Helen Barahal is Chief of Staff at the New York City Public Schools Division of Instructional and Information Technology (DIIT). In this role she oversees human resources for DIIT’s 600+ person organization and leads strategic initiatives. Prior to this role she served as Executive Director of Teaching and Learning for the NYCPS Division of Early Childhood Education where she oversaw professional development for the city’s early childhood workforce. She spent six years at Amplify, an education software company where she learned Agile software development process and became a certified Product Owner. Earlier in her career she served in leadership roles in the non-profit sector, leading a variety of teams through challenging circumstances, after beginning her career as a teacher.

Patti Bayross joined NYCHA as Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President in May 2020. Patti comes to NYCHA with more than 27 years of information technology experience in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Most recently, she was Chief Customer Officer/Deputy Commissioner of Customer Experience Management for the City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT). In this role, she helped establish DoITT’s first department dedicated to customer engagement and the customer experience, centralized customer communications, modernized the service desk, and launched new digital tools to enhance the customer experience.
Prior to DoITT, Patti served as the Chief Information Officer/Assistant Commissioner of MIS for the City’s Administration for Children’s Services where she led a department of more than 175 IT professionals and managed the agency’s $45 million IT budget.

Jim is the Talent Director for IBM Research, IBM Infrastructure and several other key business units within IBM.  Jim spent the first half of his career based in England, managing the implementation of enterprise-wide Finance Transformation projects across multiple industries with a particular focus on Defense, Manufacturing and Retail. He has since transitioned his location to US and is leveraging his skillset to transform talent within IBM.  Jim designs the strategy and leads the team that deploys solutions in the Performance, Skills and Careers, Retention and Recognition areas. He is driven by a passion to elevate the IBM employee experience and help enable IBM to become the “Talent Magnet” for the amazing new talent we find all around us today.
Jim lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut - and enjoys playing music, running, and supporting Special Olympics in his spare time.

D.R. is the Senior Director of Segment Marketing and Go To Market Strategy for the Americas at Equinix, focusing on strategy and messaging in support of some of Equinix’s largest customers and partners.   D.R. has honed his expertise in communications by frequently speaking at events and organizations across the country.  His topics and approach draw from his 20+ years of experience selling technology services and developing brand, messaging, and content strategies. 
D.R. and his wife Jenny have four children.  On most weekends, D.R. can be found coaching his kid’s sports teams.  While their halftime speeches are extremely motivational his lifetime record hovers around 500.

Michelle Coke is currently the Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology, for the New York City Department of Sanitation. Michelle partners with Department Chiefs, Bureau Deputy
Commissioners, Executive Directors, Business Owners, and technical teams to ensure on time delivery and support of projects to enhance user experience with an extraordinary level of customer service, high quality, and professionalism. Michelle previously served as Chief Information Officer, for NYC 311, as well as Associate Commissioner of the Customer Service team at NYC OTI.
Working for over twenty years in the IT field, Michelle has mastered the art of customer experience and service through the precise understanding of her customers. It’s how well you listen to the customers’ needs that you can communicate your understanding back to them. She has helped to plan and deliver both small and large-scale technical solutions to provide quality for her customers.
Michelle has been a resident of Brooklyn, New York since 1979, and feels connected to the City through her work at NYC Sanitation, providing ongoing technical support to the men and women who provide essential public services to the citizens of New York City.
Michelle has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from CUNY Brooklyn College, as well as a Master of Science in Business Management & Leadership from CUNY School of Professional Studies.

Kareem Gabriel is the Associate Commissioner of Personnel at the Office of Technology & Innovation where he oversees and leads a team of professionals in the Personnel, Labor Relations, and Employee Engagement Division. As the Associate Commissioner, Kareem advises the Chief Technology Officer, Executive & Senior Management on all Human Resources, and labor-related matters.
He is a thoughtful leader and DEI implementer who is a driver of culture and change transformation, and strategy execution. With over 17 + years of experience serving in various capacities in the public sector including Human Resources, EEO, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Procurement, and Labor Relations. Kareem's professional experiences include executive-level management, strategic program management, training/employee development, organizational development, employee relations, policy development, interpreting federal and state laws to meet compliance mandates, and dissemination. 

Chris Hein runs a team of 50+ customer engineers for Google Public Sector. His team is responsible for architecting technical solutions to solve Public Sector problems. He’s been with Google for 9 years as a Solution Architect, Technical Evangelist, and now Director of Customer Engineering. During that time Chris has helped Fortune 10 companies and state governments alike work more like Google. He is also a member of the Executive AI Principles Fellowship at Google focused on ensuring ethical use of AI both internally and externally. His goal is to help public sector and educational organizations become more efficient and effective in furthering their mission using best in breed technologies and methodologies.

Marques is the State, Local and Education (SLED) National Director for Equinix.  He leads a team of seasoned professionals providing solutions for government customers in their digital transformation journey. For over 20 years, he has worked with clients in the areas of technology, telecom and intelligence to help them achieve mission success. 
Marques is on the Board of Trustees for Humble Independent School District in S. Texas. Most importantly, he enjoys being a Dad and mentoring young people in their career journey.   

Sharone Jones is the Director of Business Client Services at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). In her role, she leads a team dedicated to enhancing the synergy between the IT department and various business and operations departments at NYCHA. Her team aims to ensure that IT solutions align with NYCHA's objectives and provide a positive customer experience through seamless communication and collaboration.
Sharone, a seasoned professional with over 29 years of extensive experience in Health and Human Services, brings a wealth of experience to her role at NYCHA. Her tenure at various New York State and New York City agencies has honed her skills in advocating for collaboration between business departments and IT. She has a proven track record of successfully leading complex system implementations, demonstrating how close collaboration with business departments can lead to the best IT solutions and working relationships for all involved. 

With a career spanning over three decades, I am a highly accomplished and innovative network engineer with a relentless passion for crafting cutting-edge technological solutions that drive business success. Throughout my extensive tenure in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated my expertise in managing ,designing, implementing, securing, and maintaining complex network infrastructures that serve as the backbone for organizational operations.
My deep-seated commitment to excellence is evident in my ability to develop scalable and secure network architectures that not only optimize performance and efficiency but also exhibit the flexibility needed to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of technology. I specialize in creating robust solutions that cater to the diverse needs of today's remote workforce, ensuring seamless connectivity and productivity across distributed environments.
A true technophile at heart, I possess a keen understanding of emerging technologies and industry trends, allowing me to proactively anticipate shifts in the technological landscape and deliver forward-thinking solutions that drive business growth and innovation. By staying abreast of the latest advancements in the field, I continuously seek to integrate cutting-edge technologies into network infrastructure to enhance operational efficiency and maintain a competitive edge.
In addition to my technical prowess, I am a natural leader with exceptional communication and collaboration skills. I excel in leading cross-functional teams, fostering a culture of creativity, teamwork, and continuous learning that propels projects to successful completion. My strategic mindset, coupled with my ability to navigate complex challenges and inspire others, has earned me a reputation as a trusted mentor and advisor within my organization.
As a visionary leader committed to pushing boundaries and fostering a culture of innovation, I am dedicated to empowering teams to unlock their full potential in the ever-evolving realm of technology. I thrive on driving transformative change, inspiring creativity, and championing a culture of excellence that positions organizations for sustainable success in a rapidly advancing digital landscape.

Razwan Mirza is a seasoned IT executive with over 23 years of comprehensive experience in the technology industry. As the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Razwan has a proven track record of leading large-scale IT operations, driving digital transformation initiatives, and implementing innovative solutions that align with organizational goals.
Razwan began his Civil Service career in year 2000. His early roles involved systems engineering, where he demonstrated an exceptional ability to solve complex technical problems and streamline processes. Over the years, Razwan advanced through various positions of increasing responsibility, including IT Manager, Director of IT Operations, and Sr. Enterprise Architect for the agency.
Throughout his career, Razwan has been instrumental in spearheading numerous high-impact projects. He has successfully overseen the deployment of complex datacenter, managed extensive virtualization cloud strategies, and enhanced infrastructure frameworks to protect sensitive data and ensure regulatory compliance. His strategic vision and hands-on leadership have consistently resulted in improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and elevated service delivery standards.
Outside of his professional life, Razwan is passionate about giving back to the community. He volunteers his time to mentor young IT professionals and participates in various technology-focused outreach programs.
Razwan Mirza's blend of technical acumen, strategic insight, and leadership excellence positions him as a dynamic and influential CIO, committed to driving technological innovation and operational success.

As Deputy Commissioner for New York City’s customer-facing channels Joe Morrisroe is responsible for ensuring 40 million annual customer contacts are handled quickly, accurately, and consistently.  Since joining the City of New York in 2006, he expanded 311 to a best-in-industry contact center and multi-channel platform providing online, mobile, text, chat and social media options that deliver equitable access to government information and services for 8.6 million residents, thousands of businesses and millions of commuters and visitors.   
NYC311 is the largest municipal government contact center in North America operating 24/7 and offering 180 languages.  It is staffed by government employees committed to the mission of delivering fast and easy access to information with the highest possible level of customer service.  NYC311 consistently earns customer satisfaction ratings far-exceeding government standards and equal to the best performers in the private sector.  In 2012 NYC311 was the recipient of the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) for Improving the Delivery of Public Services. 
A veteran of the consumer marketing and contact center operations industry, Deputy Commissioner Morrisroe was previously Vice President at AT&T Wireless Services, managed The New York Times Acquisition and Retention programs, and built Operations Centers in the US and Dominican Republic.  He is a graduate of Rhode Island College.  

Theodore has served seven years in New York City government at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as project manager and, more recently solution director working with the Divisions of Epidemiology, Emergency Preparedness, Finance and Information Technology. Prior to city government, he worked for 16 years at SGS North America, a regional office of the global testing, inspection, and certification company. While there he delivered global billing solutions, managed the regional help desk, a regional project portfolio of hundreds of technology projects, and several technical integrations of corporate acquisitions. He brings experience in the disciplines of quality assurance, product support, business continuity, and application development. He also indulges his creative side with singing, community theatre, poetry, play writing, and board gaming. 

Martha Norrick is the Chief Analytics Officer and Chief Open Platform Officer for the City of New York and Director of the Office of Data Analytics at the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation. Martha previously served as the Director of Data Strategy at the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity, where she led multi-agency data integration and analytics projects, including data management for the rollout of the City’s pandemic emergency food program, and efforts to simplify and improve the delivery of social services. Previously, she served as a director in the Office of Management Analysis and Planning at the NYPD, in data leadership roles on presidential campaigns, and for the Democratic National Committee. Originally from Minnesota, Martha is a graduate of Barnard College with a degree in history and holds an M.S. in Applied Urban Science and Informatics from New York University.

Christine joined NYC OTI (formerly NYC DoITT) in 2018 and was promoted to Senior Director in 2019. She was then assigned as Acting Senior Director of the Citywide Service Desk, eventually being promoted to Executive Director of Customer Support in 2023. Christine is an experienced IT professional with 25 years of expertise in building and managing effective IT service teams. She has contributed to process and technological improvements in a Fortune 100 company, academia, a university health system, and a prominent NYC agency. Christine specializes in ITIL Foundations, ITSM processes, and strategic operations management. Her commitment to customer service fuels her focus on continuous performance improvement, leadership, and organizational development. In her free time, Christine enjoys taking long walks on the beach, watching sunsets, and spending time with her family.

Yurij Pawluk is Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development at the NYC Department of Small Business Services, leading the SBS team responsible for connecting New Yorkers to good jobs and career paths.
Yurij has devoted his career to creating and enhancing employment and education opportunities for underserved communities. He most recently served as an Associate Commissioner at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, where he designed, implemented, and managed a portfolio of education, internship, job training, apprenticeship, and college access programs for young people in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Yurij’s career in City government includes time at City Hall, the Department of Education, and the Human Resources Administration, where he worked in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy to support the launch of the City’s Workforce1 career center system. He also has prior experience as a higher education administrator at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies and Wellesley College, developing cutting-edge programs designed to meet the needs of students and employers.
Yurij is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia Law School, and lives in Brooklyn.

Steven joined NYC OTI (formerly NYC DoITT) as a Windows Operations Manager in 2008 and was promoted to Director of Incident & Problem Management in 2017. He’s a dedicated civil servant with extensive knowledge of citywide policies, procedures, and internal/external agency relations as well as a passionate team player with excellent communication skills. With 20 years of managerial experience and over 30 years of experience in the field, Steven is extremely well-seasoned across all divisions of the Information Systems and Technology industry. He prides himself in his ability to adapt to all types of environments and rises to any challenge set before him. When he’s not working he enjoys riding his Harley, concerts and spending time with family and friends.

Anatashia Simon is a veteran STEM leader with over 20 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors, she is currently the Associate Commissioner of Infrastructure Management overseeing service delivery for New York City Office of Technology and Innovation. Anastasia's primary responsibility is to ensure the city continues to leverage the latest innovative technologies to rapidly build, implement, and manage next generation hosting platforms in response to the city strategic direction. In addition, she is tasked with ensuring the uptime, availability and performance of all critical infrastructure used by city agencies and public facing applications. Anatashia manages over 400+ employees and consultants that build and operate the City’s optical and IP backbone, data center hosting services, citywide office collaboration suite and security operations. In this role, she provides strategic planning, formulates policy and resource management. Anatashia is a senior executive that represents the agency at high-level meetings with citywide partners to ensure that OTI is continually meeting industry standards and delivering best in class service for the City of New York. She graduated from the City University of New York Queens College with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies.

Amrit Singh serves as Associate Commissioner of Application Engineering for the New York City of Technology and Innovation (OTI). In this role, Singh leads the development and implementation of technology strategies on behalf of New York City and its 300,000 municipal employees. His team supports critical citywide initiatives including New York City’s 311 service, NYC.gov, Next Generation Data Platform, and the MyCity Portal. 
Since joining the city government in 2007, Singh has played a leading role in developing and implementing many large-scale projects, including 311 modernization, Data Integration, and MDM solutions for NYC Universal Pre-K, and the launch of the city’s Test and Trace contact center. Government Technology honored him as a Public Sector CIO Academy Rising Star in 2019. 
Singh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Information Systems from Rutgers University.

Anna Vaysman currently serves as the Assistant Commissioner of Human Resources at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), where she plays a pivotal role in shaping HPD's workforce and culture. Anna's responsibilities span a wide array of personnel-related functions, from overseeing recruitment processes to collaborating on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. With a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School obtained in 2019, Anna has seamlessly merged her legal expertise with her dedication to human resources and organizational development.