About Us

The Department of Technology and Communication Services provides a (DTCS) secure, robust information technology infrastructure and works vigilantly to mitigate vulnerabilities and threats to County assets. DTCS supports free public WiFi spots throughout the County, provides interactive maps, and apps, manages the County website, and oversees the performance of County cable providers, as well as the operation of the public access cable channel.

The DTCS Service Desk promptly responds to all technical issues and questions from staff, while maintaining workstations and installing software and equipment. The department ensures that Howard County Government complies with the retaining and disposing of public records as mandated by the State of Maryland.

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Divisions

Title

Cable Administration

Content

The Office of Cable Administration enforces FCC rules and guidelines for the Local Franchising Authority, the Howard County Government. To learn more about this office, please visit the Cable Administration page. To report issues concerning cable services in Howard County, please fill out the Cable Issues and Complaints Form.

Title

Cyber Security

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The Cyber Security Division monitors the security posture of the County network.

Title

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

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The GIS Division supports the creation, standardization, storage, and dissemination of geographical data for all County departments.

Title

Network Infrastructure

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The Network Infrastructure Division provides network support services to include wired and wireless network connectivity for voice and data services.

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Project Management

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The Project Management division monitors and controls Information Technology (IT) Projects implemented by the County.

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Public Safety

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The Public Safety Division plays a major role in the support of Public Safety Systems, including the 911 system and multiple Homeland Security initiatives.

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Radio and Telephone Services

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The Radio and Telephone Services Division is responsible for providing and supporting radio maintenance, telephone installation and maintenance, cabling services for voice and data communications, and wireless service for both voice and data including pagers, cell phones, and 800 MHz radios.

Title

Records Management

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Records Management is responsible for providing records and information services to all Howard County offices. This includes storage and destruction of records based on approved retention policies. The division is also the liaison between Howard County, the Department of General Services-Records Management Division and the Maryland State Archives (MSA).

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SAP

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The SAP Team is focused on the implementation of new functionalities, business process improvement and Enterprise reporting.

Title

Server Team

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The Server Team provides hardware and software support to the employees of the County including email, database administration, backup and restore services, remote access services, and verifies permissions to safeguard access to all County resources.

Title

Service Desk

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The Service Desk provides technical support for County employees and those authorized to use the County's computer resources. Support includes workstation maintenance, software updates and installs, and guidance for how to use the technology needed to support the County.

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Systems Development

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Systems Development is responsible for the development and maintenance of all software applications required to support the County's operations. This includes Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) and custom applications.

Team

Headshot of David Leeds
David Leeds
Acting Director and Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Technology & Communication Services
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About

Mr. David G. Leeds has been serving as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Howard County Government (County) since March 2023.  Prior to joining the County, Mr. Leeds worked as a Cybersecurity professional in the private sector, leading a large Cybersecurity team at Northrop Grumman Corporation (NG) as a Cyber Information Systems Security Manager.  Prior to NG, Mr. Leeds worked in the federal sector, serving as a CISO, Deputy CISO, and Security Control Assessor for the U.S. Air Force at the DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3).  In addition, Mr. Leeds worked as a Senior Information Assurance Engineer, and Senior Computer Operations Support Analyst, for Lockheed Martin.  Mr. Leeds also served as an NCO in the U.S. Army, deploying to Kandahar, Afghanistan (KAF) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in 2012.  While deployed, Mr. Leeds managed a team of IT technicians that provided support to over 1,300 end-users for the U.S. Army, while supporting a Major General in OEF.  Prior to his military service, Mr. Leeds also worked for two Fortune 500 companies, as a Territory Manager for Kraft Foods and Kellogg Company.  In this capacity, Mr. Leeds was responsible for managing multi-million dollar territories, and multiple full and part-time employees.  Collectively, Mr. Leeds has over 26 years of leadership experience in both military and civilian environments.

Mr. Leeds holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Western Governors University, a Master of Business of Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Bachelor of Science from Fitchburg State University.  He also holds his CISSP, CEH, CNDA, GISP, SEC+, and NET+ certifications.

Sandra Tello
Sandra Tello
Deputy Director, Department of Technology & Communications Services
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About

Sandra Tello has served as Deputy Director for the Department of Technology & Communication for the past 14 years. Tello managed multiple technology initiatives that have led to efficiencies across Howard County Government through automation and system consolidations.

During this time, she has been managing Business office, Digital experience, GIS, Service Desk and SAP Support business areas.

Tello was instrumental in the implementation of County’s ERP system, and played a vital role in design, deploy, and support of ERP using SAP solution. This system includes Financials, Purchasing, Fleet, and Utilities. 

Prior to Howard County, Tello was consulting in implementation of ERP systems for 12 years in different countries.

Photograph of John Eckard, Deputy Director of Howard County's Department of Technology & Communication Services
John Eckard
Deputy Director, Department of Technology & Communication Services
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About

A native Marylander, John was appointed Deputy Chief Information Officer in September 2023. John has a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience within the Department of Technology and Communication Services, having worked and been promoted through the ranks during his tenure with Howard County. John previously served in the private sector as IT Director for Rosemore Inc., as well as public sector IT positions within the Baltimore City Circuit Court and Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.

John’s technical skills have enabled the County to evaluate business needs, purchase, and scale many of the IT solutions used by the County. He has collaborated with departments to build solutions, maintains the County’s operational IT infrastructure, and continues to plan for future growth into new technologies.

John holds a Master’s degree in Applied Internet Technologies systems from Towson University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from Fairmont State University.

John is married and has an adult daughter. He enjoys fishing, sports, Tom Clancy novels, and spending time with his large family.

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