Name: Georgia Emerging Technology Summit: AI 2023
Start: 2023-12-12T08:00
Location: W Atlanta - Downtown

Overview

The Georgia Emerging Technology Summit is a pioneering event tailored for state, regional, and local public sector leadership to delve into the transformative potential of emerging technologies, including AI. This summit offers a comprehensive exploration of the current state and future trajectory of technologies set to revolutionize public service delivery. Through a blend of innovation, regulations, hands-on technology demos, and compelling case studies, attendees gain invaluable insights into how emerging technologies can enhance the lives of residents.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Game-changing. Revolutionary. Transformational. Artificial intelligence is emerging as the emerging technology, and with its rockstar popularity comes both hopeful anticipation and serious warnings. Sorting the potential and the pitfalls calls for an open-eyed, cautious strategy. At the 2023 Georgia Emerging Technology Summit: AI, we’ll explore the role AI can play in serving constituents and automating processes, and we’ll delve into the security and ethical guardrails that will be essential. IT professionals and business leaders in state and local government are invited to join us for compelling discussions and breakout sessions. I hope you’ll plan to attend.

– Shawnzia Thomas, Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia

Innovation isn't just about technological advancements; it's about harnessing those advancements responsibly. At the 2023 Georgia Emerging Technology Summit: AI, we will not only explore the transformational capabilities of artificial intelligence but also critically examine the ethical and security frameworks that must accompany it. This summit serves as a unique forum for state and local government leaders to discuss how we can move from potential to policy, ensuring that the adoption of AI serves our constituents and state in a manner that is both innovative and secure. I invite you to join us in shaping the future of AI use and governance.

– Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital & AI Officer, State of Georgia

Speakers

Nikhil Deshpande

Chief Digital & AI Officer, State of Georgia

Nikhil J. Deshpande is Chief Digital Officer for the state of Georgia. He heads the Office of Digital Services (DSGa) under the Georgia Technology Authority.
Nikhil envisioned and led Georgia’s user-centric digital transition to an enterprise open-source web publishing system, GovHub. Under his direction, Georgia became the first state in the United States to use enterprise Drupal and meet special needs of constituents with a range of disabilities affecting vision, hearing, motion, and cognition, making GovHub Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA compliant.
Nikhil strongly advocated and set the framework for the use of social media for Georgia, back when using social media for government was not common. He established a presence for the state on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to quickly address citizens’ questions and concerns.
Prior to his career in digital government, Nikhil worked in advertising and digital media.
Nikhil has two master’s degrees in visual communications and Interaction Design from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB) and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He served as adjunct faculty at the Atlanta campus of SCAD for 10 years, where he taught graduate classes in Interaction Design and User Experience.
Nikhil has won several national and international awards and recognition for his work in digital government. He was recently honored with Atlanta’s 40 under 40, an award recognizing 40 accomplished individuals under the age of 40.
Connect with Nikhil on Twitter @nikofthehill

Shawnzia A. Thomas

Chief Information Officer for the State of Georgia and Executive Director of the Georgia Technology Authority

Shawnzia A. Thomas has worked in Georgia state government for more than 13 years, with an emphasis on integrating technology to improve constituent services and better serve Georgians. In July 2021, she was appointed Chief Information Officer for the State of Georgia and Executive Director of the Georgia Technology Authority by Governor Brian P. Kemp.
Previously, Ms. Thomas served as Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services. Previously, she was Executive Director of the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity and Director of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Corporations Division.
A native of Macon, Georgia, Ms. Thomas received her undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University and Master’s in Public Administration from the University of West Georgia. She is a Commissioner on the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity’s Advisory Board and member of the Hospitality Ministry at Chapelhill Church in Atlanta. Ms. Thomas was named to the Atlanta Business League’s list of Top 100 Women of Influence for 2021 and received the 2022 Golden Gov: State Executive of the Year award from StateScoop.

Senator John Albers

Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman, Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair

Senator John Albers represents the 56th District, which includes portions of Fulton, Cobb and Cherokee county. He serves as chairman of the Public Safety committee, vice chairman of Finance, and subcommittee chair of the Appropriations committee. He is also a member of the Rules, Regulated Industries, and Government Oversight committees.

Representative Todd Jones

House Technology and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence Founder

Representative Todd Jones represents the citizens of House District 25, which encompasses South Forsyth and North Fulton Counties. He was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives on November 8, 2016, and sworn into office on January 9, 2017. Todd started his third term representing District 25 on January 11, 2021. Rep. Jones serves as the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and as the vice chairman of the Science & Technology Committee. Further, Todd serves as a member of the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Code Revision, Economic Development & Tourism, Education, Industry & Labor and Judiciary committees. He also serves on the Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care.

Will Alford

Director of Content, Georgia Technology Authority, State of Georgia

Will Alford serves as director of content for Georgia Technology Authority. Prior to joining the state in 2019, he led content strategy for Cox Media Group’s new product lab and led design and editing teams for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He earned degrees from University of Florida and University of Georgia.

Avik Batra

Managing Director, Accenture

Avik Batra is a Managing Director within the Service Transformation practice at Accenture. He has more than 10+ years working with Public Sector clients to drive innovative service and digital transformations. He approaches all of his client's business challenges with diligence and commitment; looking to create practical solutions that produce a positive outcome.

Todd Donzelli

Client Advisory, Technology & Innovation, Infor

Todd Donzelli is the Executive Client Advisor for Infor’s Technology & Innovation sales organization.  Prior to joining Infor, Todd was an advisory executive at Accenture, helping CIOs and CTOs define and execute strategic programs.  Before his time in consulting, he was the VP of Transformation at GE Healthcare where he built the company’s SaaS business model in advance of their IPO.  Todd’s extended background is enterprise software where he held various leadership positions in sales, consulting and product management.

Cameron Fash

Director of Government Relations, Georgia Technology Authority

Cameron Fash is the Director of Government Relations for the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA). He works with federal, state, and local officials to promote cybersecurity, broadband, and technology policies. Prior to joining GTA in 2018, Cameron served as Director of Political Affairs for the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast, a private sector lobbyist, State Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, and as a director of a national non-profit organization. Cameron earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Kennesaw State University.

Steven Ferguson

Chief Information Officer, Technical College System of Georgia

Steven Ferguson is a 23-year veteran of the IT industry. As the Chief Information Officer for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), he leads a talented team of IT professionals in support of TCSG’s technical education, adult education, economic development and workforce divisions across the 88 campuses of Georgia’s 22 technical colleges. Recently, he spearheaded the adoption and deployment of an award-winning artificial intelligence chat bot, successfully championed a data center infrastructure consolidation initiative, standardized and expanded enterprise cybersecurity technologies and led the system through the rollout of a new mobile app to enhance the student experience.
Ferguson holds an M.S. in Information Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University, a B.S. in Business Administration, Information Technology from Columbia Southern University, an A.S. in Engineering from Gainesville State College, and is a proud graduate of TCSG’s Executive Leadership Academy. Steven currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Development Authority of Lumpkin County, Advisory Board Member for the Georgia Digital Government Summit, President of the Board of Directors for Castleberry Ridge, Communications Chair for Leadership Lumpkin County and as a volunteer for various non-profit and educational organizations. Recipient of the 2019 Georgia CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner | Nonprofit/Public Sector.

Dustin Haisler

Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, e.Republic

As the former Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Assistant City Manager for the City of Manor, Texas, a city outside Austin, Dustin quickly built a track record and reputation as an early innovator in civic tech. Dustin pioneered government use of commercial technologies not before used in the public sector – including Quick-Response (QR) barcodes, crowdsourcing, and gamification. Dustin was named as one of the nation’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for government technology, was selected as an Eisenhower Fellow in 2019, and most recently, a 2021 Business Transformation 150 Leader by Constellation Research. Dustin’s work over the years has been featured numerous publications and books including Wired, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, the Today Show on NBC, and Citizenville by California Governor, Gavin Newsom.
Dustin graduated Magna Cum Laude from LeTourneau University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and has worked with universities around the globe on incubating next-generation technologies in government including the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University and the University of Trento, Italy. Dustin continues to work with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, academia, gov tech startups, and non-profits across the globe on innovation, go-to-market, and citizen engagement strategies.

Melissa Hall

Deputy Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Georgia Institute of Technology

Melissa Hall is the Deputy Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional.
Melissa has over two decades experience in both internal and external audit and compliance, specifically working with Government and Non-Profit Organizations.  Nationally, Melissa has served for the past 7 years on the board of the Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA), currently serving as Immediate Past President.    Locally, Melissa is very active in the Atlanta Compliance and Ethics (ACE) Roundtable serving in various roles on the board over the past 3 years.

Sean MacKirdy

Area Vice President, SLED, Elastic

Sean brings over 25 years of IT experience, starting in software development and Unix systems administration before transitioning to high-performance computing with Silicon Graphics. He spent 18 years at Cisco, working in the US Public Sector and in country leadership outside the US in the Emerging Markets Group.
After Cisco, he was VP of Digital Transformation at Advanced Network Management, Sales Director for the US Air Force and COCOMs at Splunk, and Sales Leader for the US DoD at Cohesity. Sean is passionate about connecting customers with the right technology to address challenges in Cyber Security, predictive analytics, Generative AI and machine learning, and data fusion.

Joe Morris

Deputy Chief of Innovation, e.Republic

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

Rose Procter

Director, TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership, Mike Cottrell College of Business, University of North Georgia

Dr. Rose Procter serves as the Associate Director for Ethics and Compliance within the Office of Internal Audit, Ethics & Compliance at the University System of Georgia (USG) and Director of the TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership (TRUIST CEL) within the Mike Cottrell College of Business at the University of North Georgia (UNG). Rose leads the TRUIST CEL K-12, University and Community programs. Rose’s leadership is instrumental in the Building Ethical Leaders (BEL) Leadership Development Program, the Ethical Culture Indicator (ECI) organizational culture assessment and several other leadership programs at UNG. Rose recently moderated the USG panel on “Ethical Considerations for a Data-Driven Landscape” for Chancellor Sonny Perdue. She has served in higher education for over 23 years, formerly serving at Kennesaw State University and the University of Missouri-Columbia (MIZZOU).
Procter recently graduated with her Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership, having already graduated with honors from Park University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Social Psychology and her Master of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University. Rose also holds an Executive Certificate in Leadership from the University of Notre Dame. Her research is focused on institutional integrity. She is married, with four children and lives in Dahlonega, Georgia.

Robert Rachwald

Director of Portfolio Product Marketing, Palo Alto Networks

Robert Rachwald has been in cybersecurity for more than 20 years including two IPOs and six acquisitions. Currently, Rob manages portfolio strategy for Palo Alto Networks. Rob joined Palo Alto Networks through the acquisition of Expanse in 2020. Prior to Expanse, Rob led marketing at several startups including ShieldX (acquired by Fortinet), RedOwl (acquired by Fortinet) and also helped take FireEye and Imperva public. Robert holds a Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley. Rob is an amateur Sommelier and has completed Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 training.

Josiah Raiche

Director of Artificial Intelligence, State of Vermont

Josiah is the Director of the Division of Artificial Intelligence for the State of Vermont. Josiah has been with the State of Vermont since 2016, and served as a Developer, Special Projects Lead, and Director of Quality Management prior to taking on his role as the first AI Director.

Dr. John-David Rusk

CISSP, GCFE, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, University of North Georgia

Dr. Rusk is an academic with over 23 years of industry experience in information technology and business management. He has taught thousands of students in over a hundred classes of twenty-one different courses in information systems, computer science, business management, and cybersecurity.
Dr. Rusk has earned the ISC2 certification of Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and holds the GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE) certification. He began his career in technology and computer science after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and minors in math and physics from North Georgia College. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from North Georgia College and State University and a Doctorate in Business Information Systems from Kennesaw State University. Rusk also developed the curriculum and was a lead faculty for the Building Ethical Employability high school program for years within the TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership at UNG.
Dr. Rusk strives to combine his professional knowledge, managerial experiences, and passion for teaching into a successful and enjoyable learning environment for his students.

Henry Rutherford

Chief Information Officer, Department of Corrections, State of Georgia

Mr. Rutherford was appointed the Director of the Office of Information Technology (OIT) in 2022. As Director, Henry oversees and coordinates the development and evolution of information technology, all activities related to enterprise systems development and technical services, and the overall operation of OIT.
Mr. Rutherford has served the State of Georgia for more than 20 years, beginning in the Compliance division with the Georgia Department of Revenue. Where he served in many roles and was named Acting Director for the ITS Governance division in 2021. Henry holds a degree in Science from Clayton State University and certifications in Project Management and Leadership from Georgia Technology Authority.

View Speakers

Tuesday, December 12
8:00 am Eastern	Registration and Morning Refreshments Great Room Pre-Function
9:00 am Eastern	Opening Remarks Great Room Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia Shawnzia Thomas, Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia
9:15 am Eastern	Keynote – The State of AI in GovTech: Exploring the Future and Charting the Course Great Room Joe Morris, Deputy Chief Innovation Officer/Head of Market Intelligence, e.Republic To set the stage for our Emerging Tech Forum on AI, we will unpack the current state of Artificial Intelligence in the GovTech landscape. This presentation will provide an in-depth analysis of AI's current applications within state and local governments, highlighting their transformative impacts on public services and administration. Furthermore, the talk will delve into the future directions of AI in GovTech, revealing emerging trends and discussing how policy and technology leaders can anticipate AI's influence on service delivery. We will also present strategic recommendations for the GovTech industry's approach to AI regulation and initial use, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, ethical considerations, and equitable technology access. This forward-looking talk aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of AI's trajectory in GovTech, offering actionable insights to effectively harness AI for public sector innovation and progress.
9:45 am Eastern	General Session – Harmonizing AI Lexicon: A Shared Foundation for Public Sector Dialogue Great Room The realm of artificial intelligence introduces a unique vocabulary that goes hand-in-hand with its transformative power. In this interactive exploration, we'll lay the groundwork by illuminating key AI concepts, their contextual underpinnings, and their significance within the public sector landscape. This foundational understanding ensures that we all embark on the day's journey with a shared lexicon, enriching the depth and relevance of each subsequent dialogue. Corey Bruins, National Conference Director, Government Technology Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia
10:15 am Eastern	Networking Break Great Room Pre-Function
10:45 am Eastern	Concurrent Sessions AI Lab Part I: Ideation – Crafting Solutions Studio 3/4 Dive deep into the realm of artificial intelligence with hands-on, collaborative exercises. In this interactive session, participants will team up to identify pressing challenges that can be addressed with AI while attendees brainstorm potential AI applications, discussing the initial steps of solution design and implementation. This workshop is designed for individuals of all AI experience levels, providing a foundational understanding of how AI can be integrated as a problem-solving tool in the public sector. Attendees are encouraged to attend AI Lab Part II: Evaluation – Assessing Risks & Rewards, in the afternoon. Corey Bruins, National Conference Director, Government Technology Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia Jamia McDonald, Senior Manager, Deloitte AI's Transformative Impact on the Workforce Studio 6 Artificial Intelligence is rapidly altering the landscape of employment, presenting a multifaceted impact on the workforce. How do we navigate the nuanced conversation surrounding AI’s evolving role in the job market? Explore concerns about job transformation in the era of AI and balance that with the empowering opportunities for skill enhancement and professional growth. Through this exploration, come away with an enriched understanding of how mastering AI can be a cornerstone of career resilience in the ever-changing job landscape. Moderator: Steven Ferguson, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology & Data Resources, Technical College System of Georgia Todd Donzelli, Client Advisory, Technology & Innovation, Infor Keith Howard, Solutions Engineer – Artificial Intelligence, Dell Technologies Shawnzia Thomas, Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia Building the Ethical Playbook for Emerging Technologies Studio 5 As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to gain traction as a potential part of public sector infrastructure, understanding its ethical intricacies is imperative. Unpack the ethical considerations uniquely relevant to government deployments of AI, including matters of public trust and equitable access. A focus on key ethical cornerstones aims to provide insights for crafting an “Ethical Playbook” for AI strategy that aligns with public service values. Moderator: Rose Procter, Director, TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership, Mike Cottrell College of Business, University of North Georgia Melissa Hall, Deputy Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. John-David Rusk, CISSP, GCFE, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, University of North Georgia Nashlie Sephus, Principal AI/ML Evangelist, AWS Responsible AI
11:45 am Eastern	Lunch Great Room
12:45 pm Eastern	Concurrent Sessions AI Lab Part II: Evaluation – Assessing Risks and Rewards Studio 3/4 Building on the momentum from the morning session, this workshop shifts focus to a critical evaluation of the AI solutions devised earlier. Attendees will be steered through a comprehensive SWOT analysis, exploring the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of their proposed AI applications. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing potential pitfalls and understanding the broader implications of AI deployment. For maximum benefit from this session, attendance in the morning AI Lab Part I: Ideation – Crafting Solutions is highly recommended. Corey Bruins, National Conference Director, Government Technology Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia Jamia McDonald, Senior Manager, Deloitte Navigating the Spectrum of Data Integrity in AI Studio 6 Unlock insights into the role of data integrity as the backbone of AI's capabilities. This session enriches the traditional dialogue on data security by introducing the multi-dimensional aspects of data quality and integrity. Explore how the nature of the data we feed into AI systems not only influences outcomes but becomes an intrinsic component of our expanding digital footprint. Engage with the essential facets of data management to gain a deeper understanding of this pivotal element in AI applications. Moderator: Kanti Chalasani, Division Director, Georgia Data Analytics Center, Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, State of Georgia Erick Cedeno, Sr Solutions Architect, AWS Worldwide Public Sector Bob Gaines, HPC and AI Solutions Architect, Intel Sean MacKirdy, Area Vice President, SLED, Elastic Unlocking the Public Sector Potential of Large Language Models Studio 5 This session delves into the multifaceted capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs), breaking down their complexities to offer a look into what’s possible. Discover how well-crafted queries can unlock essential insights, enhance public interaction, and reveal opportunities uniquely accessible through LLMs. This dialogue aims to empower a more effective and informed approach to leveraging these AI-powered resources in the public sector. Moderator: Will Alford, Director of Content, Georgia Technology Authority, State of Georgia Avik Batra, Managing Director, Accenture Jason McSwain, Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, State of Georgia Robert Rachwald, Director of Portfolio Product Marketing, Palo Alto Networks Henry Rutherford III, Chief Information Officer, Department of Corrections, State of Georgia Executive Briefing Great Room (Industry sponsors only) Anh Cam-Le, Chief of Business Operations & General Counsel Steve Hodges, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Georgia Subramanian Muniasamy, Chief Technology Officer, State of Georgia (effective Jan. 1, 2024) Keith Perry, Chief Development Officer, State of Georgia Shawnzia Thomas, Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia
1:45 pm Eastern	Break
2:00 pm Eastern	General Session – The Legislative Side of AI Great Room As AI technologies move closer to the forefront of state considerations, this panel of state legislators offers invaluable insights into the complexities of balancing innovation with the well-being of the public. Learn about the legislative lens through which AI's societal impact is evaluated and explore the myriad of considerations lawmakers must weigh as they ponder AI’s role within the state. The conversation aims to shed light on how public values and perspectives can be harmoniously integrated into the unfolding narrative of AI in governance. Moderator: Cameron Fash, Director of Government Relations, Georgia Technology Authority Senator John Albers, Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman, Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair Representative Todd Jones, House Technology and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence Founder Josiah Raiche, Director of Artificial Intelligence, State of Vermont
2:30 pm Eastern	Networking Break Great Room Pre-Function
2:45 pm Eastern	General Session – Futurescape of AI Innovation Great Room Get ready to redefine what you thought was possible. Through three compelling presentations, trailblazing industry leaders will unveil how AI is reshaping the landscape of possibility. Don't miss this rare chance to be inspired by groundbreaking applications of AI technology that promise to transform the way we engage our world. Avik Batra, Managing Director, Accenture Korbin Graves, Customer Engineer, Application Modernization, SLG, Google Public Sector
3:45 pm Eastern	Concluding Insights: A Collective Path Forward Great Room Hear from and engage with leaders at the Georgia Technology Authority as they offer a final reflection on the day's dialogues and insights. This session aims to reaffirm the robust support and resources available within the state's technology landscape for enhancing public services. It also serves as a reminder that today's discussions mark the opening chapter in an ongoing collaborative endeavor for the future. Moderator: Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia Steve Hodges, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Georgia Subramanian Muniasamy, Chief Technology Officer, State of Georgia (effective Jan. 1, 2024) Keith Perry, Chief Development Officer, State of Georgia
4:15 pm Eastern	Networking Reception Great Room Pre-Function Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.
4:45 pm Eastern	End of Conference Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

W Atlanta - Downtown

45 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 582-5800

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Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Will Alford
Director of Content
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Lindsay Cain
Director of Executive Education
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Georgia State University

Paula Calhoun
Director of Communications
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Nikhil Deshpande
Chief AI and Digital Officer
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Cameron Fash
Director of Intergovernmental Relations
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Steven Ferguson
Chief Information Officer
Technical College System of Georgia

Steve Hodges
Chief Information Security Officer
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Brian Jennings
Senior Associate Dean for Graduate and Non-Degree Programs
Georgia State University

Marvin Lim
State Representative for House District 98
Georgia House of Representatives

Keith Perry
Chief Development Officer
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Rose Procter
Director, TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership
Mike Cottrell College of Business
University of North Georgia

Henry Rutherford
Chief Information Officer
Department of Corrections
State of Georgia

Shawnzia A. Thomas
State Chief Information Officer and GTA Executive Director
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Les Thomassen
Communications Manager
Georgia Technology Authority
State of Georgia

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Contact Information

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

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

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Georgia Emerging Technology Summit: AI 2023

Overview

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Nikhil Deshpande

Chief Digital & AI Officer, State of Georgia

Shawnzia A. Thomas

Chief Information Officer for the State of Georgia and Executive Director of the Georgia Technology Authority

Senator John Albers

Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman, Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair

Representative Todd Jones

House Technology and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence Founder

Will Alford

Director of Content, Georgia Technology Authority, State of Georgia

Avik Batra

Managing Director, Accenture

Todd Donzelli

Client Advisory, Technology & Innovation, Infor

Cameron Fash

Director of Government Relations, Georgia Technology Authority

Steven Ferguson

Chief Information Officer, Technical College System of Georgia

Dustin Haisler

Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, e.Republic

Melissa Hall

Deputy Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Georgia Institute of Technology

Sean MacKirdy

Area Vice President, SLED, Elastic

Joe Morris

Rose Procter

Director, TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership, Mike Cottrell College of Business, University of North Georgia

Robert Rachwald

Director of Portfolio Product Marketing, Palo Alto Networks

Josiah Raiche

Director of Artificial Intelligence, State of Vermont

Dr. John-David Rusk

CISSP, GCFE, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, University of North Georgia

Henry Rutherford

Chief Information Officer, Department of Corrections, State of Georgia

Tuesday, December 12

8:00 am Eastern

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Great Room Pre-Function

9:00 am Eastern

Opening Remarks

Great Room

9:15 am Eastern

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

Great Room

9:45 am Eastern

General Session – Harmonizing AI Lexicon: A Shared Foundation for Public Sector Dialogue

Great Room

10:15 am Eastern

Networking Break

Great Room Pre-Function

10:45 am Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

AI Lab Part I: Ideation – Crafting Solutions

Studio 3/4

AI's Transformative Impact on the Workforce

Studio 6

Building the Ethical Playbook for Emerging Technologies

Studio 5

11:45 am Eastern

Lunch

Great Room

12:45 pm Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

AI Lab Part II: Evaluation – Assessing Risks and Rewards

Studio 3/4

Navigating the Spectrum of Data Integrity in AI

Studio 6

Unlocking the Public Sector Potential of Large Language Models

Studio 5

Executive Briefing

Great Room

1:45 pm Eastern

Break

2:00 pm Eastern

General Session – The Legislative Side of AI

CISSP, GCFE, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, University of North Georgia