Mountain View, Calif. — Chief Information Officer/Information Technology Director Roger Jensen has announced his intentions to retire in March 2026 after 12 years with the City of Mountain View. Jensen joined the City of Mountain View as the organization’s first CIO/IT director in January 2014 following a career in the private sector. His official retirement date is March 20, 2026.
“Roger came to the City of Mountain View as the City’s first CIO, tapping into his private sector experience to modernize systems and champion innovation across the organization,” said City Manager Kimbra McCarthy. “He helped build out the City’s IT infrastructure, enhancing the services we provide the community and finding solutions quickly and effectively, such as when the COVID-19 pandemic presented new technological hurdles for providing critical public services online. Roger consistently elevated our technology during his time with the City, and he will be greatly missed by all of us.”
“As a resident of Mountain View, I have the good fortune of both providing and receiving the exceptional services that the City delivers,” said Jensen. “As a team, the IT Department is the glue that delivers many services from all departments to our community. Over the past decade, we have witnessed significant technological advancements that have transformed the way we work, and our talented IT team was ready to turn these challenges into opportunities. I am grateful for the dedication and service of all our City’s employees. I also thank City Manager Kimbra McCarthy, my Executive Team colleagues, past and present, and the City Council for understanding the IT Department’s pivotal role in enhancing government services. I will miss my work with the City, but I know we are well-positioned for the future.”
In his role overseeing the City’s IT functions and technology needs, Jensen expanded Wi-Fi services across Downtown Mountain View and City facilities that include the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts and the Police and Fire Administration Building. He improved the City’s cybersecurity systems, including real-time monitoring of internal networks for system attacks, adding multi-factor authentication (MFA) controls to protect user access, providing employee cybersecurity training, and implementing stronger antivirus software. Most recently, Jensen initiated the City’s responsible use of artificial intelligence and was one of the first to join the GovAI Coalition, promoting responsible AI use for the public good. Jensen has also led the development of a citywide AI policy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jensen managed the City’s IT response, including transitioning employees to laptops from desktop systems, initiating virtual and hybrid meeting support for all City Council and other public meetings, and developing an online scheduling portal for numerous resources. Additionally, he assisted with implementing the City’s first work-from-home policies and provided technical support.
Jensen’s other accomplishments include helping develop and launch the online permitting platform, ePermitsMV, which streamlines submissions and payments for Planning, Public Works, and Building/Fire permits, and allows applicants track the status of their application. He also established the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping group and first manager, providing centralized development and support for enterprise-wide GIS services; created the Enterprise Applications group and launched projects to replace the City’s utility billing, work order management, and land management systems; and developed workflow process systems for several internal functions, including document processing, legal inquiries, and onboarding/offboarding processes.
The City will begin the recruitment process for a new CIO/IT director in mid-December 2025.
Photo of Roger Jensen
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