Jason Frame is the Chief Information Officer at Southern Nevada Health District, one of the nation’s most multifaceted public health agencies. With a foundation in computer science and a passion for problem solving, Jason has led the district through massive operational shifts including their COVID-19 response and expansion into federally qualified health services. His work spans everything from application development to cybersecurity strategy, all while managing a compact but high-performing IT team. Jason's rise from programmer to CIO reflects a deep commitment to innovation, communication, and people-first leadership in the public sector.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- How Southern Nevada Health District led the region’s COVID-19 response through IT innovation
- The leadership play that helped Jason move from developer to CIO
- Why speaking in business language is critical for IT leaders
- The keys to building a loyal, low-turnover IT team in the public sector
- How AI is being used to improve patient care, staffing, and call center operations
- What “agentic AI” is and how it could impact future IT workflows
- How to responsibly prepare for Copilot and AI integrations in healthcare
- Jason’s perspective on hybrid work, trust-based leadership, and team autonomy
In this episode…
Jason Frame begins by outlining the expansive responsibilities of the Southern Nevada Health District, from inspecting restaurants and regulating ambulances to delivering immunizations and managing public health labs. As the lead technology officer, Jason's team not only enabled operations during the COVID-19 crisis but also modernized how services were delivered under extraordinary pressure. He shares how IT became a vital force during the pandemic, earning its place at the executive table.
Jason walks through his unconventional path into leadership, beginning as a kid coding BASIC on a green screen. His career evolved from grocery store scanner installs to software engineering roles with the Department of Energy and Department of Defense contractors. After joining the health district as a programmer analyst, he boldly volunteered to take on the IT manager role as an interim, despite being told he lacked the experience. That leap, combined with strong performance, led to a permanent promotion and ultimately to the CIO title.
Throughout the conversation, Jason offers candid insight into what it takes to earn trust across departments. He discusses how he consciously reframed himself from "the IT guy" to a strategic leader by focusing on finance, HR, and operations. His MBA helped bridge that gap, but his ability to speak in business terms rather than technical jargon made the difference. He also outlines the unique dynamics of working in government and how to stay agile in a unionized, rules-driven environment.
Finally, Jason details the district’s use of AI in everything from predicting patient no-shows to automating public call responses. He explains why they have not yet rolled out Microsoft Copilot, citing the need to classify and clean up legacy data before enabling powerful AI tools. Jason's approach is both practical and forward-thinking, offering a roadmap for how to responsibly integrate AI without compromising privacy or security.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Matthew Connor on LinkedIn
CyberLynx
Jason Frame on LinkedIn
Southern Nevada Health District Website
Sponsor for this episode...
This episode is brought to you by CyberLynx.com
CyberL-Y-N-X.com.
CyberLynx is a complete technology solution provider to ensure your business has the most reliable and professional IT service.
The bottom line is we help protect you from cyber attacks, malware attacks, and the dreaded Dark Web.
Our professional support includes managed IT services, IT help desk services, cybersecurity services, data backup and recovery, and VoIP services. Our reputable and experienced team, quick response time, and hassle-free process ensures that clients are 100% satisfied.
To learn more, visit cyberlynx.com, email us at help@cyberlynx.com, or give us a call at 202-996-6600.