Former Intel executive joins The Connective to lead technology strategy and innovation

• Technology leader brings three decades of expertise to smart city initiatives
• Former Intel Director of Emerging Technologies to drive civic innovation initiatives
• Appointment strengthens The Connective’s mission to build nation’s most connected smart region

PHOENIX, Ariz. (February 2, 2026) – The Connective, Greater Phoenix’s regional smart city consortium, welcomes Chris Lucero to accelerate smart city adoption and cross-municipal collaboration. Lucero brings over 30 years of experience to his role as the Technology and Design Director in emerging technologies, systems engineering, and secure digital infrastructure to help cities apply technology in practical, scalable, and trusted ways. His appointment advances The Connective’s goal to create the nation’s most technologically advanced and collaborative smart region.

In his new role, Lucero will lead The Connective’s technology strategy and implementation efforts, working directly with member communities to develop and deploy smart city solutions. He will focus on creating long-term technology roadmaps that enable cities to collaborate effectively across municipal boundaries on shared challenges like operational efficiency, citizen experience, connectivity, mobility, and sustainability.

“Chris brings a rare combination of technical depth, real-world implementation experience, and a passion for civic innovation that perfectly aligns with our mission,” said Dean Duncan, Managing Director, The Connective. “His expertise in translating complex technologies into practical applications will be invaluable as we work to build the nation’s most connected and innovative smart region.”

Prior to joining The Connective, Lucero served as Director of Emerging Technologies and Strategy at Intel Corporation, focusing on industrial applications of AI, edge computing, and digital twins. His extensive background spans product design, industrial IoT, cybersecurity, and large-scale systems implementation.

“Cities across our region face similar challenges in adopting new technologies that can improve operations and quality of life for residents,” said Lucero. “My goal is to be the connective tissue that helps municipalities implement practical, scalable solutions while avoiding the common pitfalls of overly complex approaches that ultimately disappoint.”

Lucero is also the founder of Luminos Innovation, a high-tech engineering consultancy, and was most recently the co-chair of the AZ Technology Council’s Smart Cities and Digital Transformation committee. He holds 16 U.S. patents in design, systems engineering, networking, and wireless sensing, and is co-author of the technical book “Energy Aware Computing – Powerful Approaches for Green System Design.”

“Chris’s arrival comes at a pivotal time as our member cities accelerate their digital transformation efforts,” said Jake Taylor, immediate past Design & Technology Manager, The Connective. “His leadership will help us ensure that resident experience remains at the center of all our technology initiatives while we scale solutions that truly meet community needs.”

With Lucero’s leadership, The Connective will expand its work with member cities to implement practical technology solutions that address regional challenges. His expertise positions Greater Phoenix to accelerate its transformation into a model for how metropolitan regions can collaborate across municipal boundaries to create smarter, more connected communities.