The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) today announced the appointment of Eleonore Fournier-Tombs to the position of Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer, where she will play a pivotal role in shaping the next phase of AI strategy for ITS, its partner agencies and New York State government. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State is leading the way on artificial intelligence. In 2024, Governor Hochul launched the Empire AI initiative, a unique collaboration that is already producing benefits for New Yorkers through the facilitation of statewide innovation, research and development of AI technologies.
New York State Chief Information Officer Dru Rai said, “We are very excited to welcome Eleonore as our new Chief AI Officer. With her strong background and accomplishments in data and AI, she will help us accelerate innovation for the benefit of New York State agencies and our partners inside and outside of government in New York State. Eleonore’s leadership will guide the thoughtful and responsible adoption of emerging AI technologies in support of our goal of delivering meaningful benefits for all New Yorkers.”
Dr. Fournier-Tombs brings more than 15 years of global AI, data governance, technology innovation and digital transformation experience to this important role. Most recently, she served as Head of Anticipatory Action and Innovation and Senior Researcher for United Nations University, where she founded and led the UN’s first AI policy research lab and directed governance and lifecycle management of predictive analytics and AI systems to support crisis forecasting.
Among Dr. Fournier-Tombs’ priorities with ITS will be exploring the expansion of AI education and generative AI tools to New York State employees. An AI education and training pilot program was recently completed with approximately 1,000 employees from various areas of state government.
Ms. Fournier-Tombs will lead the effort to refine and improve the ITS-developed “Acceptable Use of AI Technologies” policy to meet evolving needs and continuously modernize the technology solutions ITS delivers. In addition, she will work to optimize the benefits of AI while minimizing risk, ensuring strong human oversight, creating efficiencies in government service delivery and enhancing the workplace experience for state employees.
New York State ITS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eleonore Fournier-Tombs said, "It is truly a privilege and an honor to serve the State of New York as Chief AI Officer. We have a unique opportunity to shape the future through the impactful and accountable use of artificial intelligence. My focus will be to harness AI to strengthen services, improve operations, and enable data-driven decision-making, while upholding the highest standards of ethics, equity, and transparency. By working closely with state agencies and the communities we serve, we will deliver meaningful outcomes for residents and keep New York State at the forefront of government AI innovation.”
ITS also announced the addition of Stephen Graham as Chief Digital Officer. With the speed of advancements taking place today in digital technology, the need to provide the state’s services in a digital format has never been greater. In alignment with the goals of our agency partners, Stephen will lead ITS efforts to scale and seamlessly deliver these critical services to New Yorkers.
Most recently, Stephen was Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Anontech, a software engineering and data technology company. He also served as Chief Information Officer of AppliedAI Technologies, a Schenectady-based software engineering company focused on applying AI solutions to real business problems. Stephen is a graduate of Siena College and received his master’s degree in computer science and artificial intelligence from East Carolina University.
New York State Chief Digital Officer Stephen Graham said, “I am honored to serve as Chief Digital Officer for New York State. I am excited to help modernize and streamline our technology and data practices so that state services are easier, more intuitive, and more accessible for all New Yorkers. By working closely with our partner agencies and the communities we serve, we will strengthen how data and technology support public services, improve digital access, and ensure New York continues to meet modern standards while delivering real value to residents across the state.”
About the New York State Office of Information Technology Services
The NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) was established in 2012 and is the largest consolidated IT organization in America. At ITS, we are guiding the State’s next phase of artificial intelligence as we deliver modern technology solutions that connect NYS agencies, entities, commissions, and local governments with millions of New Yorkers.
Our talented ITS employees are leaders, innovators and drivers of positive change who have won countless state and national awards. We believe technology is transformational, and we will never stop striving to do better, be better and improve the way we operate.
Want to know more about how ITS, a NYS Agency on the rise, makes IT Happen? Visit our website at its.ny.gov and follow ITS on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
