Troy Horton – Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology

Troy Horton’s journey to becoming Chief Information Officer for the Health and Human Services group at the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) didn’t begin in a data center—it began in the U.S. Marine Corps. For nine years, Horton served as an avionics technician, mastering complex systems and leadership under pressure. Those years forged his mindset: disciplined, adaptive, and guided by a sense of service.

Troy Horton | Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology | CIO, Health & Human Services Group

After the military, Horton thought he’d return to his agricultural roots. He earned a degree in agricultural science from Western Illinois University and a master’s in entomology from Purdue University, envisioning a career in agronomy or on his family’s farm. But exposure to new challenges—and a persistent curiosity—altered his course.

“I’ve always been drawn to solving problems and learning new systems,” he says. “Technology felt like a natural extension of that.”

He went back to school, earning a second bachelor’s degree in computer science. From there, his career became a blend of technical expertise and leadership in both private and public sectors. As Director of Information Systems and Precision Agriculture at Burrus Seed Farms, Horton fused his agricultural background with cutting-edge data tools, driving efficiency and growth. At State Farm Insurance Companies, he spent nearly a decade honing his understanding of enterprise IT systems and cybersecurity.

Each stop added depth to his leadership philosophy: stay curious, stay disciplined, and always serve the mission.

“I left the private sector because I wanted to serve something greater,” Horton says. “My family, my neighbors, my community—it’s about using my skill set to protect them.”

That mindset would become essential when he joined DoIT in 2018—a young but ambitious agency reshaping how Illinois uses technology to serve its people.

Centralizing IT for a stronger state

The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology—known simply as DoIT—was born from a bold idea: that government could deliver better, safer, and more efficient services if all technology operations were brought under one roof. First established by executive authority in 2016 and later codified into law in 2018, DoIT consolidated dozens of fragmented IT departments into a single agency responsible for cybersecurity, networking, cloud infrastructure, and data management across Illinois’ government.

“Modern technology is expensive,” Horton explains. “When every department tries to go it alone, you get duplication, inefficiency, and major gaps in capability. Centralizing makes sense—not just financially, but operationally.”

Before DoIT’s creation, individual agencies handled their own IT systems. Some had modern platforms; others were years behind, accumulating technical debt that made their services vulnerable. Horton and other leaders recognized that this unevenness was more than an inconvenience—it was a risk.

“Some agencies could afford upgrades, while others simply couldn’t,” he says. “The result was inconsistency in service and security. DoIT was created to change that.”

As CIO for Health and Human Services, Horton oversees IT operations for a vast network of agencies that deliver essential services—healthcare, child welfare, behavioral health, and more—to millions of Illinois residents. His group’s mission is clear: support the agencies that serve Illinoisans, so they can do their jobs better, faster, and more securely.

“Our customers are the agencies we support across Illinois,” Horton says. “We serve them so they can serve the people of Illinois.”

By unifying IT systems and establishing shared services—such as cybersecurity, data protection, and help desk support—DoIT has created a cohesive technological backbone for the state.

“When you standardize technology, you standardize quality,” Horton says. “You can monitor, support, and upgrade systems across the board, which improves service and reduces risk.”

Protecting the public’s most personal info

Nowhere is that risk greater than in health and human services. The systems Horton’s team manages contain vast amounts of personal data—medical records, case notes, social services information—belonging to some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

“It’s incumbent upon us as state workers, as civil servants, to protect our citizens’ data,” Horton says. “It would be catastrophic if that information were compromised.”

Centralization has proven critical to strengthening Illinois’ cybersecurity posture. By consolidating defenses, the state can deploy consistent safeguards, streamline acquisition of the latest security tools, and partner with private-sector experts who monitor emerging threats in real time.

“You never want to publicly tout that your cybersecurity is great,” Horton says with a smile. “But centralization enables us to stay current, acquire the latest tools, and partner with firms that are constantly identifying new threats.”

Horton acknowledges the asymmetry of the fight.

“The bad actors only have to be right once; we have to be right 100 percent of the time,” he says. “That’s the reality. It’s a constant, 24/7 battle.”

To meet that challenge, DoIT emphasizes proactive education. The department regularly runs simulated phishing campaigns, training staff to spot and report suspicious messages.

“When someone clicks on something they shouldn’t, we don’t punish them—we teach them,” Horton explains. “We want our people in a constant state of skepticism.”

The results speak for themselves: stronger defenses, more consistent awareness, and a workforce that views cybersecurity not as an IT issue, but as a shared responsibility.

“It’s about building a culture of protection,” Horton says. “Everyone plays a part.”

Innovation with a human focus

For Horton, technology is never an end in itself. It’s a tool for improving how people work and how citizens are served. That philosophy drives his team’s approach to modernization—especially when it comes to frontline workers.

One of their most impactful initiatives focused on child welfare caseworkers, who often spent hours updating case notes, citing statutes, and completing reports.

“They told us, ‘I love what I do, but I hate the time it takes to update case notes,’” Horton recalls. “We listened and asked ourselves—how can technology make this better?”

The answer came through generative AI. Horton’s team, along with Deloitte, built a system that automatically analyzes Illinois’ child welfare statutes and generates the appropriate legal citations for case notes, cutting the time required for documentation by more than 80 percent.

“That’s time those workers can spend helping children instead of struggling with paperwork,” Horton says.

As the state’s lead on artificial intelligence, Horton prefers to call it “augmented intelligence.”

“We’re not trying to replace people—we’re trying to make them more efficient,” he explains. “You still need a human in the loop.”

To ensure responsible adoption, DoIT implemented extensive education programs. Partnering with specialized training providers, the agency ensures that employees understand both the potential and the risks associated with AI tools.

“Education is key,” Horton says. “You can’t just roll out new technology—you have to prepare people for it.”

By aligning modernization with human impact, Horton has built a model that’s as compassionate as it is innovative.

“Technology should make people’s lives easier,” he says. “That’s how you build trust.”

Leading with purpose

Horton’s leadership at DoIT reflects the blend of experiences that brought him here: the discipline of the Marines, the problem-solving of agricultural science, and the precision of IT systems management.

“My background is unique,” he says, “but it makes me a better leader. I’ve been exposed to different ways of thinking, different kinds of service.”

Under his guidance, Illinois’ Health and Human Services technology infrastructure has become more modern, resilient, and secure—capable of supporting both everyday operations and emergency response. During the pandemic, Horton and his team collaborated with partners such as Google and Deloitte to rapidly deploy tools for disease surveillance, long-term care management, and behavioral health support for children. Those projects didn’t just improve technology; they strengthened public trust.

Still, Horton remains grounded in the reality that the work is never done.

“Technology is always evolving. Threats are always evolving. People’s needs are always evolving,” he says. “Our job is to keep moving forward—securely, efficiently, and with purpose.”

That sense of purpose defines both Horton’s leadership and DoIT’s mission: to deliver secure, modern, and equitable technology solutions that empower Illinois agencies to serve their communities better.

“Every decision I make,” Horton says, “comes back to the people of Illinois—making sure their data is safe, their systems work, and their trust in government is well placed.”