Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Capitol Room

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Executive | Legislative Room

Kevin Gilbertson, Chief Information Officer, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Keynote - Ready for Next: Unlocking Innovation When What Got You Here Won't Get You There.

Executive | Legislative Room

Change is constant. Budgets tighten. Expectations shift. Technology disrupts. The teams that thrive aren't the ones clinging to what worked last year. They're the ones willing to ask, "What's next?" In this keynote, Tripp shares the surprising truth about creativity: it's not reserved for marketers, designers, or "the creative types." It's a muscle anyone can build and in today's business environment, it's not optional.

Tripp Crosby, Creative Strategist, Comedic Filmmaker, Viral Content Creator

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Capitol Room

Concurrent Sessions

AI and Cybersecurity: The Path Forward

Judicial Room

Public sector security teams are rapidly adopting AI to strengthen defenses, accelerate decision‑making, and outpace emerging threats, but doing so safely requires a disciplined, zero‑trust approach. This session explores how agencies can balance innovation with rigorous governance, ensuring AI tools are deployed securely, transparently, and in alignment with mission needs. Attendees will learn practical frameworks for mitigating risk, embedding responsible‑AI safeguards, and operationalizing secure AI workflows across common use cases. You’ll walk away with clear next steps for deploying AI tools confidently and responsibly while maintaining compliance and resilience in a fast‑evolving threat landscape.

Moderator: Chris Santucci, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Montana

Chris Tarabochia, Chief AI Officer, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

James Zito, Cybersecurity Architect, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Fraud and Cybersecurity: Policy and Practice

State Room

Fraud protection must include cybersecurity protocols that extend to every department and program, from unemployment and food assistance to student financial aid and Medicaid. How can agencies detect and reduce diverse fraud risks while meeting new federal thresholds for acceptable fraud rates and maintaining accountability and compliance? This session will cover fraud types, detection challenges, proving fraud levels for federal funding, and practical controls agencies can deploy.

Moderator: Jonathan Neff, Chief Information Security Officer, Information Technology, University of Montana

Bob Finstad, Manager, Quality Assurance and Software Development, Department of Revenue, State of Montana

Aligned to Deliver

Governor Room

Business and IT alignment is essential to deliver public sector projects on time and on budget. How can teams agree on scope, goals, and funding up front and work together as trusted collaborators rather than obstacles? This session will cover practical approaches to joint scoping, building team synergy, reconciling differing goals, and shrinking budgets.

Moderator: Chris Hermance, Enterprise Architect, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Chris Powell, Chief Information Officer, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, State of Montana

Lunch

Executive | Legislative Room

Bits and Bytes

Executive | Legislative Room

These two Ted-style lightning talks will feature lively topics and high energy speakers. Our public sector IT leaders will dive into phases of change in public sector IT, both large and small and how to frame change to inspire your teams. We’ll hear from the state CISO on personal privacy and how you can protect yourself.

Chris Santucci, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Montana

Michael Sweeney, IT Director, State Auditor's Office, State of Montana

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Concurrent Sessions

Modernize at Speed

Judicial Room

Modernization and technical debt remediation are central to delivering faster, more reliable public services. How can agencies accelerate updates while separating hype from the art of the possible? This session will cover practical use cases, how emerging technologies fit into modernization, and tactics to move faster without adding new debt.

Learning to Lead: Upskilling and Career Development

Governor Room

Workforce development and upskilling are critical for public sector IT teams facing rapid change and tool fatigue. How can agencies balance mission‑critical work with continuous learning, prepare new leaders, and preserve the uniquely human skills that matter most? This session will cover practical training approaches, storytelling-based use cases, strategies to reduce adoption friction and tool fatigue. Our panel will explore techniques to frame learning as a career‑building gift that strengthens both people and the organization.

Moderator: Victoria Stronks, IT Director, Information Technology, Sheridan County

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

State Room

Hosted by: Kevin Gilbertson, Chief Information Officer, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Michele Snowberger, Deputy Chief Information Officer, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Capitol Room

General Session – IT Trivia Throwdown

Executive | Legislative Room

Closing trivia pits your day's learning and instincts against quick‑fire questions. Think you can recall the best practices, lessons, and surprises from the conference, and have fun doing it? Join us for a lively, fast‑paced session that quizzes what you learned, what you already knew, and what you wish you knew, with audience interaction and prizes.

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

Capitol Room

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

End of Conference

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