When Donna McClellan first joined Westwood’s IT team in 1996, Windows 95 had only been around for six months. The countless changes since then have been astounding.
“Technology has become so important as the years went on,” said McClellan “Initially, we were just able to do some document processing and printing letters and spreadsheets. Everyone worked independently and being digitally connected wasn’t even an idea. Navigating the web wasn’t even a thing yet!”
McClellan became Westwood’s third IT Director a few short years after coming on board as a Systems Analyst.
“When you work in IT, you touch every town department,” said McClellan. “You deal with their needs and make sure the network is secure and stable. The job has been both challenging and interesting, and it’s provided me with a really great experience to see all aspects of town operations.”
McClellan has spent a great deal of time improving the town’s cybersecurity to protect it from a malware attack. Over the last two years, hackers have stepped up their attacks against cities and towns.
“You only have to listen to the news to understand what’s happening,” said McClellan. “As municipalities, we are sometimes more of a target. These attacks have gotten more and more sophisticated. I don’t know when there has been a moment in time when it’s been this serious. I have been really lucky that the town administration has always felt security is important.”
McClellan is being succeeded by new IT Director Wiktor Jozwik who is joining the department after having worked in IT for Lasell University and Tufts University. When asked what his priorities for his new job are, much like McClellan, he pointed to cybersecurity.
“It’s an ongoing battle,” said Jozwik. “Keeping a high awareness around cybersecurity and enhancing security is a critical function. Every IT department must approach every service we provide with a security mindset so we don’t cause any risk to the institution.”
Improving accessibility for town employees is also at the top of Jozwik’s to-do list.
“For a lot of institutions, accessibility has been fixed in traditional thinking,” said Jozwik. “Things are shared locally on a town server in a town building. There’s not a lot of ease of access. We need to remove technology as the barrier to someone being able to access their work.”
For example, during a snow event, Jozwik said he wants to ensure that town employees can work remotely and access their work from any device in any location.
“IT has become such an integral department in Westwood,” said Town Administrator Christopher Coleman. “Over the years Donna has brought the department to the next level and continuously ensured that our town was up to date in terms of technology and security. She’s done the job with enthusiasm and professionalism. She will be missed by countless people whose day-to-day jobs she has made easier. We welcome Wiktor and are already impressed with his ability and work ethic and hope he has a long and successful career here in town.”
Jozwik started his new job about a month before McClellan’s last day to ensure a smooth transition. On her way out, she said the department is in excellent hands. She is looking forward to her next chapter: traveling with her husband.
