[LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/graciela-arana-73a7b588

Graciela Arana-Comas has been a technology and AI strategist at Accenture for over 8 years, where she has garnered extensive experience leading AI and Generative AI initiatives across the public sector and higher education institutions. Prior to her foray into the AI space, she specialized on data analytics and data strategy, leveraging the power of data to enhance digital user experiences. Graciela has diverse experience across technology enablement, functional design, data analytics & reporting, client relationship management, and innovation & process improvement. Outside of work, Graciela is an avid reader and enjoys spending time back home in Puerto Rico with her family.

Tom Armstrong is an IT executive who leads business transformation and innovation. He has helped some of the world's most recognizable and respected companies cut costs, enhance operations and customer service, and manage teams. He's an expert in digital transformations, application portfolio management, SaaS migration, and enterprise architecture. Tom is currently the Director of Strategy and Enterprise Architecture for the State of Connecticut. He's previously held positions at Fairfield University PwC Advisory, IBM, and Deloitte and has taught Computer Science and IT Management at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and master’s degrees from Quinnipiac University and Fairfield University. He's earned certifications from Amazon Web Services, ITIL, and the Enterprise Architecture Center of Excellence.

Will Arnold is a Principal in the Government and Public Service (GPS) Human Capital(HC) practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP. Over the last 20 years he has specialized in the people and change aspects of large-scale system and organizational change initiatives in the Health and Human Services space. Will supports his clients in harnessing the power of digital technologies and achieving sustainable results through the delivery of innovative change management strategies, comprehensive training programs and proven implementation support approaches.
Will leads Deloitte’s GPS Change Services Market offering which includes Training, Strategic Communications and Change Strategy & Analytics. Additionally, Will leads Deloitte’s Human Capital work across the HHS and Labor marketplace.

As Executive Director for the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology, Doug designs and manages his state’s educational technology plan to ensure the successful integration of technology in Connecticut's schools, libraries, universities, and towns. The Commission oversees national and statewide programs such as the federal Digital Equity Program, serves as the governing board of Connecticut’s research and education broadband network (CEN), and provides policy guidance on topics including artificial intelligence, technology sustainability, and student data privacy. He also sits on numerous national leadership boards, including the State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Doug’s prior experience includes managing technology and security for CREC, a network of magnet schools that are helping to close the achievement gap between urban and suburban learners. He began his career as a middle school English teacher and brings a diversity of experience to every challenge — from managing online publications for the Smithsonian Institution to systems engineering for the U.S. House of Representatives and national security agencies. He holds a BA from the College of William & Mary, MA from Georgetown University, and MS from George Washington University. Outside of work, Doug enjoys time with family, mission work, and triathlon.

Jamie Gamble is a dynamic, charismatic communicator with over a decade of experience as an IT leader in the public sector.  Throughout his career, Jamie has partnered with numerous agency leadership teams, providing strategic IT guidance to help them achieve their missions. 
In his hometown of South Windsor, Jamie dedicated to community service, having contributed as a member of the Board of Education, a Town Councilor, and a Cub Scout Pack Leader.  His passion for helping others reach their goals and fostering an environment of growth is evident in all his endeavors.

Dan brings over 17 years of leadership experience across Connecticut state government, specializing in social services administration and policy development. Since 2017, he has served as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Director for the Connecticut Department of Social Services, directing the state's largest anti-hunger initiative that provides critical food assistance to over 490,000 Connecticut residents annually. In April 2023, Dan's role expanded significantly when he was selected to lead DSS' Program Oversight & Grants Administration Division. In this capacity, he now oversees a comprehensive portfolio including Medicaid Eligibility, Cash Assistance, Energy Assistance, and Block Grants in addition to his work in SNAP policy. Dan has been a leader in the agency's digital transformation, spearheading the implementation of innovative client-focused technologies including a texting platform, the MyDSS Progressive Web App, and an automated chatbot system. Through these modernization efforts he seeks to ensure the residents of CT have streamlined access to services and significantly improved the experience when seeking assistance.

Al brings 25 years of deep technical experience in IT development, support, services, and technical sales.

Gene Meltser is the Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Connecticut. Gene has spent his entire 25 year career in security industry, as a consultant, researcher, penetration tester, and technical leader. Prior to joining the State of CT, Gene was the VP of Assurance at Trail of Bits, a cybersecurity research, engineering and consulting firm based in New York. Prior to Trail of Bits, Gene was a VP of Security Services at New York City based NCC Group, a global security assurance and advisory firm, where he was responsible for leading all aspects of offensive security consulting.
Prior to NCC Gene has held leadership and technical roles Neohapsis, Cisco and @stake, a pure play security consultancy based out of Boston, MA. Gene resides with his family in Avon, CT.

Naveen Prathikantam is a senior technology leader with over 25 years of experience in public-sector IT, spanning hands-on development through to executive leadership. He currently serves as Director of Information Technology for the State of Connecticut’s Division of Criminal Justice and previously held the same role at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Throughout his career, Naveen has been closely involved in statewide modernization efforts, driving improvements in systems, services, and outcomes. He is known for aligning technology with business goals, simplifying complex environments, and building high-performing teams. Naveen also serves as Chair of the High-Risk Use Case Subcommittee within Connecticut’s AI Advisory Group, helping shape the state’s strategy for responsible AI deployment, and is an Advisory Board Member for the GovTech Conference, contributing to thought leadership in government technology innovation.

Jeff Reichard is Vice President Solution Strategy in the Office of the CTO at Veeam. Jeff drives strategic product and go-to-market engagement with alliance partners and enterprise customers, with a particular focus on risk and compliance. He has 25 years of experience in data protection/availability, business continuity, and regulatory compliance solutions. His previous roles have ranged from designing SAN and data backup solutions to systems engineering and engineering leadership serving public sector and enterprise customers. Prior to Veeam, Jeff most recently led Commvault’s federal civilian SE team. At Veeam, Jeff works with partners, customers and industry analysts to evangelize Veeam's vision for modern data protection at key events worldwide.

Michelle Riordan-Nold is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData), a nonprofit that empowers data-informed decision-making across the state. Through her leadership, CTData improves data access, boosts data literacy for individuals and organizations and promotes equity. Michelle has grown the organization from one to 16 employees and from $300k in revenue to $2 million by 2025. Prior to her current position, Michelle worked as Healthcare Analyst for the Connecticut Hospital Association, as Associate Analyst for the Connecticut Legislature, and as Senior Research Analyst for the Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Riordan-Nold serves as a Board of Trustees for Connecticut Public, Treasurer for the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) board and is a past board member of the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce. Riordan-Nold is a graduate of Boston College and received a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Riordan-Nold is a frequent speaker on topics related to data equity, civic tech and public engagement and is recognized as a leader in advancing open data efforts in Connecticut.

Jesse Roberts is an AWS Principal Solutions Architect with 27 years’ experience as an engineer, analyst, architect and executive. At Amazon Web Services, Jesse serves as the Lead Solutions Architect for their State, Local Government and Education business in the eastern United States where he is enthusiastic about leveraging cloud technology to help address some of the biggest challenges of government and education. Prior to AWS, he worked for 21 years at Boeing and General Electric in various system and data architecture leadership roles after which he joined Maximus becoming their Vice President of IT Architecture. Jesse has a passion for leveraging technology and design thinking to help solve complex problems. Outside of IT, Jesse is a co-founder of the Rensselaer Repair Café and serves on the Board of Trustees for both Woodland Hill Montessori School and the Arts Center of the Capital Region. He mentors formerly incarcerated students in coding and technology as well as lectures on various topics through the Justice Through Code project at Columbia University.

Jonathan serves as the National Director of State Strategy at Fortinet. Prior to joining Fortinet, Jonathan served the State of North Carolina in various appointed leadership positions for two separate Governor’s administrations.
Most recently, Jonathan served as the Chief Operating Officer of the NC Department of Information Technology. As COO, Jonathan ran all aspects of operations within the department and its nearly $1.2billion budget as well as the state’s $1.5 billion Statewide IT Procurement Office. He managed the Legal Division, Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Legislative Affairs, Human Resources, Communications and Facilities.
Jonathan began his service to the department when he was appointed to be the General Counsel. In that role, he managed the Department ‘s legal department, with a focus on complex IT contract negotiations and legislative affairs. He also wrote the legal structure for the State’s Office of Broadband and Digital Opportunity which is set to distribute over $2billion in state and federal funds.
Prior to joining DIT, Jonathan spent over a decade with the NC Department of Justice where he was a Special Deputy Attorney General representing various state agencies including DIT where he served as legal counsel to the Statewide IT Procurement Office negotiating IT contracts for all state agencies.
Jonathan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Central School of Law. He is a self-proclaimed rabid fan of Carolina Basketball and a lifelong Tar Heel.

Karen Skudlarek is the IT Accessibility Coordinator at the University of Connecticut, where she leads campus-wide efforts to ensure digital accessibility and compliance with federal and state regulations, including the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act. She provides strategic guidance to departments on integrating accessible technologies into learning and workplace environments. She also designs and delivers training programs for faculty and staff, promoting inclusive practices that support students and employees with disabilities. Karen actively contributes to institutional committees and national networks focused on advancing digital accessibility.

Prioritizing practical solutions over politics and bringing people together to solve tough problems are the hallmarks of First Selectwoman Jen Tooker’s leadership. In government, and as a successful business executive with almost 25 years of management experience in the international property/casualty reinsurance industry, Jen has employed these skills to get challenging things done.
For the last decade, as First Selectwoman and Second Selectwoman prior to that, Jen has been instrumental in Westport’s rise as one of the most desirable and well-run municipalities in the nation. She has been responsible for significant upgrades to the Town’s infrastructure and amenities, building an ever more vibrant business community, increasing access and quality of town services for residents, advancing Westport’s public safety, and ensuring that Westport continues to be the best place to live, work, play, and learn in the region – a place where everyone is welcome and feels like they belong.
Over the years, Jen served on Westport’s Board of Finance, Conservation Commission, and Board of Education. As Second Selectwoman, Jen worked on a number of important initiatives to promote the positive development of our children such as Westport Together, an alliance between the Town and Westport Public Schools that revitalized and rebranded its longstanding partnership to engage more of our community partners, strengthen programming and enhance coordination among other non-profit community agencies.
In 2018 Jen launched Westport Means Business - a series of events that bring local business owners and entrepreneurs together to establish connections, exchange ideas and promote Westport as the best place to start and grow a successful business. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Business Development Council, which provides entrepreneurial training, financial education and professional development to current and aspiring female small business owners across Connecticut.
Most recently, Jen worked with Westport residents to launch StartUp Westport - a unique, public-private partnership ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors and innovators designed to engage, foster and grow Westport’s innovation ecosystem.
A dedicated community volunteer, Jen has donated her time to a number of local organizations including the Westport-Weston Family YMCA Board of Trustees, the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club, the Sunrise Rotary 21st Century Foundation Board, the Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund Committee, and as a coach for the Westport Soccer Association.
Jen earned her degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. She and her husband Mo have three children, Jack, Riley, and Nicole.

Ralph Valenzisi is the assistant superintendent of digital learning and innovation for Norwalk Public Schools. His responsibilities include areas such as policy, educational technology, professional development, creation and supervision of new programs, and creating partnerships to enhance the student-learning environment. Ralph has been a key figure in supporting the AI vision work led by Superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella. Recently, he has co-presented with Dr. Estrella on topics such as "Redefining AI Integration in K-12: Practical Strategies, Equity, and Lessons Learned". Ralph has also presented on developing AI policy at the CT Association of Board of Education (CABE) conference this past November. His work has been instrumental in developing the district's AI strategy, which includes building a crosswalk between Norwalk’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies and the AI Literacy Framework, and creating resources to promote ethical and equitable AI use across all stakeholders.
Ralph was formerly the vice president responsible for informational and instructional technology at Global Partnership Schools. His experience in K-12 educational and instructional technology has spanned over 15 years. Previously, Ralph served as director of technology for Norwalk Public Schools, and educational technology coordinator for New Haven Public Schools. Ralph was an educational technology consultant for Imperial Software in New York. He was also a classroom teacher for nine years in Stamford. Ralph’s degrees include a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University, Master of Science from the University of Bridgeport, and Sixth-Year Diploma in Educational Administration from Southern CT State University. Ralph is the co-chair for Connecticut Educational Technology Leaders.

Kathy Wolf is the Senior Director of User Experience (UX) for Tyler Technologies. She is responsible for driving Tyler's vision for useful, usable, and inclusive digital interfaces for back-office users and residents alike. Kathy leads a team of UX professionals, delivering projects across the organization — over 80 products spanning more than 45,000 installations. Her team provides strategic UX direction by establishing intuitive and accessible functional design patterns and setting the visual standards for all Tyler digital offerings.
Kathy is one of the founders of Tyler’s internal design system, Forge, which includes design guidance, processes and components. Forge has been instrumental in shifting to a consistent and cohesive experience across a diverse catalog of technology solutions. More recently, she established the Tyler corporate accessibility team to ensure Tyler products comply with federal and state regulations including ADA, 508 and WCAG. The accessibility team is focused on institutionalizing accessibility best practices throughout the product development lifecycle, providing tooling, and ongoing training to Tyler product development teams.
Prior to joining Tyler, Kathy spent 12 years as a UX consultant, supporting incubations and startups in the native mobile and web space. She started her career in the advertising arena and spent her first 10 years working on comprehensive campaigns, spanning print, radio, television and web design.
When she is not solving strategic design problems for Tyler products, you will find her practicing yoga, skiing with her sons, fostering strays or reading a book on the beach.