Name: Maine Digital Government Summit 2026
Start: 2026-11-10T08:00
Location: Augusta Civic Center

Overview

The Maine Digital Government Summit is where innovation meets impact!

Bringing together the brightest minds in state and local government, this summit empowers public-sector leaders to explore cutting-edge technologies, modernize operations, and solve pressing challenges. From cybersecurity and AI to data governance and digital service delivery, sessions are designed to spark insight, foster collaboration, and accelerate real-world results. Whether you're shaping strategy or implementing solutions, the Summit delivers valuable peer connections and actionable guidance to help move your mission forward.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

More than ever, states, counties, municipalities, school districts, and local communities are being asked to manage technology, cybersecurity, and digital innovation with decreasing federal support and guidance. That reality makes collaboration not just important, but essential. The future of digital government depends on our ability to work together, share knowledge, pool resources, and support one another across every level of government so we can build stronger, more resilient communities for the people we serve.

– Nicholas Marquis, Acting Chief Information Officer, State of Maine

Speakers

John Register

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

John Register is a leadership transformation authority who helps organizations navigate irreversible change by equipping leaders to make decisive choices, release what no longer serves growth, and create momentum through uncertainty.
His proprietary Amputate to Elevate® framework and StrikePoint Decision Path™ provide practical strategies for leading people through disruption, accelerating change adoption, and building resilient, high-performing cultures.
What sets John apart is that his leadership philosophy was forged through experience, not theory.
While training for the 1996 Olympic Games, a catastrophic injury resulted in the amputation of his left leg. Faced with an irreversible decision that would redefine every aspect of his future, he discovered a truth that now shapes his work with leaders: progress begins by releasing what can no longer carry you forward. Two years later, he represented the United States at the Paralympic Games and went on to earn a Paralympic Silver Medal.
Today, John helps leaders apply those same principles to organizations navigating disruption. Whether implementing emerging technologies, modernizing operations, navigating workforce uncertainty, or leading through periods of rapid change, John helps organizations move beyond hesitation to purposeful action while keeping people at the center of transformation.
A combat veteran, CPAE Hall of Fame Speaker, and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), John has advised leaders across government, healthcare, technology, financial services, and Fortune 500 organizations. He also founded the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Military Sports Program, helping establish a path that influenced today's Warrior Games and the Invictus Games.
At the Digital Government Summit, John will challenge leaders to rethink how they approach transformation—showing that the ability to let go of outdated assumptions, adapt with intention, and lead forward is what enables organizations to thrive through lasting change.

Deborah (Debbi) Blyth

Executive Strategist, CrowdStrike

Debbi Blyth is part of the Executive Strategist Team at CrowdStrike, where she provides strategic advisory services related to enterprise cybersecurity solutions for all industry verticals including Government, Education and Healthcare.
Prior to joining CrowdStrike, she spent 7 years as Colorado’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), where she was successful at doubling the cybersecurity budget, recovering from a large-scale ransomware attack, and measurably reducing risk across the state. Debbi has over 30 years technology background and 15 years leading information security programs, including for TTEC and Travelport. Debbi is a Colorado native, and graduated with a BS from Regis University.

Victor Chakravarty

Director, Artificial Intelligence, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

B. Victor Chakravarty is the Director of Artificial Intelligence at MaineIT. After completing a master's in Computer Engineering from the University of Hawaii, Victor spent many years in the Silicon Valley, before relocating to Maine. In his spare time, Victor joins his wife in animal welfare causes.

Bill Cole

Field Chief Technology Officer for US SLED, Presidio

Bill Cole is a seasoned technology and public-sector leader with more than three decades of experience driving innovation, modernization, and digital transformation across government and enterprise organizations. Most recently, Bill served as Assistant Secretary and Chief Technology Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where he led statewide technology strategy, enterprise architecture, cloud adoption, artificial intelligence, data platforms, and modernization programs that improved services for millions of residents.
Now serving as Field CTO for US SLED at Presidio, Bill helps state, local government, and education organizations accelerate digital transformation through data, cloud, cybersecurity, and emerging technology solutions. Leveraging his unique perspective as a former government executive, he partners with agencies to align technology investments with mission-based outcomes, improve constituent experiences, and build resilient, future-ready organizations.
Bill is recognized for his collaborative leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to advancing innovation in the public sector.

Joseph (Joe) Conti

Managing Director, Deloitte

Joe is a seasoned leader with over 26 years of experience in Data Analytics, Risk and Audit. He is a thought leader in the Trustworthy and Ethical use of Artificial Intelligence. He is passionate about empower agencies to utilize AI to solve their most complex problems, while mitigating AI risk and protecting the American public. He is Deloitte Trusted and Secure AI leader for the Government and Public Services practice. Previously, Joe was Head of Innovation and Analytics for Bank of New York Mellon’s Internal Audit department after a track record of success as the Head of Data, Analytics and Automation, beginning 2016. Prior to BNY Mellon, Joe held two global leadership roles at AIG, starting as the Head of Data Analytics within the Internal Audit Department and progressing to the Head of Data Analytics within the Chief Data Office. From 2000 to 2012, Joe held multiple positions within Deloitte’s Risk Advisory Services.

David Fay

Senior GRC Manager, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

David Fay is the Senior Governance, Risk, and Compliance Manager for the Maine Office of Information Technology. He brings more than 30 years of international IT and cybersecurity experience, with a focus on enterprise risk, regulatory compliance, and technology strategy. He has helped organizations strengthen governance and manage risk through mergers and acquisitions, AI adoption, and enterprise transformation.

Nicholas Gill

Executive Director of Institutional Research, Maine Community College System

Nicholas “Nick” Gill, Ed.D., is Executive Director of Institutional Research for the Maine Community College System, where he leads systemwide institutional research, data governance, analytics, and state and federal reporting. His career has spanned higher education leadership, institutional effectiveness, accreditation, enrollment analytics, data systems, and teaching, with a consistent focus on using data to strengthen decision-making and student success. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of New England and is particularly interested in the intersection of AI, data governance, and the evolving role of data professionals. Nick lives in Scarborough with his husband and is a proud member and supporter of Maine’s LGBTQ+ community, with a personal commitment to fostering inclusive environments where individuals from all backgrounds can learn, contribute, and thrive.

Jessica Nolette

Manager of Web Services, Tyler

Jessica Nolette is the Manager of Web Services at Tyler Technologies, where she leads web development initiatives while remaining actively involved in hands-on development. She specializes in Drupal, with experience spanning architecture, custom development, content strategy, and reusable design systems, and is passionate about creating accessible digital experiences that work for everyone.
Accessibility is at the center of Jessica's work. She advocates for building accessibility into projects from the start and creating tools, patterns, and processes that help development and content teams make accessibility part of their everyday practice. Her focus is on practical, sustainable approaches that improve usability and inclusion for all users.
Jessica is always curious and usually learning something new. She is also interested in emerging technologies, including thoughtful AI practices that support rather than replace accessible, human-centered design. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her wife, family, cats and dogs, running, hiking, and traveling. There's also a good chance she's listening to a Drupal or web development podcast along the way.

Mac Tetreault

Solutions Engineer, Cisco

Mac Tetreault is a Senior Security Architect at Cisco, where he works with state and local government organizations on the design and modernization of complex cybersecurity architectures. His technical focus spans identity security, zero trust, agentic AI security, network and workload segmentation, secure access, cloud security, threat detection, and the integration of security controls across hybrid environments.
Mac works deeply across both strategy and design, helping organizations translate security requirements into practical architectures involving identity, policy enforcement, network infrastructure, endpoint controls, cloud platforms, and security operations. He regularly advises customers on how technologies can be combined and integrated to reduce risk without creating unnecessary operational complexity.
In addition to his customer-facing work, Mac leads internal programs at Cisco focused on programmability and automation and helps shape technical go-to-market direction across the broader public-sector security organization. His background includes hands-on engineering, architecture, and deployment experience across enterprise infrastructure and security environments.

Patrick Williams

IT Director, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

Patrick Williams is an IT Director for MaineIT. He was initially appointed Acting Director of Architecture and Policy in July 2020 and later formally hired as the Director during the pandemic with additional responsibilities with Digital Accessibility, Internships, and eDiscovery/FOAA, and subsequent leadership oversight of Application Development teams for a selected number of State Agencies. Patrick has 30 years of diverse service experience within the private and non-profit sectors. During his 15-year tenure with a New England based health system, Patrick served in many roles leading up to a System Director for LEAN as an advanced workshop leader of an internationally recognized client centric management method. Throughout his career, Patrick has developed a focus on customer service approaches while aligning organizational mission & vision strategies impacting service delivery, leadership development, and the execution of strategic plans.
Patrick has served as president on local non-profit boards providing support for industry and community programs. As a native of Maine, Patrick obtained his undergraduate from the University of Southern Maine, his two graduate degrees (MBA and Organizational Leadership) from Southern New Hampshire University along with his Project Management and LEAN graduate certificates from Villanova University. Patrick is a graduate from the Maine Development Foundation’s Leadership Maine program (Pi Class).

Tuesday, November 10
8:00 am Eastern	Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area Fort Western
9:00 am Eastern	Opening Remarks Auditorium Nicholas Marquis, Acting Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine
9:10 am Eastern	Keynote – Transform Adversity into Advantage: How to Conquer Life's Hurdles Auditorium 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 Eastern	General Session - Building Digital Trust: Securing the Future of Government Services Auditorium As government services become more connected and AI transforms how information is created and shared, digital trust is essential to successful modernization. This session explores digital identity, security, information integrity, responsible data practices, and transparent governance as foundations for building trust. Hear from government leaders on how to balance innovation with security while creating digital services and experiences people can use with confidence. Jeremy Cotnoir, Director of Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, Department of Secretary of State, State of Maine Charles Rote, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine
10:50 am Eastern	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area Fort Western Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsor: Lenovo \| AMD
11:20 am Eastern	Concurrent Sessions Governing AI Before It Governs You Howard AI adoption is accelerating faster than governance. This session explores practical strategies for managing AI safely, including AI governance, Shadow AI, agentic AI, and risk management. Learn how organizations at different stages of AI maturity can embrace innovation while protecting systems, data, and public trust. Moderator: Victor Chakravarty, Director, Artificial Intelligence, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Bill Cole, Field Chief Technology Officer for US SLED, Presidio Joseph (Joe) Conti, Managing Director, Deloitte Stronger Together: Building Maine’s Cyber Resilience Penobscot/Kennebec Cyber threats cross jurisdictions, putting critical infrastructure and essential services at risk. This session explores how state agencies, municipalities, schools, utilities, and other public-sector organizations can strengthen cyber resilience through shared security initiatives, state-local collaboration, and available resources. Learn how cross-government partnerships can help communities of all sizes improve preparedness and protect the essential services Mainers rely on. Deborah (Debbi) Blyth, Executive Strategist, CrowdStrike Charles Rote, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Modernization at Mission Speed: Building Capacity Under Constraint Cumberland Government organizations must modernize even as budgets, staffing, and operational capacity remain tight. This session explores how to prioritize investments, standardize enterprise applications, consolidate licensing, automate infrastructure and patching, and make thoughtful build-versus-buy decisions without disrupting essential services. Moderator: Joy Lazore, Director of Client Tech Services, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Jeff Jordan, Associate CIO, Maine Community College System Peter Shoults, Municipal Officer, Town of Prospect From Data Silos to Better Services: Sharing Information with Purpose Washington/York (2nd Level) Government holds valuable data, but its public benefit depends on how responsibly and effectively that information is governed, shared, and used. Using examples of information exchange among agencies and departments, this session explores how to reduce duplication, improve customer experience, and make better operational decisions. Participants will examine practical approaches to data governance, privacy, quality, stewardship, and interagency collaboration that build trust while enabling smarter services. Moderator: John Hawkes, Acting Director – Enterprise Data Services, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Nicholas Gill, Executive Director of Institutional Research, Maine Community College System Digital Accessibility and Inclusion for Every Mainer Arnold Digital transformation only succeeds when it reaches every resident. This session explores how governments can expand access through digital accessibility, shared services, enterprise mobility, and resident-centered design to create more inclusive, efficient, and connected public services. Jessica Nolette, Manager of Web Services, Tyler Jessica Perez, Digital Opportunity Senior Manager, Maine Connectivity Authority
12:20 pm Eastern	Lunch Auditorium
1:15 pm Eastern	General Session - From Launch to Impact: The Evolution of Maine’s Digital Services Auditorium Building the platform was only the beginning. This session provides an update on Maine’s constituent portal, including how it has evolved, what the State has learned from adoption and implementation, and how those insights are shaping the next generation of digital services. Explore progress in digital connectivity and interoperability, data integration, privacy, user experience, and opportunities to expand and improve access to government services.
1:35 pm Eastern	Short Break Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.
1:40 pm Eastern	Concurrent Sessions AI Promptathon: Put AI to Work for Maine Howard Bring your laptop for a hands-on workshop exploring how AI can support everyday public-sector work. As adoption accelerates, governments must distinguish where AI can deliver measurable value from where expectations have outpaced its capabilities. Designed for technical and non-technical attendees, this session combines demonstrations, practical prompting exercises, and real-world use cases to help participants identify appropriate opportunities, evaluate outputs, and use AI safely and effectively. Built to Endure: Operational Continuity Through Change Penobscot/Kennebec Leadership turnover, staffing transitions, shifting priorities, funding changes, and unexpected disruptions can place essential services and technology initiatives at risk. This session explores how agencies can preserve institutional knowledge, clarify responsibilities, strengthen cross-training, and use durable governance and transition playbooks to maintain critical operations. Learn how to keep technology and cybersecurity programs moving while adapting to new goals, teams, and constraints. Identity at the Center: Blueprint for Trusted Access Cumberland Identity and access management (IAM) is a foundational element of secure, accessible, and user-friendly digital government. This session explores how agencies can strengthen IAM through MFA, SSO, and modern authentication while addressing accessibility, implementation costs, and public understanding. Learn practical strategies for creating trusted access that protects systems, simplifies the user experience, and demonstrates the value of digital identity. David Fay, Senior GRC Manager, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Mac Tetreault, Solutions Engineer, Cisco Mission Ready: Building the Government Technology Workforce Washington/York (2nd Level) Government needs specialized technology expertise, yet long hiring cycles and limited entry-level pathways make that talent difficult to secure. Explore strategies for developing employees, creating education and internship pipelines, deciding when to hire or outsource, and preparing an AI-enabled workforce. Moderator: Patrick Williams, IT Director, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine Haley Brown, Coordinator, Career Connections, University of Maine at Augusta Angela Oechslie, Director, STEM Pathways and Innovation, Educate Maine Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners Arnold Hosted by: State of Maine
2:40 pm Eastern	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area Fort Western Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsor: Lenovo \| AMD
3:10 pm Eastern	General Session – What’s Next, What’s Now: Frontier AI and Quantum Readiness Auditorium Frontier AI and quantum computing are advancing faster than many organizations can translate emerging risks into operational plans. This educational session separates near-term AI-enabled cybersecurity impacts from the longer-term quantum threat, then identifies practical preparations such as cryptographic inventories, workforce development, data-lifetime assessments, and better questions for technology vendors.
3:30 pm Eastern	General Session – 25 Years of Digital Government: How Technology, Policy and Public Service Evolved — and What Comes Next Auditorium In 2001, "digital government" meant moving paper forms to static PDF downloads. Today, it means real-time, AI-driven resident services, "whole-of-state" cybersecurity, and cloud-native infrastructure that never sleeps. As the Center for Digital Government (CDG) celebrates its 25th anniversary, we invite you to a high-energy retrospective and a forward-looking strategy session that tracks the evolution of the public sector’s digital DNA. We will walk through the "waves" of transformation we’ve navigated together and will provide a roadmap for the next quarter-century of innovation. Zach Patton, Chief Editor, Content Studio, e.Republic
4:00 pm Eastern	Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area Fort Western Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.
4:30 pm Eastern	End of Conference Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

Augusta Civic Center

76 Community Drive
Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 626-2405

Get Directions To
Augusta Civic Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Emma-Marie Banks
Coordinator of Learning Through Technology
Department of Education
State of Maine

Victor Chakravarty
Director, Artificial Intelligence
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Michael Cornwell
Director of Operations
Department of Administrative and Financial Services
State of Maine

Jeremy Cotnoir
Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Department of the Secretary of State
State of Maine

Jill Cunningham
Director of Information and Technology
City of Auburn

Michael Dery
Information Services Director
City of South Portland

Brigadier General Diane L. Dunn
Commissioner and Adjutant General
Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management
Maine National Guard

Tony Gorneau
Senior Financial Strategist
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Sharon Horne
Executive Director of Enterprise Shared Services, Architecture and Policy
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Joshua Howe
Deputy Executive Director of Workforce Training and Remote Working
Maine Community College System

Olivia Jolley
Regional Planner
Hancock County Planning Commission

Jeff Jordan
Associate Chief Information Officer
Maine Community College System

Joy Lazore
Director of Client Technologies
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Peter Lewis
Applications Director
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Nicholas Marquis
Acting Chief Information Officer
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Brian McDonald
Director, Information Technology and Administration
Maine Municipal Association

Daisy Mueller
Cybersecurity Advisor - Maine
DHS/CISA/IOD/Region 1 (New England)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Derek Mullens
Acting Executive Director of Client and Infrastructure Services
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Jay Nutakki
Deputy Director, Information Technology Service Management
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Angela Oechslie
Director, STEM Pathways and Innovation
Project Login
Educate Maine

Brian Oliver
Acting Director, Network Services
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Dave Pascarella
Director, MaineIT Cloud Center of Excellence
Department of Administrative and Financial Services
State of Maine

Dawnna Pease
Director of Computing Infrastructure and Services
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Doug Perry
Chief Information Officer
Department of the Secretary of State
State of Maine

Jennifer Phinney
Director of Information Systems
Town of Falmouth

Christine Reynolds
Executive Assistant to the Chief Information Officer
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Ariel Ricci
Executive Director
Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations
State of Maine

John E Richards
Director of Radio Operations
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Charles Rote
Chief Information Security Officer
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Peter Rushton
Acting Director of Account Management
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

David Simsarian
Director of Business Technology Solutions
Department of Health and Human Services
State of Maine

Dale Thomas
Applications Director
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Patrick Williams
IT Director
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine

Industry Representatives

Fred Brittain
Chief Information Officer

Sam Foster
General Manager
Tyler Technologies

Jenny Phelps
Senior Account Manager
Presidio

James Sarno
Account Executive
Cisco

Rosalba Schino
Client Relationship Executive
Deloitte

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: November 10, 2026

Open to Public Sector only.

Registration - Free

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:

Jasmin Tetzlaff
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1308
E-mail: jtetzlaff@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

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Maine Digital Government Summit 2026

Overview

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

John Register

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

Deborah (Debbi) Blyth

Executive Strategist, CrowdStrike

Victor Chakravarty

Director, Artificial Intelligence, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

Bill Cole

Field Chief Technology Officer for US SLED, Presidio

Joseph (Joe) Conti

Managing Director, Deloitte

David Fay

Senior GRC Manager, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

Nicholas Gill

Executive Director of Institutional Research, Maine Community College System

Jessica Nolette

Manager of Web Services, Tyler

Mac Tetreault

Solutions Engineer, Cisco

Patrick Williams

IT Director, Office of Information Technology, State of Maine

Agenda

Tuesday, November 10

8:00 am Eastern

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Fort Western

9:00 am Eastern

Opening Remarks

Auditorium

9:10 am Eastern

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

Auditorium

10:10 am Eastern

General Session - Building Digital Trust: Securing the Future of Government Services

Auditorium

10:50 am Eastern

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Fort Western

11:20 am Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

Governing AI Before It Governs You

Howard

Stronger Together: Building Maine’s Cyber Resilience

Penobscot/Kennebec

Modernization at Mission Speed: Building Capacity Under Constraint

Cumberland

From Data Silos to Better Services: Sharing Information with Purpose

Washington/York (2nd Level)

Digital Accessibility and Inclusion for Every Mainer

Arnold

12:20 pm Eastern

Lunch

Auditorium

1:15 pm Eastern

General Session - From Launch to Impact: The Evolution of Maine’s Digital Services

Auditorium

1:35 pm Eastern

Short Break

1:40 pm Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

AI Promptathon: Put AI to Work for Maine

Howard

Built to Endure: Operational Continuity Through Change

Penobscot/Kennebec

Identity at the Center: Blueprint for Trusted Access

Cumberland

Mission Ready: Building the Government Technology Workforce

Washington/York (2nd Level)

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Arnold

2:40 pm Eastern

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Fort Western

3:10 pm Eastern

General Session – What’s Next, What’s Now: Frontier AI and Quantum Readiness

Auditorium

3:30 pm Eastern

Room Block 

Map and Directions 

Event Parking   