“I really feel like I scored by landing my job at NDIT,” Brian Newby says, the grin in his voice betraying a career that has defied conventional trajectories. For North Dakotans, the state’s Information Technology Department (NDIT) has become a quiet engine of digital transformation, but for Newby, it’s the culmination of a journey that began in Kansas City, Missouri, and meandered through corporate PR, local politics, and the high-stakes world of election administration.
North Dakota Dreamin’—a phrase that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking—captures the essence of Newby’s career. He earned degrees in communications from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, his early ambitions fixed on a role as PR Director for the Kansas City Royals. Instead, he found himself at Sprint, where he spent two decades working through the telecom giant’s labyrinthine hierarchy. His path then took an unexpected turn: a foray into local politics, a 11-year stint as Johnson County Election Commissioner, and a stint in Washington, D.C., as Executive Director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
When Newby accepted the role of North Dakota’s State Election Director, the move was as much a leap of faith as it was a professional pivot. “I moved to Bismarck, sight unseen,” he recalls. “I was praying for global warming to get through my first winter.” Yet the challenges of North Dakota’s climate paled in comparison to the political and logistical hurdles of managing elections during a pandemic. Under his leadership, the state transitioned toward expanded mail-in voting, a shift that coincided with his own battle with colon cancer. “That actually played a big part in me wanting to work here,” he says.
The Hidden Cost to the Suburbs
Newby’s work at NDIT has been less about flashy tech innovations and more about building infrastructure that serves rural and urban communities alike.
The Devil’s Advocate
Newby, however, remains undeterred.
The Ripple Effect
For North Dakota, this approach has had tangible benefits. Newby’s cancer diagnosis highlighted the personal toll of high-stakes public service.
The final chapter of Newby’s story is still being written. While he and his wife, Jessica, now reside in California, his impact on North Dakota endures.
