Los Angeles IT Leadership Forum 2026
Overview
The Los Angeles IT Leadership Forum is where tomorrow’s government leaders grow today.
This invitation-only gathering brings together state and local IT executives, emerging leaders, and visionary thinkers for candid conversations on the future of public-sector technology. Focused on leadership development, innovation, and strategy, the Forum goes beyond the tech to address the people, policies, and practices shaping digital government. Through peer exchange and practical sessions, participants gain the insights, relationships, and skills needed to lead their organizations and communities into the future.
In this era of rapid technological transformation, effective technology leadership is more essential than ever. The LA IT Leadership Forum stands out by featuring top-tier speakers, relevant topics, and a gathering of Southern California’s finest government IT leaders.
– Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer, City of Los Angeles
The LA IT Leadership Forum is a great opportunity for IT leaders to share their experiences and discuss leadership issues with peers and emerging leaders. The exciting keynotes, targeted sessions, and networking opportunities make the forum an invaluable experience for those who attend.”– Peter Loo, Chief Information Officer, Los Angeles County
Speakers
Chris Chirgwin
Chief Information Officer, County of Santa Barbara
Chris J. Chirgwin is an experienced executive leader, visionary, and tech entrepreneur on the Central California coast. Currently, Chris is the Chief Information Officer for the County of Santa Barbara. Chris has founded and led several businesses and non-profit organizations over the past two decades and recently sold Lanspeed, a regional IT Services company. He has excelled throughout his career in providing businesses with a winning combination of strong leadership, broad technical expertise, and sound strategic planning.
Chris received an MBA from the University of Portland in 1998, and a BA in International Studies and Business / Economics from Westmont College in 1995. Chris has earned numerous industry awards and technical certifications, including recognition by Inc. Magazine in 2011 and 2012 for leading one of the top 5000 fastest growing U.S. companies. In 2017, 2019 and 2020, the Pacific Coast Business Times recognized Lanspeed with a “Central Coast Best Places to Work” award. Several times a year, he travels around the country facilitating industry groups and has been a guest speaker at many technology, management, and leadership events.
Charles Eckstrom
Chief Information Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Charles Eckstrom is the CIO for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Metropolitan is the largest water utility in the U.S. and delivers water to 19 million people in Southern California. Mr. Eckstrom is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day management of Metropolitan’s information technology operations and organization. In 2025, he was recognized as a finalist in the CIO/CTO (Large) category for the LA Executive Leadership Awards, presented by the LA Times.
Prior to joining Metropolitan, Mr. Eckstrom was the assistant chief information officer and interim CIO for Orange County, where he was responsible for the technology vision and the day-to-day information technology operations serving approximately 3.1 million citizens in the sixth largest county in the United States. He was named the “2017 Innovator of the Year” by the Association of California Cities, and under his leadership, the Orange County Information Technology team was awarded the “Best in Category Achievement Award for County Administration and Management” by the National Association of Counties.
Mr. Eckstrom previously held IT executive positions at Toshiba America Medical Systems, United Health Group, and Deloitte Consulting. He received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Danny Inukai
Chief Information Officer, Natural History Museum
Danny Inukai is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, overseeing the technology vision and strategy for both the Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits. His responsibilities include infrastructure, the website, ticketing systems, CRM databases, digital asset management, and cybersecurity.
Before joining the Museum, Danny was the Managing Director of Technology at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at SAG-AFTRA. His prior experience also includes serving as a Director of Analytics, Project Manager, and Software Engineer. Danny holds a Bachelor's in Information Systems from The University of Arizona and an MBA from UCLA.
Jim Leach
Director, KPMG
Jim is a leader in KPMG’s Technology practice, specifically focused on data, analytics, and data science. He helps clients solve business problems by connecting data and insights to decisions and actions. Jim brings a dual expertise: combining a strategic mindset and data platforms leadership with a data scientist's technical toolkit, applying foundational data organization, analytics, machine learning, knowledge graphs, and AI. His approach covers the full analytics lifecycle—from getting to the heart of the problem to be solved, to deploying robust and impactful solutions. By blending technical proficiency with sharp commercial awareness and clear communication, he helps clients through delivery of solutions that address the root of their issue.
Michelle Peregrine
Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Michelle Peregrine is a Managing Director at Deloitte Consulting LLP, based in the Sacramento and Greater Los Angeles areas. With over two decades of experience, she is a recognized expert in human capital, organizational change, and strategic communications.
Michelle specializes in helping government agencies and large-scale organizations navigate complex system implementations and workforce transformations. Her expertise centers on creating "irresistible" employee engagement through supportive management, clear vision, and inclusive work environments. She has co-authored significant research on global human capital trends, emphasizing the rise of social enterprises and the need for C-suite collaboration in strategic initiatives.
A graduate of the University of Southern California with a Master of Public Administration, her work continues to drive innovation in how organizations manage talent, culture, and technological transitions in the rapidly evolving workplace.
Travis Ralph
Principal Solutions Engineer, WordPress VIP
Travis Ralph is a security architect and solutions engineer with 26 years of experience delivering enterprise-level IT solutions, system integrations, and Risk Calibrated results.
Currently serving as a Principal Solutions Engineer for WordPress VIP, Travis helps the public sector modernize digital services to deliver more and better-performing content to their citizens.
As a former Amazonian and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, Travis knows how to remove barriers to deliver business results through transformative technical solutions in both the Public and Private Sectors.
Chester Wisniewski
Director, Global Field CISO, Sophos
Chester Wisniewski is Director, Global Field CTO at next-generation security leader Sophos. With more than 25 years of security experience, his interest in security and privacy first peaked while learning to hack from bulletin board text files in the 1980s, and has since been a lifelong pursuit.
Chester works with Sophos X-Ops researchers around the world to understand the latest trends, research and criminal behaviors. This perspective helps advance the industry's understanding of evolving threats, attacker behaviors and effective security defenses. Having worked in product management and sales engineering roles earlier in his career, this knowledge enables him to help organizations design enterprise-scale defense strategies and consult on security planning with some of the largest global brands.
Agenda
Thursday, March 5 |
|
8:00 am Pacific |
Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit AreaPlatinum Ballroom Foyer |
9:00 am Pacific |
Opening RemarksPlatinum Ballroom DEPeter Loo, Chief Information Officer, County of Los Angeles Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer, City of Los Angeles |
9:30 am Pacific |
Keynote – Full Throttle Leadership: Strategies for the Modern Tech LandscapePlatinum Ballroom DEWhen you're moving fast and the stakes are high, there's no room for guesswork and no time to second-guess yourself. Public sector tech leaders face mounting pressure to deliver complex projects, lead through change, and keep teams motivated amid constant constraints. It’s not just about managing technology; it’s about leading people to success through uncertainty! This session draws on Julia Landauer’s experience as a NASCAR driver and innovation strategist to deliver sharp, story-driven lessons on ownership, preparation, resilience, and communication, while equipping leaders with straightforward tools to lead effectively and accelerate toward their goals. Julia Landauer, Champion Racecar Driver, Motivational Keynote Speaker |
10:30 am Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaPlatinum Ballroom Foyer |
11:00 am Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsThe AI Lifecycle: Governance That Enables and SustainsPlatinum Ballroom FGEffective AI governance enables staff and stakeholders to use AI confidently with the flexibility to grow and change as the organization learns. This session explores how leaders can create governance that empowers departments to adopt and use AI while encompassing the full lifecycle of AI systems including the financial and workforce demands that are with the organization long after deployment. Mirian Avalos, General Manager, Internal Services Department, County of Los Angeles Phillip Leclair, Chief Information Officer, City of Pasadena The Budget Reality Check: Leading When Demand Outpaces ResourcesPlatinum Ballroom HExpectations for IT remain steady, even when financial or staffing conditions change. This session focuses on how to set priorities, engage business leaders in honest discussions, and explain the true cost of keeping IT services effective over time. Participants will learn approaches for communicating value, planning for long-term operational needs, and finding creative solutions with vendor partners. Moderator: Steve Towns, VP of Content Strategy, e.Republic Gary Carter, Director, Information Technology and Security, City of Carson Peter Loo, Chief Information Officer, County of Los Angeles Travis Ralph, Principal Solutions Engineer, WordPress VIP Sheeba Varughese, Chief Information Officer, Port of Los Angeles Securing the Modern Organization: Incident Response, Workforce Risk, and AIPlatinum Ballroom IAs hybrid work expands and threats grow more sophisticated, cybersecurity decisions increasingly shape the stability of the entire organization. Leaders must prepare for human risk, hybrid work challenges, and the growing influence of AI on both attackers and defenders. This session looks at how to strengthen incident response, support staff who face increasingly sophisticated threats, and whether current cyber strategies are meeting the moment. Allen Ohanian, Chief Information Security Officer, Children and Family Services Department, County of Los Angeles Eric Barricklow, Chief Information Security Officer, City of Long Beach Chester Wisniewski, Director, Global Field CISO, Sophos |
12:00 pm Pacific |
LunchPlatinum Ballroom DE |
1:00 pm Pacific |
Bits & Bytes - Los Angeles County – 2026 Election Cybersecurity ReadinessPlatinum Ballroom DEIn this fireside chat, Aman Bhullar, Los Angeles County Assistant Registrar Recorder/County Clerk, shares how the nation’s largest local election jurisdiction is preparing to secure the 2026 election. The conversation explores evolving cyber threats, safeguarding voter confidence, coordinating across agencies, and the leadership and strategies required to protect election infrastructure at scale. Moderator: Steve Towns, VP of Content Strategy, e.Republic Aman Bhullar, Assistant Registrar Recorder/County Clerk, County of Los Angeles |
1:20 pm Pacific |
Short BreakPlease proceed to the concurrent sessions. |
1:30 pm Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsWorkforce of the Future: Finding Adaptable Talent and Preserving Institutional KnowledgePlatinum Ballroom FGRapid shifts in technology and workplace expectations require IT teams that can learn, adapt, and build on organizational knowledge. This session looks at how leaders can hire and develop staff with adaptable mindsets while also creating ways to capture and transfer institutional knowledge. We will explore practical approaches that strengthen skills, support continuous learning, and help emerging talent grow without losing the experience and insight that keep operations steady. Moderator: Gary Carter, Director, Information Technology and Security, City of Carson Terence Davis, Chief Information Officer, Parks and Recreation Department, County of Los Angeles Chris Chirgwin, Chief Information Officer, County of Santa Barbara Pavi Randhawa, Director of IT Project Management, Probation Department, County of Los Angeles From Data Keeper to Strategic Partner: IT's Evolving Role in Data ManagementPlatinum Ballroom HData is most valuable when IT and business units work together to understand problems and shape solutions. This session explores how IT can move beyond simply storing and delivering data toward guiding its use across the organization. We will discuss practical approaches for improving data quality, clarifying ownership, strengthening governance, and working with departments to turn information into insight. Jessica Freeman-Wong, Assistant Chief Information Officer, City of Pasadena Kevin Lechner, Departmental Chief Information Officer II, Office of the Assessor, County of Los Angeles IT at the Forefront: Developing Skills and Partnerships for Enterprise ImpactPlatinum Ballroom IAs organizations rely more heavily on technology for every function, IT is becoming a core driver of outcomes rather than a backstage operation. This session looks at how leaders can support that evolution by developing business skills within IT teams, improving cross-department collaboration, and responding to the expectations of a 24/7 organization. Participants will gain insight into strengthening IT’s position as a strategic contributor. Moderator: Phillip Leclair, Chief Information Officer, City of Pasadena Charles Eckstrom, Chief Information Officer, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Danny Inukai, Chief Information Officer, Natural History Museum |
2:30 pm Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaPlatinum Ballroom Foyer |
2:50 pm Pacific |
Closing Session – The Energy Advantage: How to Break the Burnout Cycle and ThrivePlatinum Ballroom DEMost people working in public sector technology are exhausted from navigating nonstop change and crisis, and many are quietly burning out as the demand keeps rising. This closing keynote offers a counterintuitive promise: your greatest advantage—no matter your role or title—is not working harder, but activating two powerful internal tools, grounded in proven frameworks, research, and energy science, that expand your impact while protecting your wellbeing. Through a targeted self assessment and simple, neuroscience backed practices, you will walk away with a clear, personalized action plan to break the burnout cycle, boost sustainable energy, and show up fully engaged in every area of your life and leadership. April Diaz, CEO and Certified Executive Coach, Ezer and Co. |
3:35 pm Pacific |
Networking Reception in the Exhibit AreaPlatinum Ballroom FoyerNetwork with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors. |
4:05 pm Pacific |
End of ConferenceConference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change. |
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
900 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 765-8600
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
Advisory Board
Government Representatives
Mirian Avalos
General Manager
Department of Internal Services
Los Angeles County
Deepak Budwani
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Public Defender
County of Santa Barbara
Gary Carter
Director of IT
Information Technology Division
City of Carson
Benny Chacko
Deputy General Manager, Shared Services
Department of Internal Services
Los Angeles County
Terence Davis
Chief Information Officer
Parks and Recreation
Los Angeles County
Matthew Der
Chief Information Officer
Treasurer & Tax Collector
Los Angeles County
Charles Eckstrom
Chief Information Officer
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Lea Eriksen
Director, Chief Information Officer
Technology and Innovation
City of Long Beach
Jessica Freeman-Wong
Assistant Chief Information Officer
Applications Division
City of Pasadena
Lynn Fyhrlund
Chief Information Officer
Innovation Technology Department
San Bernardino County
Dan Herlache
Deputy General Manager
Internal Services Department
Los Angeles County
Danny Inukai
Chief Information Officer
Natural History Museum
Kevin Lechner
Assistant Chief Information Officer
Auditor-Controller
Los Angeles County
Phillip Leclair
Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
City of Pasadena
Peter Loo
Acting Chief Information Officer
Los Angeles County
Eduardo Magos
Assistant General Manager of the Applications Bureau
Information Technology Agency
City of Los Angeles
Allen Ohanian
Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Children and Family Services
County of Los Angeles
Leah Oliver
Chief Technology Officer
Ventura County Employees' Retirement Agency
Christopher Pailma
Chief Data Officer
Los Angeles County
Pavi Randhawa
Director of IT Project Management Office (PMO)
Probation Department
Los Angeles County
Ted Ross
Chief Information Officer & General Manager
Information Technology Agency
City of Los Angeles
Michael Sylvester II
Chief Deputy of Administration
Department of Public Social Services
Los Angeles County
Sheeba Varughese
Chief Information Officer
Port of Los Angeles
Industry Representatives
Stephanie Nevarez-Colin
Event Marketing Manager
WordPress VIP
Alfonso Salazar
Senior Director
Account Relations
KPMG
Randy Tan
Client Relationship Executive
Deloitte
Registration Information / Contact Us
Event Date: March 5, 2026
This is an invitation-only event, open to Public Sector only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact Lee Vang.
If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.
This event is open to all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants.
Contact Information
Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:
Lee Vang
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1407
E-mail: lvang@erepublic.com
Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:
Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone:(916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com
Want to sponsor and stand out? Reach out to explore opportunities!
Heather Earney
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com