Chris Chirgwin

Chris Chirgwin Profile Photo

Chief Information Officer, County of Santa Barbara

Helping people, organizations and systems achieve full potential.

I believe in being authentic – who I am in my personal life is who I am in my work life. Faith and family come first, which are foundational for my passion in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

I’ve always had a bent toward business and leadership as well as an interest in technology. Leadership comes natural to me, whether it’s at work, coaching youth soccer or directing non-profit boards. I thrive when I’m growing and leading teams.

I have a love for learning and am continuously seeking to explore and discover new ideas, insights, and skills. My ultimate purpose and passion are to make a significant and positive impact in my community and in the lives of people.

•• CORE STRENGTHS, (Strengths Finder 2.0 top 5) Learner, Achiever, Discipline, Responsibility, Focus

• LEADERSHIP THEMES: Strategic Execution through Influence.

192
Jan. 30, 2025

#192: From Forms to Freedom: Building Digital Services That Citizens Actually Want

Featuring:

Soumam Debgupta, CTO, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services


Rob Lloyd, CTO, City of Seattle
Chris Chirgwin, CIO, County of Santa Barbara


In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Washington State DSHS reduced benefit application times from 50 minutes to 25 minutes by reimagining service delivery through a customer-first lens


Why setting an ambitious 85% customer satisfaction goal is driving cultural transformation and transparency in government services


The ...
179
Aug. 6, 2024

#179: Richard McHattie, Chris Chirgwin, Mike Hojnicki, Don Ingle - Transforming the Resident Experience: Insights from Top County CIOs

EPISODE DESCRIPTION


Richard McHattie, CIO of Maricopa County, Chris Chirgwin, CIO of Santa Barbara County, Mike Hojnicki, CTO of New Castle County, and Don Ingle, Industry Executive Advisor from SAP, share valuable insights into how these technology leaders are reshaping the future of county resident experiences. Discover how their groundbreaking strategies are setting new standards for innovation and transforming community services, promising a future where technology seamlessly enhances dai...
172
March 20, 2024

Ep.172 Creating a Transformational IT Culture in Santa Barbara County with Chris Chirgwin, CIO, Santa Barbara County

Chris Chirgwin is the first Chief Information Officer for Santa Barbara County. Now you may know Chris from his remarkable journey in the news as the former CEO of Lanspeed, an IT services firm headquartered in Santa Barbara County, before selling his company.


He transitioned from owning a successful small IT services business to becoming Santa Barbara County's CIO in 2022. Despite the challenges of navigating the public sector, Chris hit the ground running. He implemented EOS (Entrepreneuria...