Jodie Rugless* is the CIO of Royal District Nursing Service South Australia (RDNS SA). RDNS has been providing home nursing care for over 116 years, when and where its clients need it, with the aim of supporting individuals to choose to live independently, through the extensive and diverse services it provides. Rugless is charged with keeping that show on the road - quite literally - as Merri Mack found out.
Rugless didn’t grow up dreaming of an IT career - she spent her youth in the outback, where computers were the exclusive domain of techie boys. But when she was 16 her parents purchased a Windows 3.1 PC and she developed an interest.
She remembers actively hiding the PC from her friends because computers were not considered ‘cool’ - especially for girls! With her interest ignited she left home to study Information Technology at Charles Sturt University and has worked in the IT industry ever since.
This CIO role is twofold and comes with its challenges. As a strategic leader she has a shared responsibility for assisting with the definition and execution of the organisational strategic plan. Secondly, she has sole responsibility for the strategic leadership of the organisational information technology and information management functions.
“Like all C-Level roles, the CIO has to contribute to the overall performance of the organisation. The uniqueness of the CIO role is the advanced level of systemic understanding of the organisational operations inherent to the position,” Rugless says.
“CIOs generally know most of the hows and whys of the organisational systems. Consequently, we are in a great position to positively input to the day-to-day operational and strategic decisions made across the entire spectrum of the business,” she says.
Diversity is what Rugless loves about being a CIO. On any given day she can move from a detailed technical discussion on network infrastructure, to a strategic review of ways to improve client outcomes in the field, to a planning session on defining models of care with key stakeholders like the state and federal health departments.
“It’s exciting and there are lots of opportunities to positively contribute towards the ultimate goal of improving our client outcomes,” she says.
For Rugless, the biggest challenge of being a CIO is balance.
“Balancing innovation and operation, operation and governance, governance and agility, business needs and business wants, and the list goes on,” she says.
Rugless was promoted to the position of CIO just over 18 months ago and recognises that she has been very fortunate to work in organisations that have allowed her to develop her skills, through a combination of study and experience.
In addition, she has had the opportunity to work with exceptional business leaders who have mentored and encouraged her in every step of the way. So when the opportunity arose for the CIO role, she had great support both internally and externally to step into the job.
One of the satisfying aspects of the role is facilitating others to achieve great outcomes. But it’s not only the big achievements that Rugless counts as satisfying, there’s also smaller, more personal achievements.
“Less than a year ago, I helped a staff member set up a Facebook account so they could connect with one of their children who had recently moved overseas. Her excitement and joy from being able to do this was overwhelming, and the satisfaction I got will stay with me as a reminder as to how technology can not only impact organisations, but also individuals,” Rugless says.
It’s not all work and no play - after all, balance is key to success. Rugless has two beautiful children and a very understanding husband with whom she spends every available minute when she is not at work. She also plays softball and looks forward to playing in the Masters Games later this year.
*Jodie Rugless is the CIO at RDNS SA. She has more than 13 years’ IT experience, with the last 10 years working at RDNS SA in multiple roles. She holds a Degree in IT, an MBA (with Distinction) and a Diploma in Management. Rugless is an active member of the ACS with CP status and is currently studying a Masters in IT.