Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Ayushi Roy as California’s state chief technology officer, naming a public-sector technology official with experience in federal modernization efforts to one of the state’s top technology positions.

Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed Wednesday, Aug. 19, according to Newsom’s office. She has been a lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and served as chief program officer for the New Practice Lab at New America from 2022 to 2026.

Roy previously worked in federal government technology roles, serving as a senior adviser for the U.S. Technology Modernization Fund at the General Services Administration and the White House Office of Management and Budget from 2021 to 2022. From 2019 to 2021, she was director of state and local technology at 18F, the federal government’s digital services organization.

Roy was part of the New America team that produced the congressionally mandated third-party report on the feasibility of an IRS-run Direct File system. The project ultimately helped pave the way for the federal government’s direct tax-filing program.

Roy succeeds Jonathan Porat, who left the state CTO position in April to become chief technology officer at Code for America.

Her appointment follows Newsom’s recent selection of Chris Given as state chief information officer and director of the California Department of Technology. Given also served in prominent federal technology leadership roles.  

The appointment requires confirmation by the California Senate.