Carrie Albro serves as the CIO for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and is responsible for maintaining and modernizing the agency’s IT portfolio across the Public Health, Human Services, Health Services, and Medicaid practice areas. She is recognized for spearheading initiatives that promote transparency and information sharing among teams, eliminating silos, and fostering a culture of collaboration. Since joining DPHHS, Carrie has challenged others to evaluate legacy business practices and enable new ways of delivering services to improve outcomes and citizen experiences. With a 30-year track record in enterprise IT service delivery and enabling company-wide strategic imperatives, she inspires teams to effectuate change and achieve exceptional results.

Elle Arredondo is the Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at the State of Montana’s Department of Administration Information Technology Services Division. With over a decade of experience, she’s an expert in project and portfolio management, as well as organizational transformation and strategic planning. Elle believes that psychological safety, trust, and creativity are key to achieving innovation and efficiency. She’s dedicated to public service, guiding both organizational and individual IT change efforts in Montana. Outside of work, Elle enjoys spending time with her husband, exploring neurodivergence at work, playing with her cat Quinn, and organizing her home.

Chris is from Helena. He has worked at Department of Labor and Industry for 20+ years. He has been an IT project manager for 10 years. He has been involved in many technology modernization initiatives. His hobbies include guitar, dirt bikes, cooking, gaming, camping.

Mike has over 20 years of strategic planning, portfolio and project management, process
improvement, and change management expertise. His extensive background encompasses
logistics, supply chain management, and operations management. He has led cross-
functional teams and delivered complex projects across diverse industries such as the U.S.
military, biotechnology, and higher education. His career journey showcases his adeptness in spearheading a wide range of initiatives,
underscoring his commitment to driving project success through effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and an emphasis on interpersonal skills to navigate challenges.

Tamuna Cullison is a Product Manager at the Montana Department of Transportation. In this emerging role, she’s guiding the Department into the digital age by setting product strategies and establishing roadmaps that align with the agency’s strategic plan. While focused on improved customer experiences, Tamuna is passionate about public service and is driven by a relentless commitment to continuous improvement. In her free time, Tamuna can be found playing tennis or enjoying the outdoors with her family.

Joe Frohlich serves as a Cyber State Coordinator (CSC) for Montana, Region 8 (UT, CO, MT, WY, ND, SD) of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the Department of Homeland Security. He is based out of Helena. CISA works with public and private partners to defend against today’s threats and build more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future. The CISA Cybersecurity Advisor program includes promoting cyber resilience through various engagements and performing risk and resilience-based assessments.
Prior to joining CISA, Joe was the IT Director at Ravalli County, Montana for nine years. During his time at Ravalli he co-founded Montana’s Local Government IT group and served on the executive board for the Multi State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, better known as MS-ISAC. In 2015 he moved to Helena to work for the State of Montana as the Enterprise Security Manager for the Department of Administration. In this role, he assisted in the creation and management of the Governor’s appointed Montana Information Security Advisory Council (MT-ISAC) whose primary focus was cybersecurity in State and Local Government. Joe directed the State Government enterprise security policy, managed the security and awareness campaign, and supervised a team of IT risk management professionals. Early in 2021 Mr. Frohlich transitioned to DHS/CISA in his current role as a CSA for Region 8.

Governor Greg Gianforte appointed Kevin Gilbertson CIO for the State of Montana in March 2021. Kevin is leading the state through key transformations. The primary transformations include being one of the first states to decommission their mainframe; executing the scaled agile framework to improve IT planning and transparency; unifying key roles in the state to improve efficiency; and implementing a customer success organization to improve customer service throughout the state.

With over a decade of experience, Andrea Gordon specializes in creating impactful leadership programs, providing comprehensive wide-ranging professional development support, and enhancing the customer experience at every level. As a seasoned professional, Andrea has successfully designed and implemented leadership initiatives tailored to diverse organizational needs, fostering growth and effectiveness at all levels. Her expertise extends to customizing personalized development strategies and empowering individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Andrea has a proven track record of elevating the customer journey through innovative solutions, powerful insights, and a customer-centric approach. Through collaborative leadership, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of organizational undercurrents, Andrea consistently drives positive change and achieves measurable results. Passionate about cultivating excellence and driving sustainable success, she brings a blend of creativity, adaptability, and strategic vision to every endeavor.

Michelle Hauer currently serves as the Montana Department of Transportation Chief Information Officer. She has spent over 20 years in the public sector, with the last 7 years focused on navigating the dynamic landscape of information systems management and leveraging technology to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and optimize business processes within State Government. Michelle holds a Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Information from the University of Montana.

Wendy Henderson joined Accenture with 25 years' experience in the public sector. Most recently, Henderson was appointed twice as the Child Welfare Director for the State of Wisconsin, serving for five years in that role. A trained attorney, her experience spans across human services including education, disability law, child welfare, youth justice, older youth programming and the intersection of multiple human services from a client and state/delivery perspective. Henderson’s passion is improving the lives of individuals who need social supports, through smart bold policy and better use of data and technology. Henderson lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, teenage daughter and rescue dog.

Victoria Lowe has been wearing several hats as the IT Director for Sheridan County over the past two years. Like many directors in small, rural government IT departments, she juggles multiple responsibilities. Victoria is actively involved in the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant planning committee for Montana, representing very small organizations and the unique challenges they face.
Before transitioning to IT, Victoria was deeply engaged in library work at the Sheridan County Library. Her responsibilities included conducting storytime sessions, coordinating children's outreach programs, Tech Tuesdays for adults, cataloging books, and serving on the Content Management Committee for the Montana State Library.
Victoria's journey into IT was a result of her proactive involvement in handling IT-related tasks for the library. Despite having no formal IT training, she believes in the power of adaptability, continuous learning, and collaboration as essential skills for success in the IT field.
Outside of work, Victoria loves to read, crochet, garden, and watch documentaries. She resides in Plentywood with her husband, Jody, and their son, Deacon, along with their English bulldog, Tina, who always keeps them on their toes.

Ken Marshall is an experienced technology leader with over 25 years of IT expertise, including 15 years serving as a vital member of the Missoula County team. Currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer, Ken brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to his role. Having recently relocated to Missoula after three decades in western Montana, Ken is deeply connected to the community he serves.

Jonathan is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the University of Montana, responsible for the overall information security program, encompassing Security Operations, Governance, Risk, and Compliance for the Missoula campus and affiliate campuses. Jonathan has a robust background in managing information technology infrastructure and designing IT solutions for businesses with high-availability demands, government agencies, healthcare institutions, and scientific research groups.

Scott O'Connell is the Public Safety Systems Administrator (Computer Guy) for Lewis and Clark 911. He grew up in Montana. Scott's been working in Public Safety Technology since 1999, first as a vendor, then as the System Admin in Helena. He's worked with dozens of Public Safety Agencies, including product development, training, implementation, and management. Scott has attended MLEA for the Public Safety Communicators Basic, and has an ENP (Emergency Number Professional) Certification from NENA, and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

As the Chief Information Officer at the Montana DNRC, Chris leads with a belief in the power of technology to improve public service. Self-taught and experience-driven, his career is marked by a commitment to continuous learning and spans project management, web development, design, marketing, and network architecture. Combining technical skills and marketing savvy, Chris excels in bridging the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders and simplifying communications around complex IT topics. He champions a service-oriented, people-first culture where diverse teams collaborate to create solutions that align with business needs. Chris's journey through various roles has cultivated a comprehensive view of IT's potential, making him a forward-thinking executive dedicated to driving efficiency, innovation, and excellence in the public sector.

Michele Snowberger serves as the Deputy CIO for the State of Montana, with a dynamic career spanning law, marketing, and information technology. A Pepperdine Law graduate, she began her journey in public defense, transitioned to litigation, and later contributed to both brand and IT initiatives in the marketing sector. Her 13-year tenure as Belgrade City Court Judge was followed by an operational position as the Bureau Chief for the DOJ MVD Driver Services; a position that further fueled her interest in operational efficiency and effective public service management. Prior to accepting the role of Deputy CIO, Michele specialized in procurement law as an attorney for the Montana Department of Administration, enhancing her expertise in governmental operations and legal frameworks.
Now as Deputy CIO, Michele leads the charge in transforming IT delivery to better serve public and business needs, driven by a vision endorsed by the Governor and State CIO. Michele's leadership in technology is driven by innovation, teamwork, and a relentless pursuit of improvement. She is continually inspired the team of smart, funny, and service focused IT professionals at SITSD.

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Michael has over 25 years of experience delivering secure, reliable and cost-effective data and technology solutions to a wide variety of customers and has a strong background in managing technology professionals and large-scale and complex data and technology operations and projects. Michael is currently the Director of IT for the Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance.  His State of Montana experience also includes serving as the Chief Data Officer for the Office of Public Instruction and IT Manager for the Department of Administration.

John Thomas is the Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Montana and serves as the Division Administrator for the State Procurement Services Division (SPSD. A graduate of the University of Montana, he has been employed with the state for nearly 30 years and has served in several different roles throughout his career.
John worked for Montana State Fund from 1990 to 1999 as the Medical Benefits Coordinator, where he was responsible for the State Fund’s Managed Care and Preferred Provider programs. In 1999, he moved to the private sector, becoming the President and Executive Director of the Montana Physician Hospital Organization until 2004.
In 2004, John returned to employment with the state as a Health Officer with the State’s benefits division. In 2006, John became the Bureau Chief for Program & Medical Management for the state’s benefits program. While he was with the Health Care & Benefits Division, John was appointed to the Small Employer Insurance Pool by Governor Schweitzer and was later reappointed by Governor Bullock.
In 2016, he moved to the State Procurement Bureau as the Senior Administrative Officer. In 2023, John accepted the role of Enterprise Procurement Manager as part of a move to modernize state procurement. In April 2024, the State Procurement Bureau reorganized into the State Procurement Services Division, where John became the new Division Administrator.
The State Procurement Services Division (SPSD) provides professional procurement services to all State agencies to acquire supplies and services. The Division establishes statewide term contracts for commonly used goods and services as part of its mission. SPSD also provides a central location for vendors interested in bidding on State projects via the electronic Montana Acquisition and Contracting System (eMACS), which currently has 28,000 registered vendors.

Matt has spent over 16 years in state government and, most recently, seven years as the state chief technology officer for the State of Montana. He is a national speaker on digital government and technology. Matt was a StateScoop 2022 State IT leadership of the year award recipient.

Mikal Wilkerson is the Operations Manager for the MT Dept of Agriculture, focusing on the people, business and IT aspects of the agency to positively affect operational efficiencies and create a culture of collaboration and excellence. By melding pieces of her diverse work experiences in education, human resources, project management and information technology, Mikal seeks to lead employees and businesses by identifying the overarching and often varied framework(s) under which each issue or situation lies, and then defining a logical process by which the issue may be addressed or solved. In short, her focus is on getting people to play well in the sandbox while building a beautiful castle and having some fun along the way. When not at work she’s hanging out with her 6 kids, dog Crowley and cat Suki.