Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Sindhu Menon, Executive Director/Chief Information Officer, Harris County Universal Services

Keynote – The Power of TALK in an AI World

In a world where ChatGPT enables everyone to write like a Harvard graduate, the true power to stand out now lies in verbal communication. Unfortunately, many studies show that the fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death, and those who struggle to talk in front of others will quickly find themselves and their organizations falling behind. Join Anthony Huey for a lively, thought-provoking keynote as he explores the power of verbal communication. Anthony helps his audiences understand the importance of perception and how first impressions are primarily formed when we speak, whether in person, virtually, or on the phone.

Anthony Huey, CSP, President, Reputation Management, LLC

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session - Governing Innovation with AI, Data and Risk

Innovation moves fast, but accuracy cannot be sacrificed for the sake of expediency; government is held accountable for getting it right. Leaders must learn to navigate evolving policies, ethical considerations and real operational risk while maintaining public trust. How can you encourage experimentation without creating exposure? Who establishes the guardrails? This moderated panel brings together public sector leaders to discuss acceptable-use policies, data governance models and practical approaches to ethics and oversight. Through candid discussion, attendees will hear how agencies balance innovation with compliance, allowing them to say “yes” to new technology safely, responsibly and with confidence.

Girish Ramachandran (GR), Chief Technology Officer, Harris County Universal Services

General Session - From Curiosity to Capability: Perfecting the Use of AI in Government

AI is no longer a future accessory for government; it’s already influencing how agencies manage records, improve customer experience, and analyze data. The challenge is how to move from curiosity to practical capability. How can AI deliver immediate value today? And how do leaders set expectations without overselling the technology or underestimating the work involved? This session grounds AI in real-world public sector use cases, with a focus on literacy, readiness, and responsible adoption.

Antonio Murray, Information Technology Director, Housing and Community Development, Harris County

Lunch

General Session - Cybersecurity in a Resource-Constrained Reality

Most public sector organizations aren’t facing a lack of threats; they’re facing a lack of time, staff and budget. Yet the expectation to remain secure has never been higher. How do you prioritize cyber hygiene when everything feels urgent? Where should limited resources be focused to reduce real risk? This session highlights practical, high-impact cybersecurity fundamentals that agencies can apply immediately. From proactive security measures and incident response planning to continuity and third-party risk, attendees will review a realistic framework for protecting systems and services without overextending teams.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session - Modernizing the Backbone — ERP, Cloud, and Legacy Systems

Behind every digital service is a system backbone that must be reliable, flexible, and ready to evolve. For many agencies, that backbone includes aging ERP platforms, growing technical debt and complex cloud transitions. What systems should take priority? How do you migrate without disrupting operations or losing institutional knowledge? Join us as we explore real-world lessons from ERP lifecycle management, cloud migrations and efforts to reduce technical debt. Panelists will discuss how agencies are using cloud dashboards and analytics to gain visibility, improve decision-making and build a stronger foundation for future innovation without breaking what already works.

Harsha Narayan, Assistant Director, EBA and ERP, Harris County Universal Services

Kalpana Pillai, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Deputy Director, IT Enterprise Applications and PMO, City of Houston

Bert Quarfordt, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Deputy Director, IT Infrastructure, City of Houston

Keith Jarvis, Principal Threat Researcher, Sophos

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Hosted by: Sindhu Menon, Executive Director/Chief Information Officer, Harris County Universal Services

General Session – Workforce, Change Management, and the Next Generation of Public IT

As public-sector IT evolves, agencies must grapple with workforce transitions and different expectations from the existing and new generations of professionals. How do leaders guide teams through constant change while attracting and retaining talent? What does meaningful mentorship look like? This talk will focus on the human side of transformation: leading through change, building strong recruitment and retention strategies and investing in upskilling. Through practical examples and discussion, attendees will explore how agencies can support early-career professionals while strengthening institutional knowledge over the long term.

Moderator: Robert Ballou, Program Manager, Flood Control District, Harris County

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

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

End of Conference

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