Marin County's chief information officer, Liza Massey, retired Friday, July 31, after eight years leading the Department of Information Services and Technology and a 39-year career in government IT.

The county has launched a national search for her replacement, with an appointment expected by early October.

Angie Goldman, the department's assistant director, is serving as interim CIO while the recruitment unfolds.

The departure comes just two weeks after the department captured the No. 1 spot in the 2026 Digital Counties Survey for counties with populations between 250,000 and 499,999. The Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties presented the award July 17 at the annual NACo Conference in New Orleans, as we reported July 23. The department, headquartered at the county seat in San Rafael, oversees a 2026 budget of $24.6 million and employs 95 people.

It was the second time under Massey's leadership that IST topped its population category. The department also won the No. 1 ranking in 2021 for its COVID-19 pandemic response and placed in the survey's top 10 four times over the past eight years. Only five of California's 58 counties earned recognition in this year's survey across all population categories.

County Executive Derek Johnson credited Massey's leadership during the pandemic. "The entire county benefitted in many ways from Liza's leadership, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergency the County faced with launching so many online services all at once," Johnson said in the county's retirement tribute. "Communicating vital information about public health and business operations became an urgent priority almost overnight, and IST stepped up under pressure in a big way."

The stakes are real. Under Massey's tenure, the department enhanced digital accessibility and ADA compliance, collaborated with the Digital Marin broadband program, boosted connectivity in West Marin, expanded cybersecurity outreach, and established a long-range strategic technology plan for the county.

Before joining Marin County in May 2018, Massey served as CIO for Tennessee's Department of Human Services, led the nonprofit Nashville Technology Council, and held IT leadership roles with the City and County of San Francisco, the City of Los Angeles, and the City of Milpitas.

The county has not announced a public comment period or Board of Supervisors hearing tied to the CIO recruitment. The early October target is the only timeline officials have disclosed.