Colorado Digital Government Summit 2024 Banner

Overview

The Digital Government Summit brings together technology focused public-sector professionals with leading industry partners to connect on innovative approaches, get inspired and discover new technologies. Join us and let’s improve the future of government together!

A message from our Keynote Speaker

I'm proud to support the 25th annual Colorado Digital Government Summit. The Summit provides us with an important platform for collaboration and innovation, embodying our commitment to leveraging technology to enhance government services. I invite you to join us on Sept. 12 to share insights and best practices to help us drive meaningful progress in serving the people of Colorado.

- David Edinger, Chief Information Officer & Executive Director, Governor's Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Speakers

David Edinger

David Edinger

Chief Information Officer & Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Appointed in November 2023 as Chief Information Officer and Executive Director, David Edinger leads nearly 1,100 employees and oversees the $373M annual budget and $1B in federal grant spending for the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT). David is drawn to technology because of its transformational power and ability to accelerate innovation so it is easier for Coloradans to access government services.
David joined OIT after serving the City and County of Denver for more than 15 years. His public service began in 2008 as the Special Assistant to the Mayor to provide strategic resource alignment and planning to improve public safety operations. He later served as Chief Performance Officer, during which time he created and led Peak Performance, the national model for employee-led innovation, establishing Denver as the center of excellence for government innovation. The Peak Academy has trained individuals from more than 350 municipal and state governments and more than 11,000 Denver employees on how to improve city processes. In tandem with the $10M annual Innovation Fund, these programs have saved the city over $65M since inception in 2011.
In 2018, David was appointed Chief Information Officer and led Technology Services (TS), Denver’s 350-person Information Technology Department, through September 2023. Combining people with technology and process improvement, TS pioneered a transition to productive hybrid work during the pandemic and virtualized the Emergency Operation Center operations. David believes government employees have all the answers and it is simply a matter of translating those insights and expertise into implementation. That approach led to an 80% reduction in major incidents, 96% of employees understanding how their roles impacted strategy and a 2023 annualized turnover rate of less than 10%. For these accomplishments, among others, David was named the 2023 Colorado CIO of the Year by the Colorado Technology Association.
Prior to joining the public sector, David was the co-founder and CEO of Broadwing LLC, a private equity startup. He also held consulting positions, directing the sales strategy and productivity consulting engagements for Eli Lilly affiliates in Central and South America, India, Thailand and Spain for RM Consulting, and conducting data modeling projects to allocate sales resources in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical products and animal health industries for ZS Associates
David earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He also holds a certification from the Bloomberg-Harvard Leadership Initiative. David is a board member of the Colorado Technology Association and the University of Denver Department of Business Information & Analytics.
Married and with four children, David is an euchre (a trick-taking card game) aficionado. In his spare time, he is a volunteer coach and team manager for the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer and enjoys annual backcountry river canoe trips.

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John Register

John Register

Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, TEDx Motivational Speaker

John Register is a two-time Paralympian, Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, and TEDx Motivational Speaker. He embraced a “new normal mindset” in becoming an amputee following a misstep over a hurdle while training for the 1996 Olympic Games, after participation in two consecutive Olympic trials.
An Oak Park, Ill. native, Register discovered how to “amputate his fear of disability” and founded the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Military Sport Program in the early 2000s. He launched a book titled: 10 Stories to Impact Any Leader: Journal Your Way to Leadership Success, as business leaders return to work with their staff amid stressful circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent unrest in our urban cities.
Register teaches business professionals through his “Hurdling Adversity” speeches and podcasts to “amputate fear and embrace their new normal,” as they discover “stories within themselves.”
He finds that “it is the personal stories that inspire teams more profoundly with greater impact.”
Register is a four-time All-American graduate of University of Arkansas. He served six years in the U.S. Army—including in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and in active-duty with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program—winning nine gold medals in the Armed Services Competition and two World Military Championships.
Register had his left leg amputated after a misstep over a hurdle changed his life. Register hyperextended his knee and severed the popliteal artery. He started swimming to aid in his recovery, made the U.S. Paralympic Team in 1996, and later won a silver medal in the long jump—as he set an American record—and sprinted to fifth in the 100 meters and 200 meters at the U.S. Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Register resides in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife Alice. The couple have three children - John Jr., Ashley, and Ronald.

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Jaime Bloom

Jaime Bloom

Accenture Song Managing Director

Jaime Bloom is Accenture's Managing Director that specializes in enhancing the way public sector clients interact with and communicate to their residents. With more than twenty-five years of expertise in marketing and communications, coupled with a dedication to human-centered research and design thinking, she understands the subtleties of diverse audiences. Leading a team that blends creative, technical, and analytical expertise, she aids government agencies in adopting data-driven and innovative methods to boost audience engagement. Her work emphasizes efficiency, empathy, and analytical accuracy, contributing to positive outcomes for the residents they serve.

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Vinod Brahmapuram

Vinod Brahmapuram LinkedIn

Senior Director, Security, Lumen 

Vinod Brahmapuram is Senior Director of Security for state and local government and education markets at Lumen Technologies. With more than 25 years of information technology experience, Vinod has held cybersecurity leadership positions in three states, advising governors and legislators on key cyber issues. Before joining Lumen, he served as the State Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Washington.

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William Chumley

William Chumley

Chief Customer Officer, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado 

William Chumley, who joined OIT in 2011, is a veteran of technology team management with numerous customer relationship accomplishments in both public and private sectors. His 23 years prior to OIT service included work in small and large profit and not-for-profit organizations, and corporate and personal business environments. In his initial role at OIT as the Deputy IT Director supporting the Department of Revenue, he helped improve overall service delivery to the department while implementing project management and intake processes in collaboration with agency partners. 
In a subsequent appointment as Deputy Director of Enterprise Applications, William established an entirely new organizational structure and process flow for that team while emphasizing improved customer delivery on application support and enhancement. He also served as the business portfolio director within the OIT Customer Office before becoming Chief Customer Officer (CCO) in 2014 and as interim Chief Information Security Officer in 2022, leading security directors and the OIS team through assessment and evolution of service catalog, operating model, role clarification and process engineering to increase efficiency of delivery and to reduce silos across the organization. 
Having started his career as an assembly language programmer for United Airlines, William quickly became an influential leader and moved to Sabre/Travelocity. At Sabre, William established application development centers in a variety of international locations while supervising and leading a matrixed team of developers, business analysts, infrastructure teams, architects, and managers. William is adept at transitioning teams from current state into innovative and successful new approaches. 
As CCO at OIT, William has transformed the role of the IT director into a true strategic partnership with our customer agencies to advance strategy through collaboration, balance business priorities and enterprise technology goals, secure funding, and ensure operational consistency. William and his team leverage resources and equip OIT to extend values, vision, and mission throughout the organization. They respond in real time to fast-changing customer preferences and ever-changing IT alternatives, expedite strategy, system and process modernization to improve process efficiency, and boost operational performance. He also partnered with the OIT executive team on the initial IT roadmaps, helping the Colorado General Assembly provide us with technology advancement and emergency funds. These roadmaps led to the work OIT achieved securing technology debt modernization funds in 2022. 
William’s passion is analyzing the goals and objectives of an organization, determining reality, and then establishing a plan to connect reality to the ultimate vision. One of his core strengths is discovering the key talents of individuals and teams and leveraging those strengths to meet business objectives, while also managing personal growth and development of every employee and each team. 
William brings a calm, centered, clear, collaborative, and comfortable approach to his job. He has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and a master’s degree in Business Administration. William balances his work life with significant participation with local marching bands, color guards, and dance teams, serving as a consultant and judge for numerous events. William loves living in Colorado and shares his life with his wife, Lisa. 

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Matt Dietz

Matt Dietz

Senior Global Government National Security Strategist, Cisco

Matthew Dietz is the Government National Security Strategist for the Global Industry Solutions Group concentrating on state and local governments. Having previously held the role of CIO for a government in Indiana, he has an expertise for developing and implementing emerging technology with the expansive needs of government agencies. Harnessing his ability to effectively convey complex technical solutions to non-technical audiences, he has been able to create easily consumable and inclusive strategies that drive innovative advancements across dynamic environments. Matthew holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Operations from the University of Ball State.

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Jerry Eastman

Senior Cybersecurity Analyst, City of Colorado Springs

A retired Air Force Space and Missille officer turned Cyber geek.  After earning his Master of Science in Information Assurance degree from Regis University he developed the Cyber Intelligence capability for the Colorado Information Analysis Center, our State Fusion Center.  His work with the Colorado National Guard, DHS CISA and Fusion Centers across the nation supported the development of new support and response models for cyber incidents impacting State and local governments.  Currently he uses his graduate certificate in incident response from SANS University to serve the City of Colorado Springs as a Senior Cyber Analyst.  As a veteran of some notable incidents such as the CDOT SamSam event and more recently the Great CrowdStrike conundrum he continues to focus on incident response, threat intelligence and policy where RBAC is often considered a four-letter word.

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Anthony Fisher

Anthony Fisher LinkedIn

Founding Board Member, GovAI, State of Colorado

Anthony Fisher leads the Department of Revenue's Data Governance program and the strategic deployment of Data Management strategies across the department. He is also a subject matter expert within Data Sharing, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. Complementary to his duties with the Department of Revenue, he holds board member roles with Public Sector Network, GovAI Coalition, and Government Data Advisory Board. In addition, he holds office as the President of the Rocky Mountain Rugby Union and is an avid rugby player.
The Department of Revenue (DOR) has over 1,500 employees that provide services to the people of Colorado through the Colorado Lottery, Division of Motor Vehicles, Marijuana Enforcement Division, Specialized Business Group (Tobacco, Racing, Gaming, and Liquor and Tobacco Enforcement), and Taxation Division.
Public Sector Network is an accredited B Corporation and social learning platform, created to improve the life of public sector employees - and the citizens they serve. Our platform is only open to government professionals who want to learn through best practice and example, in a safe, secure network.
The GovAI Coalition is composed of over 600 public servants from over 250 local, county, and state governments that represent over 150 million Americans across the nation united in our mission to promote responsible and purposeful AI in the public sector.
The Government Data Advisory Board (GDAB) is representative of all State of Colorado agencies and government offices. We work collaboratively to promote the use of good data to serve Coloradans. We are working to align our respective agencies to create common understandings and efficiencies and then develop resources that can be taken by agencies and adopted for use, such as guides and policies.
Established in 2014 as the successor to the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union (founded 1967), Rocky Mountain Rugby boasts a rich history within USA Rugby. Encompassing one of the nation's most historic rugby regions, Rocky Mountain member clubs have achieved remarkable success, capturing over 40 national championships (including at least 30 at the highest levels) and appearing in over 60 national championship finals since 1979. The union currently fosters a thriving rugby community with 24 senior men's clubs, 8 senior women's clubs, and an additional 18 programs currently in development.

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Desmond Grant

Desmond Grant

Chief Information Officer, Littleton Public Schools

With over 20 successful years in a leadership capacity, Desmond Grant has focused on driving technological transformation and fostering agile teams. As the Chief Information Officer for Littleton Public Schools, he is dedicated to creating adaptable, innovation-driven environments where teaching and learning can thrive. His leadership is centered on empowering teams, forging strong partnerships, and leveraging technology to promote continuous growth and student achievement.
Desmond’s career spans significant contributions to municipalities, higher education, and K-12 institutions. From leading cloud infrastructure transitions at the University of Colorado and advancing service delivery program management at the City and County of Denver to modernizing the technical framework at Aurora Public Schools and the Pueblo City-County Library District, he has consistently championed change and innovation. Desmond holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from the University of Northern Colorado and a MBA from the University of Colorado. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, and riding the open roads on his motorcycle.

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Noel Hara

Noel Hara

Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, NTT DATA

Strategic and out-of-the-box thinking, along with a passion for innovative technology define CTO Noel Hara. Noel’s innate curiosity and problem-solving skills make him the go-to resource for government organizations wanting to solve the toughest problems. As Chief Technology Officer with NTT DATA, he blends over two decades of experience in the public and private sector with an encyclopedic knowledge of technology and applications. Noel has played an key role in the adaptation of the company’s offering portfolio to support clients in shifting to hybrid work and learning along with bringing AI to the forefront of their business. He also continues to support constituents through the expansion of digital government and cloud modernization services.
Noel has been instrumental in leading NTT DATA’s efforts to improve school safety through the Smart School Safety project, which leverages cutting-edge technology to create a safe education environment for students. He is also a highly sought-after public speaker and panelist at numerous industry events and regularly publishes thought leadership in industry trade publications.
As a cancer survivor, Noel combines his passion for technology and personal experience to support healthcare missions in advancing access to healthcare through telemedicine, data analytics, AI, and the deployment of Digital Humans.
Outside of work, Noel sits on the board of the Israel Cancer Research Fund and regularly practices yoga and spinning.

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Shermaine Haymer

Shermaine Haymer

Project Services Manager, Access Sciences

With over 20 years of experience in Technical Delivery Management roles, Shermaine Haymer is no newcomer to the world of Enterprise Content Management. She has extensive expertise in ECM, software development and systems implementations. As a Technical Project Manager with Access Sciences, her goal is to drive efficient delivery of right outcomes for the customer and organization using proven methodologies.
Shermaine has delivered solutions for State Farm, Lockheed Martin at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office and LASERS. Most recently, Shermaine’s Access Sciences team worked with Louisiana OTS & DOTD to replace Content Manager with the FileNet Enterprise Architecture platform. She enjoys the challenge of solving complex, recurring problems that are rooted in organizational culture and ways of working. 

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Gary Hensley

Gary Hensley

Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile

As the Western Regional Executive for State Government Strategy with T-Mobile, Gary works with elected officials and state agency and department executives to demonstrate T-Mobile’s commitment to serving the public sector. Gary engages with state government leaders to help them understand how T-Mobile’s 5G network – now the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network– can be leveraged for the benefit of their states and constituents.

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Blake Ketcham

Blake Ketcham

Director, Information Security, Aims Community College

With a decade of experience in cybersecurity across manufacturing, healthcare, and higher education, Blake is passionate about building and leading effective cybersecurity programs. Currently the Director of Information Security at Aims Community College, Blake is dedicated to safeguarding the college community and nurturing the next generation of cyber practitioners and leaders. He leads an effective security program focused on risk reduction and supporting the institution’s mission and strategic goals. His role involves overseeing all aspects of the cybersecurity program, including security strategy, risk management, security compliance, threat detection and response, identity management, and promoting a culture of security awareness.

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Olga Klinger

Olga Klinger

Solutions Operations Senior Manager, myColorado, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Olga Klinger is an agilist senior operations manager, currently working in the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT). She has been instrumental in driving the success of the myColorado app, which serves as the state’s official mobile application. This app allows residents to securely access a range of government services, including the Colorado digital ID. For her work on this effort, she earned the State Up and Comer of the Year 2020 StateScoop 50 award, a recognition that highlights her leadership and impact on advancing digital technology within state government.
Klinger has been with the State of Colorado since 2013, advocating for and implementing agile and scrum methodologies as part of the software development life cycle (SDLC). Recently, she championed the WCAG 2.2 and AA criteria accessibility audit and remediation efforts of the myColorado app. Her steadfast commitment to continuous process improvement and lean management, led her to early adoption of DevOps to improve efficiency, flexibility and team empowerment. She drove culture changes and mentoring efforts with an agile and scrum mindset that resulted in the creation of high performing teams while achieving the delivery of shippable products in a two-week sprint cadence. Her expertise in agile and scrum technologies and her ability to foster collaboration across various teams have made her a key figure in Colorado's digital transformation efforts. 

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Drew Levanway

Drew Levanway

Account Director, Tyler Colorado, Tyler Technologies

Drew Levanway is the Account Director of Tyler Colorado, a subsidiary of Tyler Technologies. With 13 years of eGovernment experience, Drew leads the team that has helped the State of Colorado deliver over 1,000 digital government solutions, providing citizens an efficient and secure way to engage agencies, departments, local, and state government. Tyler’s robust payment processing platform processes $3 billion annually on behalf of Colorado government entities and their constituents.

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Jiles McCoy

Jiles McCoy

Chief Information Officer, City of Golden 

Jiles McCoy is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in technology leadership and innovation. Currently serving as the Chief Innovation and Technology Officer for the City of Golden, Colorado, he has been driving technology strategy and operations there for over 5 years. Jiles is responsible for leading a full stack technology organization, overseeing all aspects of technology operations, service delivery, innovation, and community-wide programs. He has successfully implemented disruptive technologies, improved efficiency, and enhanced customer service through process improvement and relationship management. 
Prior to his current role, Jiles held various positions where he demonstrated his expertise in technology and strategic services. As the Director of M&A Technology and Strategic Technology Services at Envision Healthcare, he played a pivotal role leading technology integration planning for mergers and acquisition and leading technology integration efforts. Jiles also served as the Director of IT Operations and Infrastructure, where he managed the shared services enterprise infrastructure ecosystem, oversaw ITSM strategy and lead all data center operation.  
With a strong focus on information security and compliance, Jiles has served as the Director of Information Technology Security, ensuring HIPAA and SOX compliance at EVHC. He also has experience managing field technology operations, system engineering, and providing IT support in previous roles. 
In addition to his professional roles, Jiles is a self-employed entrepreneur. He manages social media and creates content for the Jiles McCoy catalog of social media channels, catering to the Hi-Fi, Home Theater, and Technology markets. 
Jiles holds an MBA and a BA in Computer Science. He is known for his ability to drive technology innovation, streamline operations, and make data-driven decisions. With a proven track record of successful leadership and implementation of transformative technology solutions, Jiles continues to make significant contributions to innovation and operational excellence. 

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Theresa Montano

Theresa Montano

Senior Solutions Architect of Accessibility, Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology

Theresa received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1985 from Colorado State University and subsequent Business Application Programming degree, from Denver Metro.  Her graduate studies continue at DU.
Her first career (for 3 years) was as an Account Executive at Dean Witter World Trade Center NY.
She moved onto Software Engineer at US West and remained there for 23 years and held positions as software Engineer, Change Manager, Project Manager PMP/CSM.
She was asked to apply for a job with the state as an Accessibility Coordinator in 2017.  It was just her and now with the support of Governor Polis and Legislators, she has a funded Program with 9 accessibility experts on the Technical Accessibility Program.
Her goal is to make all state services accessible to all people with disabilities, "One Colorado for all".

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Karen Pellegrin

Karen Pellegrin

Senior Manager, Technology Accessibility Program, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Karen Pellegrin is the Senior Program Manager for Technology Accessibility Program (TAP) at the Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology. Since June 2022, she has been leading a team of accessibility professionals in guiding Colorado state agencies and local government entities in operationalizing accessibility within their organization and meeting the state's requirements for digital accessibility. Before coming to the State of Colorado, Karen served for over 7 years as the City and County of Denver's digital accessibility coordinator and 10 years as senior web administrator. She has worked with over 75 government agencies and departments as well as multiple non-profits and Fortune 500 companies to build and standardize accessibility processes, systems, guidelines, and training programs.

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Michael Penny

Michael Penny

MPA, City Manager, Castle Pines

For more than thirty years, Michael Penny has exemplified the ideals of leadership, collaboration, partnership, and teamwork as the administrative manager for large and small municipalities across Colorado. His passion and dedication to building robust communities that address the critical needs of citizens, businesses, and industry are evidenced by the strong footprint Michael has left in each community he has touched.
Michael’s career path is marked with success through significant contributions to local government as a municipal manager, consultant, and private sector strategist. Since 2018, Michael has served as the City Manager for the City of Castle Pines.
His prior experience includes roles as the Vice President of Client Services for Brown and Caldwell (2016 to 2017), City Manager for the City of Littleton, Colorado (2011 to 2016), Town Manager for the Town of Frisco, Colorado (2004 to 2011) and City Manager for the City of Ouray, Colorado (2002 to 2004).

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Melissa Peterson

Melissa Peterson

Associate Director, Talent Acquisition, Department of Safety, City and County of Denver

Melissa “Mel” Peterson is a seasoned Talent Acquisition professional with over 20 years of experience. Her leadership background spans 15 years of supporting highly productive recruiting teams and 12 years of recruiting technology solutioning and implementations, including 4 years with Workday.
At the City and County of Denver’s Department of Safety, Mel has led teams to make significant contributions that impact our community by bringing the 911 Operations Center to staff and an increase in hiring at the Denver Sheriff Department.  Mel is an advocate of innovation through technology which drove her success through her 14-year tenure with Randstad, North America where she served as a Recruiting Technology Leader.

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Carlos Rivero

Carlos Rivero LinkedIn

Executive Government Advisor, Amazon Web Services

As an executive government advisor, Carlos is a public sector data practice subject matter expert who specializes in helping organizations leverage data to make informed, actionable decisions. He also works with Chief Data Officers, Geospatial Information Officers, and other data leaders to develop mission-driven data programs.
Prior to joining Amazon Web Services (AWS), Carlos gained 27 years of experience in federal and state government and higher education. Carlos was the first Chief Data Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia. During his tenure, he helped former-Governor Northam, his executive team, and public health and emergency management professionals respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging data-driven intelligence products to help keep Virginians safe.
In Virginia, Carlos developed a statewide data program that leveraged the data trust as the legal framework to facilitate data sharing across public and private entities. The data program featured a secure cloud-based data sharing platform as the technical implementation of the data trust. He also established a centralized entity resolution service mapping individuals across multiple data systems supporting longitudinal studies. Carlos also provided an enterprise reporting system to facilitate the development and delivery of data-driven intelligence products to internal and external stakeholders. Lastly, he implemented the governance structure which facilitated engagement among leaders across the organization from agency data stewards to state senators in the data conversation.
Carlos also served as Chief Data Officer and Chief Enterprise Architect for the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration in Washington, D.C. Prior to these roles, Rivero worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, Florida, as a physical scientist and as a research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. This is where he developed a passion for geospatial information systems, ecological modeling, and data.
Carlos earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Florida International University. He received a Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Analytics from Saint Joseph’s University, focusing on database design, data management, business intelligence, big data, and data analytics.
Carlos enjoys traveling the US with his wife, daughter, and dogs in their RV and participates in outdoor activities everywhere he goes.

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Jimmy Rogers

Jimmy Rogers

Director of Information Technology, Department of Higher Education, State of Colorado

Jimmy Rogers is the Director of Information Technology at the Colorado Department of Higher Education where he is responsible for managing the IT operations for his entire state agency. This has meant bringing enterprise solutions to address cybersecurity threats within the public sector, transforming endpoint management for a hybrid workplace environment, improving staff training and awareness, and collaborating with local K12 school systems, institutions of higher education, industry leaders, and other state and local governments.
He received his MBA and BSBA in Computer Information Systems from Western Carolina University. Over the past 20+ years he has held IT positions with increasing more responsibilities in healthcare, education, construction, non-profit, and for the past three years the public sector.
When Jimmy is not traveling for work or helping reset a password, you can find him hiking with his family, spending time cooking up something tasty, or scuba diving with his wife alongside sharks and through shipwrecks.

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Rich Schliep

Rich Schliep

Chief Information Officer, State of Colorado  

Rich Schliep is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Colorado Department of State and previously served as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He leads the Colorado Secretary of State's teams building a strong technology vision with security built-in from the ground up.  
Mr. Schliep is responsible for supporting Development and Operations initiatives to increase visibility, build trust, and encourage learning across the organization. He participates in multiple groups to support cybersecurity and data initiatives across the State including the Government Data Advisory Board (GDAB) and Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC). Rich is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt, and Certified Incident Handler. 

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Nichole Sterling

Nichole Sterling LinkedIn

Mayor Pro-Tem, Town of Nederland

Nichole Sterling is the Mayor Pro Tem of Nederland, CO, where she has been instrumental in advancing affordable housing initiatives and shaping the municipality's strategic vision. Alongside her public service, Nichole is a serial startup operator and the co-founder of Women Defining AI, a community focused on bridging the gender gap in AI usage. She is also developing innovative AI technologies as she leads a stealth company specializing in digital twins for municipal government operations. A fervent advocate for equity in tech, she is dedicated to fostering ethical and inclusive technology. Outside of her professional life, Nichole enjoys growing vertical gardens, avoiding the moose in her backyard, and spending time with her three boys and husband.

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Richard Todd

Richard Todd

Chief Data Officer, City of Boulder

As Chief Data Officer at the City of Boulder, Richard is responsible for data analytics, data governance, data infrastructure and data communities that further the City's policy and operational goals. He was previously Data Analytics Lead for the City of Seattle; prior to this he worked in the consulting and investment banking sectors.
Richard earned his master's degrees in data science from the University of Washington and in public administration from Princeton University. He read philosophy, politics and economics as an undergraduate at the University of Oxford. Wittgenstein convinced him to take that interest no further.

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Steve Towns

Steve Towns

Director of Content Strategy, Center for Digital Government

Steve Towns is director of content strategy for the Center for Digital Government. He is the former editor of Government Technology and has spent more than 25 years covering technology in the state and local government market.
Steve joined e.Republic in 1996. During his tenure, e.Republic’s print and electronic media have received many awards for editorial excellence, including “Magazine of the Year” from ASBPE for Emergency Management in 2013, “Best New Web Site” from ASBPE for emergencymgmt.com in 2009, ”Best Overall Publication” at the Maggie awards for Government Technology in 2008 and “Magazine of the Year” from ASBPE for Public CIO in 2007.

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Jamie Trujillo

Jamie Trujillo

Chief Information Officer, Goal Academy

Jamie Trujillo serves as the Chief Information Officer for GOAL Academy. Jamie joined GOAL in 2016 after a successful 10 year leadership role as the Director of Information Technology for Doss Aviation (now CAE Initial Flight Training) based in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, CO.
In his current role at GOAL, Jamie is directly responsible for leading GOAL’s Technology efforts, including infrastructure management, application development, and cybersecurity protections. In addition, Jamie is passionate about student success, encouraging the technology division to prepare students for a life centered around technology. Jamie partners closely with all departments at GOAL to ensure technology initiatives are aligned with GOAL’s mission to Develop Productive Members of Society.
Jamie is a 25 year veteran of the Tech industry. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in IT Administration from Western Governors University. He possesses 13 technical operation and technical management certifications. Born and raised in Western Colorado, Jamie is a fifth-generation Colorado native and is proud to champion technology that supports student learning in every part of Colorado.
Jamie is a proud member of the Microsoft Showcase School Global Advisory Board, an active member of the Colorado Association of Leaders in Educational Technology (CALET), a high school basketball official, and a proud husband and father to two wonderful sons. In his free time, Jamie enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors of Colorado and on the golf course, mentoring the next generation of tech leaders, and networking and sharing ideas with other technology professionals across Colorado.

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Mary Weeks

Mary Weeks

Chief Information Officer, City of Colorado Springs

As the CIO for the City of Colorado Springs, Mary is passionate about delivering results and resilient technology that is easy to use, allowing the City to keep pace with the growth of the region.  Much of her career was in the private sector with EDS and HP and then she joined the City in 2013.  Her vision is to empower City departments to be transparent, approachable, and proactive in serving the Colorado Springs community. 

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Heather Weir

Heather Weir

Senior Director of the Strategy, Performance and Administration Office, Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology 

Heather Weir, MPH, RD, is the Senior Director of the Strategy, Performance and Administration Office at the Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology, a role she started in April 2021. Prior to that, she was with the Office of Planning, Partnerships and Improvement and the Office of Strategy and Performance at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), where she began work in February 2015 and previously worked with Denver Public Health as the Performance Improvement Manager. She has twenty years of experience working in healthcare, public health and local and state government, and has been working with multidisciplinary teams in organizational improvement efforts since 2008. Prior to moving to Colorado, Weir worked with Providence Health & Services in Portland, Oregon as a registered dietitian (RD) and diabetes educator and later worked in Eugene, Oregon with Lane County Public Health and was the Quality Improvement Coordinator for the Community Health Centers of Lane County. She received her bachelor’s degree in health and human development from Montana State University; her dietetic internship from Oregon Health & Science University; and master’s degree in public health from Portland State University. 

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Agenda

Thursday, September 12

8:00 am Mountain

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Centennial Foyer, Level 3

9:00 am Mountain

Opening Remarks

Centennial Ballrooms A-D

David Edinger, Chief Information Officer & Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

9:15 am Mountain

Keynote – Transform Adversity into Advantage: How to Conquer Life's Hurdles

Centennial Ballrooms A-D

The world has become more difficult, and the challenges are bigger than ever. Adopting a “new normal mindset” is necessary to empower your team to navigate the challenges and opportunities through a contextual model to overcome adversity. How will you manage uncertainty? Is your team ready to embrace change? This session will provide a powerful and interactive message of resilience and perseverance that will inspire you to see change as an opportunity for growth.

John Register, Inspirational and Motivational Speaker, Author, and Two-Time Paralympic Silver Medalist

10:15 am Mountain

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Centennial Foyer, Level 3

10:45 am Mountain

Concurrent Sessions

AI in Cybersecurity – Friend or Foe?

Centennial Ballroom E

AI has undeniable potential for strengthening cybersecurity as it helps us better detect and combat the next wave of cyber threats. However, this superpower also has risks and challenges. As you get better at defending with AI, it simultaneously increases the complexity of incoming attacks, leaving organizations vulnerable in new ways. Should we trust AI tools in our cybersecurity practices? This session investigates the intersection of AI and cybersecurity and what the public sector should really know.

Moderator: Jiles McCoy, Chief Information Officer, City of Golden

Stephen Baker, Regional Director, Public Sector, PacWest Plains, Fortinet

Vinod Brahmapuram, Senior Director, Security, Lumen

Anthony Fisher, Founding Board Member, GovAI, State of Colorado

Sharing Data Makes Government Go Round

Centennial Ballroom F

To improve service delivery, reduce costs, and enable collaboration, we must be able to share data effectively. How can you overcome procedural and technical barriers while navigating complex legal and policy requirements? What are some examples of how sharing data succeeded and created a positive impact? This session provides a deep dive into strategies for effective data sharing and the tools and insights needed to promote data interoperability while safeguarding privacy and security.

Moderator: Steve Towns, Director of Content Strategy, Center for Digital Government

Whitney LeBoeuf, Ph.D., Deputy Executive Director of Data Strategy and Early Childhood Policy & Director, Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC)

Shermaine Haymer, Project Services Manager, Access Sciences

Carlos Rivero, Executive Government Advisor, Amazon Web Services

Richard Todd, Chief Data Officer, City of Boulder

The Future of Government Operations

Centennial Ballroom G

Kids entering kindergarten this year will graduate high school as the class of 2036! Will today’s government support their future needs and expectations for accessing and experiencing public sector services? The answer is likely no, which means we have some work to do! This session will take a thoughtful trip to the future. We’ll consider the mindsets, workplace culture, technologies, and operating frameworks the public sector will have to innovate, overhaul, or leave behind to be ready for future generations.

Moderator: Heather Weir, Senior Director, Strategy, Performance and Administration Office, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Read Bierbach, Lifecycle Management Program Manager, Technology Services, City & County of Denver

Jaime Bloom, Managing Director, Accenture Song, Accenture

Matt Dietz, Senior Global Government National Security Strategist, Cisco

Mina Farzad, Digital Service Director, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Building Teams that are Adaptable Through Change

Centennial Ballroom H

Workforce challenges in the public sector are not a new issue – but one that has evolved in recent years. Government and education work environments will continue to progress, with next year looking completely different than the last. We need teams that are along for the (bumpy) ride! Are there new approaches to examine as we attract, retain, and upskill our staff? This session shares strategies, tools, and frameworks for building a dynamic workforce.

Moderator: Desmond Grant, Chief Information Officer, Littleton Public Schools

Olga Klinger, Solutions Operations Senior Manager, myColorado, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

John Register, Inspirational and Motivational Speaker, Author, and Two-Time Paralympic Silver Medalist

Jamie Trujillo, Chief Information Officer, Goal Academy

11:45 am Mountain

Lunch

Centennial Ballrooms A-D

12:45 pm Mountain

Bits and Bytes - Using Tech for the Greater Good

Centennial Ballrooms A-D

At this point, we’ve all heard about accessibility in the IT space, and historically, this might have felt like something leadership or that special team would handle. Not anymore! It’s your job to understand how to create accessible government websites, services, and content. The good news is much of this is simpler than you might think, and this digital demo will show you how. Additionally, you'll get to see first-hand digital products in use that help individuals with disabilities navigate the physical and digital world we live in. Join this fun yet powerful session as we explore how users experience technology in different ways and how you can help make accessible and equitable digital products.

Karen Pellegrin, Senior Manager, Technology Accessibility Program, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

1:05 pm Mountain

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

1:15 pm Mountain

Concurrent Sessions

The Important Intersection of AI and Data Quality

Centennial Ballroom E

The quality of your data influences the success and effectiveness of AI applications. Good data improves services and informs policymaking while increasing transparency, efficiency, and public trust. Conversely, bad data can result in ineffective services, flawed policies, lack of accountability, increased costs, and erosion of public trust. Add AI to the mix, and your challenges can intensify. What kind of data are your AI applications consuming? The ‘good’ or the ‘bad’ kind? This session discusses what it takes to get your data in order to achieve positive outcomes in the public sector.

Moderator: Rich Schliep, Chief Information Officer, Department of State, State of Colorado

Brenda Fosmire, Product Manager, Integrity & Analytics, Department of Labor & Employment, State of Colorado

Michael Penny, MPA, City Manager, Castle Pines

Nichole Sterling, Mayor Pro-Tem, Town of Nederland

Identity Management: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Innovations

Centennial Ballroom F

A robust and holistic Identity Access Management (IAM) program is essential to any IT environment today. By leveraging advanced technologies and digital identity solutions, the public sector can create a seamless and secure experience for residents. How do we create a digital identity framework prioritizing constituents' needs? What new technologies and perspectives should you consider on your IAM journey? This session examines the current and future state of Identity Management in Colorado.

Moderator: William Chumley, Chief Customer Officer, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Jerry Eastman, Senior Cybersecurity Analyst, City of Colorado Springs

Noel Hara, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, NTT DATA

Blake Ketcham, Director, Information Security, Aims Community College

Moving Toward a Personalized User Experience

Centennial Ballroom G

The user experience conversation often focuses on ease of use. But what about a well-designed, accessible system that can understand enough about the user to personalize the experience completely? Is it possible to cater to and understand the needs of our users so intimately that their needs drive how and which services are offered? How do we overcome the challenges that stand in the way of making this a reality? Join our expert panel as we unpack how to elevate the constituent experience for all Coloradans.

Moderator: Mary Weeks, Chief Information Officer, City of Colorado Springs

Gary Hensley, Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile

Drew Levanway, Account Director, Tyler Colorado, Tyler Technologies

Melissa Peterson, Associate Director, Talent Acquisition, Department of Safety, City and County of Denver

Sarah Tuneberg, Director, Digital Service, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Centennial Ballroom H

Hosted by:

David Edinger, Chief Information Officer & Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Brandon Giovanni, Vendor Relationship Manager, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, State of Colorado

Jimmy Rogers, Director of Information Technology, Department of Higher Education, State of Colorado

2:15 pm Mountain

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Centennial Foyer, Level 3

2:35 pm Mountain

General Session – The State of AI in GovTech: Exploring the Future and Charting the Course

Centennial Ballrooms A-D

Presented by the Center for Public Sector AI, this keynote presentation delves into the present status of Artificial Intelligence in the GovTech sector, offering a detailed examination of AI's applications within state and local governments. We will explore AI's potential future paths in GovTech, highlighting emerging trends and discussing how technology and policy leaders can prepare for AI's impact on service delivery. We will address starting points for AI implementation, stressing the importance of collaboration, ethical considerations, and equitable technology access. This forward-looking talk will equip attendees with a thorough understanding of AI's trajectory in GovTech, providing practical insights to effectively leverage AI for public sector innovation and advancement.

Steve Towns, Director of Content Strategy, Center for Digital Government

3:30 pm Mountain

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

Centennial Foyer, Level 3

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

4:00 pm Mountain

End of Conference

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

Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center

650 15th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 436-1234

Get Directions To
Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Amy Bhikha
Chief Data Officer
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Richard Charles
Chief Information Officer
Department of Technology Services
Denver Public Schools

William Chumley
Chief Customer Officer
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Loni Clark
Director
Business Technology & Innovation
History Colorado

Dan Coldiron
Chief Information Officer
City of Loveland

Dave Cutler
Chief Information Officer
Colorado Army National Guard

David Edinger
Chief Information Officer & Executive Director
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Jill Elggren
Communications Manager
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Jeff Konishi
Chief Technology Officer
Aurora Public Schools

Jiles McCoy
Chief Information Officer
City of Golden

Bret Naber
Chief Information Officer
City of Greeley

Suma Nallapati
Chief Information Officer
Technology Services
City and County of Denver

Craig Poley
Chief Information Officer
City of Arvada

Flo Raitano
Director of Partnership Development and Innovation
Denver Regional Council of Governments

Sridevi Ramaswamy
Chief Operations Officer
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Brandy Reitter
Executive Director, Broadband Office
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Jimmy Rogers
Director of Information Technology
Department of Higher Education
State of Colorado

Jerrod Roth
Chief Technology Officer
Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA)
State of Colorado

Jenny Schiavone
Chief Digital Officer
City & County of Denver

Rich Schliep
Chief Information Officer
Department of State
State of Colorado

Richard Todd
Chief Data Officer
City of Boulder

Mary Weeks
Chief Information Officer
City of Colorado Springs

Heather Weir
Director of Strategy, Performance and Administration
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Brandi Wildfang
Chief Communications Officer & Public Information Officer
Governor's Office of Information Technology
State of Colorado

Al Wirtes
Director of Advanced Technology and Enterprise Architecture
University of Colorado System Office

Industry Representatives

Laura Baker
Director, Public Sector
Cisco

Sara Cotter
Client Account Lead
Accenture

Bill Croom
Named Account Manager, SLED
Fortinet

Keith Glose
State Government Account Manager
Ciena

Gary Hensley
Industry Segment Advisor
T-Mobile

Drew Levanway
General Manager
Tyler Technologies

Josh Moles
Account Manager
Amazon Web Services

Lisa Rhodes
Senior Sales Executive
NTT Data Services

Registration Information / Contact Us

Contact Information

2025 Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

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

Venue

Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center

650 15th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 436-1234