Oregon Emerging Technology Summit: AI 2024 Banner

Overview

The Oregon Emerging Technology Summit is a pioneering event tailored for state, regional, and local public sector leadership to delve into the transformative potential of emerging technologies, including AI. This summit offers a comprehensive exploration of the current state and future trajectory of technologies set to revolutionize public service delivery. Through a blend of innovation, regulations, hands-on technology demos, and compelling case studies, attendees gain invaluable insights into how emerging technologies can enhance the lives of community members.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Artificial intelligence provides an opportunity for us to change the lives of Oregonians in this great state, for the better. The AI Summit is an excellent venue to discuss ethical use of AI with a lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

– Terrence Woods, Chief Information Officer, State of Oregon

Speakers

Sharon Gai

Sharon Gai

Keynote Speaker and Author

Sharon Gai is an international female keynote speaker for corporations, associations and the public sector. Using her unique background from the east and west, she works with leaders worldwide to understand how to adopt AI into their workflows to increase productivity and efficiency. In her tenure at Alibaba, she advised brands and heads of state in crafting their digital strategy with programmatic marketing and AI. She has been the keynote speaker at TEDx, Singularity University, UBS, Deloitte, LVMH, Nestle, Ecomworld, and Etail. She is in the AAE list of Top Keynote Speakers in 2023. She is also one of 2024’s RETHINK Retail’s Top Retail Expert and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Public Speaking 2023. She has appeared on Bloomberg, ABC, CBC, CCTV, Techcrunch, Retail Asia, Wired, and The Next Web. She is the author of the book, Ecommerce Reimagined. Sharon has an Honors Bachelor’s degree in International Development from McGill and a Masters in Information and Knowledge Strategy from Columbia University.

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Kathryn Darnall Helms

Kathryn Darnall Helms

Chief Data Officer, State of Oregon

Kathryn Darnall Helms, MSIS, MA, currently serves as Oregon’s inaugural Chief Data Officer. Kathryn has recently led the development of Oregon’s first Enterprise Data Strategy, launched the State’s Open Data Program, and is currently staffing and expanding the Chief Data Office. In previous roles, Kathryn led an initiative to centralize information and data governance at the City of Austin and provided information governance and digital archiving consulting services to human rights organizations in Rwanda, El Salvador, Austin, and Guatemala as part of the Human Rights Documentation Initiative. Kathryn holds graduate degrees in Information Science and Latin American Studies, both from the University of Texas at Austin, where she focused her studies on the role of government records in addressing human rights abuses and as tools to speak truth to power.

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Justus Eaglesmith

Justus Eaglesmith

Data Scientist, NARA NW

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.

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Doug Toomey

Doug Toomey

Director, Oregon Hazards Lab, University of Oregon 

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.

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Lindsey Washburn

Lindsey Washburn

Director of Public and Social Sector Policy, AI Governance Group

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.

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Francisco Zavala

Francisco Zavala

Deputy Director of The State Data Center / Enterprise Information Services, Data Center 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.

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Agenda

Wednesday, December 11

8:00 am Pacific

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Willamette Foyer

9:00 am Pacific

Opening Remarks

Willamette Ballroom

Dr. Jimmy Godard, State Chief Technology Officer, State of Oregon

9:15 am Pacific

Keynote – Leading the AI Revolution: IT’s New Role in Global Public Sector Innovation

Willamette Ballroom

AI is reshaping everything and IT leaders in government and public sector organizations stand at a pivotal juncture. Traditionally viewed as reactive and slower to innovate than the private sector, the public sector is now uniquely positioned to take a hands-on stance in AI implementation. To do that, we need to understand how IT departments can anticipate, and address business needs proactively. In this whirlwind session, digital transformation and AI expert, Sharon Gai, will take us on a journey around the world. Starting from the bustling streets of Hangzhou to the high-tech healthcare facilities of Tokyo, and finally to the classrooms of New York. Through this session, government leaders will understand the myriad ways AI is redefining society and be equipped with actionable insights, aiding them in harnessing the full potential of AI for the betterment of their communities.

Sharon Gai, Keynote Speaker and Author

10:15 am Pacific

Networking Break

Willamette Foyer

10:45 am Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

How to Safely Leverage AI in Your Cyber Strategy

Croisan A/B

Now more than ever, we have seen the concepts of security and AI converge in a way that we must thoughtfully examine. While AI is increasingly being used by bad actors, it is also becoming a cornerstone in cybersecurity strategies. What’s working, and what risks are involved? What are the limitations that we need to be mindful of? This session will explore how AI has the potential to not only support your cyber strategy – but elevate it.

AI’s Transformative Impact on the Workforce

Croisan C

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly altering the landscape of employment, presenting a multifaceted impact on the workforce. How do we navigate the nuanced conversation surrounding AI’s evolving role in the job market? Can we mitigate concerns about job transformation with the ability to further opportunities for skill enhancement and professional growth? This session with dive into different perspectives on the challenges we face today and will explore different policies and educational opportunities as we look to bolster our workforce for the future.

Dr. Jimmy Godard, State Chief Technology Officer, State of Oregon

Lindsey Washburn, Director of Public and Social Sector Policy, AI Governance Group

11:45 am Pacific

Lunch

Willamette Ballroom

12:45 pm Pacific

Bits and Bytes

Willamette Ballroom

1:15 pm Pacific

Networking Break

Willamette Foyer

1:45 pm Pacific

Concurrent Sessions

Building the Ethical Playbook for Emerging Technologies

Croisan A/B

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to gain traction as a potential part of public sector infrastructure, understanding its ethical intricacies is imperative. Unpack the ethical considerations uniquely relevant to government deployments of AI, including matters of public trust and equitable access. A focus on key ethical cornerstones aims to provide insights for crafting an “Ethical Playbook” for AI strategy that aligns with public service values.

Moderator: Francisco Zavala, Deputy Director of The State Data Center / Enterprise Information Services, Data Center Services, State of Oregon

Jason Rood, Program Manager, State of Oregon

Justus Eaglesmith, Data Scientist, NARA NW

Data and AI Governance to Promote Transparency and Trust

Croisan C

The proliferation of AI systems and the data that drives them are increasingly shaping our daily lives. Having guardrails and an effective governance process in place is more vital than ever and is essential to ensuring public trust and maintaining transparency. How should we approach the ethical and regulatory considerations that now must be taken into account? What are key principles and best practices for navigating the complex landscape of data and AI governance? This session offers actionable insights to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical use of data and AI technologies to foster trust in their deployment within government organizations.

Moderator: Kathryn Darnall Helms, Chief Data Officer, State of Oregon

Sam Kaan, Interim Chief Data Officer, State of Oregon

2:45 pm Pacific

Networking Break

Willamette Foyer

3:15 pm Pacific

General Session: OHAZ-AI Wildfire Detection and Tracking

Willamette Ballroom

The Oregon Hazards Lab operates a high-speed camera network that gives firefighters a new way to spot and track wildfires utilizing AI-enabled systems. Cameras are typically installed on top of tall mountains or high-rise buildings with 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape, enabling fire managers to watch the landscape, fire behavior, and weather in real-time or later through time-lapse footage.

Doug Toomey, Director, Oregon Hazards Lab, University of Oregon

4:00 pm Pacific

Networking Reception

Willamette Foyer

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

4:30 pm Pacific

End of Conference

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

Salem Convention Center

200 Commercial Street SE
Salem, OR 97301
(866) 614-1900

Get Directions To
Salem Convention Center

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: December 11, 2024

Open to Public Sector only.

Registration - Free

If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.

Contact Information

For registration and general assistance contact:

Kathy Simpson
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1394
E-mail: ksimpson@erepublic.com

For assistance or questions concerning Sponsor Logos or Logistics please contact:

Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@govtech.com

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

Heather Earney
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1339
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com

Venue

Salem Convention Center

200 Commercial Street SE
Salem, OR 97301
(866) 614-1900

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Parking

Self-parking is available at the Convention Center underground garage on a complimentary basis.
Parking Guide for Salem Convention Center | Salem, OR 
www.salemconventioncenter.org

Accommodations

There are a few rooms remaining in the event room block at the Grand Hotel. Please email Diana P. Wilson if you need a room and include your arrival date and departure date. Rooms are available on a first come, first serve basis.
The Grand Hotel
201 Liberty Street SE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 540-7800
Rate: $169.00 single
www.grandhotelsalem.com