Steven M. Bova
Director, Information and Technology
Right now – and in the years ahead – it is very likely that the single greatest driver of innovation and progress in justice and law enforcement practices will continue to be information technology. But extracting concrete, mission-aligned value from this technology cost effectively requires guidance and direction from the rare senior justice and law enforcement executive who brings three crucial qualifications to the table. These include (1) expert understanding of this technology, (2) practical, hands-on experience in its application to complex justice and law enforcement challenges at a strategic level, and (3) a strong track record of leadership in aligning technology with the organization's mission, business and core operations.
Steven M. Bova stands out in each of these domains. Before joining Hillard Heintze, he served on the senior leadership team at Analysts International as Director of the Public Safety / Homeland Security Sector and as a senior subject matter expert. In this capacity, he oversaw the establishment of information technology protocols and standards for state and local Fusion Centers – the critical intelligence-sharing hubs of the justice system. Bova ensured that the IT protocols complied with specific agency and national standards, including 28 CFR Part 23, the FBI CJIS Policy pertaining to implementation of Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Policies; the Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM); Justice Reference Architecture (JRA); and the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) to achieve interoperability among participating agencies.
Earlier in his career, Bova served as Bureau Chief within the Information and Technology Command of the Illinois State Police as well as the state's Chief Technical Analyst in the Illinois Technology Office. In these capacities, Bova led and directed initiatives to improve information sharing among law enforcement agencies and the public and to better prepare and secure critical information systems in the event of an emergency. Among other key accomplishments in this position, he implemented critical disciplines such as enterprise architecture to manage the information technology portfolio of the Illinois State Police; served as Senior Architect for the Illinois Citizens Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting system (I-CLEAR); and secured over $15 million for the Illinois State Police as Vice Chairman of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) Information Technology Committee to better prevent domestic and foreign terrorist events through the use of innovative enterprise technology with the Statewide Terrorist Intelligence Center (STIC).
Bova is a specialist in a number of related domains, including, for example, enterprise architecture, intelligence-led policing (ILP), intelligence and analytics, geospatial mapping (GIS) and Fusion Center design and operations as well as the policies, business processes, and technologies required to support each of these areas.
Bova has served as an expert on two leading industry boards: the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Policy Board and the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (Nlets). On behalf of PKI, Bova provided guidance and oversight for the State of Illinois Enterprise Digital Identification Program, an enterprise security model – one of the first of its kind in the United States – that provides a means for secure and verifiable identification. On behalf of Nlets, the system designed to facilitate the seamless interstate transmission of data within a secure environment, Bova helped advance the adoption of information sharing standards, the implementation of performance-based metrics, and the development of sound business practices in a collaborative atmosphere with Nlets community.
Bova is a graduate of Indiana State University with a degree in Business Administration – and is currently in the process of earning a Project Management Professional Certificate from the Project Management Institute. He also holds a post-graduate Certificate from Northwestern University's Center for Public Safety, Staff Police and Command School (SPSC #219) where he was honored with the Franklin M. Kremil Leadership Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement Leadership.
