Gayathri Kolandaisami is a doctoral researcher at Florida International University and a former CEO and Chief Technology Officer with more than two decades of experience in smart-city technology, smart-water infrastructure, software engineering, and digital transformation. Her MBA research at the University of Pretoria examined the drivers and barriers influencing smart-city adoption in developing countries. She previously led technology, product, and research and development strategy for public-service platforms, including a patented smart-city solution deployed in the water sector. She holds an MBA from the University of Pretoria and a Master of Engineering in Software Engineering. An IEEE Senior Member, she serves on the IEEE Smart Water Management Technical Committee and the AWWA Infrastructure Management and Technology Research Committee. Her current research examines citizen participation, technology adoption, and digital governance in critical infrastructure and public-service delivery.