Lea Eriksen, the longtime director of the Long Beach Department of Technology and Innovation, will soon exit her role with the city.<\/p>\n
That department is tasked with overseeing all of Long Beach\u2019s technological needs, from the Go Long Beach app to permit management software and everything in between, according to the city\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Eriksen\u2019s career with the city has been long. She initially joined Long Beach in 2014 as a budget manager in the Financial Management Department and later moved up to assistant finance director before eventually accepting the role as TID\u2019s director in 2018, according to a recent news release.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Eriksen\u2019s) leadership has positioned Long Beach as a national model for digital equity and technology-driven public service,\u201d City Manager Tom Modica said in the news release. \u201cHer vision and strategic focus have strengthened our technology infrastructure and improved how we deliver services to the community. We\u2019re grateful for her service to Long Beach and wish her continued success in this next chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n
As TID director, Eriksen managed the department\u2019s $90 million annual budget and nearly 200 employees.<\/p>\n
Some of her key achievements as department head include coordinating an $80 million tech infrastructure modernization project, and developing various community-centered programs, including the Digital Inclusion Initiative, the Digital Rights platform, Long beach Co-Lab and Love Your Block.<\/p>\n
All of those programs, the city said, focus on helping bridge the digital divide for Long Beach residents who have less access to modern technology and the internet, addressing community problems using technology, and promoting positive change in Long Beach.<\/p>\n