CITY OF SANTA BARBARA APPOINTS INAUGURAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR
Today City Council approved the Interim City Administrator’s appointment of Justin Cure as the inaugural Information Technology Director for the City of Santa Barbara. Mr. Cure comes to Santa Barbara from Longview, Texas, where he has served as the Director of Information Services for the past two years, managing a team of 18 and providing services to a neighboring community. Mr. Cure worked his way up through the ranks, starting as a GIS Technician. Mr. Cure has been instrumental in leading the department in modernization and streamlining functions, including creating the first Information Technology (IT) strategic plan and implementing several enterprise-wide technology platforms. Mr. Cure has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from Stephen F. Austin State University and has a number of technical certifications in his field.
Although the City has long had an Information Technology Division within its Administrative Services group, Council approved the creation of an Information Technology Department in 2020. The position was not filled during the past year because of the economic impacts of the pandemic. Having the IT function become a department recognizes the integral role that information technology plays in the City’s workplace and allows the City to continue to improve its systems to more effectively and efficiently provide services and increase communication and transparency to the public.
Justin Cure said, “It is a great honor and a privilege to be named Santa Barbara’s first IT Director. I look forward to serving the citizens of such a beautiful community.”
Interim City Administrator Rebecca Bjork said, “I am very excited to welcome Justin to the City’s team and looking forward to continuing to improve our IT platforms for our residents, visitors, and employees”.
