EP 69: Building a Smart City from the Ground Up: Brownsville’s Transformation featuring Jorge Cardenas

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sits down with Jorge Cardenas, CIO of Brownsville, Texas and a 2025 Service to the Citizen Award winner. Tasked with transforming one of the least connected cities in the U.S., Jorge shares how he built a smart city from the ground up, modernizing infrastructure, expanding fiber networks, and launching a private 5G network.

He discusses key digital initiatives that improved city services, from online permitting and service request tracking to enhanced public safety systems and community Wi-Fi. Jorge also highlights Brownsville’s growing use of AI and its innovation lab, along with future plans to expand connectivity and regional collaboration.

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Resources Mentioned:

• Citizen Services Newsletter
• 2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form