Get ready for a fresh take on Virginia’s premier government technology gathering. In partnership with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), we’re combining the best of both worlds - COVITS and COVITS for Leaders - into a single, powerful two-day experience. COVITS 2025 brings together more than 600 public-sector leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are shaping the future of technology in government. From digital transformation to strategic planning, this reimagined symposium delivers forward-thinking content, peer exchange, and real-world insights. Whether you're leading policy, managing IT operations, or supporting smarter service delivery, this is your front-row seat to Virginia’s tech evolution.
I’m excited for the 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium, which brings together hundreds of public-sector IT professionals and leaders who are shaping the future of government technology. This year’s COVITS promises to be a great opportunity to learn, network, celebrate successes and gain new insights into Virginia’s next big plays in technology. We’ll see you in September for a new two-day event!
- Robert Osmond, Chief Information Officer, Commonwealth of Virginia
Tuesday September 16 |
|
8:00 am Eastern |
Registration and Morning Refreshments |
9:00 am Eastern |
WelcomeRobert Osmond, Chief Information Officer, Virginia Information Technologies Agency, Commonwealth of Virginia The Honorable Lyn McDermid, Secretary of Administration, Commonwealth of Virginia |
9:40 am Eastern |
Keynote – The Art of Espionage: Understanding the Fundamentals of SpycraftEspionage isn't just a plot in thrillers; it's a real and present danger. Doubtful you could be enticed into the world of spying? Think again. Our speaker, a former Case Officer (spy), will unveil her methods for identifying and recruiting individuals across various industries—revealing tactics from casual conversations at airport lounges to sophisticated surveillance operations. This insightful presentation dives deep into the clandestine world of espionage and its implications for your organization. Explore the intricate realms of industrial, corporate, and foreign espionage, as we dissect their motivations, the financial stakes involved, recruitment strategies, and provide vivid case studies of threat actors. Learn about the espionage toolkit, which blends traditional human intelligence methods with cutting-edge cyber security tactics. This talk will illuminate how today's adversaries, including hackers, nation-states, and organized crime rings, employ espionage techniques reminiscent of those used by spies. Equip yourself with the knowledge to detect and defend against espionage, whether you're facing a human operative or a cyber threat. Shawnee Delaney, Founder and CEO, Vaillance Group |
10:40 am Eastern |
Networking Break |
11:10 am Eastern |
Concurrent SessionsThe Data Journey: From Governance to Impactful Decision-MakingIn the public sector, data is more than just numbers - it’s the foundation for informed policy, resource allocation, and service improvements. But how do state and local governments ensure they’re collecting, governing, and utilizing data effectively to drive better decision-making? This session will explore the full lifecycle of data - governance, cleansing, and strategy - leading to a North Star of data-driven decision-making. Panelists from state and local governments will share real-world examples of how they have leveraged data to shape policy, improve service delivery, set the foundation for AI, and demonstrate ROI. Talent on Tap – Unlocking Certification and Upskilling PathsVirginia is sharpening its focus on building a strong pipeline from higher education into public service by investing in certifications, apprenticeships, and skill-based learning models designed to meet real-world IT demands. As agencies across the Commonwealth face increasing pressure to fill critical technology and business roles, forward-thinking leaders are partnering with colleges, workforce boards, and training providers to create clear, accelerated pathways into government careers. This session will explore Virginia's strategies for bridging the gap between classroom and career - highlighting how certification programs, hands-on internships, and public-private collaboration are helping students transition from graduation to immediate impact in the public sector. Shadow IT: From Saying No to Knowing MoreIn today’s fast-paced, tool-saturated environment, Shadow IT is no longer just a risk—it’s a reality. Well-meaning teams often turn to unsanctioned apps and platforms to get work done faster, creating blind spots in security, compliance, and data governance. But the answer isn’t always “no”—it’s “know.” This session explores how public-sector IT leaders can shift from a culture of restriction to one of visibility, education, and enablement. Learn how to uncover what’s being used, why teams are bypassing official channels, and how to respond with flexible, secure solutions that meet evolving business needs without sacrificing control. It’s time to turn Shadow IT into smarter IT. The Cost of Innovation – Economic Forces, Budgets and Smarter ProcurementWith shifting policies, state and local governments in North Carolina must adapt their IT strategies to align with evolving economic conditions and funding landscapes. Can we better leverage contracts, agile sourcing and vendor partnerships that deliver great value? Can we find creative ways to do less with more? This session will explore key economic trends, investment priorities, procurement strategy and how IT can collaborate to maximize value and accelerate modernization. Managing Change: Practical Strategies for People TransformationChange is never easy – especially when organizational and business transformations must move forward with limited resources and outdated processes. This session will explore practical strategies for change management, including managing expectations, engaging cross-functional teams, and maintaining continuity through transitions. Government IT leaders will learn how to foster a culture of adaptability, manage risk, optimize resources, and balance investments in people and technology to ensure long-term organizational readiness. |
12:10 pm Eastern |
Lunch |
1:10 pm Eastern |
General session - DMVGeneral session - TAX |
1:50 pm Eastern |
Networking Break |
2:20 pm Eastern |
Concurrent SessionsThreatscape 2025: Preparing for What’s Next in CybersecurityThe cyber threat landscape is evolving faster than ever—and so must our defenses. As ransomware grows more targeted, AI tools are weaponized by bad actors, and critical infrastructure faces escalating risks, government agencies must stay ahead of the curve. This session explores the latest wave of emerging threats, from deepfakes and phishing-as-a-service to supply chain vulnerabilities and cloud-based exploits. Hear how public-sector organizations are adapting with zero trust architectures, advanced threat detection, and cross-sector collaboration. Stronger Together: Breaking Silos and Building Smarter Through CollaborationWhy reinvent the wheel when another agency already built it? Across all levels of government, agencies are facing similar challenges—but too often tackling them in isolation. This session explores the power of cross-agency collaboration, shared services, and knowledge exchange to accelerate innovation, reduce duplication, and deliver better outcomes for the public. From replicating successful pilots to adopting common frameworks, we’ll look at real-world examples of how collaboration—across cities, counties, and states—is saving time, maximizing resources, and creating scalable solutions. Learn how to tap into the collective brainpower of government to move faster, smarter, and with greater impact. Advancing Digital AccessibilityAs digital services expand, governments must address challenges related to infrastructure, platform usability, and compliance with standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to meet accessibility requirements. This session explores practical approaches to enhancing digital access, ensuring web and application accessibility, and promoting user success. We'll spotlight how Virginia is advancing these efforts through improved connectivity and user-centered technology design. Smarter, Faster, Connected: Unlocking the Power of IoT and MobilityFrom smart traffic lights and connected sensors to mobile inspections and real-time public safety alerts, the convergence of IoT and mobility is reshaping how government serves and responds. This session explores how public-sector agencies are leveraging connected devices and mobile platforms to improve decision-making, streamline operations, and deliver services at the speed of need. We’ll dive into use cases that span transportation, infrastructure, emergency management, and citizen engagement - while also addressing key challenges like data security, interoperability, and network scalability. Executive Briefing for Industry PartnersHosted by: Robert Osmond, Chief Information Officer, Virginia Information Technologies Agency, Commonwealth of Virginia |
3:20 pm Eastern |
Networking Break |
3:40 pm Eastern |
General Session – The Government Experience Revolution – Reimagining Personalized Government DeliveryConstituents today expect the same level of seamless, personalized service from government that they receive in the private sector. The Government Experience Revolution is transforming how agencies deliver services - moving from one-size-fits-all approaches to data-driven, user-centric experiences. This session, presented by the Center for Digital Government, will explore how governments are leveraging AI, digital identity, and advanced analytics to anticipate citizen needs, streamline interactions, and build trust through personalization. Barry Condrey, Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government |
4:10 pm Eastern |
Commonwealth Technology Awards |
4:30 pm Eastern |
Networking ReceptionNetwork with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors. |
5:00 pm Eastern |
End of Day One |
Wednesday, September 17 |
|
8:00 am Eastern |
Registration and Morning Refreshments |
9:00 am Eastern |
WelcomeRobert Osmond, Chief Information Officer, Virginia Information Technologies Agency, Commonwealth of Virginia |
9:10 am Eastern |
Keynote - Think Like a Futurist: Turning Trends into OpportunitiesLeaders must embrace futures thinking to see the signals and trends shaping our world, and to anticipate how we can transform and uncover new opportunities. This session helps you develop foresight to address the most common challenges facing the public sector: evolving constituent expectations, emerging tech, sustainability, misinformation, privacy, security, global megatrends, and domestic shifts in economies, workforces, and societal movements. Nikolas Badminton will guide you through futurist tools and techniques, teaching you to identify signals and trends, harness strategic foresight, and unlock resiliency by shifting your perspective from what is to WHAT IF Nik Badminton, Chief Futurist and Hope Engineer |
10:10 am Eastern |
General Session - OGDA Spotlight |
10:40 am Eastern |
Networking Break |
11:00 am Eastern |
Concurrent SessionsDesigned for Impact: Bringing Human-Centered Design to Government ServicesTechnology works best when it works for everyone - and that starts with design. Human-centered design (HCD) puts people, not processes, at the core of digital transformation, ensuring services are intuitive, accessible, and truly meet the needs of those they serve. In this session, we’ll explore how public-sector teams are using HCD to build trust, reduce friction, and improve outcomes across programs and platforms. From inclusive research and journey mapping to prototyping and user testing, discover practical strategies for embedding empathy and usability into every phase of service delivery. Virginia’s Cloud EvolutionVirginia’s cloud journey has evolved from an ambitious cloud-first mandate into a strategic, cloud-smart approach focused on optimization, security, and service delivery. After virtualizing 94% of infrastructure and retiring its legacy data center, the state has embraced hybrid environments, expanded enterprise network capacity by 1,500%, and implemented a flexible multi-vendor model. Now, the focus is on sustaining this momentum through workforce reskilling - equipping teams with the cloud-native skills, cybersecurity knowledge, and agile practices needed to support modern government. This session explores how the Commonwealth is aligning infrastructure, governance, and talent to deliver a secure, efficient, and future-ready digital experience for all Virginians. Coexisting with Technology: Optimizing the Workforce for a New EraEmerging technologies are transforming the public sector workforce by streamlining operations, enhancing decision-making, and redefining job roles. As government agencies adopt new tools and automation, the challenge lies in balancing technological innovation with workforce optimization. How can IT leaders ensure a smooth transition, empower employees with new skills, and foster effective collaboration? This session will delve into strategies for seamlessly integrating emerging technologies into government operations while cultivating a culture that is resilient. Rethinking Identity and Access Management in GovernmentAs the threat landscape evolves and digital services expand, identity and access management (IAM) has become the cornerstone of cybersecurity in government. Gone are the days of perimeter-based defenses -today, securing the “front door” means ensuring the right individuals have the right access at the right time, for the right reasons. This session explores how agencies are modernizing IAM strategies to support zero trust architectures, streamline user provisioning, and manage complex access across hybrid environments and multiple identity sources. |
12:00 pm Eastern |
Lunch |
1:00 pm Eastern |
General Session – Local Government Innovation SpotlightInnovation is alive and well at the local level in Virginia, where cities, counties, and towns are finding creative ways to serve their communities more effectively. This session highlights how local governments are pushing boundaries, testing new ideas, and building solutions that meet real-world needs - often with limited resources and a deep understanding of their constituents. |
1:40 pm Eastern |
General Session - Elements of a Baseline Cybersecurity ProgramEvery public agency - regardless of size or mission - needs a strong cybersecurity foundation. But where do you begin? This session walks through the core components of an effective cybersecurity program. We’ll cover essential building blocks such as risk assessments, access controls, incident response planning, employee training, and policy development. Attendees will learn how to align with frameworks like NIST, build a culture of security awareness, and prioritize limited resources for maximum impact. |
2:00 pm Eastern |
Networking Break |
2:20 pm Eastern |
Concurrent SessionsAI and RPA Use Cases That Are Redefining Government WorkArtificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are no longer experimental—they’re delivering real results across government. This session highlights proven use cases where these technologies are streamlining operations, reducing manual workloads, and enabling staff to focus on more strategic tasks. From automating back-office processes like invoice approvals and data entry to deploying AI for customer service, fraud detection, and infrastructure monitoring, these tools are transforming how work gets done. Citizen Development Governance: Building a Low Code Framework That WorksAs citizen development gains momentum across the public sector, agencies are increasingly turning to low-code platforms to empower staff, streamline operations, and accelerate innovation. But without the right guardrails, these efforts can quickly lead to fragmentation, data risks, and unmanageable sprawl. This session offers a practical look at how to establish a sustainable governance framework to support non-technical developers - covering key pillars like enforcing data loss prevention (DLP) policies, setting standards for solution components, and building a peer-driven support model. Whether you're just getting started or looking to strengthen an existing program, you'll walk away with actionable strategies, lessons learned, and a clearer path to enabling secure, scalable citizen development. Bridging the Gap Between Business and ITDespite sharing common goals, business and IT teams often speak different languages—leading to misaligned priorities, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities. As digital transformation accelerates, successful public-sector organizations are rethinking how to foster collaboration, build trust, and align strategy across both sides of the aisle. This session will explore practical ways to close the communication gap between business and IT leaders. From translating technical concepts into business value to building shared roadmaps and inclusive governance structures, we’ll examine proven strategies for creating a culture of partnership. |
3:20 pm Eastern |
Networking Reception |
3:50 pm Eastern |
End of ConferenceConference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change. |
403 North 3rd Street
Richmond, VA 23219
804.783.7300
Russell Accasian
Chief Information Officer
Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services
Vengatesh Agaram
Chief Information Officer
Department of Taxation
Commonwealth of Virginia
Lee Andrews
Chief Information Officer
Department of the Treasury
Commonwealth of Virginia
Vanessa Bohr
Director of Technology
City of Roanoke
Jason Brown
Chief Administrative Officer
Virginia Information Technologies Agency
David Burhop
Director
Division of Legislative Automated Systems
Commonwealth of Virginia
Roderick Burton
Director of Information Technology
Albemarle County
Daniel Constantineau
Chief Information Officer
City of Chesapeake
Paul Cormal
Chief Technology Officer
Department of Education
Commonwealth of Virginia
Ben Delp
Director of Research Development & Promotion
James Madison University
Scott Furman
Chief Information Officer
Chesterfield County
Matt Harrison
Chief Technical Officer
Fairfax County
John Harrison
Cybersecurity Advisor
CISA
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Jamie Lees
Chief Data Officer
Department of Technology Services
Arlington County
Lindsay LeGrand
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Virginia Information Technologies Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Rob Mancini
Chief Information Officer
Prince William County
Richard Matthews
Chief of Customer Experience
Virginia Information Technology Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Robert Osmond
Chief Information Officer
Virginia Information Technologies Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Ken Pfeill
Chief Data Officer
Virginia Information Technology Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Joyce Reed
Assistant Secretary of Administration
Commonwealth of Virginia
Lana Shelley
Chief Information Officer
Department of Motor Vehicles
Commonwealth of Virginia
Suresh Soundararajan
Chief Information Officer
Virginia Department of Health
Commonwealth of Virginia
Melinda Stewart
Chief Information Officer
Virginia State Corporation Commission
Commonwealth of Virginia
Marcus Thornton
Deputy Chief Data Officer
Virginia Information Technologies Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Peter Wallace
Chief Information Officer
City of Virginia Beach
Mike Watson
Chief Information Security Officer
Virginia Information Technologies Agency
Commonwealth of Virginia
Tom Williamson
Chief Information Officer
City of Lynchburg
Tim Wyatt
Director of Information Technology
York County
Matt Crane
General Manager
Tyler Technologies
Kristin Downer
Account Development Director
SLED
NTT DATA
Tricia Harper
Commonwealth of VA Lead Account Partner
KPMG
Gary Lynn
Senior Account Manager
SLED, VA
HP Inc.
Joe McFadden
Account Executive
Dell Technologies
Kimberly Pease
Principal Client Executive
Public Sector
Unisys
Jared Pritham
Account Executive
State Government
T-Mobile
Ryan Willett
Strategic Account Executive
Salesforce
Greg Williams
Managing Director
EY
Cletus Wotorson
Senior Account Manager
Equinix LLC
Open to Public Sector only.
Registration - $80.00 per attendee
If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.
For registration and general assistance contact:
Jasmin Tetzlaff
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1308
E-mail: jtetzlaff@erepublic.com
For assistance or questions concerning Sponsor Logos or Logistics please contact:
Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com
Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:
Heather Earney
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com