Often, CCST focuses on an issue over a period of years, such as that of personalized healthcare information technology. For outgoing Council member and new CCST Senior Fellow Alfonso Cárdenas, the progress has been encouraging.

"I am very glad to have been working with CCST's energetic and visionary council members towards major advances much needed in health information technology, particularly the implementation of electronic patient medical records," said Cárdenas, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles. "It has taken a while, but we see a significant difference in the drive towards such a goal now compared to five years ago, not only in the state of California but also at the Federal level."

Cárdenas, who completed two terms as a council member, has been engaged with CCST's role in the dialogue concerning HIT since the council began focusing on the issue in 2005.

"Understanding the processes of policymaking, law making, and identifying key stakeholders is a challenge," said Cárdenas. "I have learned the importance of CCST council members engaging the office of the governor, legislators and other stakeholders directly to offer advice and input."

Cárdenas has a long history of distinguished service in computer science, having served as chair of the UCLA Information Technology Planning Board; chair of the University of California - wide Academic Senate Information Technology and Telecommunications Policy committee; and consultant in computer science and management at Computomata International Corporation, Los Angeles, California. In addition, Dr. Cárdenas has also served as a consultant for these public and private organizations, including IBM Corporation, The Rand Corporation, Arthur Young and Company, TTI/Citicorp, Farmers Insurance Group, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Goodyear Atomic Corporation, General Dynamics, Hughes Aircraft, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Cosa Liebermann Ltd., Banco Nacional de Mexico, Petroleos Mexicanos, and various law firms.

Along with continuing his involvement with the pHIT project, Cárdenas plans to remain engaged with CCST's broader agenda as well as in his new role of senior fellow.

"It has been a great and rewarding experience participating with such outstanding colleagues in the council for the last six years," said Cárdenas. "I look forward to continuing to work with CCST as a senior fellow."