Name: Jeff Corriveau
Title: Deputy Director of Agency Success
Department of Administrative Services
Office: Agency Success
1. Can you share your current role and key responsibilities within the State of Connecticut?
I recently stepped into the role of Deputy Director with BITS - Agency Success. I previously served for several years as Deputy Director with the Digital Government team.
Needless to say, I have long experience as a Deputy. In the Old West, Sheriffs would hold down the jail while Deputies traveled for weeks on horseback, often with a posse, chasing down outlaws. Luckily, I don’t have to chase down many people in my work (thank you, Teams chat), and I can’t travel anywhere without an approved TA #. Which often gets kicked back because I included a tip on my Uber receipt.
My job is primarily making sure our agencies have a strong partner in BITS, someone who understands what they’re trying to accomplish, helps connect their needs to the right people and solutions, and makes sure we follow through on what we promise
I also have the privilege of leading a great team of Customer Success Managers who are on the front lines of those relationships every day. I support them as they work to strengthen collaboration across all our teams and solve critical challenges in smarter, more scalable ways.
Ultimately, I want our agencies to see BITS not simply as their technology provider, but as their trusted partner as we work to better serve the people of Connecticut.
2. What motivated you to pursue a career with the State of Connecticut, and what has been your journey here?
I returned to New England not long ago after 20 years in Los Angeles. I worked in Hollywood, writing for late-night television and producing live awards shows. Things were going pretty well.
Then I had kids.
So I traded the red carpet for a throw rug covered in Kool-Aid and smushed Cheerios. After settling in Connecticut, I sought out new opportunities for my unique skills. Fast forward to a fortunate sit-down with our state’s new Chief Digital Officer, and within weeks I was helping to lead enterprise digital innovation with one of the smartest, most passionate IT teams I’ve ever met.
My kids still think I fly fighter jets with Tom Cruise. Please don’t show them this.
3. What achievements at the State of Connecticut are you most proud of, and what impact have they had?
Most proud? The fact that your friend or family member who may struggle with a disability now has easier access to state services.
As the lead on CT’s enterprise digital accessibility initiative, we built the policy, governance, technology, training, and operational infrastructure to not only crush tens of thousands of accessibility barriers, but also give agencies the tools and knowledge to sustain progress.
Bookmark this: Our state websites jumped 30 points to 98% compliance with new federal accessibility standards – which is virtually unheard of. And we did this in under 8 months.
The result is bigger than compliance, however. We fundamentally changed how our state designs, manages, and delivers digital government so that equitable access is literally built into how we serve our residents. That kind of re-grooving of a process requires tireless planning, lots of relationship-building, and dependable delivery on big promises. We did all of the above, and I’m extremely proud of everyone across the state who contributed to that success.
4. What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of your work, and how do they enrich your life?
I make my own maple syrup every winter, tapping a blend of red and sugar maples on our property. It’s a great example of that unique farm-to-fork experience that’s so meaningful when you own the supply chain. Plus, I get to be part of a rich history of maple sugaring, going all the way back to when maple syrup was first discovered in the Americas by Mrs. Butterworth.
5. Could you share a memorable travel experience and what made that destination special for you?
A trip to Florida a little over a year ago where I spent a week with my two sisters. Not a recreational trip, as my father had died that morning and we needed to take care of all the arrangements. A lot gets revealed in these moments. By the end of that week, we moved from deep sadness to a clear-eyed appreciation for our shared histories with our father.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once famously said, “There is properly no history; only biography.” And I believe it. Remembering a loved one who has passed is a common exercise. But it becomes something much more powerful when you get to color that history with the shared experiences of the people you love.
6. What advice would you give to someone considering a career with the State of Connecticut?
There are excellent opportunities here. And some of those opportunities might not seem as obvious. Don't look at the job, but rather the impact you can have if you were to take on that suite of responsibilities. We're an outcomes-based organization with real-world impact on the people we serve. Does that speak to you? If yes, why are you reading this — go apply right now.
7. What’s your favorite spot in Connecticut, and what makes it special to you?
Bridgewater Fair. My family are country fair junkies, and this was the first one we visited when we moved back to CT. We’ve gone back every year, as well as to many other fairs throughout the state. These are great memories for me.
If you sliced me open, I’d be 81% fried dough.
8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and how would you use it to make a difference?
The ability to “Freaky Friday” someone. Imagine the insights you could gain about life by temporarily switching places with another person.
Of course, they’d be disappointed to wake up in my kitchen and wonder why three teenagers are yelling at them for breaking their yolk.
9. Who is the person you admire, and what qualities do they possess that inspire you?
Charles Schulz. He did one thing and did it better than anyone else in the world. It’s rare to find such a powerful marriage of talent and message in one’s art that also cuts across culture, language, and demographics. He created everything by hand up until his last breath, with no assistants and no AI. His work was deeply meaningful to him, and he left behind a legacy that’s lasted for more than 75 years.
His story is inspiring but also sobering, as we’ll likely never see anything like that again.
10. What’s an interesting or fun fact?
I was Elvis Presley’s lips in a Superbowl Pizza Hut commercial. Yes, I was on the forefront of facial recognition technology.
