Rob Lloyd, chief technology officer in Seattle, is leaving his position to become executive director of the Center for Digital Government. His last day will be March 27.
“It has been an honor to lead IT and our dedicated teams in serving Seattle,” Lloyd told colleagues in an email sent Thursday night.
Lloyd told GeekWire that while he appreciated Mayor Katie Wilson’s invitation to stay in the role, he was “excited” to take on the new job, which would allow him to do the same work with local and state governments.
Lloyd became CTO in June 2024 after eight years as deputy city manager of San José, Calif. While his new employer is based in California, he will remain in Seattle. “My family wouldn’t want it any other way,” Lloyd said.
The city provided GeekWire with Lloyd’s resignation letter, which he said was “the right time for a change.” The mayor is reshaping his executive team and its direction, he wrote, and is planning actions related to the budget and this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Seattle faces an estimated $140 million budget deficit next year. The Seattle Times reported that Wilson is asking departments to provide funding cuts of 5% to 10%.
In the letter, Lloyd also highlighted some of his team’s achievements during his tenure, including:
- Funding more than $130 million in “failed and stalled technology projects.”
- Implementing the City’s Strategic Plan.
- Collaboration with fire, police, mental health and emergency management services in public safety technology.
- Managing a $21 million operating budget reduction while increasing service reliability and employee retention.
- Reviewing cybersecurity practices.
- Formalizing his department’s first customer service and employee feedback surveys.
Lloyd was responsible for overseeing approximately 670 employees, and joined the city with an operating budget of $270 million and a capital budget of approximately $24 million.
In December, the city appointed Lisa Qian as its first AI chief. His experience includes serving as senior data science manager at LinkedIn, as well as other technology company leadership positions.
When Lloyd arrived in Seattle, he told GeekWire that he hoped the city would be his “forever home” — and that he wanted to get outside of City Hall and build relationships with community members and companies driving the local tech sector. He was eager to get involved in tackling tough issues like public safety, homelessness and urban recovery.
In his email to staff, Lloyd said that in his final weeks “he will be focusing on fulfilling the last responsibilities I made to the organization upon my arrival.”
“What I will treasure most from my time here is not the projects or the milestones, but the memories of you and your colleagues,” continued Lloyd. “There are many people who have made this work a real gift. I thank the City for allowing me to work with this community.”
