Name: Kansas Digital Government Summit 2025
Start: 2025-08-07T08:00
Location: Hotel Topeka at City Center

Register Now

Overview

The Digital Government Summit is an event that brings together public sector leaders and technology professionals to explore innovative solutions to solve government problems. Key themes include cybersecurity, digital transformation, AI implementation, data governance, and fostering collaboration across multiple stakeholders. Attendees will benefit from expert discussions, peer networking, and insights into the future of government technology. Join us and let’s improve the future of government together!

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Join the Kansas Office of Information Technology Services for its 6th Annual Kansas Digital Government Summit, where you can explore innovative ideas and discover the potential of new technologies. Bringing together public sector participants from all four corners of the state, the Digital Government Summit explores everything from digital equity and generative AI to workforce talent, Internet of Things and more. Join us as we look to the future of digital government in Kansas.

– Jeff Maxon, Chief Information Technology Officer, State of Kansas

Speakers

Jeff Maxon

Chief Information Technology Officer, State of Kansas

Jeff was appointed Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) in October 2023. He has been with the State of Kansas since 2009, most recently serving as the State’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Jeff brings a wealth of experience to the role. In his 12 plus years with the State, he has forged relationships with agency leadership and the legislature. His work on cybersecurity from a whole-of-state approach has improved the cyber posture of Kansas and created collaborative opportunities for how state, local, and critical infrastructure work together.
While with the State, Jeff has been the recipient of several awards including recognition in 2022 as a top Global CISO by Cyber Defense Magazine. He holds licenses and professional certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). In addition, Jeff serves as a Cyber Defense Systems Operations Craftsman for the Kansas Air National Guard. He holds a Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Science from Washburn University.

More

John Register

Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, TEDx Motivational Speaker

John Register is a two-time Paralympian, Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, and TEDx Motivational Speaker. He embraced a “new normal mindset” in becoming an amputee following a misstep over a hurdle while training for the 1996 Olympic Games, after participation in two consecutive Olympic trials.
An Oak Park, Ill. native, Register discovered how to “amputate his fear of disability” and founded the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Military Sport Program in the early 2000s. He launched a book titled: 10 Stories to Impact Any Leader: Journal Your Way to Leadership Success, as business leaders return to work with their staff amid stressful circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent unrest in our urban cities.
Register teaches business professionals through his “Hurdling Adversity” speeches and podcasts to “amputate fear and embrace their new normal,” as they discover “stories within themselves.”
He finds that “it is the personal stories that inspire teams more profoundly with greater impact.”
Register is a four-time All-American graduate of University of Arkansas. He served six years in the U.S. Army—including in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and in active-duty with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program—winning nine gold medals in the Armed Services Competition and two World Military Championships.
Register had his left leg amputated after a misstep over a hurdle changed his life. Register hyperextended his knee and severed the popliteal artery. He started swimming to aid in his recovery, made the U.S. Paralympic Team in 1996, and later won a silver medal in the long jump—as he set an American record—and sprinted to fifth in the 100 meters and 200 meters at the U.S. Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Register resides in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife Alice. The couple have three children - John Jr., Ashley, and Ronald.

More

The Honorable Steven Ebberts

Chief Judge, 3rd Judicial District, Shawnee County

Judge Steven R. Ebberts was appointed to the 3rd Judicial District Bench in 2011.  Since that time, he has served in a variety of assignments and presided over a wide range of civil and criminal cases.  The Kansas Supreme Court appointed him Acting Chief Judge in 2021 and Chief Judge in 2022. 
A lifelong Kansan, he was born in Garden City, and he received his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Washburn University and his juris doctorate degree from Washburn University School of Law in 1993.  Judge Ebberts has a broad and varied legal career serving many years as legal counsel in private, corporate, and governmental practice.  Immediately prior to his current judicial appointment, he served as the Chief & Administrative Judge, Department Director, and prior Associate Judge for the City of Topeka Municipal Court for more than eight years.  Judge Ebberts served as a 3rd Judicial District pro temp judge and invited panel member on the Kansas Court of Appeals.
He is an active member of the Kansas and Topeka Bar Associations, prior member of the American Bar Association and member of the Kansas District Judges Association. Judge Ebberts is a member of the Sunrise Optimist Club, Topeka Lawyer’s Club and serves on the board of the Topeka Kiwanis Club.  He is past President of the Kansas Municipal Judges Association.
Judge Ebberts is married with two children.

More

Greg Gann

IT Business Solutions Group Director, Division of Information Technology, Sedgwick County

Greg Gann is a seasoned IT professional with 26 years of experience at Sedgwick County, Wichita, KS. He currently serves as the IT Business Solutions Group Director, overseeing IT Development, Application Management, Project Management, and Geographical Information Services. Additionally, he is the county's Payment Card Industry Digital Security Standards (PCI-DSS) Officer. Greg is involved in several professional organizations, including the Kansas Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC) and the Kansas Supreme Court Cyber Security Steering Council. He holds a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Management Information Systems from Friends University, along with certifications in Project Management and MiniMPA from Wichita State University. Outside of work, Greg actively volunteers with Wichita Habitat for Humanity and the Sedgwick County RACES team.

More

Adrian Guerrero

Director of Operations, Kansas State Board of Nursing 

Adrian Guerrero, CPM is the Director of Operations of the Kansas State Board of Nursing.  Adrian has worked for the board since the year 2000. He serves as the agency Director of Technology and Operations Budget Finance Officer and is responsible for the strategic direction and implementation of advanced technology and business solutions. Additionally, he is responsible for the primary oversight over the Cybersecurity, Licensing, Human Resources, Procurement, and Information Technology departments. Adrian is also a voting member on the State of Kansas, Information Technology Executive Committee (ITEC).
Adrian was four-times elected and had the honor of serving on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Board of Directors as Treasurer & Area II Director for 8 years.

More

Anne Madden Johnson

Deputy Information Technology Officer, Office of Judicial Administration, State of Kansas 

Anne Madden Johnson is the Deputy Chief Information Technology Officer for the Kansas Judicial Branch, where she leads IT support for users at the Kansas Judicial Center and in district courts across the state. She also collaborates on initiatives that power Kansas’ eCourt systems and integrated justice technologies. Anne played a key role in the statewide rollout of the case management system as well as in the recovery from a major incident.
Her IT career began by supporting university faculty—a role that sparked a passion for problem-solving and launched a 30-year journey in public sector technology. In her 27 years at the University of Kansas, Anne steadily advanced through leadership roles focused on service delivery, system modernization, and cybersecurity.
Anne brings a customer-first mindset, a collaborative leadership style, and a strong belief in lifting others as she leads. She is committed to expanding opportunities for women in technology. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Kansas and multiple certifications including Lean Six Sigma and GIAC Certified Incident Handler.

More

Mike Mayta

Chief Information Officer, City of Wichita 

As the CIO for the largest City in Kansas, Mike is accountable for all Information Technology and Innovation serving 17 City departments in over 90 locations. Mike has oversight of the full suite of technology and innovation services; security, policy, process, digital transformation, Smart City, network, development, data services and budget management across the enterprise. In his tenure, Mike has implemented What Works Cities, Open Data, Smart City, ERP implementation, and numerous P3’s executed for business value attainment without increasing staff. Increased online transactions from 2 million to over 76 million dollars annually. Focused on business process change and the citizen experience, placing technology for impact and outcomes. With over 30 years of experience in IT, 14 of those as a CIO, Mike continues to innovate and deploy technology as an opportunity for business improvement.
Mike has a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design a Bachelor of Business Administration in MIS and an MBA from Wichita State University. He teaches for the school of business at WSU in MIS and is the outside technology director for the Board of AgVantis, Inc., a technology service provider in the financial sector. Mike also is active on numerous boards; Mennonite Housing, Industry Advisory Board for the School of Computing Cybersecurity at Wichita State University, FirstNet representative for South Central Kansas, Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC) for the State of Kansas also the co-chair the Cyber-security task force 2023 for the State of Kansas.

More

Tanya Rodriguez-Heffel

Chief Technology Officer, State of Kansas

Appointed Chief Technology Officer for the State of Kansas in July 2021, Tanya plays an integral role in the strategic direction, development, and evolution of our state’s digital strategy across all technology stacks including information security and privacy. Tanya is committed to working across state agencies to provide technology solutions that will help Kansas position as an innovation leader.
Tanya’s extensive experience in the private sector includes Director of Technical Operations & Client Services for Georgetown University Law Center where she was the Director of Technical Operations, Client Services and Access Identity. In that role, she re-engineered operational, technical and support processes and platforms to deliver enhanced technology solutions and customer service to faculty, staff, and students. Prior to her time at Georgetown, Tanya served as CISO with SecureIT, as well as the Senior Director of Monster Government Solutions. At each of these organizations, Tanya has improved processes and responded to the needs of her customers.
Tanya holds a Dual Bachelor’s degree and an M.S.S from Virginia Tech.

More

Randi Stahl

Chief Information Officer, City of Topeka 

Randi Stahl has over 25 years of experience in technology, manufacturing, project and program management, emergency management, and homeland security. As the stepdaughter of a broadcast and IT engineer, she gained extensive hands-on experience in technology from an early age. This early exposure gave her a keen understanding of telecommunications, fiber optics, and audio-visual technology, instilling a solid technical foundation that has influenced her career.
Early in her career, based upon lessons learned from the 2007 Greensburg, Kansas tornado, Randi was instrumental in leveraging technology to establish the Kansas Eisenhower Center for Homeland Security Studies, the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center, and a Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) & Public Affairs mobile response vehicle. Her proactive approach and unwavering ability to drive change were pivotal to the success of these initiatives, inspiring others with her forward-thinking mindset.
Randi's leadership skills were further demonstrated when she held senior roles at Mars Wrigley North America-Topeka, KS, and Johnsonville Sausage-Holton, KS. In these positions, she effectively led and managed complex operations, showcasing her ability to navigate challenging environments and deliver results.
After working in manufacturing, Randi transitioned to risk management and served as a disaster recovery planner for Yellow, Inc. Randi currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for the City of Topeka. With a master's in business administration from Baker University, her experience brings a broad perspective gained from working with Fortune 500 companies, not-for-profits, and the government. This diverse experience allows her to lead and modernize her organization, especially as it relates to the ever-growing challenge of cybersecurity.
As a leader, she endorses individual and team development through focused planning and creating a highly collaborative environment to support her team in becoming the best version of themselves. She also encourages her team to take ownership of their work and generate a continuous improvement atmosphere.
Randi's commitment to volunteer work is a testament to her values and community involvement. She dedicates her time to several organizations outside of work, including the Seaman School District’s Technology Advisory Board. Her selfless actions remind others of the importance of being a good civic partner to the community.

More

View Speakers

Agenda

Thursday, August 7
8:00 am Central	Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area
9:00 am Central	Welcome Remarks Jeff Maxon, Chief Information Technology Officer, State of Kansas
9:15 am Central	Keynote – Transform Adversity into Advantage: How to Conquer Life's Hurdles The world has become more difficult, and the challenges are bigger than ever. Adopting a “new normal mindset” is necessary to empower your team to navigate the challenges and opportunities through a contextual model to overcome adversity. How will you manage uncertainty? Is your team ready to embrace change? This session will provide a powerful and interactive message of resilience and perseverance that will inspire you to see change as an opportunity for growth. John Register, Inspirational and Motivational Speaker, Author, and Two-Time Paralympic Silver Medalist
10:10 am Central	General Session – Women in IT: Pushing Boundaries and Shaping the Future Back by popular demand, this inspiring session features a dynamic panel of accomplished women in IT who are driving innovation, inclusion, and transformation across the public sector. Discover how they’ve navigated challenges, embraced mentorship, and exemplified inclusive, empowering leadership. Be inspired by how they are breaking barriers and shaping the future of technology! Anne Madden Johnson, Deputy Information Technology Officer, Office of Judicial Administration, State of Kansas Tanya Rodriguez-Heffel, Chief Technology Officer, Office of Information Technology Services, State of Kansas Randi Stahl, Chief Information Officer, City of Topeka
10:50 am Central	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area
11:20 am Central	Concurrent Sessions Preparing for AI: Governance, Data, and Practical Applications We can’t prepare for AI without first preparing our data. As AI and emerging technologies evolve at a rapid pace, state and local governments must balance innovation with practicality, governance, and risk. This session will explore real-world AI applications, data governance strategies, and budget-conscious approaches to adoption. Attendees will gain insights into distinguishing hype from impactful use cases, ensuring responsible implementation, strengthening data governance, and preparing for the operational impacts of these technologies. Moderator: Kimberly DeWitt, Chief Data Officer, Office of Information Technology Services, State of Kansas John Able, Systems Administrator, City of Dodge City John Godfrey, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Kansas Future-Ready Workforce As the nature of work evolves rapidly, government IT organizations must proactively prepare their workforce for the future. This session will focus on identifying the digital skills essential for tomorrow’s leaders, effective succession planning, and strategies to cultivate and attract the next generation of IT talent. Discover how to build a resilient, future-ready team equipped to meet emerging challenges and drive innovation. Adrian Guerrero, Director of Operations, Kansas State Board of Nursing Alex Wong, Chief Information Technology Officer, Judicial Branch, State of Kansas Strengthening State - Local Partnerships in Government IT Effective collaboration between state and local governments is essential for delivering seamless public services and driving digital transformation. This session explores strategies to build strong partnerships, align priorities, and leverage shared resources to overcome challenges. Discover how fostering collaboration can enhance innovation, improve efficiency, and better serve communities across jurisdictions. The Honorable Steven Ebberts, Chief Judge, 3rd Judicial District, Shawnee County Greg Gann, IT Business Solutions Group Director, Division of Information Technology, Sedgwick County Tony Sage, Chief Information Officer, City of Overland Park
12:20 pm Central	Lunch
1:10 pm Central	Bits and Bytes - Digital Accessibility Ensuring digital accessibility is a vital responsibility for government agencies, focused on delivering equitable access to services for individuals with disabilities and digitally underserved communities. This session will highlight the ADA Title II rule and the alignment of state policies with federal standards, outlining requirements to make government programs, services, and activities fully accessible. Attendees will gain insights into universal design, assistive technology compatibility, and actionable strategies for achieving compliance ahead of the critical 2026 deadline.
1:25 pm Central	Short Break Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.
1:30 pm Central	Concurrent Sessions Crafting Effective Cyber Exercises to Engage Stakeholders Strengthen Resilience Cyber tabletop exercises (TTEs) are powerful tools for preparing organizations to respond to security incidents, but crafting an effective exercise requires strategy. This session will explore the best practices for designing and conducting TTEs, engaging end-users and stakeholders in cybersecurity, and aligning IT and business priorities. Through real-world examples, attendees will gain insights into running impactful simulations, equipping smaller jurisdictions for ransomware response, and developing an incident response plan from scratch. Moderator: John Godfrey, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Kansas Keeping Our Head in the Clouds As governments continue evolving their cloud strategies to boost scalability, agility, and cost efficiency, understanding the path forward is more critical than ever. This session explores the latest trends, technologies, and approaches shaping public sector cloud adoption, including strategies for managing cost, ensuring security, and maintaining control. Whether you're planning a move to the cloud or optimizing your existing environment, gain insights to align your strategy with where the cloud is headed. Leadership Strategies: Forging One Team for the Future Strong leadership in government IT goes beyond technical expertise—it requires effective communication, unified teams, and a culture of mutual respect between IT and business partners. This session explores how to build resilient, future-ready teams by addressing burnout, developing leadership pipelines, and navigating diverse communication styles to foster collaboration and accountability. Attendees will gain practical strategies to lead with impact, inspire engagement, and support sustainable performance across diverse, multi-faceted teams. Michael Mayta, Chief Information Officer, City of Wichita Sara Spinks, Director, Office of Information Technology Services, State of Kansas Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners Hosted by: State of Kansas
2:30 pm Central	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area
3:00 pm Central	General Session – Kansas Department of Labor’s Successful Modernization Story The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has achieved a major modernization milestone by migrating its unemployment system to the cloud, unlocking access to advanced AI tools that have driven a 99.9% success rate. Amber Shultz, Secretary of Labor, State of Kansas
3:40 pm Central	General Session – The Government Experience Revolution – Reimagining Personalized Government Delivery Constituents today expect the same level of seamless, personalized service from government that they receive in the private sector. The Government Experience Revolution is transforming how agencies deliver services - moving from one-size-fits-all approaches to data-driven, user-centric experiences. This session, presented by the Center for Digital Government, will explore how governments are leveraging AI, digital identity, and advanced analytics to anticipate citizen needs, streamline interactions, and build trust through personalization. Zach Patton, Chief Editor, Content Studio, e.Republic
4:15 pm Central	Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.
4:45 pm Central	End of Conference *Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

Hotel Topeka at City Center

1717 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, KS 66612
(785)431-8379

Get Directions To
Hotel Topeka at City Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

John Able
IS Coordinator
Dodge City

Thomas Bunton
Chief Technology Officer
Kansas State University

Evan Burt
Chief Information Security Officer
Kansas Judicial Branch

Nelson Casteel
Operations Section Chief
Emergency Management
Shawnee County

Allie Denning
Director, Legislative Affairs
Department of Health and Environment
State of Kansas

Kimberly DeWitt
Chief Data Officer
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Col. Janet Dial
Director of Intelligence and Information Technology
Kansas National Guard

Greg Gann
IT Business Solutions Director
Sedgwick County Government

John Godfrey
Chief Information Security Officer
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Adrian Guerrero
Director of Operations
Board of Nursing
State of Kansas

Tanya Heffel
Chief Technology Officer
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Shelia Johnson
Chief Experience Officer
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Kelly Johnson
IT Procurement Manager
Department of Administration
State of Kansas

Kyle Lord
Director of IT
Division of Fiscal and Administrative Services, Department of Education
State of Kansas

Tom Mai
Chief Information Officer
Highway Patrol
State of Kansas

Jeff Maxon
Chief Information Technology Officer
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Mike Mayta
Chief Information Officer
City of Wichita

Erin McGinnis
Director of Statewide Cyber Collaboration & Preparedness
Information Security Office
State of Kansas

Gilberto Oliva
Deputy Chief Information Officer
City of Wichita

Tony Sage
Chief Information Officer
IT Department
City of Overland Park

Amber Shultz
Secretary of Labor
State of Kansas

Sara Spinks
Director
Office of Information Technology Services
State of Kansas

Randi Stahl
Chief Information Officer
Information Technology Department
City of Topeka

Alex Wong
Chief Information Technology Officer
Kansas Judicial Branch

Industry Representatives

Joe Lanfranca
Account Manager - SLED
Fortinet

Katrina Lewison
Enterprise Principal Account Manager
Amazon Web Services

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: August 7, 2025

Open to Public Sector only.

Registration - Free

If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.

Contact Information

For registration and general assistance contact:

Jasmin Tetzlaff
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1308
E-mail: jtetzlaff@erepublic.com

For assistance or questions concerning Sponsor Logos or Logistics please contact:

Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

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

Kansas Digital Government Summit 2025

Overview

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Jeff Maxon

Chief Information Technology Officer, State of Kansas

John Register

Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, TEDx Motivational Speaker

The Honorable Steven Ebberts

Chief Judge, 3rd Judicial District, Shawnee County

Greg Gann

IT Business Solutions Group Director, Division of Information Technology, Sedgwick County

Adrian Guerrero

Director of Operations, Kansas State Board of Nursing

Anne Madden Johnson

Deputy Information Technology Officer, Office of Judicial Administration, State of Kansas

Mike Mayta

Chief Information Officer, City of Wichita

Tanya Rodriguez-Heffel

Chief Technology Officer, State of Kansas

Randi Stahl

Chief Information Officer, City of Topeka

Agenda

Thursday, August 7

8:00 am Central

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

9:00 am Central

Welcome Remarks

9:15 am Central

Keynote – Transform Adversity into Advantage: How to Conquer Life's Hurdles

10:10 am Central

General Session – Women in IT: Pushing Boundaries and Shaping the Future

10:50 am Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

11:20 am Central

Concurrent Sessions

Preparing for AI: Governance, Data, and Practical Applications

Future-Ready Workforce

Strengthening State - Local Partnerships in Government IT

12:20 pm Central

Lunch

1:10 pm Central

Bits and Bytes - Digital Accessibility

1:25 pm Central

Short Break

1:30 pm Central

Concurrent Sessions

Crafting Effective Cyber Exercises to Engage Stakeholders Strengthen Resilience

Keeping Our Head in the Clouds

Leadership Strategies: Forging One Team for the Future

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

2:30 pm Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

3:00 pm Central

General Session – Kansas Department of Labor’s Successful Modernization Story

3:40 pm Central

General Session – The Government Experience Revolution – Reimagining Personalized Government Delivery

4:15 pm Central

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

4:45 pm Central

End of Conference

Hotel Topeka at City Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Industry Representatives

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: August 7, 2025

Contact Information

Venue

Hotel Topeka at City Center

Show More

Room Block

Director of Operations, Kansas State Board of Nursing 

Deputy Information Technology Officer, Office of Judicial Administration, State of Kansas 

Chief Information Officer, City of Wichita 

Chief Information Officer, City of Topeka 