Laurel was recently named by Government Technology as one of the “Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, Drivers of 2020”. This discussion begins as the COVID-19 pandemic is just starting to take hold in Latah County, ID, and IT is asked to prepare for the worst. As the County monitors what is happening throughout the nation, they wisely took the time to plan out their response. It is not easy being a CIO – especially if you are a woman. But Laurel clearly has earned the respect of the entire county - regardless of gender. While Latah County wisely closed county offices to the public they turned instead to an innovative appointment only policy. But the biggest challenge was in supporting their workforce to be able to work remotely. Being a relatively small jurisdiction presents many challenges regarding scare resources and rural considerations.