Mr. Bufalino is the Research Manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation. He has worked for ODOT since 2007 and currently leads ODOT’s efforts focusing on producing original research that supports the department’s mission of providing a safe, efficient transportation system that supports economic opportunity and livable communities for Oregonians. Michael is responsible for an agency-wide research effort that works in collaboration with regional and national partners to delivery of projects that are timely, intellectually robust, and relevant to the ongoing delivery of transportation infrastructure and services. ODOT focuses on applied research that improves the work of our agency staff. Post-research implementation increasingly involves data and information systems. Prior to joining ODOT Mr. Bufalino earned a master’s degree is in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, Pomona where he studied collaborative planning processes, decision support systems and the application of geographic information systems to support the planning process.

Justus Eaglesmith is a Data Scientist who graduated from Willamette University with MS of Data Science & MBA degrees. He currently works for The Native American Rehabilitation Association in Portland as a Data Scientist. Justus also currently serves as a board member on The State of Oregon’s AI Advisory Council to advise legislation surrounding safe AI implementation in the State. Outside of the workplace, Justus has experience designing, conducting, and writing research studying the implications of LLM use as a guide for analytics departments. Within Justus's speaking engagements, he emphasizes the importance of understanding the data your models are trained on, to avoid the long term costs of automated decision making with AI & ML.

Ellen Flint is a Senior Assistant Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice, focusing in public procurement, data security, and privacy. She is contact counsel for the State CIO, State CISO, and State CDO. She advises agencies on complex agreements, including major IT solutions and data exchanges, and on breach responses. She was recently appointed to serve on the Joint Legislative Task Force for AI and on the Governor’s Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council.

Dr. Jimmy Godard is a visionary leader with over 25 years of experience in IT, finance, and the public sector, guiding organizations through digital transformation. As the Chief Technology Officer and strategist at the State of Oregon, he drove efficiency and innovation through strategic planning, design, risk management, and technology roadmaps. With a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, an MBA, and certifications in project management and IT governance, Dr. Godard empowers teams to be successful. He shares his expertise as a scholar, educator, coach, and community servant, inspiring leaders to lead with passion and purpose and encourage audiences to embrace technology for growth and resilience. Dr. Godard embodies visionary leadership and is deeply committed to making a difference in technology, organizations, and society. Beyond his professional endeavors, he actively engages in philanthropic activities, leading annual service projects in various countries, reflecting his commitment to positive change. His multifaceted career showcases a leader rooted in knowledge, driven by passion, and realized through purposeful action, making him a respected and influential figure worldwide.

Dean has worked in Microsoft State and Local Government for 22 years, serving in a number of roles including as the first Chief Security Advisor and also later as the first Director for Cloud Services, building out the team of specialists that incubated what would become Office 365 for Government. He currently serves as the Director for Secure Enterprise for Microsoft State and Local Government, managing a national team of cybersecurity specialists focused on security and compliance for Azure, Office 365, Identity and Information Protection, Threat Protection, and Windows security.

Samantha (Sam) Kaan has 16 years of experience in public service at both county and state levels, across health, housing, and human services. Trained as a public health generalist, Sam’s career has spanned data strategy, health system transformation, health promotion and prevention initiatives, emergency response, program development, program management, and community engagement. Currently, Sam serves as the Interim Chief Data Officer for Oregon Department of Human Services. This role involves building data governance, collaborating on data strategy, and supporting responsible innovation with AI. Sam is a lifelong learner of anti-racist policy and organizational practices and believes that our systems can change for the better. She lives in Portland with her partner and two young children, Eric and Freya.

Colleen is a seasoned technology leader with over 14 years of experience driving digital transformation in the public sector. Her career with the State of Colorado spans key roles in the Governor's Office of Information Technology, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Early Childhood, where she spearheaded innovative IT strategies, implemented agile methodologies, and championed cloud solutions. Colleen is passionate about leveraging technology to improve citizen services and is currently applying her expertise as the Labor Industry Executive at Google Public Sector, helping labor departments nationwide modernize and better serve their communities. Working on the Rapid Innovation Team, she is adept at uncovering labor vertical challenges, seeking innovative ways to solve those problems and developing a trust relationship across the engagement.

Amy McLaughlin has over twenty-five years’ experience working in information technology with extensive experience in IT Operations and Cybersecurity leading application development, cybersecurity, database administration, healthcare information management, infrastructure (physical and cloud), network, research computing and service desk teams. Her experience spans state and local government, K12 and higher education and health care. Amy currently serves as the Executive Director of Technical and Solutions Architecture for Oregon State University, overseeing OSU’s enterprise IT operations with a team of 75 full-time staff and 68 part-time staff. She holds a Master of Science in Information Technology Management, CISSP, CISM, CHPS, and CDPSE certifications and is the author of the 2021 book, Learning Continuity Planning: A Handbook for Schools, Colleges & Universities.

David graduated from Oregon State University and is fortunate to have returned in 2019 as OSU’s CISO. He served nearly 29 years in the Marine Corps in a variety of roles as an Operational Communications Officer. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he worked at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting Department of Defense clients, and as the Deputy CISO for the State of Oregon.

Travis L. Miller (JD, PMP, PMI-ACP, CIPP/US, CIPM) serves as Oregon's Assistant State CIO for the Healthy People Policy Area, bringing over a decade of public sector experience to his role. Dedicated to transforming public services through technology, equity, and innovation, he bridges strategic governance with practical solutions. His leadership emphasizes people-centric approaches, promoting agile methodologies and human-centered design. Supporting digital transformation, privacy, and AI, Travis works to align emerging technologies with the public interest. He has co-authored pivotal frameworks like the "Modernization Playbook" and "Cloud Forward," and has experience driving complex, statewide, high-impact projects. As a servant leader, Travis fosters a culture of continuous learning. He co-sponsors Oregon's Agile Community of Practice and serves on the Board of the PMI Willamette Valley Chapter. Passionate about leveraging technology for the public good, he advocates for responsible AI adoption to improve service delivery and build trust through thoughtful, equitable solutions.

Jason Rood is an experienced IT professional with expertise in program management, data governance, and vendor relations. He began his state service career in 2012 and holds a Master’s in Political Science from Portland State University, along with certifications including ITIL. As the lead analyst for Oregon's AI Advisory Council, he has been instrumental in shaping state-level AI governance and policy. Jason is also a member of national organizations addressing AI, including San Jose’s GovAI, the State Chief Data Officers Network, and the National Association of State Technology Directors. His participation in these groups ensures he stays informed about the latest developments and best practices in AI development and governance. In his role as Program Manager for Oregon's Enterprise Information Services Chief Data Office, Jason focuses on delivering services to agencies, driving process improvements, and fostering IT innovation while championing good governance, transparency, and outcomes-based approaches.

Rustin Royer is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience helping organizations stay ahead of emerging threats. As Solution Manager at Fortinet, specializing in Security Operations for the Western Region, he works with organizations to develop integrated, strategic cybersecurity solutions that protect people, devices, and data across a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Throughout his career, Rustin has built an understanding of threat management, network security, and the role of advanced technologies in fortifying defenses. Before joining Fortinet two and a half years ago, Rustin worked at leading organizations like Symantec (now part of Broadcom) and Secureworks, where he gained extensive experience in managing and responding to cybersecurity incidents.
At Fortinet, Rustin is helping customers leverage the company’s comprehensive suite of security solutions to address modern threats. Fortinet’s integrated platform includes AI-powered tools that enhance threat detection and response, using machine learning to proactively identify anomalies and automate defenses across the entire network. This integration of AI and machine learning is helping businesses detect and mitigate threats faster, reduce response times, and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks.
Fortinet, a global leader in cybersecurity, is trusted by over 805,000 customers worldwide. Its solutions are recognized for their scale, integration, and cutting-edge technology—delivering real-time protection through AI-enhanced security features that continuously learn from the threat landscape.

Catie is the Political and Legislative Director at the Oregon AFL-CIO, the state labor federation, representing over 300,000 workers across the state. She’s been at the State Fed since 2020, and prior to that served as the political organizer at the Oregon Nurses Association for 5 years where she ran the electoral program and lobbied on behalf of Oregon nurses. Prior to her work at ONA, Catie worked primarily on the implementation of affordable and accessible health care in Oregon with the Service Employees International Union. She has experience working on multiple ballot measure campaigns at many levels, running state legislative races, and working in the legislature.

Doug Toomey is a Professor in the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Oregon, the Director of the Oregon Hazards Lab, and a Principal Investigator for the Oregon components of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, ShakeAlert, and OHAZ’s wildfire camera system. The OHAZ team uses science, technology, and community engagement to understand, detect, and mitigate multi-hazards within the Pacific Northwest.  With national partners, OHAZ is developing the most advanced ecosystem observing platform in the nation to (1) provide physical, life, and social scientists with curated, open-access data that are the cornerstones of scientific discovery; (2) deliver actionable and equitable information to the public, emergency managers, lifeline infrastructure providers, Tribal governments, and decision makers; and (3) simultaneously foster convergent research and build a disaster-resilient society.

Tiffany is a Sr. Key Account Director of Major Accounts at Axon. She has been with Axon for 5 Years. She served in Public Safety Enterprise Software for 10 Years.

Cecily Warren has served the State of Oregon for over 35 years. She brought in services to the state that include Personal Income Tax electronic filing, credit and debit card payments, licensing systems, filing enforcement system, case management, and legislative information systems. Cecily Warren currently serves as the Assistant State CIO for Transportation & Economic Development within the State of Oregon's Enterprise Information Services (EIS). In this role, she supports the state's IT modernization initiatives by guiding agencies in creating and implementing business-driven IT strategic plans, fostering effective governance, and promoting digital transformation. Her work aligns closely with the Governor's Action Plan for IT, emphasizing the importance of aligning technology strategies with agency goals to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

Lindsey is a social impact leader and policy expert with over 15 years of experience working across all sectors. As Director of Public and Social Sector Policy for the AI Governance Group, Lindsey provides strategic guidance to nonprofits and governments on how to leverage AI in a responsible and ethical way. She's an inaugural Affiliate of All Tech Is Human, a Research Member of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and a Responsible AI Advocacy member of the GovAI Coalition, among other affiliations. Lindsey has built her career on bridging gaps between diverse stakeholders and driving systemic change through participatory policymaking, with a particular focus on using technology to strengthen democratic institutions and improve government services.

Francisco Zavala is the Deputy Director of the State Data Center for Oregon, where he leads strategic initiatives to enhance technology infrastructure and service delivery across the state. With over two decades of experience in IT management and public sector operations, Francisco has been instrumental in driving advancements in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. His expertise also extends to developing resilient IT architectures that support state agencies and public services. Francisco is committed to fostering collaborative environments and leveraging technology to improve efficiency and accessibility in government operations. A graduate with a degree in Computer Science, he has consistently advocated for integrating innovative technologies to meet the evolving needs of Oregon's citizens and stakeholders.