California Public Sector CIO Academy 2023 Banner

Overview

View photo highlights of the California Public Sector CIO Academy 2023 here.

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Photo Credit: Raoul Ortega Photography

The California Public Sector CIO Academy brings together current and emerging senior-level technology leaders and the partners that serve them. This invitation-only event provides a space for leaders to collaborate and address the most important policy, management and leadership issues surrounding the future of digital government. Contact us if you’d like to join the conversation!

A message from our Keynote Speaker

The California Public Sector CIO Academy brings together IT professionals from all walks of government to share knowledge and discuss how we can continue to improve the equitable delivery of public services. I look forward to seeing you there.

- Liana Bailey-Crimmins, State Chief Information Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

Speakers

Liana Bailey-Crimmins

Liana Bailey-Crimmins

State Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Technology, State of California

Liana Bailey-Crimmins was named Chief, Office of Technology Services (OTech) and Chief Technology Officer on March 9, 2021. She leads the State’s only general-purpose data center which delivers cost effective, optimized, and highly available technical services to 300+ customer departments.
She has served the public sector for 30+ years. Prior to her current role, Liana was recruited by CalPERS as their Chief Information Officer where she became known for her ability to lead a large and diverse cross-functional organization to meet CalPERS' technology needs through innovative solutions.
In 2017, she was named CalPERS Chief Health Director and under her leadership, CalPERS adopted a set of Health Care Beliefs, implemented its value-based insurance design and established the California regions that CalPERS uses today for its regional healthcare pricing. For the last few years, Liana has served CalPERS’ Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) ensuring that member data and technology systems were protected from internal and external threats.
Prior to CalPERS, she worked as the information technology director and CIO of California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS). In 2015, she was honored with the prestigious "CIO of the Year" award from the California CIO Academy. Other honors include recognition for her work on CCHCS' Telemedicine Program, which helped them win the 2012 Computerworld Honors Program Laureate Award, and the Best of California award in the Government Technology Digital Internal category in 2011.

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Heather Younger

Heather Younger

Founder & CEO of Employee Fanatix, TEDx speaker, Best Selling Author

Heather R. Younger is the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who brings revealing insights to the stage from over 25,000 employee experiences. A diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and the world’s leading expert on listening at work, she is the host of the Leadership with Heart Podcast. Heather is a regular contributor to Forbes and Fast Company and is the best-selling author of The 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty, which hit the top of the "Forbes Must-Read List for HR Professionals." Her latest best-selling book, The Art of Caring Leadership, teaches the radical power of caring support in leadership and in the workplace. Heather’s upcoming book, The Art of Active Listening, increases belonging, loyalty, profitability, and innovation. It is the difference between thinking we understand what people want and knowing what they want. Available for preorder now, this book is your key to building stronger relationships, avoiding misunderstandings, and anticipating problems before they surface at work.
A former attorney who for many years worked in corporate America, what is most important to know about Heather is that she brings a breadth of experience - extensive quantitative and qualitative research - and a truly deep passion for advocacy, resilience, human relations, and connection - to every audience, every workshop, every consultation. Her journey began as an employee retention specialist and quickly pivoted into leadership and becoming a workplace culture expert. Over the years, Heather has been on a mission to help organizations and leaders understand what listening can actually do for them, leading to better workplace outcomes such as customer satisfaction, lower turnover and more engagement. Heather inspires others by teaching the kind of intentional leadership that drives real business results.

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Cassi Chandler

Cassi Chandler

Motivational Leadership Expert, FBI’s First African American Female Special Agent Assistant Director

Cassi Chandler is an innovator, strategist, investigator, and leader who has broken barriers, led diverse teams, and built cultures of motivational leadership and inclusivity at some of the world’s most important organizations, including Bank of America and the FBI. In a career that has included many “firsts” across the U.S. government and financial services industries, she served as the FBI’s first African American female special agent assistant director as well as the Bureau’s first female national spokesperson and director of public and community affairs. The founder, president, and CEO of Vigeo Alliance – a leadership and talent risk management partner helping organizations elevate their cultures through diversity and inclusion – Chandler is dedicated to helping organizations position themselves for success by building more diverse and inclusive cultures that thrive.
Chandler draws from her personal experiences leading diverse teams as a change agent in a broad range of fields to facilitate honest conversations on what can be achieved when organizations go “all in” on diversity. In addition to defining the tools motivational leaders need to mindfully build more high-performing cultures, Chandler provides actionable insights on how to move the needle while leading with empathy. An engaging storyteller, she immerses audiences as she retraces her journey reinvigorating the world’s leading intelligence organizations in the post-9/11 landscape, managing risk, and driving global equity at one of the world’s top multi-national banks. Her exploration of the influences that impact perceptions of diversity is integral for any organization focused on establishing a more inclusive vision.
Prior to Vigeo Alliance, Chandler was senior vice president for business operations at Bank of America, where she led enterprise-wide teams and developed integrated frameworks for identifying and addressing cybercrimes, fraud trends, and consumer risks. She also served on the corporation’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council and led the bank’s compliance relationships with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Before Bank of America, she spent 23 years with the FBI, where she directed white collar crimes, financial crimes, terrorism, and cybercrimes investigations and foreign intelligence activities, while also leading the evolution of its healthcare fraud and criminal and domestic terrorism intelligence programs.
Chandler continues to drive organizational change as the CEO of Chandler Consulting and a former adjunct professor on intelligence and terrorism at Pace University’s master’s in public safety and homeland security graduate program. As part of her commitment to impacting progress, Chandler served as an independent federal monitor with the NYPD, is an instructor at the Pacific Coast Banking School, and a member of the League of Women Voters and Rotary Club International. She also served on the U.S. Marine Corps Red Team, which monitored the Corps’ assessment of expanding infantry officer roles to women, and on numerous charitable and diversity boards. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Leafly Holdings, Inc.
Chandler’s groundbreaking accomplishments have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive under President George W. Bush, the National Center for Women & Policing’s “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” award, and the Norfolk NAACP Trailblazer Award. She earned her B.A. from Louisiana State University, where she serves on the board of the alumni association, and her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law, where she is a member of the board of trustees.

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Troy Arajs

Troy Arajs

Account Executive, Adobe Inc.

Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck

Sales Director, VMware

Jeff Beck leads the VMware Public Sector Team with responsibility for state/local/tribal government, public health, utility, and education customers across California. He and his team work together with stakeholders to solve business initiatives and IT projects using the broad portfolio of VMware products and services that deliver any app from any cloud to any device in a secure fashion.

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Thomas Boon

Thomas Boon

Chief Information Officer, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), State of California

Thomas Boon is the Chief Information Officer of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). Boon leads the successful GO-Biz technology team known for the development of the California Business Portal, the California Competes Tax Credit Application, and the California Film and Television Tax Credit Application. Cloud First principles have enabled the GO-Biz technology team to be a leader in the modernization of digital services for Californians. The California Business Portal was developed with the California Information Technology Leadership Academy in 7 months. The California Competes Tax Credit Application and the California Film and Television Tax Credit Application are essential to the online submission, review, and award of over $500 million in tax incentives to businesses and film production companies in California. In 2018, Boon led GO-Biz to become one of the first State of California offices to implement cloud-based desktop computers for its entire staff. Being able to work from anywhere on any device proved to be very valuable during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Previously, Boon served as the Application Architect for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2009 to 2013, where he was also a lead software developer from 2001 to 2009 and an associate programmer from 1997 – 2001. Boon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of San Diego and has served as a Program Coach and Program Advisor to the California Information Technology Leadership Academy.

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Chad Bratton

Chad Bratton

Chief Information Officer, Office of Data and Innovation, State of California

Chad Bratton currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for the Office of Data & Innovation (ODI). As Chief Information Officer, he is responsible for IT and security operations for ODI's office and cloud platforms. Chad is passionate about improving service delivery within state IT operations, with over 10 years of IT experience in both the public and private sector. Chad was the co-founder of Survival Servers LLC, where he worked full time from 2012-2015 before joining the state.
Chad previously served as Head of Information Technology for ODI where he procured and implemented ODI's critical IT infrastructure and systems to support engineering and administrative operations for a brand new department. Chad led the implementation of Google Workspace and MacOS for ODI, bringing in a new and innovative approach to state IT operations. In a prior role as DevOps Engineer and Digital Services Consultant with the California Department of Technology, Chad implemented improvements for critical services and was focused primarily on establishing continuous integration and deployment pipelines, and high availability architecture for ca.gov and other state websites.
Chad is a graduate of California State University Sacramento, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Management Information Systems and is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM).

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Andrew Campbell

Andrew Campbell

Partner, Talent Transformation Public Sector, IBM Consulting

Andrew Campbell is the leader of IBM’s Talent Transformation practice for Public Sector clients in the US. He is responsible for driving growth and value for clients’ digital transformation agendas, including Strategy, Process, Outsourcing and Systems Integration.
Andrew is an accomplished HR and Consulting Executive with strategic, global talent and transformation experience in government and other numerous industries. Andrew has led large Global HR Transformation programs for public sector and Fortune 100 companies, and is experienced in program management, change management, talent management and HR systems technology. Originally from Australia, Andrew has worked extensively in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

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Gary Christofferson

Gary Christofferson

Director, Solution Engineering, VMware

Gary leads the VMware pre-sales engineering team with responsibility for state/local/tribal government, public health, utility and education customers across California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. He and his team work closely with client stakeholders to plan, design and deliver business aligned technology solutions leveraging the broad portfolio of VMware and partner capabilities. Gary and his team are seasoned hybrid/remote work practitioners and regularly provide expertise and guidance to clients in this area.

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Pam Chueh

Pam Chueh

State Chief Equity Officer, California Government Operations Agency, State of California

Kevin Cornish

Kevin Cornish

Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

Kevin joined Covered California as Chief Information Officer in 2020, where he is responsible for the strategic direction for CalHEERS, California’s health benefit exchange platform, as well as Covered California’s enterprise technology and digital initiatives. Prior to Covered California, Kevin held multiple technology leadership roles in healthcare, higher education, and high tech across a diverse portfolio of private-sector companies. Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Information Processing from the University of California, San Diego.

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Brenda Bridges Cruz

Brenda Bridges Cruz

Deputy Director, Special Projects, Department of Technology, State of California

Brenda Bridges Cruz was appointed by Governor Newsom in November 2022 as the Deputy Director over Special Projects at the California Department of Technology. In this role, she is part of the CDT Directorate and works closely with the State CIO and Deputy CIO on various initiatives that require statewide collaboration and involvement as well as CDT internal strategic efforts.
Ms. Bridges Cruz has 25 years of technology and management experience in the private and public sectors combined. She has worked at multiple state departments on large integration projects around legacy modernization, and enterprise initiatives related to application development, quality assurance, data management and analytics, project management, strategic planning and organizational change management.
Ms. Bridges Cruz has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Valdosta State University, Georgia along with various IT certifications. She is a graduate of the Sacramento State Continuing Education's Leadership for the Government Executive (LGE) program and is a CIO Academy IT Leadership Award recipient.

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Chris Dainard

Chris Dainard

Division Chief for Selections CalHR

Chris Dainard is the Chief of the Selection Division at the California Department of Human Resources and has over 10 years of public sector experience in Human Resources. In his role, Chris oversees and establishes policy for the State's selection, testing, and recruitment programs, serving over 150 state departments. Chris led in many roles throughout his career in both the public and private sectors, as well as serving on boards for non-profit organizations, and believes investment in individuals is the best way to strengthen a workforce.

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Shulagna Dasgupta

Shulagna Dasgupta

Senior Managing Director, Accenture

Shulagna is a Senior Managing Director within Accenture’s Talent and Human Potential practice and leads the practice in the West region of Accenture. She partners with business leaders in defining and activating big, fast, complex and yet truly ‘human’ business transformations. She is passionate about helping businesses deliver on their purpose, supporting C-suite executives drive cultural change, using AI-based solutions to maximize workforce potential and making sure at the heart of every key transformation is authentic compassion.

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David Derks

David Derks

Chief, Customer Services, Information Technology Branch, Employment Development Department, State of California

David Derks is the Customer Service Chief, responsible for the Employment Development Department’s (EDD) ITB Service Desk, Request Fulfillment, and Field Operations lines of business.
In his current role, David’s teams are the face to voice of ITB, accountable to provide support to 8,000 internal EDD customers across 180+ locations. This support is critical to enable California’s Unemployment, Disability, Tax, IT, and Workforce Services programs to deliver critical services to California citizens.
Prior to his current role, David held various IT Leadership and technical roles in the health insurance, newspaper publishing, and federal government sectors. David also served in the United State Air Force for 8 years where he received his electronics, IT, and management training.
David is a proud supporter of the California Technology Agency’s Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) and Sacramento State’s College of Continuing Education’s Government Leadership certificate programs.

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Pooja Deshmukh

Pooja Deshmukh

Deputy Chief Information Officer, Housing Finance Agency, State of California

Pooja Deshmukh is the Deputy Chief Information Officer for California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). She is responsible for oversight of Infrastructure and Networks, Enterprise Application and IT operations (Project Management and procurement). Pooja has had many IT roles in her career and in her recent positions has been focused on strategic IT planning and direction and relationship management. Pooja is currently a member of the 2023 Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) 30 cohort.

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Mike Driessen

Mike Driessen

Vice President, Government Technology

Mike Driessen joined Government Technology in 2021 as the VP of Subscription Services, where he is responsible for managing execution, strategy and operations for all recurring revenue services. He also oversees Navigator, a market and sales intelligence tool for private-sector SLED teams, and Techwire and Industry Insider – Texas Edition, each of which provide daily news and insights into the California and Texas GovTech markets.
Mike brings over 25 years of experience in the IT consulting and systems integration industry with firms like Accenture, Grant Thornton and Hitachi Consulting. His experience covers Sales and Marketing leadership, advising on Digital Strategies, and managing Enterprise Application alliances and implementations. He has managed large global teams and led start-ups. Mike lives in Los Angeles, although he grew up in the Midwest, and graduated from Marquette University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Business Administration.

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Don Foley

Don Foley

Chief Information Officer, Deputy Director, Office of Environmental Information Management, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

Don Foley comes to DTSC with over 25 years of experience in information technology from both private and public sectors. He most recently served as Chief over the Innovative Technology Solutions Branch at the Department of Social Services (CDSS), supporting enterprise applications and services. Prior to CDSS, Don worked for the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in various roles supporting the California Natural Resources Agency Multi-Tenant Data Center and State Water Project (SCADA) environments. He’s worked in various industries including health care, banking, and IT consulting, holding multiple positions such as Enterprise IT Project Director, Network and Security Manager and consultant. Over his career, Don obtained industry certifications such as PMP, ITIL, CSM, CCNP, CNA and MCSE.
Don is inspired daily by his family and the people around him. Don is native to Guam, USA and moved to Sacramento, CA in 1984. The people around Don will say he is a champion in the concept of “Teamwork makes the Dream work.” He focuses on culture and promotes collaboration and employee engagement.

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Spencer Forslund

Spencer Forslund

Bureau Director, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Spencer currently serves as the Director of the Initiation and Planning Bureau at Franchise Tax Board (FTB), where he leads a diverse group of teams responsible for delivering enterprise services such as technology project management, release management, enterprise intake, and technology budgets and acquisitions. In his 30+ years of public service, Spencer has served in key technology leadership roles where his passion for strategic planning, process improvement, service delivery, and customer relations has resulted in the implementation of wide-ranging strategic initiatives, such as FTB’s single enterprise intake process for receiving, prioritizing, and scheduling all information technology system change requests and projects.
Spencer ensures the functions he oversees are optimized to achieve goals and meet customer needs, and under his leadership his teams have augmented and streamlined their service offerings in varied areas such as project management intake and mentorship, prioritization of critical information technology purchases, and monitoring the health of multiple concurrent enterprise software release cycles. His success is built on sustaining strong collaborative cross-program relationships between business and technology, building and refining efficient service delivery strategies, resolving multifaceted issues through effective data analysis and risk mitigation, eliciting diverse stakeholder insights, and providing strategic direction and innovative process improvement solutions.
Spencer is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®), and he has led large software development projects to successful implementation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California State University, Sacramento, with a focus on public relations and digital media. Outside of work, Spencer enjoys trail running, travel, reading, and culinary experimentation.

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Ajit Girn

Ajit Girn

Division Chief, Employment Development Department, ITB Application Support Division, State of California

Ajit has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology in both Public and private sector driving innovation and implementing large scale IT projects. Currently in EDD, he is playing a vital role in modernizing the mainframe systems, call center platform, document scanning and imaging solutions that are used to process millions of Unemployment Insurance and Disability Insurance claims.
Ajit has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and a master’s in Business Administration from University of Iowa. He is also a PMP, ITIL certified and a graduate of Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA XX).

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Mike Grigsby

Mike Grigsby

Business Development SLED, Lumen

Mike Grigsby is a seasoned technology executive, having held multiple Chief Information Officer (CIO) roles in both the private and public sectors. He is a recognized practitioner and thought leader for smart cities solutions and digital transformation strategy. Prior to joining Lumen, Mike held CIO roles in public safety, public transportation, and municipal government agencies, as well as a business development and engagement leader for Cisco Systems' Smart+Connected Communities practice. He has more than 30 years of technology and industry experience and is a proud military and law enforcement veteran.

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Marion Hughes

Marion Hughes

Chief Technology Officer, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Marion Hughes has proudly served the public sector for over 30 years in a variety of technology leadership assignments including 12 years within application development and 12 within operations and infrastructure. She has sponsored and overseen many teams and technology projects to help ensure the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has a healthy and reliable infrastructure to serve the needs of the department and Californians. Marion currently serves as FTB’s Chief Technology Officer where she leads innovation, establishes policy, standards, and frameworks for the department’s technology architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management from California State University, Sacramento and Marion plays an active role in FTB’s governance structure and mentoring and coaching program. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, exercising, helping others find state employment, and serving as a jail minister.

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Mike Hussey

Mike Hussey

Industry Executive Director, Oracle

Mike Hussey is an industry executive director for state and local strategy for Oracle Government and Education. Mike has 25 years of senior leadership experience with the State of Utah where he most recently served as CIO for the State of Utah and the executive director for the Department of Technology Services. While serving in this cabinet-level position, Mike was known as a collaborative and transformative leader who enjoys applying technological advances available in the market. Among some of his accomplishments while the state CIO, Mike led the state’s cloud journey and digital transformation efforts, created the state’s first cyber center, and formed the state’s first innovation fund.
Mike has been recognized as a “Top 25 Doer, Dreamer and Driver” in the public sector.

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Ebony Irvin

Ebony Irvin

Associate Partner, Associate Partner, Talent & HR Transformation Consulting, IBM

Ebony is a Partner in IBMs HR Talent Transformation organization and is currently accountable for the business development & delivery of our HR & Talent Transformation and Organizational Change Management and Effectiveness . She is an Executive Leader with 20 years of Business HR experience. Prior to joining IBM Ebony had the opportunity to lead several successful and profitable fortune 500 client relationships as well as 10 +years of her career in the HR Oil & Energy sector. Ebony is a relationship focused strategic thinker, a connector, innovator, change advocate and enthusiastic about driving a client and employee experience while delivering business results with a positive impact.

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Tammy Irwin

Tammy Irwin

Chief, Contraband Interdiction and Safety Solutions, Enterprise Information Services, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California

Tammy Irwin is an IT Manager II for the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR). Ms. Irwin began her State career with CDCR in 1995 and served in several business roles before settling into information technology in 2005. She leverages her vast business experience to lead teams in the delivery of valuable IT systems and support to CDCR customers. She has worked and managed IT areas including infrastructure services, customer service and field support, system/software development, and project and portfolio management.
Recognizing the growing impact of contraband in California's prisons, a new IT product line was needed to focus on technologies to interdict contraband that obstructs safe and rehabilitative environments. Tammy led the development of the new Contraband Interdiction & Safety Solution (CISS) product line responsible for several large projects critical to the security inside and outside California’s prison walls. The CISS current portfolio consists of several active projects that span multiple years with budgets in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars. Current projects include a statewide deployment of video surveillance and the largest cellular management system in the United States.
Tammy holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of San Francisco and is a graduate of the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education's Leadership for the Government Executive.

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Gulzar Jaggi

Gulzar Jaggi

Enterprise Architecture & Information Security Chief, Department of Child Support Services, State of California

Gulzar has over 18 years of experience in Information Technology, both in private industry and with the State, including seven years with the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS). Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from CSU Sacramento and graduated from the California Department of Technology, Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA-24).
Throughout his career, Gulzar has worked on a broad spectrum of technologies to deliver large, critical, and legislatively mandated projects successfully. As the Chief Information Security Officer at DCSS, Gulzar provides leadership and direction to the Information Security Office to secure DCSS information including Child Support Enforcement system, one of the state's largest IT systems. Additionally, Gulzar establishes strategic goals and direction for the Enterprise Architecture program and Project Management Office, to build better partnership with the program areas and drive business agility.

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Todd Jerue

Todd Jerue

Relationship Director, KPMG

Todd Jerue is an Account Relationship Director for KPMG, focusing on California state government. Todd joined KPMG in September 2018.
Prior to joining KPMG, Todd spent nearly 22 years with the California Department of Finance as an analyst, Program Budget Manager, Chief Deputy Director, and Chief Operating Officer. In these various roles, Todd was widely known as a problem solver, was instrumental in various budget-related efficiencies, and played a key role in significant policy reforms such as 2011 Public Safety Realignment.
As the Chief Operating Officer, Todd was the Sponsor of the FI$Cal Project and Chair of the Executive Steering Committee from 2011 to 2018, providing guidance to the Project and business partners as the Project implemented budget, accounting, procurement, and cash management functionality.

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Jake Johnson

Jake Johnson

Deputy Director, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Division Department of Rehabilitation, State of California

Jake Johnson is Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). He serves as a voice for assistive technology, digital accessibility, employment, and independence, in the information technology arena. He provides executive oversight to DOR’s Information Technology Division, leading its managers and staff to deliver value to customers and stakeholders through effective provision of technology services and timely delivery of strategic technology product and services investment and development.
Jake has been legally blind since birth and is a former consumer DOR’s employment services. He has been with DOR since 2012. Prior to taking on the role of Deputy Director and CIO, he held roles managing Customer Service and Administration, Applications Development, Software Quality Assurance, Web Services, and Accessible Technology Services. Before joining DOR, Jake worked for Franchise Tax Board as an Information Security Specialist and for the Department of Finance as Enterprise Budget Systems Technical Lead. Jake has a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Linguistics, a master’s degree in Education, and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional. He is a graduate of the California IT Leadership Academy and Sierra Health Foundation Leadership Program. He has served as President of the Association of California State Employees with Disabilities (ACSED) and is active in the State’s civil rights community as a member of ACSED and the Asian Pacific State Employees Association.

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Marcie Kahbody

Marcie Kahbody

Deputy Secretary, Agency Chief Information Officer, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA)

Marcie Kahbody currently serves as the Agency Chief Information Officer (AIO) for the California Transportation Agency (CalSTA). In this capacity, Marcie oversees information technology (IT) responsibilities for all of CalSTA’s Boards, Offices, Commissions, and Departments (including DMV, Caltrans, CHP, High Speed Rail, and others). With over 31 years of public sector experience in IT, Marcie possesses a record of proven outcomes as a collaborative leader, directing highly technical teams and successfully implementing enterprise transformation initiatives and programs. Marcie focuses on fostering collaboration, building effective teams, encouraging two-way communication, and providing mentorship. She believes in the strength of diversity, building relationships, finding innovative approaches to updating policies, and is passionate about cultivating up and coming leaders. Marcie believes that success begins with a People First foundation and has championed it throughout her career.

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Latonia Knox

Latonia Knox

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Google

Latonia Knox is a global business executive who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience across multiple functions including information technology, program management, business transformation and DEI. She has served in various corporate, public, and non-profit organizations, transforming and modernizing systems, and business and operational processes. While working with these organizations, Latonia’s passion for valuing individuals led her to take on DEI leadership roles along the way; advocating for those in underrepresented groups to have equitable access to opportunity, development, and pay.
Latonia joined Google in May of 2022, where she leads Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy and delivery for Google Cloud. Prior to joining Google, Latonia led efforts to build the first DEI organization for Flex, a global electronics manufacturing company. Before that she led global teams to deliver cutting edge technology solutions to customers spanning various industries for companies such as Rackspace, Xerox and IBM.
Outside of work, Latonia is a wife and mother of 2 beautiful daughters, ages 16 and 21. Originally from Alexandria, LA, she and her family currently reside in Cedar Park, TX, a small suburb in the Austin, TX metropolitan area. Latonia loves to travel with her family, cook her favorite creole and cajun dishes and listen to music. She is active in her community and internationally, supporting programs for youth and women from underserved populations. Latonia also serves as Vice President of the National Society of Black Engineers Austin Professionals Chapter and is a member of The Links, Incorporated and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

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Kendall Paul Koller

Kendall Paul Koller

Chief of Enterprise Applications, Department of State Hospitals, State of California

As a civil servant for the last 16 years, Kendall has worked with partners at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), and the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to create or capitalize on opportunities to better serve Californians. Kendall has always been interested in the space where humans and technology meet. In his role as chief of Enterprise Applications at DSH, Kendall regularly allies with clinical, forensic, and administrative partners to advance technical solutions that provide behavioral health services. Kendall is also an enthusiastic member of the 2023 Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) Cohort 30. Kendall aspires to read all the comic books with his daughter.

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Dave Krause

Deputy Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

David Krause is the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Covered California. He is responsible for oversight of Enterprise Applications, Program and Project Management, Enterprise Data and Analytics, and the CalHEERS product team. David has had many IT roles in his career, but he has been focused on business relationship management, strategic planning, and process improvement in recent positions. Having earned an English degree from Sacramento State, David also brings a love of storytelling to his roles as a means to communicate with IT audiences more effectively.

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Catherine Lanzaro

Catherine Lanzaro

Chief Information Officer, Child Support Services, State of California

As DCSS CIO and the Technology Services Division Deputy Director, Catherine Lanzaro is directly responsible for all Information Technology (IT) activities within the Department. By putting people first, she strives to inspire DCSS Information Technology experts to create secure, unique, and customer-centric automated solutions that drive the Child Support Program forward and achieve the Department’s mission.
Ms. Lanzaro has 35 years of technology, business, and management experience for the State of California, and is a graduate of the California Department of Technology, Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA-21). Working with her talented teams, her most notable accomplishment is the 2021 Cloud Migration Project which moved DCSS’ most complex application, the Child Support Enforcement System (CSE) from a legacy platform to a modern cloud-based environment. CSE is one of the state’s largest IT systems, serving 1.2 million customers with a user community of over 7,000 child support professionals.
In June 2022, Ms. Lanzaro was awarded CIO of the Year from the California Public Sector CIO Academy.
An especially important aspect of Ms. Lanzaro’s life is family and community; she is devoted to her husband of 34 years, children, and grandchildren. Ms. Lanzaro has also spent the past 25 years volunteering as a costume designer and master seamstress, creating costumes for local theaters and high school performing arts productions. She enjoys listening to music and is a big fan of Disney.

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Cheryl Larson

Cheryl Larson

Director and Chief Information Officer, California Correctional Health Care Services, Information Technology Services Division, State of California

Cheryl Larson joined California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) in 2008 and has served as Director of the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) since 2014. With 35 years of public service, she provides strategic IT direction enabling CCHCS to deliver medical, dental, and mental health services for patients at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s 33 adult correctional institutions located across the state.

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Lloyd Levine

Lloyd Levine

National Senior Executive, State Government Strategy, T-Mobile for Government

Lloyd Levine is a former member of the California State Legislature where he served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce. Currently, Mr. Levine serves as T-Mobile for Government’s National Senior Executive for State Government Strategy and is a Senior Policy Fellow at the University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy.
As a Legislator, Mr. Levine established himself as one of California’s leading experts in energy, telecommunications, and technology policy. Mr. Levine’s desire to accelerate the deployment of broadband technology led him to author and pass the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA), which changed the way video and telecommunications companies were regulated, bringing statutes into par with the current technologies. He also successfully authored legislation streamlining and expediting the process of siting high-speed communications equipment on state property, and legislation changing the way school districts can procure technology.
Mr. Levine served as a member of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Broadband Taskforce and was a Founding Member of the Board of Directors of the California Emerging Technology Fund. Mr. Levine currently serves as a Founding Member of the Advisory Board for the UC Riverside School of Public Policy, where he and the school’s Dean, Anil Deolalikar, co-founded the Center for Technology, Policy and Society.
Through his work and academic publications, Mr. Levine has earned a reputation as a nationally recognized leader in government technology and policy, including recently being named “one of the 40 most thought-provoking innovators in New York city and state” by the prestigious New York City & State magazine. Mr. Levine has appeared on television and radio programs across the country and has been published and cited widely in print media, with articles published in everything from daily newspapers to legal publications. Mr. Levine has also served as a panelist and keynote speaker at energy, and technology conferences around the world, and been a guest lecturer in many universities and law schools.
As a Senior Policy Fellow, Mr. Levine has multiple peer reviewed articles and book chapters on technology, utiliites, broadband and the digital divide and the intersection with government. Currently, Mr. Levine working on an edited book volume on the intersection of technology and government. Titled, “Technology vs. Government: The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object it will be out later this year.
Mr. Levine currently resides in Sacramento with his wife, Emmy award winning KCRA Anchorwoman Edie Lambert and their two children.

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Stephenson Loveson

Stephenson Loveson

Chief Information Officer, CalPERS

Stephenson Loveson currently serves as the Interim Chief Information Officer at CalPERS. He manages the administration and direction of CalPERS' information technology (IT) services and strategy, and provides leadership and counsel to the board and executive team. Prior to his appointment as Interim CIO, he held several leadership positions within CalPERS ITSB. Stephenson is a graduate of ITLA Cohort 25. Stephenson joined CalPERS in 2010. Prior to joining state service, he was a consultant at a multinational consulting firm.

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Ha’Le Ly

Ha’Le Ly

Associate Director, Verizon

As the Associate Director of Verizon’s Public Sector West region, Ha Le Ly started in IT by accident. Straight out of college, she needed a job to sustain her love of traveling and trying new experiences. It wasn’t until she attended a predominantly male technology event that she realized she must encourage more females to consider IT as a career. With 25+ years in the Telecom/Technology industry and an advocate for women leadership, Ha Le is passionate about engaging young minds in STEM programs.

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Scott MacDonald

Scott MacDonald

Deputy State Chief Technology Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

Scott MacDonald joined the California Department of Technology (CDT) in October 2014 where he currently serves as the Deputy State Chief Technology Officer. Scott provides day-to-day operational leadership and direction to coordinate the infrastructure and service delivery of telecommunications, cloud/virtual computing, storage which enable state entities to operate and manage their IT business needs.
Scott’s experience and diverse background extends over 30 years of service in public and private sector covering various aspects of Information technology that ranges from application development, enterprise architecture, telecommunications, server administration, and information security. Prior to coming to the CDT in 2014, Scott was the Agency Information Security Officer at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for over 6 years.

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Sharon Mandell

Sharon Mandell

Chief Information Officer, Juniper

Sharon Mandell is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer leading Juniper’s global information technology team. In this role, she leads the ongoing enhancement of the company’s IT infrastructure and applications architectures to support the growth objectives of the company. She and her team are also responsible for showcasing Juniper’s use of its technologies to the world.
Prior to joining Juniper in 2020, Mandell was the Chief Information Officer for TIBCO Software and previously developed her leadership strategy at Harmonic, Black Arrow (now Cadent), Knight Ridder and the Tribune Company. Throughout her career, Mandell developed a level of expertise in cybersecurity and compliance, enterprise architecture and road mapping, data and analytics, digital transformation and customer service. She is passionate about supporting women in STEM careers and in her free time Mandell serves on various arts and education related boards. She also proudly serves on the computer science advisory board at Temple University.
Mandell holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Temple University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

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Jeffery Marino

Jeffery Marino

Deputy Director, Chief Strategist, Office of Data & Innovation, State of California

Jeffery currently serves as the Deputy Director, Chief Strategist at the California Office of Data and Innovation, where he leads the Strategy, Partnerships, and Training teams. He was appointed by Governor Newsom to this role in October 2022 after serving as ODI’s Deputy Director of Service Innovation. He began his work in state service as a volunteer, leading the Governor’s Data Insights Working Group as part of the administration’s COVID response team, eventually joining ODI permanently as the Insights Program Manager.
Jeffery’s work at ODI is focused on helping state departments develop innovative ways to engage with underserved communities and improve the customer experience for all Californians when interacting with their government. He played a pivotal role in developing a direct engagement and digital analytics model that increased the equitable delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine, and his team has shipped many examples of user-centered government services, including most recently with the launch of abortion.ca.gov.
Prior to answering the call to public service, Jeffery served under two chief economists, developing data communications and thought leadership programs at Redfin and ZipRecruiter. In addition to his leadership roles in recruitment-tech and prop-tech, Jeffery is also a seasoned data journalist, known for his coverage of the housing crisis and the socio-economic legacy of the Great Recession. His work has appeared in the LA Times, Business Insider, and FastCompany, among other notable publications.
A proud graduate of two California state universities, Jeffery has a Master’s degree in critical theory and comparative literature from University of California, Santa Cruz. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and his young son.

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Kristin Montgomery

Kristin Montgomery

Director of Enterprise Information Services, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California

Kristin Montgomery currently serves as Director, Enterprise Information Services for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). She provides leadership for the continued development and management of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment throughout CDCR. Prior to taking the role of Director she was the Deputy Director of Operations and Support at CDCR. In this role she managed all the enterprise infrastructure functions including: network services, storage/server services, telephony management, radio management, and active directory management.
Prior to CDCR, Kristin served as Controller at California Public Employees Retirement Fund (CalPERS). She managed all functions in the Financial Reporting and Accounting Services Division which included: accounts payable, accounts receivable, cashiering, pension and health accounting, investment accounting, financial reporting, and treasury management.
Ms. Montgomery has more than 20 years of experience in the investment, financial, and pension industries. Before joining CalPERS she worked as a consultant, providing technology and change management services for accounting, investment, and enterprise-wide pension projects.

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Joseph Morris

Joseph Morris

Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, Government Technology magazine

Joseph Morris is the deputy chief innovation officer for the Center for Digital Government and a national keynote speaker on issues, trends and drivers impacting state and local government and education. He has authored publications and reports on funding streams, technology investment areas and public-sector priorities, and has led roundtables, projects and initiatives focused on issues within the public sector. Joe has conducted state and local government research with e.Republic since 2007 and knows the ins and outs of government on all levels. He received his Bachelor of Arts in government and international relations from the California State University, Sacramento.

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Dennis Noone

Dennis Noone

Executive Editor, Industry Insider

Dennis Noone is Executive Editor of Industry Insider. He is a career journalist, having worked as a reporter and editor at small-town newspapers and major metropolitan dailies in California, Nevada, Texas and Virginia, including as an editor with USA Today in Washington, D.C. He lives in Northern California.

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David Noronha

David Noronha

Chief Information Officer, Department of Insurance, State of California

David Noronha is the Chief Information Officer (CIO), at the California Department of Insurance, a position he has held since December 2010 – just over half of his 23 years in State service. Prior to joining CDI, David was Deputy CIO for Clinical Information Systems at California Prison Health Care Services and was the Chief Enterprise Architect at the California Public Employees Retirement System. David spent the first six years of his State service at the Department of General Services as an IT Manager over the Commercial Technologies Section and IT supervisor at the Division of the state Architect. In the private sector, David held engineering positions at the Public Health Institute, Beta One Systems Corp and Fortress Systems Inc. David has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the NED Engineering University and a Master of Science degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from California State University Sacramento. David holds Project Management Professional, Certified Scrum Master and Stanford Certified Project Manager credentials.

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Anissa Owens

Anissa Owens

Associate Director, SLED Sales, Verizon

Associate Director of Public Sector Solutions in CA & HI with 20+ yrs telecom/tech experience. Connecting State/Local gov, educators and non-profits with tech solutions that make all of our lives better. Passionate about Digital Inclusion, sales coaching, people leading & food!

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Jason Piccione

Jason Piccione

Deputy Director, Office of Information Services, Department of Consumer Affairs, State of California

Jason Piccione was appointed in November 2015. As chief information officer, he oversees Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), Office of Information Services as well as sets direction for information technology and coordinates infrastructure and service delivery across DCA. Prior to his appointment, Piccione served as DCA’s chief technology officer. He has held various positions at the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and the Contractors State License Board. Piccione has worked more than 15 years in public service. He obtained a bachelor of arts degree from the University of California, Davis.

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Aaron Robertson

Aaron Robertson

Deputy Director, Administrative Services, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

Aaron Robertson was named DTSC’s Deputy Director of Administration in July 2021. He has a varied and extensive background in administrative programs, serving in executive and senior leadership positions in private and public sector, including as Deputy Director of Administration for DTSC from 2010 to 2012, and Deputy Director of Administration and Chief Deputy Director for the Department of Parks and Recreation from 2012 through 2015. Aaron previously served as Corporate Development and Strategic Planning Manager for VSP Vision Care and most recently as the Director of Finance and Operations with the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council. Aaron also served in the United States Marine Corps for nearly thirty years, retiring in 2015 as Lieutenant Colonel.

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Cathilea Robinett

Cathilea Robinett

Chief Executive Officer, e.Republic

Cathilea is Chief Executive Officer of e.Republic, where she oversees operations for the company’s award-winning media platforms: Governing, Government Technology and Emergency Management. Cathilea also oversees e.Republic’s websites, conferences and events, and its national research and advisory groups: the Center for Digital Government, the Center for Digital Education and the Governing Institute.
In 2014 Cathilea directed the launch of the Governing Institute’s Women in Government Leadership Program, an innovative initiative that encourages future generations of women to participate in public service.
Cathilea is a frequent speaker for government and education organizations worldwide, including the United Nations, Harvard University, the State Legislative Leaders' Foundation, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, and the World Congress on Information Technology. She has been quoted frequently in publications including the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Forbes and others.
Cathilea is a recipient of NASCIO’s National Technology Champion Award for her outstanding contributions to advance public sector information technology innovation. She is also the winner of an Outstanding Women Leadership Award from the Sacramento Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and is a Greater Sacramento Business Hall of Fame Laureate.

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Seon Rockwell

Seon Rockwell

Public Health Transformation Strategy and Operations Leader, Deloitte Consulting

Seon Rockwell is a leader in Deloitte’s Government and Public Services (GPS) health transformation practice. Seon is passionate about leading transformational change that delivers sustainable value. She collaborates with State and Federal health agencies to effectively drive cross-functional alignment to achieve agency goals. Recently, Seon is leading public health transformation in response to the infrastructure needs identified through the COVID-19 response. Seon brings a broad range of experiences in designing ecosystem governance structures and processes to meet the dynamic needs of government agencies.

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Mark Roese

Mark Roese

Assistant Vice President, State, Local and Education, AT&T

As the Assistant Vice President, Mark leads all AT&T business activities serving the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, overseeing a highly skilled sales and technical support team delivering strategic technology solutions and services focused on network transformation, infrastructure modernization, wireless communications, and advanced cyber capabilities. Mark has held various leadership positions within AT&T since joining the company in 2007. Prior to AT&T, Mark spent 16 years in the telecommunications industry with various companies, supporting retail, finance, and public sector clients.
With over twenty-five years of state and local government and industry experience, Mark is focused on ensuring customers have the information, technology, and infrastructure necessary to effectively execute their missions.

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John Roussel

John Roussel

Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Health, State of California

John Roussel is the current Chief Information Officer (CIO) for California Department of Public Health (CDPH). He is responsible for IT leadership and defining the strategies to execute the technology vision for California’s modern public health landscape and services. John has been instrumental in leading critical efforts such as the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record and most recently the Future of Public Health to advance the department’s technology services, data science, and informatics framework for a 21st century public health system.
John is a business and IT professional with expertise in setting enterprise vision and strategies that drive transformational technical solutions to solve real world problems driven by business outcomes. He has over 20-year in State service as a strategic thought leader but started his technology career in the mid 90’s. John worked in the Bay Area private sector’s vendor community as an IT consultant in addition to moonlighting as a Multimedia Instructor at the University of California Davis Extension (1996-1998). After John started with the State in 1999 he has been a part of many of the State’s most complex, transformative, and innovative IT efforts and has held several critical senior management and executive leadership positions throughout his career including a member of California Franchise Tax Board’s Enterprise Architecture Council, California Health and Human Services Agency’s Chief Enterprise Architect, California State Lottery as the Chief Innovation Officer, and his most recent assignment as the Chief Information Officer for California Department of Public Health.

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Patty Roze

Patty Roze

Vice President, Public Sector Sales, State, Local and Education, Verizon

Patty Roze serves as Vice President; Public Sector Sales focused on state, local, and education markets for the Verizon Business Group, part of Verizon Communications.
In this role, she leads a nationwide team responsible for developing solutions to address the complex requirements of state government, local government, and education clients. Patty and her team oversee the seamless delivery of integrated solutions across Verizon’s industry-leading portfolio, including best-in-class wireless mobility services, cloud and information technology, security, strategic networking, and advanced communications offerings to meet the needs of the Public Sector and the citizens they serve.
Patty previously served as Director, Global Enterprise Sales for the Transportation, Distribution, and Construction vertical practice for the Verizon Business Group. Patty and her team served the top most influential multi-national corporations to identify, create and deliver solutions to meet the unique traditional and emerging business needs of the industry. She began her career with the company in 2000 as a wireless account executive in Houston and has held roles of increasing responsibility ever since. Patty has led teams across the United States responsible for selling Intelligent Global IP Networks, Dynamic Cloud, Security Solutions, Mobility, and M2M Solutions. Roze’s 22-year career at Verizon includes extensive work in large enterprise sales, consulting, and leadership positions supporting F500 clients throughout the United States.
Patty earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Ashford University in San Diego, CA.

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Hong Sae

Hong Sae

Chief Information Officer, City of Roseville

Roseville is a Full Service Chartered City with Population of ~150,000. Sae Represents CIO & Information Technology Leaders from 350 Agencies and ~1600 Members of California Local Government & Special Districts.
A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Executive, Member of Sacramento CIO/CTO Leadership Forum, California State CIO Advisory Workgroup, Honor Graduate of Certified Government Chief Information Officer Program (CGCIO) from Rutgers University. 30 years of high-performing business leadership role as CIO and IT-Director for City of Irving-TX, City of Farmers Branch-TX, TX-MHMR, National Medical Enterprise & Other Private Industries.

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Todd Sax

Todd Sax

Deputy Director, Site Mitigation and Restoration, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

Todd Sax is the Deputy Director of the Site Mitigation and Restoration Program. He was appointed to the position by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 25, 2022.
Todd has worked to protect public health and the environment throughout his 27-year career in government, the private sector, academia, and consulting. Prior to joining DTSC, Todd served as chief of the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Enforcement Division, where he oversaw implementation of enforcement programs involving vehicles, engines, consumer products, and industrial sources. In this role, Todd focused on ensuring a fair, consistent, and level playing field for industry; providing transparency and accountability to both regulated parties and the public; and prioritizing work to advance environmental justice.
In previous positions during his 20-years at CARB, Todd worked to manage and implement scientific testing and modeling studies, regulations, and incentive programs. Earlier in his career, Todd worked in the private sector, both as a consultant and an engineer, implementing air quality, hazardous waste, health risk assessment, chemical hygiene, and safety programs.
Todd lectures in the Environmental Studies Program at California State University, Sacramento, and volunteered for 10 years as chair of the Mother Lode Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association. Todd has a doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering and a master’s degree in Environmental Health Science from the UCLA School of Public Health. Todd has a bachelor’s degree in The Environment, Economics, and Politics from Claremont McKenna College.

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Subrat Sharma

Subrat Sharma

Chief, Enterprise Applications and Data, housing and Community Development, State of California

Subrat is the Chief of Enterprise Application and Information Services (EAIS) at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Subrat has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the information technology sector serving in private sector and public sector. In his current role as leader of the EAIS team, he is driving department’s transition to cloud technology using SAAS/PAAS, low-code platforms and data warehouse. Subrat is a participant of the 2023 Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) Cohort 30.

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Nadean Shavor

Nadean Shavor

Chief Information Officer, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

As chief of FTB's Technology Services Division, Nadean leads a division of over 1,000 IT professionals responsible for the applications, systems, and services used to support the department’s current and future business needs. She establishes IT direction, sets policy in consensus with the Governance Council, and helps develop long-term strategies while making sure technology is best used to meet those strategic objectives. Nadean provides oversight to ensure the effective deployment of technology, including the Enterprise Data to Revenue 2 Project.
Nadean has been with FTB for more than twenty-five years, including 17 years in leadership roles. Prior to her CIO role, she served as FTB’s Chief Security Officer. In this role, she managed the physical security of FTB’s central office campus and twelve field offices, cyber security, and the Privacy and Disclosure Programs. In addition, she was the Agency Information Security Officer (AISO) for Government Operations Agency where she developed state-wide cyber security strategies and policies. Nadean’s previous roles in the Technology Services Division include managing FTB’s Data Center and other information technology systems and applications such as: external Internet, call center platform, human resource systems, the intranet, and three major compliance systems, in addition to several smaller systems.

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Amy Tong

Amy Tong

Secretary, Government Operations Agency, State of California

Brian Walsh

Brian Walsh

IT Manager I, Department of Motor Vehicles, State of California

Jefferson Willoughby

Jefferson Willoughby

Chief Information Officer, California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board

Jefferson Willoughby serves as the Chief Information Officer at the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. His tenure has benefitted from over 25 years of technical experience in network, data center and managed service development prior to joining California State government. Under his leadership, CUIAB recently undertook and launched a major modernization project for appeals processing. Jefferson received his Master’s degree from Sacramento State University and has served as both class coach and advisor for the IT Leadership Academy.

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Quentin Wright

Quentin Wright

Chief Information Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

Wright began his career with the state in 1994 as an IT manager for the Department of Motor Vehicles, a position he held for 24 years, with one two-year break. In 2005, he left DMV and moved to CDT. He worked at what was then Teale Data Center until 2007, returning to the DMV in 2007 and remaining until his promotion to the deputy directorship for IT for the Office of Traffic Safety in 2018. In May 2018, Wright was named Deputy Director and CIO for Technology and Administration for the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), whose mission is “to effectively and efficiently administer traffic safety grants while fostering partnerships to deliver innovative programs that reduce traffic deaths, injuries and economic losses.” Wright held that position for just under two years before being named to the CDT position in March. Wright has held various positions in Enterprise Architecture, Program Supervisory, and IT Technical and Management classifications. He is also a graduate of the 25th Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA), one of several career-development programs that the state offers. He’s also a member of the Sacramento Blockchain Code Forum.

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Agenda

Wednesday, February 15

8:00 am Pacific

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

9:00 am Pacific

Opening Remarks

Camellia/Gardenia Room

Liana Bailey-Crimmins, State Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Technology, State of California

9:15 am Pacific

Keynote – Seize the Dream

Camellia/Gardenia Room

In order to equip your organization to thrive long term you need the tools to navigate change and risk with agility, confidence, resilience as well as a positive outlook. Honing your listening skills to prepare your message as well as including your team to reimagine something better together is vital. In this interactive session you will leave with an effective framework to more quickly recover from adversity while clearing a path to retool your work place through creativity and innovation.

Heather Younger, Founder & CEO Employee Fanatix, Tedx Speaker, Best Selling Author

10:15 am Pacific

Featured Speaker - Taking Action to Build Tomorrow’s Workforce

Camellia/Gardenia Room

Building a resilient workforce has been and remains a challenge and IT departments are not immune. There are new employer challenges as workers reassess priorities and have different expectations. A recent survey showed that the majority of governments are having a difficult time recruiting qualified technologists. But challenges always come with opportunities! Join us and find out more about the strategies and tactics your peers are using to find success in building a workforce for the future.

Moderator: Cathilea Robinett, President and Chief Executive Officer, e.Republic

Andrew Campbell, Partner, Talent Transformation Public Sector, IBM Consulting

11:00 am Pacific

Networking Break

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

11:30 am Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

The Team, The Team, The Team!

Tofanelli (2nd Floor)

Your team is more important now than ever before. How will you find qualified people to execute your vision for the future? Do you have the right plan to recruit and retain quality resources? What are the best strategies to bring to the table to make it happen? This session shares tactics and best practices for you to build the best team.

Moderator: Lawrence Troxler III, Head of Talent, Office of Digital Innovation, State of California

Jeff Beck, Sales Director, VMware

Chris Dainard, Chief, Selection Division, Department of Human Resources, State of California

Shulagna Dasgupta, Senior Managing Director, Accenture

Ajit Girn, Division Chief, Employment Development Department, ITB Application Support Division, State of California

Driving Accessibility for All

Bataglieri (2nd Floor)

It’s no secret that digital equity and accessibility are imperative to drive today’s modern government. Access to broadband is just one part of a very large puzzle! Do you have the right pieces to build out your strategy? This session will explore what leaders need to make technology usable for everyone.

Moderator: Pam Chueh, State Chief Equity Officer, California Government Operations Agency, State of California

Anissa Owens, Associate Director, SLED Sales, Verizon

Latonia Knox, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Google

Jake Johnson, Deputy Director, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Division Department of Rehabilitation, State of California

A Day in the Life of the CIO

Carr (2nd Floor)

Who would have thought that a CIO would be a key strategic leader in your world. You did! How has the role changed over the years as technologies have become more valuable to everyone? This session will illustrate how the role of a technology leader has evolved over time.

Moderator: Rami Zakaria, Chief Information Officer, Sacramento County

Mike Hussey, Industry Executive Director, Oracle

John Roussel, Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Health, State of California

Hong Sae, Chief Information Officer, City of Roseville

Pooja Deshmukh, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Housing Finance Agency, State of California

Leading from Afar, Can We All Get Along?

Beavis (2nd Floor)

The days of walking over to the next desk to solve problems are all but gone. Hybrid work is the new reality and leaders must adapt. What leadership styles are conducive to running a productive team in this new paradigm? How can you set your team up for success? This session shares innovations in keeping the “A-Team” on track to get the job done.

Moderator: Enrique Parker, Chief Information Officer, CalHR, State of California

Gary Christofferson, Director, Solution Engineering, VMware

Calvin McGee II Chief Information Officer, Department of Real Estate, State of California

Dan Simmons, Account Executive, Dell Technologies

It All Comes Down to Relationships

Bondi (2nd Floor)

IT is a business enabler for government organizations, and it will be that way forever! Create a winning formula that fuels success! Winning the game depends on being adept at making friends and influencing people. Do you have the right relationships and culture? This session discusses the vital subject of building connections through strong communication skills to be the best strategic partner.

Moderator: Thomas Boon, Chief Information Officer, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), State of California

Arman Lal, IT Chief Operating Officer, Office of Environmental Information Management, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

Aaron Robertson, Deputy Director, Administrative Services, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

Michael Rockenstein, Director, Consulting Services, CGI

Mark Roese, Assistant Vice President, State, Local and Education, AT&T

Todd Sax, Deputy Director, Site Mitigation and Restoration, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State of California

12:30 pm Pacific

Lunch

Camellia/Gardenia Room

1:30 pm Pacific

Featured Speaker - Strengthening the Constituent Connection

Camellia/Gardenia Room

At its core, expanding digitization of government services is about reaching people. Improving and expanding services starts with connecting with constituents—and staying connected. Visionary organizations are taking a people-first approach that recognizes the varying needs of their constituents, then responding with accessible, digitized services that provide an exceptional experience to all. They’re building resilient, ongoing connections that deepen the all-important relationship with each constituent. This session will provide insights from across the public sector, including state and local agencies, public safety, and education and transportation.

Moderator: Joseph Morris, Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, Government Technology magazine

Patty Roze, Vice President, Public Sector Sales, State, Local and Education, Verizon

2:15 pm Pacific

Networking Break

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

2:45 pm Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

Breathing New Life into an Old Process

Tofanelli (2nd Floor)

The infusion of new talent is the life blood of a modern government environment. All too often, applying for a job in government can be difficult to navigate and finding and keeping the right people can be cumbersome. Are you ready bring in the next wave of people while grooming your existing staff to take their next steps? This session looks at strategies to navigate these challenges and position you for the future.

Moderator: Joseph Morris, Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, Government Technology magazine

Chad Bratton, Chief Information Officer, Office of Data and Innovation, State of California

Reymund Dumlao, Director, State and Local Government and Education, Google Cloud

Mark Roese, Assistant Vice President, State, Local and Education, AT&T

Dan Simmons, Account Executive, Dell Technologies

The 5 Building Blocks to a High-Powered Team

Bataglieri (2nd Floor)

To survive in today’s changing world of technology, it is important for leaders to establish a culture that boosts innovation, collaboration, and agility. It is time for you to super-charge your people! This session will dive deep into the 5 qualities of a highly functional team, while offering practical advice on how to incorporate these skills for success.

Moderator: Kevin Cornish, Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

Dave Krause, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

Mark Noriega, Managing Director, Accenture

Pankaj Sharma, Chief, Innovation Technology Solutions Branch, Department of Social Services, State of California

Brian Walsh, IT Manager I, Department of Motor Vehicles, State of California

Tech Story Telling for Everyone

Carr (2nd Floor)

The ability to tell a good story can make or break modern technology efforts. Speaking the language of the business is a must. Have you ever listened to a tech person present and wondered what they said? This session gives multiple perspectives from an industry reporter, a business executive, and a CISO on how to effectively present complex technical information using storytelling as a method of communication.

Moderator: Dennis Noone, Executive Editor, Industry Insider

Albert Arboleda, Chief Information Security Officer, CalPers

Mariam Ingenito, Undersecretary, FisCal

Lloyd Levine, National Senior Executive, State Government Strategy, T-Mobile for Government

CIOs Helping CIOs: Speed Mentoring

Hendricks/Kamilos/Baker (3rd Floor)

Get to know your CIOs in this quick lightening round of discussions. Learn their words of wisdom to upcoming CIOs, or ask specific advice for your most pressing work problems in this ever-changing world of technology. It's time for you to pair up with them during several rapid fire rounds of discussions. This session will be engaging, interactive and will keep you on your feet!

Liana Bailey-Crimmins, State Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Technology, State of California

Thomas Boon, Chief Information Officer, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), State of California

Chad Crowe, Chief Information Officer, Department of Social Services, State of California

Catherine Lanzaro, Chief Information Officer, Child Support Services, State of California

Cheryl Larson, Director and Chief Information Officer, California Correctional Health Care Services, Information Technology Services Division, State of California

Stephenson Loveson, Chief Information Officer, CalPERS

Calvin McGee II, Chief Information Officer, Department of Real Estate, State of California

David Noronha, Chief Information Officer, Department of Insurance, State of California

John Roussel, Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Health, State of California

Hong Sae, Chief Information Officer, City of Roseville

Kevin See, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Department of Water Resources, State of California

Nadean Shavor, Chief Information Officer, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Quentin Wright, Chief Information Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

Rami Zakaria, Chief Information Officer, Sacramento County

3:45 pm Pacific

Networking Reception

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event sponsors.

Thursday, February 16

8:00 am Pacific

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

9:00 am Pacific

Opening Remarks

Camellia/Gardenia Room

Amy Tong, Secretary, Government Operations Agency, State of California

9:15 am Pacific

Keynote – Building The Human for Tomorrow

Camellia/Gardenia Room

The “human” means more to your team’s success today than ever before. How will emerging advances in technology, along with constant changes in global, social, and economic factors present unforeseen difficulties for employees in the future? This presentation defines how today’s leaders can champion and serve their teams by preparing them today to meet the unknown challenges of tomorrow.

Cassi Chandler, Motivational Leadership Expert, FBI’s First African American Female Special Agent Assistant Director

10:15 am Pacific

General Session – The ‘Modern CIO’ Playbook

Camellia/Gardenia Room

Just like winning sports teams, a CIO needs a playbook to be effective. Learn the plays that the best leaders use in today's dynamic environment. This session features a panel of experienced CIOs who discuss how they keep up with technology, drive transformation, cope with expectations, master the art of prioritization and strategically align with changing business needs.

Moderator: Hansa Bernal, National Conference Director, Government Technology

David Noronha, Chief Information Officer, Department of Insurance, State of California

Jason Piccione, Agency Information Officer, Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency, State of California

Quentin Wright, Chief Information Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

11:00 am Pacific

Networking Break

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

11:30 am Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

You Must Risk It to Win It!

Tofanelli (2nd Floor)

Public sector leaders have struggled with balancing risk for years. However, if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you will keep getting the same results. How do you enable your team to take risks the right way? Do you have a culture that can accept failure? This session focuses on how to be bold yet sensible while keeping the momentum going.

Moderator: Jefferson Willoughby, Chief Information Officer, California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board

Troy Arajs, Account Executive, Adobe Inc.

Ben Bonte, Chief Information Officer, Department of Industrial Relations, State of California

Tammy Irwin, Chief, Contraband Interdiction and Safety Solutions, Enterprise Information Services, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California

Gulzar Jaggi, Enterprise Architecture & Information Security Chief, Department of Child Support Services, State of California

Strategic and Tactile Plans Matter! How to Connect Strategy to Execution

Bataglieri (2nd Floor)

Plans are only as good as the paper they are written on, or the electronic document they are housed in, successful execution done the right way is what matters! The best plans are those that look at all aspects of the organization for joint success: business, budget, customer satisfaction and technology. Where do you want to be in five years? How do you share this vision and communicate it to your teams, customers, and key stakeholders? This session provides insights and takeaways for a pragmatic Strategic and Tactical Planning and action-oriented approach to successful execution.

Moderator: David Derks, Chief, Customer Services, Information Technology Branch, Employment Development Department, State of California

Reymund Dumlao, Director, State and Local Government and Education, Google Cloud

Scott MacDonald, Deputy State Chief Technology Officer, Department of Technology, State of California

Sharon Mandell, Chief Information Officer, Juniper

Crystal Taylor, Chief Strategy Officer, Department of Health Care Services, State of California

Women Leading IT Transformation

Carr (2nd Floor)

Transformational leaders inspire their organizations to continually innovate and grow. By leading with purpose, transforming people’s attitudes, aligning to business outcomes, and delivering results - women leaders continue to demonstrate increasing levels of team engagement, performance, and productivity. Join us to hear from an esteemed panel of women leading technology across California. Learn more through their experiences about the evolution of women in tech as they share insights on what to do (and not do) to engage, retain, and support others on their way to the top.

Moderator: Liana Bailey-Crimmins, State Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Technology, State of California

Brenda Bridges Cruz, Deputy Director, Special Projects, Department of Technology, State of California

Ebony Irvin, Associate Partner, Talent & HR Transformation Consulting, IBM

Marcie Kahbody, Deputy Secretary, Agency Chief Information Officer, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA)

Ha’Le Ly, Associate Director, Verizon

Kristin Montgomery, Director of Enterprise Information Systems, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California

Governing What Matters

Bondi (2nd Floor)

A successful IT journey requires smart policies and strategies every step of the way. Strong governance keeps the people and processes moving forward. Learning how to partner and efficiently work across jurisdictions is vital. This session identifies the most critical factors to consider when developing a governance model that ultimately empowers and enables your organization to achieve your goals.

Moderator: Todd Jerue, Relationship Director, KPMG

Marion Hughes, Chief Technology Officer, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Seon Rockwell, Public Health Transformation Strategy and Operations Leader, Deloitte Consulting

John Roussel, Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Health, State of California

12:30 pm Pacific

Lunch

Camellia/Gardenia Room

1:15 pm Pacific

General Session - Making the Resident the Top Priority

Camellia/Gardenia Room

As a leader you are constantly hit with demands to implement new things or improve existing services. Above all these competing asks is figuring out how to improve the lives of our residents and to deliver services that can meet their needs. This session is about how IT uses their understanding of resident needs to improve delivery, and how we focus on what matters most to the community. In this session, we will share the best practices for a service delivery practices and how to learn iteratively from prototypes and resident feedback.

Moderator: Mike Driessen, Vice President, Government Technology

Ajay Gupta, Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Executive Division, Department of Motor Vehicles, State of California

Loree Levy, Deputy Director, Employment Development Department, State of California

Jeffery Marino, Deputy Director, Chief Strategist, Office of Data & Innovation, State of California

2:00 pm Pacific

Networking Break

Magnolia Room, Grand Nave Lobby and 2nd Floor Atrium

2:30 pm Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

Striving to be Emotionally Intelligent

Tofanelli (2nd Floor)

EQ or “emotional intelligence" is a must-have element for any IT Leader. To effectively navigate our ever-changing multigenerational and multicultural workforce it takes self and social awareness. This session will explore EQ and why this concept has gained so much steam in recent years.

Moderator: Kendall Paul Koller, Chief of Enterprise Applications, Department of State Hospitals, State of California

Kevin Cornish, Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

Dave Krause, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Covered California, State of California

Kristin Montgomery, Director of Enterprise Information Services, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California

Bryan Rau, Operations Director, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Subrat Sharma, Chief, Enterprise Applications and Data, housing and Community Development, State of California

Disasters Happen and You Will be There to Respond

Bataglieri (2nd Floor)

Somewhere another crisis or disaster is waiting to happen. It might be nature’s wrath, a cyberattack, sudden social upheaval or a new pandemic. Decisions will have to be made at lightning speed to save lives, time, and reputations. This session shares tools and strategies that enable quality decisions in the worst of conditions.

Moderator: Lloyd Levine, National Senior Executive, State & Local Government Strategy, T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Adam Brunner, Division Chief, Employment Development Department, State of California

Michael Crews, Chief Information Officer (Acting), Office of Emergency Services, State of California

Mike Grigsby, Business Development SLED, Lumen

What You Plan Makes You Stronger

Carr (2nd Floor)

Chaos can reign if the right priorities are not set by your leaders. Helping people determine what to work on and getting them engaged can be a challenge. Do you have strong project management in your environment? Is planning high on your priority list? This session focuses on methods that organizations can use to prioritize projects, workload, and staffing resources.

Moderator: Rosanna Nguyen, Chief, Information Technology Consulting Unit, Department of Finance, State of California

Spencer Forslund, Bureau Director, Franchise Tax Board, State of California

Gail Provenzano, Sr. Director, IT Business Operations, Juniper

Ron Robinette, Deputy Director, Department of Technology, State of California

Deanne Wertin, Deputy Agency Information Officer, Health and Human Services Agency, State of California

3:30 pm Pacific

Awards Welcome Reception

Grand Nave Lobby

4:00 pm Pacific

CIO Academy Awards Program and Closing Reception

Camellia/Gardenia Room

5:30 pm Pacific

End of Conference

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

Sheraton Grand Sacramento

1230 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-1700

Get Directions To
Sheraton Grand Sacramento

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Liana Bailey-Crimmins
State Chief Information Officer & Director
Department of Technology
State of California

April Baxter
Chief Information Officer
Highway Patrol
State of California

Ben Bonte
Chief Information Officer
Industrial Relations
State of California

Thomas Boon
Chief Information Officer
Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development
State of California

Chad Bratton
Chief Information Officer
Office of Data & Innovation
State of California

Brenda Bridges Cruz
Deputy Director, Special Projects
Department of Technology
State of California

Scott Capulong
Chief Information Officer
Department of Tax & Fee Administration
State of California

Jennifer Chan
Chief Information Officer
California State Lottery

Tristian Cormier
Chief Information Officer
California Secretary of State

Kevin Cornish
Chief Information Officer
Covered California

Michael Crews
Chief Information Officer (Acting)
Office of Emergency Services
State of California

Chad Crowe
Chief Information Officer
Department of Social Services
State of California

Adam Dondro
Agency Information Officer
Health & Human Services Agency
State of California

Don Foley
Chief Information Officer
Department of Toxic Substances Control
State of California

Pam Haase
Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives
Department of Technology
State of California

Matthias Jaime
Deputy Secretary of Technology & Agency Information Officer
Government Operations Agency
State of California

Jacob Johnson
Chief Information Officer
Department of Rehabilitation
State of California

Marcie Kahbody
Agency Chief Information Officer
Transportation Agency
State of California

Catherine Lanzaro
Chief Information Officer
Department of Child Support Services
State of California

Douglas Leone
Agency Information Security Officer
Labor & Workforce Development Agency
State of California

Stephenson Loveson
Interim Chief Information Office
CalPERS

Wesley Major
Chief Information Officer
Department of Finance
State of California

Calvin McGee II
Chief Information Officer
Department of Real Estate
State of California

Kristin Montgomery
Chief Information Officer
Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
State of California

Steve Nash
Chief Information Officer
Fair Employment & Housing
State of California

Rosanna Nguyen
Chief, Information Technology Consulting Unit
Department of Finance
State of California

David Noronha
Chief Information Officer
Department of Insurance
State of California

Enrique Parker
Chief Information Officer
Department of Human Resources
State of California

Robert Peterson
Agency Information Officer
Department of Food & Agriculture
State of California

Jason Piccione
Agency Information Officer
Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
State of Caifornia

Bryan Rau
Operations Director
Technology Services Division
California Franchise Tax Board

John Roussel
Chief Information Officer
Public Health
State of California

Hong Sae
Chief Information Officer
City of Roseville

Jay Song
Chief Information Officer
CalFire
State of California

Rachel White
Chief Information Officer
Air Resources Board
State of California

Jefferson Willoughby
Chief Information Officer
Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
State of California

Brian Wong
Deputy Secretary of Innovation and Technology
Labor & Workforce Development Agency
State of California

Quentin Wright
Chief Information Officer
Department of Technology
State of California

Rami Zakaria
Chief Information Officer
Sacramento County

Industry Representatives

Troy Arajs
State & Local Government, Digital Solutions
Adobe

Sejla Begic
Managing Director, Client Relationships Executive
Deloitte

Gary Christofferson
Director
Solution Engineering
VMware

Reymund Dumlao
Director, State & Local Government
Google Cloud

Carol Edwards
Account Manager
Lumen

Erik Ellner
Account Executive
Juniper

Jason Green
Regional Manager
Oracle

Kim Hewitt
Technology Sales Executive
IBM

Todd Jerue
Relationship Director
KPMG

Lloyd Levine
National Senior Executive, State & Local Government Strategy
T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Ha Le Ly
Managing Partner
SLED Sales
Verizon

Mark Noriega
Managing Director
Accenture

Anissa Owens
Associate DIrector, SLED Sales
Verizon

Michael Rockenstein
Director
S&L Government
CGI

Mark Roese
Assistant Vice President, State, Local and Education
AT&T

Dan Simmons
Account Executive
Dell Technologies

Ron Speno
Sr. Director, Enterprise Sales
Comcast Business

Mark Spitzer
Senior Manager, State of California
Amazon Web Services

H.T. Vaught
Managing Partner, Consulting
IBM

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Contact Information

2024 Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

Heather Earney
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1339
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com

Venue

Sheraton Grand Sacramento

1230 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-1700