The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced two key leadership appointments Thursday, filling critical roles overseeing finance and information technology. The Public Safety Commission confirmed the selections during its meeting at DPS Headquarters in Austin.
Vanessa Mayo has been named Chief of the Finance Division, while John Kelley joins as Assistant Chief of the Information Technology Division. Both appointments took effect immediately following the commission’s approval.
“The Finance and IT Divisions are critical to the vitality and efficiency of this department,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin. “Without these divisions, we simply cannot do the work we need to do across this state, so I am thrilled with these appointments and look forward to seeing the tremendous work these individuals will do in the years ahead.”
The leadership changes come as DPS manages an annual budget exceeding $2 billion and faces growing demands on its statewide operations. The Finance and IT Divisions oversee systems that affect everything from trooper deployment and border operations to public records and driver licensing — making effective leadership in these areas essential to the agency’s mission.
Mayo brings two decades of experience in state government, including seven years as chief financial officer for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. She joined DPS in 2022 as assistant chief of the Finance Division, where she implemented an automated travel solution before transferring to the Regulatory Services Division in 2024 to oversee the Texas Compassionate Use Program.
A graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, Mayo holds degrees in business management and international business and has been a certified fraud examiner for 13 years. She replaces former Chief Suzy Whittenton, who retired in September.
Kelley brings more than 20 years of experience in technology leadership across the manufacturing, oil and gas, healthcare, and government sectors. He most recently directed IT infrastructure for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, managing a team of 150 IT professionals who supported more than 50,000 internal users statewide.
Kelley earned a degree in telecommunications engineering technology from Texas A&M University.
The appointments reflect DPS’s ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen administrative operations that support its law enforcement mission across Texas.