Registration and Morning Refreshments

Lobby and Plaza E/F

Opening Remarks

Plaza G/H

Kirk Lonbom, Chief Information Officer, State of Illinois

Keynote – In the Arena

Plaza G/H

Clay Jenkinson, Writer, Historical Performer and Theodore Roosevelt Humanities Scholar

Theodore Roosevelt’s “In the Arena” is one of the most stirring presidential quotes of all time, and it serves as the keynote theme for this year’s conference. Roosevelt was an American statesman, author, explorer, soldier, naturalist, and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909. Widely regarded as the most dynamic president in history, his life story is nothing short of remarkable. Born frail and sickly, Roosevelt transformed himself into a rugged man of adventure by sheer force of will. He was also a serious intellectual who frequently read a book a day and authored 35 books and 150,000 letters. He was arguably the best prepared president in American history. But few realize that he was also the first “high-tech” president as he brought the American people, sometimes kicking and screaming, into the twentieth century. Clay Jenkinson brings “Teddy” to life with such authenticity that viewers may forget that he is not actually standing in front of them. The audience will have the opportunity to ask Mr. Roosevelt questions on any subject, an experience that gives a new appreciation of history and a president who was truly larger than life. Prepare to be inspired!

Networking Break

Lobby and Plaza E/F

Concurrent Sessions

Smarter Illinois

Plaza A

Illinois is actively engaged in the goal of becoming the first “smart state” in the nation, and there’s nothing smarter than sharing ideas and inspiration with all levels of government. Great strides have been made with exciting projects in motion and much more on the horizon. In this session we will get the inside scoop on what it means to be a smart community and real-world implementation planning tips.

Nick Cosentino, Special Projects Manager, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Chris Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, Xaqt (@chrisjcrosby)

Making Sense of Your Data

Plaza B

Government by nature is in the data collection business, and there is no shortage of information from which to extract valuable insights. The challenge is to reinvent how to leverage the vast amounts of information to get real results. Emerging next-generation tools include predictive analytics, big data analytics, data visualization, cognitive technology and more. This session explores better ways to tap your data to drive smarter decisions, faster responses and better service.

Debra Jenson, Director, IBM Digital Technical Engagement, IBM Hybrid Cloud, IBM

View Jenson Presentation Here

Kevin Richards, Account Processing, Program Administrator, Department of Revenue, State of Illinois

DoIT is Here to Stay!

Plaza C

Established in 2016 by executive order, The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology was recently named a permanent state agency. DoIT’s mission is to deliver high-value technology to client agencies, fostering collaboration and empowering employees to provide better services to citizens. Now is the perfect time to hear about this young organization’s journey and learn how state agencies and municipalities can take full advantage of its services.

Trey Childress, Deputy Governor/Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Governor, State of Illinois

Tyler Clark, Chief of Staff, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Kirk Lonbom, Acting Secretary, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Geospatial, Geovisual and Geofantastic!

Plaza D

Seeing is believing. That’s why visualization technologies – particularly geospatial tools – are indispensable components of government services. Leveraging these technologies opens the door to better planning, decision-making, economic development, citizen services and public safety. This session discusses the latest strategies and golden opportunities for all levels of government.

David Peters, GIS Coordinator, McLean County GIS Consortium

Crystal Williams, GIS Specialist, McLean County

View Williams Presentation Here

Lunch

Plaza G/H

General Session – Building the Next Generation of Government

Plaza G/H

It’s a highly interactive and fast-paced society, and people are getting more demanding about, well, everything. With citizens accustomed to the Amazons and Googles of the world, the pressure is mounting in government services, too. Our challenge right now is to make “citizen-centric” more than just a buzzword. This session takes a look at creative strategies to remake government’s relationship with its customers – and employees – into something more stimulating and productive.

Moderator: Jack King, Chief Technology Officer, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Tasker Generes, Chief Strategist, IoT, ServiceNow

Tom Lynch, Chief Information Officer, Cook County

Tamara Dukes, Vice President of Marketing, Sales & Marketing, NIC

View Dukes Presentation Here

Marc Thorson, Director, Information Technology, City of DeKalb

Networking Break

Lobby and Plaza E/F

Concurrent Sessions

Blockchain and You

Plaza A

If blockchain is poised to make deep inroads into private industry, it stands to reason that government is next. In fact, this is one area in which government might end up taking the lead – and Illinois is doing just that. Potential uses include identity management, licensing, financial services, contract management, electronic voting and more. There is a lot to like! This session explores why blockchain is particularly suited to government applications.

Sean O'Kelly, Chief Information Officer, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, State of Illinois

Sunil Thomas, Cluster Chief Information Officer, Business & Workforce, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Regional Approach to Security

Plaza B

There is no hotter topic right now than cybersecurity. And it goes without saying that no state agency, county or municipality should stand alone in cyber conflicts. There is strength in numbers. This session provides an open dialogue on what can be done within this region to collectively win the tough security battles that loom over us every day.

Rehman R. Ali, MBA PMP, Director, Bureau of Technology, Systems Architecture, Cook County

Alex Anglin, Principal Industry Consultant, Cybersecurity, SAS Cyber Security, SAS Institute (@alexanglin)

James O’Dell, Senior Cybersecurity Strategist, Federal, State and Local Government/Education, Cyber Security, AT&T

Rahul K. Patel, PhD, Elections Information Security Officer, Office of Cook County Clerk and Board of Election Commissioners, City of Chicago

Resource Sharing Successes

Plaza C

Pressure is intensifying on government organizations to share data, apps and even human resources with other agencies and jurisdictions. The challenge isn’t always easy, but traditional barriers are breaking down and opportunities have never been greater. This session offers insights on collaborative strategies, opportunities, lessons learned and potential quick wins. In other words, how to do more with less – and faster!

Roger Fahnestock, Chief Information Officer, Kane County

Terance Henry, Information Technology Director, City of Marion, State of Illinois

Sponsor Briefing

Plaza D

(Industry sponsors only) Hosted by State CIO Kirk Lonbom.

Networking Reception

Lobby and Plaza E/F

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

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Lobby and Plaza E/F

Featured Speaker – Innovation Imperatives for IT Leaders

Plaza G/H

Christina “CK” Kerley, Futurist and Strategist

Yesterday was about billions of smartphones – but tomorrow belongs to the trillions of smart things digitizing the physical world. The AI Arms Race is officially on, and IT leaders must turn their operations into “real-time, know-it-all organizations” just to keep pace. As headlines of job-killing robots rise, the real story escapes our view: Automations are not taking our jobs away, it's giving us back our time. Freed from administrative tasks, these “CoBots” will let employees focus on creating new forms of value. And as this era of record-setting advancements unfolds, the most critical success factor won’t be technological: it will be uniquely human. A Reskilling Revolution – unrivaled in size, scope, and scale – will ensure the future prosperity of our citizens, and the economic supremacy of our country. In this session futurist and professor Christina “CK” Kerley highlights the innovation imperatives that belong on your radar, in your plans, and at the forefront of your IT goals in the years ahead.

Networking Break

Lobby and Plaza E/F

Fast Track Sessions

Plaza G/H

FirstNet and Next-Gen Communications

The establishment of FirstNet is a critical step in reaching the national goal of interoperable communications for first responders. FirstNet provides a nationwide broadband network to carry public safety data and voice communications. Roadblocks and legal hurdles were cleared and a nation-wide rollout is underway, which will only accelerate with the advent of 5G. This session provides an update on where things currently stand and what we can expect to see in the future – and when.

Joe Galvin, Statewide Interoperability Coordinator, Emergency Management Agency, State of Illinois

View Presentation Here

Driverless Cars and Our Future

Autonomous vehicles are not just a fascinating – and controversial – topic of discussion but they offer a thought-provoking exercise in visualizing the potential ramifications of highly disruptive technologies. The impact of driverless cars will be revolutionary on our culture, economy, legal system, highway system, safety, commuting and more. This session takes a look at what is happening in The Prairie State and what we can look forward to.

Matt McAnarney, Project Manager, Connected and Automated Vehicles, Department of Transportation, State of Illinois

Optimizing the Workforce and Workplace of Tomorrow

For years, government has widely reported the onset of the “silver tsunami.” The looming retirement wave is driving the need to accelerate innovative recruitment and retention practices in government at all levels, particularly in IT. Questions about mobility, flexibility, collaboration tools and collaborative spaces are becoming common during the interview process. Yet government is not always prepared to offer competitive answers in today’s legacy environment. This session offers a look at what some innovative organizations are doing to scrap outmoded practices, address modernization and embrace new paradigms.

Jack King, Chief Technology Officer, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

Shanna Rahming, Chief Strategy Officer, Department of Innovation & Technology, State of Illinois

End of Conference

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