When did Gwen Gann become CISO of Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)?

The appointment was announced on September 18, 2026, per govtech.com. The record holds the announcement, not a start date.

Where did Gwen Gann work before Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)?

Before the appointment, Gwen Gann was Technology Director at HealthFirst, according to the announcement (govtech.com).

Executive record

Gwen Gann

Career profile: Gwen Gann on CISO Spotlights ↗

Gwen Gann is State Chief Information Security Officer at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). The appointment was announced on September 18, 2026, per govtech.com.

Before the appointment: Technology Director at HealthFirst, per the same source.

1 tracked move on the Wire · Updated October 24, 2026

Career timeline

Every move the record holds for Gwen Gann, newest first, with the earlier roles the announcements name.

September 18, 2026· Appointment
Named State Chief Information Security Officer at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)
Source: govtech.com ↗ · Move record
Before September 2026· Earlier role
Technology Director at HealthFirst
Named in the announcement of the Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) appointment · Source: govtech.com ↗

The appointment

Announced September 18, 2026 · Source: govtech.com ↗ · Move record

Gwen Gann, formerly technology director at HealthFirst, has been named Washington State's next CISO at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech), succeeding Ralph Johnson who retired earlier in September 2026. Her first day in the role was Wednesday, according to state officials.

The announcement, published by GovTech on September 18, 2026, says Gwen Gann has been named the next state chief information security officer at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). It says her first day in the role was Wednesday, according to state officials. It describes her as a technologist who has worked in healthcare and financial management.

According to the announcement, Gann was most recently technology director at HealthFirst, a hospital products company, according to LinkedIn. Before that, she was CIO for Public Partnerships, a financial management services company, for more than six years.

The announcement says she takes the place of Ralph Johnson, who had served as state CISO since 2022 before retiring earlier this month. Gann said she aims to help state agencies "become more resilient, efficient, and prepared for what comes next."

The company: Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)

Sector: Government & Public Sector
Region: North America
Company record: Who runs security at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech): 2 confirmed moves on the record

Appointed in the same period

Other security chiefs in Government & Public Sector whose appointment was announced within 90 days of Gwen Gann's, nearest first. The Government & Public Sector bench

week of September 28, 2026
Sherman Chu, Chief Information Security Officer at The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
October 5, 2026
Nate Parker, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Accenture Federal Services
week of October 8, 2026
Luke Forsyth, Chief Information Security Officer at CSIRO
week of August 24, 2026
Mike Marshall, State Chief Information Security Officer at California Department of Technology
week of August 3, 2026
James Wilkinson, Chief Information Security Officer at City of Dallas

Record facts

Time in the seat: 1 month since the appointment was announced (September 18, 2026), as of November 2026
Moves on the record: 1 confirmed move, each with its source
On the record since: September 24, 2026
Government & Public Sector in 2026: 14 security-leadership appointments announced in the sector on the record

How these are counted. Time in the seat: Counted in whole months from the announcement of the appointment, the date the record holds; announcements rarely give a start date.

Questions about Gwen Gann

Who is the CISO of Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)?: Gwen Gann is State Chief Information Security Officer at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). The appointment was announced on September 18, 2026, per govtech.com.
When did Gwen Gann become CISO of Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)?: The appointment was announced on September 18, 2026, per govtech.com. The record holds the announcement, not a start date.
Where did Gwen Gann work before Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech)?: Before the appointment, Gwen Gann was Technology Director at HealthFirst, according to the announcement (govtech.com).

Sources

1.govtech.com ↗: the appointment at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech), September 18, 2026
2.CISO Spotlights career profile ↗: a fuller career profile on a sister site

This record begins with CISO Tribune's tracking in 2026.

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