Kevin Dehmer, a former commissioner of education and former executive director at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, has been selected to be Gov. Mikie Sherrill to be the state’s next chief technology officer, the administration announced Monday.
As chief technology officer, Dehmer will oversee the New Jersey Office of Information Technology. In that role, he will work toward advancing the modernization of New Jersey’s digital infrastructure, improving the efficiency and transparency of the state permitting process, adopting technologies to clear licensure backlogs and reducing wait times, and strengthening the state’s cybersecurity capabilities against AI-driven challenges.
Sherrill applauded the announcement.
“Kevin is a trusted and experienced public servant who has dedicated his career to strengthening our state’s nation-leading public education system,” she said. “In doing so, he has implemented impressive reforms to modernize New Jersey’s education data systems.
“I look forward to working with Kevin to institute similar modernization efforts across our state’s digital infrastructure. Improving how our state government uses technology is fundamental to eliminating bureaucracy and saving our residents time and money.”
Since 2024, Dehmer has served as commissioner of the Department of Education, where he implemented statewide education policy for more than 600 public school districts and administered more than a third of the state’s overall budget to support public schools. During his time as commissioner, Dehmer led a comprehensive redesign of the state’s educational data systems to advance research, program evaluation, and improve data quality.
Previously, Dehmer served as the executive director and senior researcher at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, where he led a nationally recognized research center, managed a multidisciplinary team, and expanded the technical capacity of the New Jersey Statewide Data System.
“As a lifelong public servant, I am honored for the opportunity to continue serving New Jersey as the state’s Chief Technology Officer,” Dehmer said. “I look forward to supporting Governor Sherrill’s efforts to bolster our state’s digital infrastructure, ensuring state agencies can serve New Jersey residents more effectively and efficiently while also maintaining a strong emphasis on cybersecurity.”
Dehmer earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from St. John’s University and a master’s degree in public policy from Rutgers University, where he was also a Graduate Fellow at the Eagleton Institute.
