Serenity Thompson, Director, Integrated Payments Center of Excellence

Serenity Thompson joined the California State Transportation Agency as Director of the Integrated Payments Center of Excellence in September 2026. In this role, she leads the strategic establishment and governance of the statewide Center of Excellence to transform how Californians interact with mobility payment and digital identity systems for benefit eligibility, discounts, rewards, and ancillary opportunities. An authority on digital identity, ecommerce, modern interaction design, and customer-centered service transformation, Serenity advises CalSTA leadership on policies that advance mobility affordability, expand access to sustainable options, and eliminate friction across public services, including first-mile and last-mile connections.

Prior to joining CalSTA, Serenity served as Deputy Director at the California Department of Motor Vehicles, where she was tapped to establish and lead the DMV’s first Digital Services Division. There, she spearheaded major gains in digital adoption and customer experience, advancing data-driven performance, mobile digital identity, and cross-channel consistency to ensure services were secure, accessible, and human-centered. Earlier in state service, as Chief of Customer Engagement and Retention at the California Lottery, her programs contributed to the highest revenue-generating fiscal year in the Lottery’s history, delivering $2 billion to California public education. Before transitioning into executive state leadership, Serenity led global marketing and interactive technology programs for enterprise brand portfolios in the private sector.

Serenity earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. She also serves on the California Research Innovation Council of the Future Government Institute.