The San Diego Digital Government Summit is where innovation meets impact!
Bringing together the brightest minds in state and local government, this summit empowers public-sector leaders to explore cutting-edge technologies, modernize operations, and solve pressing challenges. From cybersecurity and AI to data governance and digital service delivery, sessions are designed to spark insight, foster collaboration, and accelerate real-world results. Whether you're shaping strategy or implementing solutions, the Summit delivers valuable peer connections and actionable guidance to help move your mission forward.
I’m excited to participate in the third annual San Diego Digital Government Summit, building on the momentum of last two years. The summit brings together public sector technology leaders from across the San Diego region to collaborate, exchange insights, and focus on practical ways technology can enhance public services and quality of life.
- Jonathan Behnke, CIO, City of San Diego
Wednesday, June 10 |
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8:00 am Pacific |
Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area |
9:00 am Pacific |
Welcome and Opening RemarksJonathan Behnke, Chief Information Officer, City of San Diego |
9:15 am Pacific |
Keynote – AI & the Octopus Organization™: Adapt or FailIn an era defined by rapid technological change, organizations that fully embrace AI will pull decisively ahead of those that treat it as a side experiment. This keynote explores how leading organizations are moving beyond traditional hierarchies toward more agile, “Octopus Organization™” models - where centralized strategy is paired with empowered, decentralized teams that can think, decide, and act in real time. Drawing on extensive research and real-world transformations, this session will highlight how AI can be used not just to automate tasks, but to fundamentally redesign how work gets done - enabling faster decision-making, greater adaptability, and more innovative, high-performing teams. Attendees will leave with practical insights on building AI-driven organizations that are designed to evolve, compete, and thrive. Jonathan Brill, Futurist, AI Inventor, Bestselling Author |
10:15 am Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaRefuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: Apptio, an IBM Company |
10:45 am Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsAgentic AI and the Future of Work: Identifying High-Value Use CasesAre AI agents the new tool for automating the manual and repetitive tasks we've learned to tolerate? This session focuses on practical, low risk use cases where agents can realistically step in today and potentially deliver measurable value. Panelists will discuss what that means for how work gets done and how leaders can rethink roles, training, and accountability without weakening the workforce they depend on. Hear how agencies are evaluating opportunities and building momentum without overcommitting too early. Data Enrichment for Government: Pulling Context from ChaosAs data volumes grow, so does the challenge of knowing what information is accurate, relevant and usable. This session explores how data enrichment can help bring clarity and context to information across the organization. Panelists will discuss practical steps to improve data quality and enable better decision making, positioning their teams for more advanced analytics and AI uses. From Roadmap to Reality: Delivering on San Diego’s Broadband Master PlanSan Diego’s Broadband Master Plan represents a major step forward in understanding gaps in access, affordability and adoption across the region. Learn what work has been done so far as the plan moves toward implementation. This session will provide a brief overview of the plan, highlight early actions and explore how agencies are aligning funding and partnerships to turn strategy into measurable impact. |
11:45 am Pacific |
Lunch |
12:45 pm Pacific |
Bits and Bytes – No Free Lunch: Understanding Your Digital Privacy TradeoffsFree tools and online services are part of everyday life, but they often come with tradeoffs that we don’t fully understand. Your digital footprint doesn’t stop at work, and it can create real risk for government employees and the organizations they support. This session explores how data is tracked, aggregated, and shared, and what steps you can take to better manage your exposure. Moderator: Brendan Daly, Chief Information Security Officer, Deputy Director, IT Architecture and Engineering, City of San Diego |
1:05 pm Pacific |
Short BreakPlease proceed to the concurrent sessions. |
1:15 pm Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsThe Workforce Reset: Skills, Roles and the Future of Public ServiceAs agencies explore new technologies, the impact on the workforce is becoming harder to ignore. This session examines how roles, skills and career paths are beginning to shift, and what that means for the future of public service. Hear how organizations are thinking about onboarding, training and knowledge transfer while adapting to new tools, and what steps leaders can take to prepare their workforce for what comes next. Building Trust in Real Time: Government Comms in the Digital EraTraditional approaches are no longer enough in a world shaped by social media, video and real-time information. As communication habits shift, agencies are taking a closer look at how they reach and engage the public. This session examines how organizations are beginning to adapt to more timely, accessible and effective approaches. Exclusive Briefing for Industry PartnersHosted by: Jonathan Behnke, Chief Information Officer, City of San Diego |
2:15 pm Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaRefuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: Apptio, an IBM Company |
2:35 pm Pacific |
General Session - AI in San Diego: Use Cases at WorkAcross San Diego, agencies are beginning to test where AI can make a difference. This session brings those efforts together, showcasing practical use cases and early lessons learned. From reducing manual work to improving decision-making, hear what is being explored today and what it takes to move from idea to implementation in a government setting. |
3:45 pm Pacific |
Networking Reception in the Exhibit AreaNetwork with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors. |
4:15 pm Pacific |
End of ConferenceConference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change. |
2270 Hotel Circle North
San Diego, CA 92108
619-217-1101
Jonathan Behnke
Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
City of San Diego
Christopher Bennett
Deputy Director
Public Utilities
City of San Diego
Kirby Brady
Director
Environmental Services Department
City of San Diego
Ian Brazill
Assistant Deputy Director of Compliance & Digital Equity
Department of Information Technology
City of San Diego
Steve Chen
Information Services Program Manager
Special Operations, Department Operations
City of San Diego
Jessica Contreras
IT Director
Office of the Mayor
City of Encinitas
Brendan Daly
Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Information Technology
City of San Diego
Alex Hempton
Deputy Director, Technology and Innovation
Performance and Analytics Department (P&A)
City of San Diego
Ashish Kakkad
Chief Information Officer
Sheriff's Department
County of San Diego
Arlo Magpantay
Deputy Director
Enterprise Applications
City of San Diego
Tracey Sandberg
Chief Technology Officer
IT
Port of San Diego
Nathan Short
Director
IT
Encinitas Union School District
Chad Vargason
Chief Information Security Officer
County of San Diego
Open to Public Sector only.
Registration - Free
If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.
This event is open to all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants.
Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:
Raquel Figueira
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1341
E-mail: rfigueira@erepublic.com
Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:
Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone:(916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com
Want to sponsor and stand out? Reach out to explore opportunities!
Heather Earney
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com