTO position.

Market Landscape

The appointment follows the 2024 Seattle Public Library ransomware attack, representing a critical pivot toward shoring up municipal digital security. This move signals a broader effort to modernize internal city infrastructure and streamline operations against current threats.

Residents may see changes in the digital accessibility and reliability of city services as Smith moves to reduce technical overhead. These operational shifts aim to improve departmental efficiency following recent internal departures.

The takeaway

Smith aims to reduce the complexity of the city's technical footprint by targeting a 35 percent reduction in HR applications. This initiative suggests a focus on consolidating digital tools to ensure smoother government operations for city staff.