Registration and Morning Refreshments

Grand Ballroom Foyer

Opening Remarks

Executive/Legislative Room

Kevin Gilbertson, Chief Information Officer, State of Montana

Keynote – Building the Human for Tomorrow

Executive/Legislative Room

The “human” means more to your team’s success today than ever before. How will emerging advances in technology, along with constant changes in global, social, and economic factors present unforeseen difficulties for employees in the future? This presentation defines how today’s leaders can champion and serve their teams by preparing them today to meet the unknown challenges of tomorrow.

Cassi Chandler, Motivational Leadership Expert, FBI’s First African American Female Special Agent Assistant Director

Networking Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer

Concurrent Sessions

Staying Ahead of the Cybersecurity Curve

Capitol Room

Cyberthreats attacks are increasing in potency and frequency while becoming more treacherous to navigate each year. Zero Trust is becoming less of a buzz word and more of a must have. Is it critical that state and local government be less reactive and more proactive? This session explores the current reality of security threats and how we can work together to defend and respond.

Moderator: Matt Reynolds, IT Director, Flathead County

Tommy Gardner, Chief Technology Officer, HP Federal

Jonathan Neff, Chief Information Security Officer, University of Montana

James Zito, CISSP-ISSAP, Security Architect, State Information Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Driving Digital Transformation

State Room

Embracing change means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Digital transformation is a particularly difficult and complex journey. Effectively utilizing the people, process and technology are the keys to turning possibilities into surefire outcomes. This session focuses on successfully navigating change, driving adaptation, developing better processes, and broadening comfort zones.

Moderator: Michelle Hauer, Chief Information Officer, Department of Environmental Quality, State of Montana

Elle Arredondo, Business Transformation Manager, Department of Administration, State of Montana

Erika Billiet, Information Technology Director, City of Kalispell

Rob Hoffman, Application Development Supervisor, Information Technology Bureau, Department of Environmental Quality, State of Montana

My Data + Your Data = Our Data

Judicial Room

There’s one thing government has plenty of… DATA! But it’s often siloed, protected, and unusable to anyone but the owner. Your environment may be inundated with disparate systems that include redundant information which makes data-driven decisions difficult, if not impossible. Are you getting the most out of your data? This session explores best practices for breaking down silos to make data more manageable, discoverable and useful.

Moderator: Michael Sweeney, Information Technology Director, Office of the Montana State Auditor

Adam Carpenter, Chief Data Officer, State of Montana

Samantha Cooley, IT Chief Operating Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, State of Montana

Ken Marshall, Applications & Development Manager, Missoula County

Lunch

Executive/Legislative Room

Bits and Bytes – Get What You Need, When You Need It

Executive/Legislative Room

Access to government services has not always been easy for the people and it’s time to reimagine what our state can do. Join us as we take a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to visualize, plan and execute our new statewide portal. You’ll walk away with an understanding of the driving principles that create a smooth experience for consuming services in Montana.

Kevin Gilbertson, Chief Information Officer, State of Montana

Concurrent Sessions

Closing the Skills Gap

Capitol Room

The balance between bringing in the right talent and developing your existing team can be a struggle. However, growing the right skillsets is imperative to the success of your organization. How do we train to meet the needs of an ever-evolving tech environment? How do we assess where to start and what to expect? This session shares creative tactics and strategies for establishing a future-ready workforce.

Moderator: Jess Plunkett, Chief Information Officer, Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State of Montana

Michelle Keele, Human Resources and Occupational Safety Division Administrator, Department of Transportation, State of Montana

Jesse Neidigh, Director of Information Technology, City of Missoula

George Parisot, Workforce Development Strategist, Department of Labor & Industry, State of Montana

AI and Machine Learning in Government

State Room

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are some of the most talked about technologies inside and outside of government. From chatbots to predictive analytics, these technologies are rapidly embedding themselves into organizations across the globe. As with any new technology, there are more questions than answers. This session dives into the latest advances and applications of AI and ML and what they might mean to your agency now and in the future.

Moderator: Jason Emery, Chief Information Officer, Missoula County

Adam Carpenter, Chief Data Officer, State of Montana

Brett Lutkehus, IT Enterprise Architect, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Technology Services Division, State of Montana

Executive Briefing

Judicial Room

(Industry sponsors only) Hosted by:

Kevin Gilbertson, Chief Information Officer, State of Montana

Networking Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer

Featured Speaker – Rising to the Challenge: Sparking Real Change for Tomorrow

Executive/Legislative Room

Many of us are on the road to burn out. In the midst of compounding challenges like aging technologies, tightened budgets, and new staffing dynamics like ‘quiet quitting’ and 'The Great Resignation' – how can we manage the stresses our teams are under and meet rising expectations? Even when it seems impossible, there are ways to spark real change at a time when we need it most. As we face our toughest challenges head on, this session will bring both powerful inspiration and real-world strategies to achieve more with the resources we already have.

Brian Elms, CEO, Change Agents Training & Author, Peak Performance

Networking Reception

Grand Ballroom Foyer

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

End of Conference

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