As the Executive Director of the RI League of Cities and Towns, Ernie leads a team of professionals that help member municipal government interests before the executive and state administrative agencies as well as the provision of technical assistance, information sharing, and training to assist municipal officials in fulfilling their responsibilities.
After retiring as an audit partner at RSM US LLP on April 30, 2021, Lt Governor Sabina Matos appointed Ernie as the Chief of Staff. In this role he managed the office staff and lead initiatives on housing, small business, veteran affairs, long term care, and many other issues. Ernie was loaned to the RI Department of Health as the Interim Chief Financial Officer and Associate Director where he was responsible for leading the financial team of a more than $400 million organization during part of the Covid Pandemic.
At RSM, Ernie was a firm-designated business, government, litigation support, and process improvement specialist with more than 40 years of experience. He has provided technical assistance on transformation to a digital economy, financial reporting issues to for profit companies, along with federal, state, and local governments. Ernie was a leader on engagements working directly with Federal and State Government Leadership on compliance, audit, and consulting engagements. Ernie is a frequent speaker on industry related topics including Board Governance, Digital Transformation, Digital Twins, Leadership, Risk Assessments, Compliance, Ethics, and Fraud Reduction Strategies.
Ernie spent 16 years as the R.I. Auditor General where he was responsible for the State of Rhode Island financial, performance and fraud audits. In that role, Ernie was responsible for the $8 billion-dollar Comprehensive Financial Report, audits of RI Lottery financials, IT controls, provided due diligence on Casino mergers and compliance with state agreements, insight, and foresight on pensions, and oversaw the audits of quasi-public agencies and municipalities. He has served in numerous positions as Chairperson of audit committees including universities, Department of Defense Audit Advisory Committee at the Pentagon, and as a member of the Government Auditing Standards Committee for the Comptroller General of the U.S. Ernie was named twice in the top 100 CPAs in the country by Accounting Today.

Phil Carlucci Bio - In addition to an undergraduate degree in Accounting and an MBA, Phil has continued educational degrees/studies in Computer Science, Project Management, Cyber Security, as well as Production Management and holds an ISC2 - CISSP certification. He has held senior technology roles in companies ranging from greenhouse start-ups to Fortune 50 global corporations and covering Verticals in Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Technology Services and Government. Phil is currently the Technology Director for the City or Warwick.

Pam Christman is an accomplished IT leader and adept team builder distinguished by her ability to drive initiatives that align with strategic organizational outcomes. With over thirty years of expertise in IT leadership, Pam currently serves as the AVP/CIO at Rhode Island College. Prior to her tenure at Rhode Island College, Pam held prominent C-level IT leadership positions in higher education institutions and statewide Research and Education Networks (RENs). In each role, she has been instrumental in providing high-quality customer/member service delivery, application development, instructional technologies, large-scale networking projects, cloud computing solutions, and cybersecurity measures. She is recognized for her ability to manage change, drive innovation, and ensure operational excellence. 
Pam earned her BA in Economics from Colby College. She furthered her academic pursuits by obtaining an MPA from the University of Rhode Island, enriching her leadership capabilities with a strong foundation in public policy, labor relations, and administration. 
Beyond her professional endeavors, she indulges in mountain biking prime locations around the US and kayaking the South County waterways of RI. 

Nick Craig is the Director of Information Technology for the City of Newport, RI. He has been working for the department since 2021. Prior to moving into the public sector, Nick was the Chief information officer for a regional fastener distributor for 12 years, where he developed skills inside and outside of the technology scope. Nick has also been the sole proprietor of an IT consulting business since 2007. After graduating from Moses Brown, a preparatory school in Providence, he studied in numerous areas, including journalism, mechanical and material engineering, network engineering and cybersecurity at Indiana University, Clark University, Bristol Community College, and Purdue. Nick created programs for small businesses to attract talent, manage in-house IT infrastructure, and to educate teams on how to effectively develop and deploy software solutions. It was the success of these programs that urged him to seek opportunity to develop similar strategies in the public sector. Nick currently sits on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program committee, the Aquidneck Island Broadband Consortium, and actively seeks involvement in opportunities to improve local government access to funding and support for a broad range of IT infrastructure.

I have worked with the State of Rhode Island since October 2016 in various roles within ETSS (Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services). I am currently responsible for the Agency and Enterprise Applications for all Non-Health agencies. Additionally, I am leading the Low Code/No Code Center of Excellence initiative under our Office of Digital Excellence. My experience with Workforce Hiring and Upskilling began long before the state at my previous job in Managing technical teams. Hiring in Rhode Island has always been a struggle with our neighboring states often offering more perks and higher salaries. Becoming creative in efforts like taking on interns from colleges, mentorship programs, providing training for those who have an interest in another career path, sourcing and recruiting efforts.

Scott Gausland he leads a staff of 22 professionals and oversees data collection, reporting, governance, and research and analysis. He is also responsible for all information technology and software development at the Department. He joined the agency in 2004 to create the K12 student ID system and went on to develop several data collection platforms. Scott designed and developed a comprehensive data warehouse system, single sign-on portal and procured and installed several server farms as their Sr. Database Administrator before being promoted to Director in 2019. Previously Scott held positions as a software engineer at American Power Conversion and as a technical sales rep at IBM.
Scott graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bryant University in 1993 with a BS in Marketing and went on to earn his MBA at Bryant in Computer Information Systems in 2001.

As an Executive Education Advisor, Mark works with higher education executives and line-of-business leaders to understand how cloud technologies can enable digital transformation efforts around the effective use of data and analytics.
Prior to joining Amazon Web Services (AWS), Mark served for 30 years as an administrator at six different higher education institutions and held faculty rank among three. These institutions ranged from a small private liberal arts college to several large research universities with academic medical centers. Throughout his career in higher education, Mark held Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer roles. He also had institution-level leadership roles in analytics and key leadership roles in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations, cloud migrations, managed-services provisioning of IT services, and the adoption of analytics-based, decision-support, and resource-allocation systems.

James Hawk has been in the Networking Industry for 28 years with over 2 decades of his career leading Sales & Systems Engineering Teams & Organizations both within the US and Globally. Prior to joining Cradlepoint in April of 2019 as the North America Field Sales Engineering Leader, James led Juniper Networks’ Global Corporate Systems Engineering Organization

Jacques Laflamme is a graduate of Northeastern University and a proud US Army Veteran with close to 40 years of experience in Information Technology and Cyber Security. A Network Engineer by trade, he possesses both hands-on technical skills and business acumen in building, leading and delivering IT solutions and services. Jacques has a proven successful track record in identifying and executing technology strategies with his present employer, New England Institute of Technology, as well as Harvard University, Thomson Reuters, State Street Corp, Fidelity Investments and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Throughout his career, he has provided business value to organizations as a natural communicator who has built relationships across multiple levels within all of the organization he has been part. He has completed focused areas of study in Computer Science, Project Management, Cyber Security, as well as IT Service Management and is a Certified Information Security System Professional (CISSP). Jacques was awarded the 2018 Providence Business News C-Suite Award, as well as the 2018 Rhode Island Magazine Tech10 Award. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board for OSHEAN Inc. Jacques’ community work includes close to 20 years of running youth sports organizations and coaching youth Hockey, Baseball and Softball.

Dr. Rebecca Lebeau, M.P.H., Ph.D., serves as the Director of Data and Analytics at The Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), where she spearheads data governance and data sharing practices across agencies. With a steadfast commitment to collaboration and transparency, Dr. Lebeau leads efforts to integrate diverse data systems, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of populations across the state.
Dr. Lebeau directs a dynamic team of analysts, guiding initiatives aimed at synthesizing data from various sources to inform policy development, program management, and operational strategies within the healthcare sector. Through her leadership, she establishes and upholds robust data governance frameworks, ensuring the responsible and ethical use of data in decision-making processes.

Mr. Lombardi’s current position is IT Sourcing Manager for Infrastructure and Operations, Network, Telecom & IT Security of IT Vendor Management Office, he has been part of IT Operations (computer/print/mail industry) for 39 years. Mike has overseen the 7/24 daily operation of the State of Rhode Island EOC (Enterprise Operations Center) Facility Management, IT Operations Department of Corrections, Transportation, Human Services, Behavioral Healthcare & Developmental Disabilities, Environmental Management, Office of Rehabilitation Services, Enterprise Telecom and Statewide Disaster Recovery to include Data Center semi annual testing.
Mike’s accomplishments in State government have led the initiatives to create and consolidate operations efficiencies and support services, to reduce and improve implementation and service costs and implemented statewide plans resulting in improvements in service delivery predictability and quality. He has been in operations management since 1987, owned & operated several companies; in 2005 became employed by the State of RI, for past 5 years as IT Sourcing Manager for Infrastructure and Operations, Network, Telecom & IT Security of IT Vendor Management Office
Prior to that in 1995 Mike started the first Barcode Sorting/Mail Processing Company in Rhode Island, MPC, Inc. As President & CEO he oversaw the operation of the 36,000 sq. foot facility, with the Plant Operations Director, CIO, VP of Administration & Director of Sales & Marketing as direct reports, and overall responsibility for complete business, including Computer, Mail & Print Operations, Sales, and Customer Service.
At Citizens Bank, as Assistant Treasurer, he had 88 employees in the Tri-State Region and was responsible for shipping receiving, incoming and outgoing mail processing (over 30 million annually) messenger service of (over 20 vehicles) and statement rendering. During the acquisition mode, he was the merger liaison with other out of state banks responsible for the consolidation of Computer Operations, Statement Rendering, Delivery Service, & Mail Operations.

Nathan Loura is the State of Rhode Island’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and an active member of the RI Air National Guard. Throughout Nathan’s civilian career, he has worked as a technician, analyst, engineer, consultant, and leader for all aspect of IT and IS across several industries from banking to cellular communications to public and defense sectors. In the military he secured, deployed, and maintained all forms of networked and radio communications platforms in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. Locally, Nathan’s military career has been focused on cyber defense operations and contingency communications during natural disaster scenarios. He brings this wealth of expirence to the state where his teams have a commitment to ensure the security, integrity, and confidentiality of the State of Rhode Island's information through policy, processes, and technology.

Goal / Vision: Partner with IT and agencies
Plan and Prioritize Sourcing demands, help drive right procurement path and Deliver IT Contracts
Provide Vendor Governance and Vendor Risk Management
Share Best Practices with IT Managers for effective Sourcing outcome.
Been in IT industry for 25 years in various roles – App Dev and Management, IT Project Management, Global Sourcing and Procurement

After graduating from St. Anselm College and attending law school, Mollis pursued a career in finance. His private sector experience includes 10 years at LAMCO Pension & Investment Advisory Firm where he rose to Vice President and Director of Operations; overseeing a start-up pension firm in New York; and consulting and lobbying.
Mollis is a lifelong Rhode Islander with a proud record of service in the public sector to include a decade as Mayor, several years as a as a town council member, and two years as Council President, all in North Providence. Mollis was elected to two terms as Rhode Island Secretary of State and has been Town Manager in the Town of North Kingstown for over seven years.
Mollis serves on several local, state, and national boards and commissions to include Vice President of the Executive Board of Directors for the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, membership on the Board of Trustees for the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust, and an appointment to the Governor’s Workforce Board Local Area Advisory Committee in 2023.

Arulanandan (Arul) Rangaraju is the Chief of Information Technology for the State of Rhode Island, where he leads the strategy and delivery of critical digital programs that impacts various agencies that bring a unified and seamless digital experience to the residents of Rhode Island. He is a seasoned IT and business transformation professional with core architecture and solution delivery experience in government, environmental management, retail, CPG, and telecom domains. His vast experience includes strategic consulting, technology, and business transformation with a global delivery experience for large companies with work exposure in 25+ countries.

Donald Rogers is a graduate of Cornell University and has more than 25 years of experience supporting IT in frontline and leadership roles at Brown University. Don now leads over 25% of Brown's central IT workforce, including support operations, endpoint hardware and management teams, cloud collaboration services, and campus print services. Don is active in NERCOMP and EDUCAUSE and has a focus on building customer trust, creating great teams, and managing change in higher education.

Jim Silveria is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. In his role as the first CIO for the City of Providence, he leads an experienced team of professionals to deliver exceptional services to staff and the public, and plays a crucial role in shaping the city’s IT vision and overseeing technology architecture. Jim enjoys the hands-on aspect of working in a small, city environment, where an understanding of applications, operations and data services can help optimize the delivery of essential public services, streamline administrative processes, and enhance the overall quality of life for Providence residents. His commitment to leveraging technology effectively ensures that the city functions efficiently and remains responsive to the needs of its diverse community.

Peter Steyaert is a leading cyber security and IT architect who directs all detailed and extensive ASOC product discussions for private and public sector customers. His background and knowledge spans the fields of cyber defense, SOC management, VoIP, and network architecture. Peter has worked on significantly large projects in both the federal government space and private sector. He received his Master of Science degree in Cyber and Information Security from Capitol Technology University, an accredited institution recognized by both NSA and DHS as an Academic Center of Excellence.
Contact information:
Cell: +1-571-230-4564 | psteyaert@fortinet.com

Elise Swearingen holds a Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Creighton University School of Law and has worked in the public sector for nearly two decades. Throughout her career in municipal and state government, Elise has brought to bear her unique background and knack for fostering cooperative environments to create strong, successful teams and advance collective priorities. She's a proven collaborator, an electrifying speaker, and a trusted, pragmatic leader who readily deploys humor and grace to the benefit of user adoption and utilization.

Brian Tardiff is a retired Army Cybersecurity Warrant Officer with 26 years of service. He holds a B.S. in Information Systems and Cybersecurity, CISSP certification, and several professional certificates, including Digital Transformation from UC Berkely and recently AI Implications for Business Strategy from MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout Brian’s military service, he secured, deployed, and maintained all forms of networked and radio communications platforms, including classified information networks systems in Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brian joined the State of Rhode in 2018 and previously held the Chief Information Security Officer and Chief of Staff for IT roles and is a 2023 recipient (and 2024 nominee) of State Scoop 50 Awards for his leadership in guiding Rhode Island into a new technology landscape.

Mike Tetreault is the Cybersecurity Advisor (CSA) for Rhode Island (Region 1) within the Integrated Operations Division, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CISA established ten regional offices across the country to improve the delivery of the department’s services to critical infrastructure owners and operators as well as state, local, tribal, and territorial partners. CSAs are the front-facing cyber experts supporting regional operations capabilities. Region 1 includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Mr. Tetreault manages the major cyber engagements in Rhode Island with additional support to Region 1, championing cyber resilience to public and private sector partners through many engagements, promoting education and awareness, and performing risk assessments.
His career began over 30 years ago as a private programmer analyst, including 18 years as an IT Director with the Department of Defense (DoD) before joining CISA in January 2021. He retired as an Army Colonel in May 2021 after 31 years of service. Mike holds a B.S. degree from Bryant College in Computer Information Systems, an MBA in Information Technology from Trident University, an M.S. degree in Government Information Leadership from National Defense University, and an M.S. in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Mr. Tetreault is the first Cybersecurity Advisor for Rhode Island. In this capacity, he builds and leverages relationships with the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration, Homeland Security Advisor for RI, Office of the CIO and CISO, Secretary of State, Board of Elections, and the Rhode Island State Police Joint Cyber Task Force, state and local entities, including K-12 schools and others to further develop the cyber risk mitigation efforts in the state of Rhode Island.
As an adjunct faculty member at the New England Institute of Technology in Rhode Island and Dean College in Massachusetts, Mr. Tetreault teaches graduate and undergraduate cybersecurity governance, policy, risk management, and recovery courses. He is a Rhode Island Joint Cyber Task Force (JCTF) member.
Mike is a certified Department of Defense Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Cyber Leader, Government Strategic Leader, and Enterprise Architect. He is also a Committee on National Security Systems Certified Information Security Professional, System Certifier, Risk Analyst, and Senior System Manager. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP) with ISC2.