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Overview

To view speaker presentations where available, see Agenda section.

Government Technology’s passion is helping spread best practices and spurring innovation in the public sector. The Chicago Digital Government Summit is designed to do just that. The summit has an advisory board that gathers public sector and private sector leaders to create an agenda that is relevant and actionable to the state and local government organizations attending the summit. Participants can take advantage of inspirational keynotes, leadership discussions, networking breaks, and timely topics discussed in the numerous breakout sessions to help advance the goals of their organizations and their own career paths.

Topics Include:

  • Cybersecurity Strategy, Risk and Response
  • About Your Data…
  • Smart Cities and the Evolution of Transportation
  • AI and Government
  • IT and Business - Seeking the Holy Grail
  • Spatially Enabling Government
  • Digital Ethics
  • The Dreaded “I“ Word – Real Talk about Delivering Innovative Work

A message from our Keynote Speaker

The Chicago Digital Government Summit is a golden opportunity to engage not only our own city departments and agencies but the entire metro area in exploring potential partnerships and how we can best leverage technology and data to better serve our residents and businesses. As the host city, we invite all regional municipalities and counties to join the discussion. I hope to see you there!

– Danielle DuMerer, Chief Information Officer and Commissioner, Department of Innovation & Technology, City of Chicago

Speakers

Kelly Swanson - Opening Keynote

Kelly Swanson - Opening Keynote

Strategic Narrative Specialist

Kelly Swanson is an award-winning communication strategist, writer, storyteller, humorist and motivational speaker. She is the author of Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale, The Land of If Only, The Story Formula, and The Gutsy Girls Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. Kelly was a keynote speaker for the International Toastmasters Convention and has keynoted major conferences and corporate events from coast to coast. Kelly’s powerful insights and wacky wit have charmed and inspired audiences for more than two decades. She is also known for her high-energy workshops and boot camps on leadership, team building, employee engagement and customer relationships. Kelly is a master at showing people how to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

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Morgan Wright

Morgan Wright

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

Morgan is an internationally recognized expert on cybersecurity strategy, cyberterrorism, identity theft and privacy. Morgan's landmark testimony before Congress on Healthcare.gov changed how the government collected personally identifiable information. He’s made hundreds of appearances on national news, radio, print and web, and has spoken to audiences around the world. He has appeared regularly on CNN, PBS, ABC, CBS, Fox News and CNBC. Previously, Morgan was a Senior Advisor in the US State Department Antiterrorism Assistance Program. Morgan is a highly decorated former state trooper, police officer and detective. In addition to 18 years in state and local law enforcement, Morgan has developed solutions in defense, justice and intelligence for the largest technology companies in the world. Morgan is the author of Identity Predators: Win the War Against Hackers.

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Dr. Cedric Alexander

Dr. Cedric Alexander

Author, CNN Contributor on Public Safety, Former Chief of Police

Dr. Cedric Alexander has spent nearly four decades in search of a better way to police our nation. He’s the author of The New Guardians, and he has served as a law enforcement analyst on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN. In 2015 he was appointed to the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. He has served at every level of government: as a Federal Security Director in the US Department of Homeland Security, as a Deputy Commissioner for Criminal Justice in New York State, as Public Safety Director in a major county, and as a City Chief of Police and Deputy Mayor.

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Alex Alexandreou

Alex Alexandreou

Chief Management Officer, Office of the Mayor, City of Aurora

Alex G. Alexandrou is the Chief Management Officer for the City of Aurora. He also serves as the Chief of Staff for Mayor Richard C. Irvin. The City of Aurora is the 2nd largest city in the State of Illinois with a population of over 200,000, approximately 1,200 employees with a budget of $400M and is one of the fastest growing cities in Illinois. Previously Alex has served the City in the following positions: Chief Administrative Services Officer, Director of Human Resources and Risk Manager. Alex has had overall responsibility for the following City departments/divisions: Human Resources, Risk Management, Information Technology/Communications, Central Services, City Clerk and Civil Service Commission.
Alex received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from DePauw University and his Masters of Business Administration with a focus in Human Resource Management & Leadership from Aurora University.

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Hillary Beata

Hillary Beata

Digital Services Specialist, Information Technology Division, City of Evanston

Passionate about harnessing technology and data to improve service delivery and interaction with residents, Hillary Beata manages digital projects and develops City of Evanston staff to use web editing and data analysis in their daily tasks.
Prior to working at the City of Evanston, she was a communications senior for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). She also worked for the Veterans Health Administration and started her communications career at the award-winning PBS NewsHour and MacNeil-Lehrer Productions' the.News.
Hillary lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and two young children.

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Charlie Catlett

Senior Computer Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago

Charles Catlett is a Senior Computer Scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and a Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation. His current research focuses on urban data analytics, urban modeling, and the design and use of sensing and “edge” computing technologies embedded in urban infrastructure. He is the principal investigator of the National Science Foundation funded “Array of Things” (AoT), an experimental urban infrastructure to measure the city’s environment with sensors and artificial intelligence. Operating at 100 locations in Chicago, AoT is expanding to 200 during spring 2019. He has served as Argonne’s Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). He is the founding director of the Urban Center for Computation and Data at the University of Chicago and is a Computer Engineering graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Dessa Gypalo

Dessa Gypalo

Chief Data Officer, Bureau of Technology, Cook County

Dessa Gypalo currently serves as the inaugural Chief Data Officer for Cook County, IL. At Cook County, her focus bringing a culture of data to the county while leveraging existing data assets to make informed decisions. In her short tenure, she has laid the groundwork to build a robust data analytics operation and enhanced the County’s Open Data presence. Previously, she led data teams and initiatives at NGP VAN/ EveryAction, Enroll America, and Obama for America. Over the last decade, Dessa has worked with local and national political campaigns, as well as provided data support for numerous nonprofit organizations.

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Jason Kunesh

Jason Kunesh

Design Director, City of Chicago

Jason Kunesh finds simple solutions for gnarly problems wherever people meet technology. Find him on the Internet @jdkunesh or jdkunesh.com. He is the Design Director for the City of Chicago, making the city work better for residents, visitors, and businesses.
He is Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Public Good, and a veteran of the Obama for America 2012 tech team, Orbitz, Groupon and other startups. He's taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and DePaul University, and is an advisor to Catalytic, Designation, and Greenhouse: the Center for Social Innovation.
He's spoken at companies including Google, Intuit, and Microsoft and at conferences like SXSW, UX Week, BAYCHI, Web Visions and others. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Atlantic Monthly, WIRED, TIME, Forbes, and Crain's.

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David Leopold

David Leopold

Director of City Solutions, City Tech Collaborative

David Leopold is the Director of City Solutions at the City Tech Collaborative. In this role, he facilitates cross-sector collaboration among universities, government, and industry to drive innovative solutions to complex urban challenges. Prior to joining City Tech in 2015, David was Program Manager for the Chicago Department of Transportation Streetscape and Sustainable Design Program, where he directed nearly $100 million of policy, planning, and construction projects ranging from pocket parks and public markets to streetscapes and master plans.
David has a bachelor’s degree in operations and strategic management from Boston College and a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan. He is a former lecturer at the University of Illinois, Chicago and currently serves on the board of Foresight Design, a nonprofit that provides education and community building for sustainable transformation in the Midwest.

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Tom Lynch

Tom Lynch

Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Technology, Cook County

Tom Lynch serves as the Chief Information Officer for Cook County Government. Prior to joining Cook County, Lynch served as Principal at SDI, a systems integrator focused on public sector clients. He also spent 25 years in IT leadership roles for the State of Illinois, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Public Schools. Across his career, Lynch led the acquisition and successful implementation of three ERP systems and two Time & Attendance systems. Lynch holds a B.A. in Political Science from Purdue University and an M.P.A. in Finance from the University of Delaware, in addition to a variety of professional certifications.

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John Maxwell

John Maxwell

Vice President, SLED Central Region, Tanium

John Maxwell is the Vice President for SLED Central at Tanium. Prior to joining Tanium, John spent over 20 years at Cisco, holding multiple roles within the organization, in. John is a highly respected leader who is committed to enhancing new business models, taking innovative approaches to growing new markets and building superior sales teams focused on the success of the customer. John has also held other key roles at CompuServe Network Services, American Airlines, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. John holds a bachelor's degree in business from The University of North Texas. (Go Mean Green!)
John resides in Denton Texas, a suburb of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area, with his wife Jennifer and their three children. During his free time, he enjoys attending his children's sporting events and spending time in the outdoors. Interesting fact, John is also a Commercial Pilot but enjoys flying now as a personal hobby.

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Michael Pegues

Michael Pegues

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Division, City of Aurora

Michael Pegues was appointed by Mayor Richard C. Irvin as Chief Information Officer for the City of Aurora, Illinois in June 2017. Michael is an Aurora native and graduate of West Aurora High School District 129. Michael began his career working in various IT Support roles for AT&T and Pepsi-Co in the Greater Chicago Area. Michael has worked for the US Department of Defense as a civilian Automation Management Officer at US Army Garrison in Vicenza, Italy. In addition, Michael has held various senior IT positions in Hewlett-Packard France, Vodafone Hungary and Morgan Stanley in Budapest, Hungary and New York, New York. Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from DeVry University and an Executive MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from Central European University Business School from Budapest, Hungary. Michael is a proud Veteran of the US Army.

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Charles Ruehling

Charles Ruehling

Chief Information Security Officer, Cook County

Charles “Chuck” Ruehling is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Cook County, Illinois. He came to Cook County from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Goddard Space Flight Center where he worked as the Cyber Threat Analyst and Certification and Authorization Official. Prior to that, he was the Cyber Security Program Manager for the Office of Environmental Management at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington DC.
Chuck retired from the U.S. Army in April of 2011 and after a brief time as a contractor working for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) he started Federal Service for DOE. During his time in the Military, he served in numerous positions as a Telecommunications Systems Engineer at Fort Bragg, NC, Seoul, South Korea and culminating in an assignment with the Information Assurance Directorate at the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, MD.
Chuck has an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Iowa State University and a Master of Arts in Computer Resources and Information Management from Webster University. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional since 2008.

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Joe Ryan

Joe Ryan

Senior Business Analyst, Business Operations – Trust and Security Services (TASS), ServiceNow

Joe Ryan is a senior analyst in ServiceNow Security Operations (SSO) He has 25+ years of experience as a solution consultant for multiple leading enterprise software organizations. Working closely with security business owners he leads the Now on Now program for the SSO, sharing how ServiceNow uses its own solutions to secure the fastest growing cloud company deliver measurable business value, and provide great employee experiences. Joe enthusiastically evangelizes the SSO Now on Now story to internal and external audiences alike.

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Todd Schuble

Todd Schuble

GIS Manager, Cook County Bureau of Technology

Todd J. Schuble is the GIS Manager for the Cook County Bureau of Technology’s GIS Department. Todd joined Cook County in August 2018. Prior to entering local government Todd was the GIS Manager, a Computational Scientist, and Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago for 17 years. During that time he collaborated with notable scientists and researchers from a wide spectrum of disciplines on subjects ranging from economics to agriculture and archeology to medicine. Todd often professes on how local governments, corporations and researchers can maximize their potential through spatial analysis and GIS. He has authored numerous research articles along with the book, Careers in GIS: an Unfiltered Guide to Finding a GIS Job.

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Luke Stowe

Luke Stowe

Chief Information Officer, City of Evanston

Luke Stowe has been serving as Chief Information Officer for the City of Evanston, IL since 2016. He previously served as Evanston’s Digital Services Manager and held various technology positions with Lake and Champaign Counties in Illinois. He served on the Libertyville, IL District 70 school board and on the Department of Homeland Security’s Social Media Working Group for Emergency Services and Disaster Management. Luke is a frequent presenter on civic technology topics and was named as one of Government Technology Magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2018.

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Agenda

Wednesday June 19

8:00 am Central

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Regency Ballroom Foyer

8:45 am Central

Opening Remarks

Regency Ballroom A/B

Danielle DuMerer, Chief Information Officer, City of Chicago

Toni Preckwinkle, Board President, Cook County

9:15 am Central

Opening Keynote – What’s Your Story?

Regency Ballroom A/B

Kelly Swanson, Strategic Narrative Specialist

IT is an adventure. Or should be! Every project is a journey, and we need to be better at promoting what we’re doing and how much we’re accomplishing. It’s important to be able to paint a picture that resonates. Data alone is not enough anymore. It’s already over-used, mis-used, abused and fake-newsed. The key is wrapping your data in a way that makes people care. You need the secret ingredient that is probably missing from presentations, pitches, speeches and any situation where you are trying to get buy-in. In this mind-expanding session, you will find out how to go from manipulating to motivating, from communicating to connecting, from telling people what to do to making them want to do it. Learn from the master!

10:15 am Central

Networking Break

Regency Ballroom Foyer

10:45 am Central

Concurrent Sessions

Cybersecurity Strategy, Risk and Response

Regency Ballroom C

Recently State CIOs were surveyed for their top ten priorities for 2019. #1 on the list? Cybersecurity and risk management. In just a few years cyberattacks have become everyone’s biggest fear – in private industry and government. The bad guys just keep getting more creative. This session explores today’s threats, security frameworks and how to survive an attack with minimal damage.

John Maxwell, Vice President, SLED Central Region, Tanium

Charles Ruehling, Chief Information Security Officer, Cook County

Joe Ryan, Senior Business Analyst, Business Operations – Trust and Security Services (TASS), ServiceNow

About Your Data…

Regency Ballroom D

The key to superlative information management is accurately determining the nature of the data, including where it came from, where it resides, its format, who owns it, who plans to use it, and how it will be accessed and used. These questions can be tedious and even painful to answer but they are critical steps to optimizing security and getting the most out of analytics. This session focuses on building a solid foundation through effective data management.

Dessa Gypalo, Chief Data Officer, Bureau of Technology, Cook County

Carmen Lidz, Chief Information Officer, City Colleges of Chicago

Hillary Beata, Digital Services Specialist, Information Technology Division, City of Evanston

Smart Cities and the Evolution of Transportation

Regency Ballroom E

It is quickly becoming apparent that the smart cities movement has been driven primarily by transportation. Intelligent systems, connected vehicles and autonomous vehicles are compelling – and sometimes controversial – topics. They offer a thought-provoking exercise in visualizing the ramifications of highly disruptive technologies on our communities. This session takes a look at what could soon be a fundamental shift in our society and what localities can to do to prepare.

David Leopold, Director of City Solutions, City Tech Collaborative

11:45 am Central

Lunch

Regency Ballroom A/B

12:30 pm Central

Featured Speaker – Future Ready! The Playbook for 2020 & Beyond

Regency Ballroom A/B

Morgan Wright, Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

The magnitude and speed of technological, economic, and societal change is accelerating at an exponential pace. Your primary challenge is to anticipate the future – and then build it, being careful to optimize the upside while minimizing the effects of the shocks and stresses. Public leaders need more than just a new way of thinking – but a new way of executing supported by the right technological and cultural foundation. Future Ready focuses on what matters and why, what potential issues should be on your radar, and the adaptive, actionable takeaways that you can work on today to prepare for 2020 and beyond, including:

  • Disruptive technologies
  • Emerging regulatory issues
  • Citizen and employee experience
  • Future of management
  • Funding the future
  • 1:25 pm Central

    FirstNet Fireside Chat

    Regency Ballroom A/B

    Dr. Cedric Alexander, Author, CNN Contributor on Public Safety, Former Chief of Police

    Public safety is undergoing a significant transformation and technology is at the heart of it. The transformation affects all areas of government, from education to transportation to frontline public safety. This session explores the intersection between public safety ecosystems and the technology revolution that is here – today.

    1:50 pm Central

    Networking Break

    Regency Ballroom Foyer

    2:20 pm Central

    Concurrent Sessions

    AI and Government

    Regency Ballroom C

    Artificial intelligence is one of the most talked about technologies both inside and outside of government. From chatbots to predictive analytics, AI is rapidly embedding itself into governments across the globe. As with any new technology, there are more questions than answers, especially when we consider AI’s ultimate impact on government agencies and their workforces. This session dives into the latest advances in AI and what they might mean to your organization now and in the future.

    Charlie Catlett, Senior Computer Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago

    Constantine Koulis, Former Director of IT, Cook County Forest Preserves

    Matthew Peters, Executive Director, Intelligent Automation Practice, CAI

    Kurt Rapelje, Director of Analyst Relations & Product Support, Laserfiche

    IT and Business - Seeking the Holy Grail

    Regency Ballroom D

    Typically, efforts to align technology and business bring more tension than synergy. But the digital age is triggering new perspectives on traditional roles and interaction. Ideally, technology drives new business processes and business opens the door to new technology solutions. It should be a two-way street. This session discusses aligning expectations with a vision and approaches to get stakeholders onto the same page. Isn’t that the holy grail?

    Moderator: Greg Wass, Chief Technology Strategist, Illinois Medical District

    Alex Alexandrou, Chief Management Officer, Office of the Mayor, City of Aurora

    Carmen Lidz, Chief Information Officer, City Colleges of Chicago

    Tom Lynch, Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Technology, Cook County

    Ken Urban, Public Sector Evangelist, Atlassian

    Spatially Enabling Government

    Regency Ballroom E

    Geographic information is a key to better decision-making. Just about everything a public agency does, whether in day-to-day operations or long-term planning, is related to its geography. GIS technologies are doing things like enabling emergency planners to easily calculate response time, mapping air pollution risk areas, and much more. This session takes a look at exciting geospatial tools and regional projects.

    Todd Schuble, GIS Manager, Cook County Bureau of Technology

    Mark Varner, GIS Analyst, City of Evanston

    Sponsor Briefing

    Regency Ballroom A/B

    (Industry sponsors only) Hosted by Chicago CIO Danielle DuMerer and Cook County CIO Tom Lynch. The focus is on strategies, priorities, opportunities and the procurement process.

    3:20 pm Central

    General Session – Digital Ethics

    Regency Ballroom A/B

    Technology is rapidly evolving and with that comes specific responsibilities – and vulnerabilities. Government in particular must have a balanced approach, applying ethics to address societal impacts and build trust. This session explores what should be top of mind as we charge into our future.

    Dessa Gypalo, Chief Data Officer, Bureau of Technology, Cook County

    3:45 pm Central

    General Session – The Dreaded “I“ Word – Real Talk about Delivering Innovative Work

    Regency Ballroom A/B

    People don’t expect the public sector to be just like Uber or Lyft, but they are used to a certain level of ease when it comes to buying and receiving goods and services – typically through a click of a button on their smartphone. In this fast-paced world and a soaring demand to be customer-centric, how does government keep up? This session dives into why standing still isn’t an option and why it’s critical to drive forward with innovative resident experience strategies in mind.

    Derrick Brownlee, Managing Deputy Chief Information Officer, Department of Innovation & Technology, City of Chicago

    Jason Kunesh, Design Director, City of Chicago

    Michael Pegues, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Division, City of Aurora

    Luke Stowe, Chief Information Officer, City of Evanston

    4:25 pm Central

    Networking Reception

    Regency Ballroom Foyer

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

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

    Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

    2233 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
    Chicago, IL 60616
    (312) 567-1234

    Get Directions To
    Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

    Advisory Board

    Government Representatives

    Hillary Beata
    Digital Services Specialist
    City of Evanston

    Brenna Berman
    Executive Director
    City Tech
    UI Labs

    Don Carlsen
    Chief Information Officer
    DuPage County

    Adam Clement
    Deputy Chief Information Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Bruce Coffing
    Chief Information Security Officer
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Phillip DiBartolo
    Chief Information Officer
    Information & Technology Services
    Chicago Public Schools

    Danielle DuMerer
    Chief Information Officer and Commissioner
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Steve Edmonson
    Chief Information Officer
    Treasurer's Office
    Cook County

    Roger Fahnestock
    Chief Information Officer
    Kane County

    Ron Guerrier
    Chief Information Officer
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    State of Illinois

    Dessa Gypalo
    Chief Data Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Douglas Hurdelbrink
    Deputy Chief Information Officer
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Constantine Koulis
    Director of Information Technology
    Forrest Preserves
    Cook County

    Jason Kunesh
    Design Director
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Jonathan Lewin
    Bureau Chief of Technical Services
    Chicago Police Department
    City of Chicago

    Carmen Lidz
    Chief Information Officer & Vice Chancellor
    City Colleges of Chicago

    Glen Liljeberg
    Director of Information Technology
    Village of Westmont

    Tom Lynch
    Chief Information Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Stacey Mansker-Young
    Deputy Commissioner of Planning, Policy, and Management
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Carleton Nolan
    Chief Technology Officer
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Katie Olson
    Director of Operations & Services
    City Tech

    Amar Patel
    Chief of Strategic Operations and Information Technology
    Sherriff's Office
    Cook County

    Michael Pegues
    Chief Information Officer
    City of Aurora, Information Technology Division

    Eli Reynoso
    Chief Technology Officer
    Chicago Park District
    City of Chicago

    Charles Ruehling
    Chief Information Security Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Peter Schaak
    Director of Information Technology
    Village of Schaumburg

    Denise Steffen
    IT Director
    Forest Preserve District
    Will County

    Luke Stowe
    Chief Information Officer
    City of Evanston

    Hema Sundaram
    Chief Technology Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Derrick Thomas
    Deputy Chief Information Officer
    Bureau of Technology
    Cook County

    Marc Thorson
    Director of Regional Technology Services
    Northern Illinois University

    Rod Warren
    Deputy Commissioner of Infrastructure and Operations
    Department of Innovation & Technology
    City of Chicago

    Greg Wass
    Chief Technology Strategist
    Illinois Medical District

    Industry Representatives

    Ron Alcaraz
    Director, Public Sector Midwest
    CAI

    Kate McCulley
    Enterprise Account Executive
    ServiceNow

    Joslin Mourillon
    Energy Efficiency Outreach
    ComEd Energy Efficiency Program

    Thomas Phelps
    Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Chief Information Officer
    Laserfiche

    Dominic Savone
    Sales Manager
    GEM
    AT&T

    Registration Information / Contact Us

    Contact Information

    2020 Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

    Alison Del Real
    Government Technology
    Phone: (916) 932-1435
    E-mail: alison.delreal@govtech.com

    Venue

    Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

    2233 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
    Chicago, IL 60616
    (312) 567-1234