EFFICIENCY & PEOPLE-FIRST LEADERSHIP
BUSINESS TIMES
MONTANA DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION
MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
MISTY ANN GILES
EFFICIENCY AND PEOPLE-FIRST LEADERSHIP IN MONTANA
Project by: Malvern Kandemwa
Words by: Michelle Duncan
Misty Ann Giles is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Montana Department of Administration, a pivotal role in overseeing the administrative functions of Montana’s state government. Her leadership changed a wide range of vital operations, in-
cluding agency support, fiscal management, facilities, human resources, and information technology, with a focus on enterprise modernization and efficiency.
A FORTUITOUS START IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Misty Ann Giles’s journey into politics began unexpectedly in 2006, while she was pursuing her graduate studies at the University of Georgia. Sonny Perdue
brought Giles onto his team as he was seeking a second term after making history in his first term as Georgia’s first Republican governor in more than 130 years. Though his first win was historic, Perdue knew seeking a second term would be a tough climb.
The then 23-year-old Giles was a dynamic young operative, achieving several key campaign victories that contributed to Perdue’s re-election with nearly 60% of the
Misty Ann Giles, COO and Director, Montana Department of Administration
vote, marking the start of her long and impactful career in government and public administration.
“I oversaw campaign operations across 25 counties where we weren’t expected to perform well – they were primarily Democratic and basically home to our opponent. We ultimately secured victories in 17 of them,” Giles recalls.
Her early success on the campaign trail opened doors to pub-
lic administration. “I was soon offered a position as a policy advisor overseeing criminal justice, public safety, and general government issues. Suddenly, I found myself responsible for coordinating across 14 state agencies,” she says.
RAPID RISE THROUGH LEADERSHIP
Giles’s meteoric rise continued thanks to a leadership philosophy
that emphasized mentorship and talent development. “Sonny believed strongly in hiring young talent and developing them into capable leaders, and there I was, given a chance to prove myself,” she reflects. “Before long, I was serving as a division budget director, overseeing 45 agencies with a combined budget and appropriations portfolio of more than US$2.5 billion. Drawing on insights from my master’s thesis, I proposed a comprehensive
criminal justice reform initiative and went on to lead the drafting of the new legislative package.”
It marked the start of an extraordinary public service career that, 18 years later, culminated in her appointment to lead Montana’s Department of Administration; while also serving as the state’s first-ever Chief Operating Officer, a position specially created for her by Governor Greg Gianforte.
Misty Giles is often described as a change agent in governmental management. Her prior roles and appointments emphasize process improvements, modernization, efficiency, and customer service. She has brought an emphasis on streamlining operations, reducing red tape, and improving how outward-facing and internal government services function. The framing of her role suggests balancing modernization with the responsible management of public resources.
FROM LAW SCHOOL TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Trump administration, invited Giles to join him in Washington.
“BEFORE LONG, I WAS SERVING AS A DIVISION BUDGET DIRECTOR, OVERSEEING 45 AGENCIES WITH A COMBINED BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS PORTFOLIO OF MORE THAN US$2.5 BILLION. DRAWING ON INSIGHTS FROM MY MASTER’S THESIS, I PROPOSED A COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM INITIATIVE AND WENT ON TO LEAD THE DRAFTING OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.”
Giles’s ascent to leadership has included several unexpected pivots. One of the first came when she chose to leave politics and attend law school in San Diego, where she was the first parttime student to serve as Editor-in-Chief of The San Diego Law Review while attending as a part-time teaching assistant.
Just as she neared graduation, destiny called again. Former Governor Sonny Perdue, now serving as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under the
“He asked me to join his team as a senior advisor on a range of policy issues,” Giles recalls. She later transitioned to Rural Development at the USDA as Chief of Staff, overseeing 500 offices and 5,500 employees nationwide, managing a US$250 billion budget.
“During my tenure, I led 31 organizational realignments over two years, restructuring the entire Agency,” she says. A monumental undertaking that highlighted her operational precision and strategic vision.
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PARTNER FOCUS:
CGI
At CGI, we are honored to be a close strategic partner to the State of Montana during a time of bold transformation and forward-thinking leadership. Guided by the department’s commitment to purposeful modernization, the state has embraced initiatives that streamline operations, empower its workforce, and enhance services for citizens. Our collaboration with the Department of Administration has supported key initiatives in digital infrastructure, hybrid work strategies, and operational efficiency.
One of the most impactful examples of this partnership is our work with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to implement the Statewide Transportation Accounting and Reporting System (STARS). This modern financial platform replaces aging and highly customized systems with a comprehensive, modern and purpose-built platform that has proven successful in numerous other state DOTs. STARS is designed to streamline financial processing, increase automation, strengthen auditing capabilities, and improve usability across MDT’s accounting functions. Through this initiative, CGI is help-
ing MDT achieve greater transparency, efficiency, and long-term operational resilience.
This partnership goes beyond technology—it is about shared vision and trust. The department’s data-driven decision making and inclusive leadership style has cultivated an environment where innovation thrives. We are proud to contribute to Montana’s journey toward a more agile, citizen-focused government. Together, we are building a model for how public-private collaboration can deliver lasting impact and set new standards for excellence in state government.
A NEW CHAPTER IN MONTANA
“I was actually recruited into the role I have now,” Giles recalls. “I didn’t know Governor Gianforte or anyone on his team at the time, but I received an unexpected message inviting me to meet with him. Initially, I declined because I already had another position lined up, but they encouraged me to at least have a conversation.”
That meeting proved pivotal. “I was immediately drawn to his vision for government,” she explains. “He shares my belief that the government should operate with the efficiency and accountability of a business, and he was looking for someone who truly understood how all the moving
parts fit together.”
After several meetings in Washington, D.C., Governor Gianforte was so impressed by Giles’s ability and vision that he created a new position specifically for her, appointing her not only as Director of Administration, but also as Montana’s first-ever Chief Operating Officer.
DRIVING TRANSFORMATION ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT
“We’ve had a very ambitious agenda over the past four years,” Giles explains. “Our focus has been on implementing data-driven solutions, drawing on best practices, and working in many ways to more efficient-
ly function as one state rather than siloed agencies.”
Under her leadership, the department has conducted a comprehensive review and modernization of the state’s workspace portfolio. This process included interviewing more than 100 managers and thousands of employees and analysing over 350 job classifications to improve operational alignment.
“We developed a standardized approach to hybrid work,” she says, “and then conducted a full assessment of our 93,000 square meters of leased office space. By improving that footprint, we secured more than US$60 million to modernize Montana’s state workplaces.”
Giles also partnered with Civic Initiatives to improve procurement efficiency and maximize taxpayer value. Meanwhile, she leads the state’s US$938 million ConnectMT broadband program, a major infrastructure effort expanding high-speed internet access to underserved communities. Twenty-five percent of Montana’s population currently experiences limited connectivity.
Beyond modernizing systems and infrastructure, Giles has placed a strong emphasis on people and culture. She quickly recognized that many state em-
ployees felt stuck in roles with limited career progression.
“A lot of these individuals are great at what they do,” she explains. “We’re working to create real career pathways for an upward trajectory in government, not just jobs, so employees can continue to grow in their careers.”
Managing that transformation across 12 departments and 14,000 employees is no small task. “It’s a challenge to align everyone under a shared vision,” she admits. “But there’s genuine excitement about creating new opportuni-
ties and focusing on what is possible in the future.”
Giles’s work in Montana is reshaping how the state government improves data-driven decision-making, empowers the workforce, and pursues a sharp vision for modernization. But her most significant contribution has been how state employees use these practices to deliver value and connection to the citizens they serve.
As she proved during her early campaign days in Georgia, Misty Ann Giles has an innate ability
to inspire confidence and rally teams around a shared mission. With two decades of experience in government operations, her leadership blends strategic discipline with a deep respect for people and process. FIND OUT
