Brandon Boone serves as the director of Strategic Communications for the N.C. Department of Information Technology. He oversees internal and external communications for the department and leads a team that operates as an in-house marketing firm, public relations agency and branding department.
With more than two decades of experience, Boone joined NCDIT in July 2025, bringing a unique blend of corporate, government and agency leadership experience. His strategic approach to brand storytelling, innovation and executive communications has elevated some of the world’s most recognized organizations, including Wingstop, Google/YouTube, Nike, Meta, Microsoft, Hulu and the Philadelphia Eagles.
At YouTube, he developed strategies to grow its content creator program, increasing profits for both the company and creators. As Nike’s director of North America Communications, he spearheaded the promotion of women athletes, enhancing brand likability and the overall profitability of the company.
He began his career as a public affairs officer at NASA, where he developed new communications strategies supporting the Space Shuttle program and STEM outreach.
Boone holds both a master’s in corporate communications and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Utah State University.

Christie is the former Chief Data Officer for the State of North Carolina. In that capacity, she led the NC Department of Information Technology’s statewide development of enterprise data strategies. She also served as the director of NCDIT’s Government Data Analytics Center (GDAC), where she guided the state’s use of integrated data to support public safety, fraud, compliance, healthcare, finance and performance and policy decision analysis. Prior to this, she served as the Executive Director for the state-designated health information exchange, leading a successful effort to deliver a state mandate for interoperability across the care continuum. Burris holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Government Chief Information Officer Certification from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government. She received a State Leadership award from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers in 2019 and was among the 50 leaders recognized in 2025 by State Scoop for making a positive impact in the government IT community and in public service.

As a kid growing up in Bogotá, Colombia, Santiago Garces witnessed the near collapse of the national government and the general disillusionment of national politics, along with creative and unconventional approaches to solve issues at the local level. Those experiences developed a lifelong passion for making government more efficient and effective for citizens. Santi joined the City of Boston as Chief Innovation Officer to help push forward Mayor Michelle Wu’s vision of building a government that earns the trust of its people.
As CIO, Santi oversees the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) and a team of nearly 150 employees. DoIT provides and maintains mission-critical technologies for the City’s more than 18,000 employees and hundreds of thousands of constituents.
In the last few decades, DoIT has been an enabler of progress in Boston. Santi’s goal is to create a new chapter in that history so that DoIT can continue to be an engine of transformation in the service of residents and employees. Through data science, statistics, and human-centered design, Santi will empower his staff to deliver more dignified experiences for residents and optimize the role of government. He also plans to leverage the City’s relationships with academia, local industries, and civic organizations to make sure big decisions reflect the many voices of Boston.

Marina is the Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Raleigh, where she leads cybersecurity strategy focused on resilience, risk management, and the secure enablement of innovation. Her career spans local government, education, and cybersecurity, with leadership in governance, third-party risk, and emerging technology adoption, including AI and quantum readiness. Known for people-centered leadership, she builds strong teams and practical security programs that support mission delivery and public trust. 

Raivo leads the Office of Data and Efficiency which is responsible for establishing and managing the state’s data strategy and InnovateOhio Platform Data Analytics Program.
He joined DAS in 2022 and previously served as the Operations Chief for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and as the first Chief Data Officer for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).
Prior to joining ODJFS, he served as the Deputy Director of Employer and Innovation Services at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) from 2011 to 2018.  At OOD, Raivo established and managed the employer services unit and also was responsible for OOD’s strategic planning, data, and reporting unit, and Lean Six- Sigma program. He began his career in 1994 as a statistician at the Ohio Department of Youth Services.
Raivo earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Dayton and master’s in public administration from The Ohio State University. He is certified in return-on-investment (ROI) methodology from the ROI Institute and is a Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt.

Tom is the General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at the Executive Office Technology Services and Security (EOTSS). Tom has more than 10 years’ experience as a practicing attorney in both the public and private sector. He oversees the EOTSS legal, e-discovery, and privacy teams. Tom is building the Commonwealth’s privacy program from the ground up, including the development of enterprise privacy policies, implementation of privacy impact assessments for third-party vendors, and establishment of a statewide privacy council aimed at information sharing, raising privacy awareness, and minimizing privacy risks across the Commonwealth.  Tom holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a J.D from New England Law Boston, and is a certified privacy professional through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Tony O’Neill is Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Risk Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As the state’s lead IT office, the executive team is responsible for planning, development, communications and implementation of technology leadership across the Commonwealth to enhance the quality of public service and foster positive community outcomes. Tony draws upon his experience as an antitrust lawyer and business executive when developing strategies for resolving complex security problems through effective storytelling. On an ongoing basis, he provides operational risk management for value creation and protection and serves as an advisor for organizational governance and leadership.

Katy was appointed as Washington state's Chief Privacy Officer in 2020. This year she was named one of the nation’s inaugural AI 50 honorees by the Center for Public Sector AI, recognizing her leadership in shaping ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence in government.
Ruckle has been at the forefront of Washington’s AI efforts, playing a key role in developing the first AI policy for the state to ensure its ethical and transparent use. Katy also co-founded the state’s Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice, which brings together experts from state and local agencies, as well as academia.
Since being appointed in 2020 to lead WaTech’s Office of Privacy and Data Protection, Ruckle has developed foundational privacy principles, launched statewide training programs, and is leading a nationally recognized privacy program. She was also appointed to the state’s AI Task Force by the former Attorney General, now Governor Bob Ferguson.
Her latest honor adds to a growing list of accolades, including recognition as one of GovTech’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers in 2024, a StateScoop Top 50 award, and the Governor’s Outstanding Leadership Award in 2023.

Teri Takai is the Chief Programs Officer for the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Teri worked for Ford Motor Company for 30 years in global application development and information technology strategic planning. From Ford, she moved to EDS in support of General Motors. A long-time interest in public service led her to the government sector, first as CIO of the State of Michigan, then as CIO of the State of California and, subsequently, the CIO of the U.S. Department of Defense, the first woman appointed to this role. She then served as the CIO for Meridian Health Plan.
Teri is a member of several industry advisory boards. She has won numerous awards including Governing magazine’s Public Official of the Year, CIO Magazine’s CIO Hall of Fame, Government Technology magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers, the Women in Defense Excellence in Leadership Award and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

Shin-pei Tsay’s work converges on policy, design, and technology to bolster inclusive and sustainable cities. As Chief Research & Data Officer for the City of Boston, she develops civic innovation grounded in evidence — leading a 25-person team that conducts research and analytics, builds data products, and applies advanced technology that improve city services and forward-looking initiatives spanning infrastructure to policy and programs.
Prior to serving the City of Boston, Shin-pei led global policy for cities and sustainability at Uber Technologies, and held leadership roles at Gehl Institute, TransitCenter, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Transportation Alternatives, and Project for Public Spaces. Throughout her career, she has authored reports and articles, and designed and executed strategies, frameworks, and campaigns that center people and the civic sector in policy, design, and technology innovations — including an open data standard for public life developed with San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Seattle.
She has served on the Public Design Commission of New York City, the World Economic Forum's Global Futures Council on the Future of Cities, and several non-profit boards. She was a Local Smart 2025 Local IT Leader of the Year.

Karthik Yajurvedi is the Chief Data Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a member of the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) C-suite. A forward-thinking technology executive, he leads the state’s enterprise data and analytics strategy, serving over 40,000 internal stakeholders—including secretariats, agencies, and business partners—and millions of Massachusetts residents and visitors.
In this role, Karthik is focused on transforming the Commonwealth into a data-driven enterprise by unlocking the value of public data, enabling strategic decision-making, and improving operational efficiency and constituent experience. He is spearheading the development of data products, fostering a culture of trust, governance, and data literacy, and driving the adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and generative AI to deliver measurable business outcomes and public good.
With more than two decades of experience across government and financial services, Karthik has built and led large-scale data programs, enterprise platforms, and cross-functional teams of 100+ technologists. His expertise spans data architecture, cloud-native systems, regulatory platforms, and real-time analytics. He has held senior leadership roles at State Street and Fidelity Investments, where he delivered transformative solutions in domains ranging from investment services to regulatory compliance and fraud prevention.
Karthik is a passionate advocate for responsible innovation, and he has helped build high-performing teams and AI-enabled platforms that improve service delivery, transparency, and trust in public institutions. He holds an MBA from Babson College and a B.E. in Electronics and Communication from Mysore University. In addition to his professional leadership, he mentors graduate finance students at Babson College’s Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance.