Karen W. Robinson currently serves as CEO at KWR Acuity Strategies. Karen previously served as the Executive Director for the Texas Department of Information Resources. As Texas’ Chief Information Officer, she has statewide authority over information and communications technology planning, procurement, and service delivery. She leads an agency that manages information technology (IT) for more than 4,400 publicly-funded entities and operates the state’s IT Security, Communications Technology Services, Cooperative Contracts, Data Center Services, and award-winning Texas.gov—the Official Website for the State of Texas.
Ms. Robinson has more than 22 years of government and private sector experience to the post. Her expertise is in creating and building high-performing teams and getting the job done. Before joining DIR, Robinson served as the Director of Administration and Technology to Governor Rick Perry. She also served as a Technical Advisor to former Texas Governor George W. Bush as well as to the Lt. Governor’s Office and the Texas State Senate. She coordinated the state’s technology needs during crisis relief efforts and was instrumental in launching the state’s official business web portal.
Karen has also served as Chair of the Texas CIO Academy, Chair of Government Technology Southwest Conference, and 2012 governing body co-chair of the Dallas CIO Executive Summit. She was recently selected by IDG’s Computerworld as a 2012 Premier 100 IT Leader, spotlighting leaders from technology and business for their exceptional technology leadership and innovative approaches to business challenges. Karen also volunteers for the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo (STFR) in its annual Off the Vine Gala event. The annual STFR Gala raises funds for college scholarships awarded to deserving Texas students. As one of Central Texas’ largest non-profit providers, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo proudly presented $442,000 in college scholarships to 46 students in 2011.
