Travis Cutright

Chief Information Officer, City of Mesa

Mesa CIO Travis Cutright has made use of leadership skills gained over two decades working in tech to help make smart technologies an everyday part of public life. The city is using civic data, GIS information and smart-screen kiosks located downtown to help residents and visitors navigate the city. Mesa also expanded broadband access for low-income residents and students amid shifts to telework and remote learning. As the city’s IT team worked swiftly to respond to people’s needs during the pandemic, Cutright’s staff continued implementing the city’s Smart City Strategic Plan and Climate Action Plan to increase efficiency and streamline operations across all 28 departments. As part of those plans, the city is retrofitting facilities with modern HVAC systems that can help control energy costs. Those savings can then be reinvested in other priorities, like smart meters and a real-time public safety operations center. Cutright is particularly proud of the city’s efforts to convert food waste into useable energy in a partnership with local schools and restaurants.
 

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Perking Leaps, Hedging Barriers: The Story of a Smart City
By: Travis Cutright, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Mesa
“The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns entailed a "re-think" of these concepts, paving the way for many technological innovations. The inadequacy of finance to contribute to such innovations is our major pain point”