- University of Phoenix
2003-2005
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Wells has served as a Board Member on the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council since 2018, which serves as an advisory body to the State Chief Information Officer on cybersecurity issues.
In addition, he is the Director of Training at the Oregon Peace Officers Association, a role he’s held since 2005.
Previously, Wells has served on the Public Safety Fund Memorial Board, the Police Policy Committee and the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training (BPSST) Committee.
While Wells was working as Assistant Director for Security for the Oregon Lottery, the company became the first US lottery to provide VLT player accounts, through a partnership with IGT.
EMPLOYMENT
Wells was appointed as the permanent Director of the Oregon Lottery on 23 August, 2023, a role he held as Interim Director since December 2022.
As Director, Wells acts as both Secretary and Executive Officer of the Oregon Lottery and oversees all management and administration aspects of the organisation.
He joined the Oregon Lottery as a Cybercrime Manager in April 2019, before transitioning to the Assistant Director for Security and Compliance a few months later, on July 2019.
From August 2021, Wells was also an Advisor while working at the Oregon Lottery at 3Go, a cybersecurity risk and mitigation platform for individuals and small organisations.
However, while he doesn’t come from a traditional gambling industry background, Wells does have 24+ years of experience in the law enforcement field.
Starting out as a Police Officer in Oregon in 1996, Wells progressed up to a Task Force Officer for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as part of the Oregon Cyber Task Force in 2016. Here, he was responsible for conducting computer intrusive investigations for cases.
Alongside this, he worked Oregon Department of Justice as a Special Agent of the Organised Crime Section starting in 2008, where he worked for over a decade.
“I appreciate Governor Kotek’s trust in my leadership and look forward to leading the work of the Oregon Lottery in funding critical programs that serve Oregonians.” Michael Wells
Interviews and public speeches
On his appointment to permanent Director, Wells said: “During my tenure as interim director, I’ve had the privilege of leading an exceptional team dedicated to ensuring the Lottery's ongoing support of its beneficiaries and key programs across our state.
When explaining why Wells was chosen for the permanent position, Governor Kotek said: “It is imperative that the director is an experienced leader who will champion transparency and accountability.
“During his time at the Oregon Lottery, Michael has worked closely with staff, the Commission, and stakeholders to lead with the highest standards of security and integrity.”
