Name: South Dakota Digital Government Summit 2026
Start: 2026-04-15T08:00
Location: Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center

Overview

The South Dakota 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.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

The high expectations for technology are only eclipsed by the challenges to protect data and modernize aging systems. The annual South Dakota Digital Government Summit is a chance to share experiences, best practices, and opportunities to deliver quality citizen experiences. As public servants in education and state, county, and local government, we must maximize our learning and resources to provide the best possible support to the great state of South Dakota.

– Mark Wixon, Commissioner & Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information & Technology, State of South Dakota

Speakers

Mark Wixon

Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Mark is an experienced technology leader and strategist with over 30 years of experience in IT. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Dakota. Throughout his career, Mark has served in various leadership roles at Black Hills Energy, including Sr. Manager IT Security Governance and Risk Management, Director of IT Governance, and Director of Business Applications. He previously served as the Director of Agency Application Support with BIT.
Mark is known for his ability to drive business value through the alignment of IT and organizational goals. His expertise spans cybersecurity, project management, enterprise application operations, and IT Governance. He has a reputation for building strong alliances with business leaders by effectively translating complex IT and cybersecurity concepts into business objective-driven technology decisions.
In addition to his professional achievements, Mark has served in various volunteer roles at Black Hills Federal Credit Union and is currently the Chairman of the Board. Mark and his wife Deb have two adult children; they enjoy traveling and spending time in the great outdoors.

Anthony Huey

President, CSP

Anthony Huey, CSP, is a highly-rated international speaker who offers session attendees pragmatic communications tools, tips and techniques they can use immediately. Anthony has presented more than 3,500 paid communications workshops, seminars and speeches in his career, and was named a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) by The National Speakers Association, an honor awarded to less than 12% of its speakers worldwide. Anthony’s 25-year career includes tenures as a news reporter and senior editor, crisis management specialist, media relations consultant and executive speech coach. He owns Reputation Management, LLC, one of the nation’s leading communications training and crisis consulting companies. His past client work includes a wide variety of advertising, public relations and communications initiatives for hundreds of trade associations, municipalities and companies, including Nike, Victoria’s Secret, Eli Lilly, Nationwide Insurance, The Kroger Company, Procter & Gamble, and many more. Anthony holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

Harold Bruce

Chief Technology Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Harold Bruce is a senior technology executive with more than 35 years of leadership experience driving statewide digital transformation, enterprise architecture, and data strategy. As Chief Technology Officer for the State of South Dakota, he provides statewide executive leadership across technology vision, cloud modernization, identity and access management, DevOps engineering, and application security. He oversees the Statewide Enterprise Data Strategy; directs the AI Center of Excellence with a strong focus on NIST-aligned, ethical, and transparent AI adoption; and serves on the Cybersecurity Council to strengthen identity-driven security and enterprise risk governance. Harold is recognized for modernizing complex legacy systems into resilient, cloud-native platforms; elevating identity, security, and data governance capabilities; and leading high-performing engineering, architecture, and analytics teams to deliver secure, scalable, citizen-centric digital services that support statewide strategic priorities.

Aaron Caveny

Governance Risk Management and Compliance Team Lead, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Aaron Caveny serves as the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Team Lead for the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Technology, where he guides statewide efforts in secure modernization, risk management, and responsible technology adoption. He brings a strong background in systems architecture and engineering to the GRC team, often referring to himself as a “recovering systems engineer.” With this blend of technical and governance experience, Aaron works to align standards and compliance with operational design. He is particularly focused on applying these principles to the emerging challenges of the AI lifecycle, ensuring that statewide technology practices remain both secure and practical.
Outside of work, Aaron is married with two children who are actively involved in competitive swimming. When not at the pool, he and his family enjoy long weekends camping in state parks across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Gregory Dias

Director, Information Systems and Technology, Lawrence County

Gregory Dias is a seasoned IT leader with over four decades of experience, currently serving as the Director of Information Systems & Technology for Lawrence County, SD. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a Sergeant Major. During his time on active duty, he served as a data systems and computer-programming specialist, including a nominative tour at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon, where he held a Top Secret, SIOP-ESI clearance. In his 30+ years with Lawrence County, he has led initiatives that modernized the county's IT infrastructure, improved cybersecurity posture, and streamlined citizen services. He shares his expertise as an adjunct faculty member for the Rutgers University CGCIO program, serves on the AKYLADE Advisory Council, and is Vice President of the Board of Directors for the South Dakota chapter of InfraGard. Greg’s technical depth is underpinned by over 20 professional certifications, ranging from executive leadership (CGCIO, CCISO) to specialized security and audit disciplines (CISSP, CISM, CISA, and CEH (Master)). In addition to his work in the technology profession, he has served as a member and Chair of the Spearfish Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) since 2002. He has been married to his wife, Patti, for over 40 years, whom he credits as the single most positive influence on his life; they have two grown children.

Jim Gilbert

Director of Information Technology, City of Rapid City

Jim Gilbert has led the City of Rapid City’s technology strategy as IT Director for over a decade. His 30-year career includes civilian service within the U.S. Army and key roles at Microsoft. A seasoned expert in enterprise architecture and SQL Server, Jim recently earned his M.S. in Data Science with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. He currently directs the city’s technology modernization efforts, emphasizing the strategic integration of AI, automation, and analytics into the municipal infrastructure.

Johnathan Hampe

Chief Information Security Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Marcia Hultman

Secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation, State of South Dakota

Marcia Hultman serves as the Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR). Marcia was first appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard in 2014 and reappointed by Governor Kristi Noem in 2019. Prior to this, Marcia had served in a variety of leadership roles with DLR for seventeen years.
Throughout her career, Marcia has been involved in the delivery of workforce training, employment, adult education and literacy, and federal unemployment insurance services, as well as state-specific wage and hour, workers' compensation, and human rights programs.
Marcia chairs the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, and serves on the Workers' Compensation Advisory Council, Workforce Development Council, Governor's Workforce Cabinet, and the DOL Retirement Board. Additionally, Marcia is responsible for regulatory functions related to the banking, insurance, and securities industries, as well as occupational and professional licensing boards and commissions.
Marcia received a bachelor's degree from Black Hills State University and completed the Council of State Government Henry Toll Leadership program in 2016. She is a native of Belle Fourche, South Dakota. Just as her grandmother and mother before her, Marcia was trained to be a teacher. She taught school in Hot Springs, Custer, and Rapid City before joining state government in 1997.
Marcia and her husband Brian live in Pierre. They have two grown sons, who each live eight hours away in opposite directions. Marcia enjoys reading, gardening, and all things baking - related.

Michelle Humann

Director of Member Services, South Dakota Retirement System

Michelle Humann leads the Member Services Department for the South Dakota Retirement System, where Michelle has driven key modernization initiatives over her 17-year tenure. Michelle led the implementation of SDRS’s ServiceNow-powered self‑service portals, advancing the system’s digital accessibility and operational efficiency. With a background in education and a focus on user-accessibility design, Michelle brings a practical, sustainability-focused perspective to building long-term technology solutions for SDRS.

Paul Kern

Chief Information Security Officer, South Dakota State University

Paul Kern is the Chief Information Security Officer at South Dakota State University. Paul has twenty-six years of experience in information technology, spanning the telecommunications, financial, and higher education sectors. Paul has worked in information security for fifteen years, he holds a GIAC certification in network penetration testing (GPEN), and he is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Steven Kohler

Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Finance and Management, State of South Dakota

Steven Kohler is the Deputy Commissioner of the South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management. He serves as Chair of the Steering Committee and Project Executive for Project BISON, the State’s initiative to modernize its financial operations and business processes. Steven’s prior roles include Director of the Executive Management Finance Office, Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Human Services, and Chief Budget Analyst within BFM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from South Dakota State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Joseph Marton

Director, Systems Engineering, Veeam

Joe Marton is Director, Systems Engineering at Veeam, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the IT industry. Having worked as a customer, reseller, and software vendor, Joe offers a unique perspective on how organizations can strengthen resilience and simplify data protection across complex environments.
His expertise spans virtualization, data resilience, backup and recovery, file analysis, data governance, storage, cybersecurity, high availability, business continuity, disaster recovery, and collaboration. This broad foundation extends beyond storage and virtualization into core infrastructure technologies from Microsoft, Novell, and SUSE.
Before stepping into his current leadership role, Joe served as Senior Systems Engineer at Veeam and North America Collaboration Solution Principal at Micro Focus, where he helped enterprise customers modernize infrastructure and improve operational performance.
A frequent speaker and advocate for community engagement, Joe has presented at events including VeeamON, GMIS GIANTS, BrainStorm, and VMUG. He also enjoys connecting with users through Veeam forums, trade shows, and local user groups.
Passionate about empowering others, Joe combines deep technical expertise with a collaborative approach to help organizations achieve true business continuity and confidence in their data.

Director of Agency and Application Support, Bureau of Information and Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI COE) Lead, State of South Dakota

Neal serves as a Director of Agency & Application Support within the Bureau of Information & Technology, leading teams responsible for statewide applications and digital service delivery. He is also the Lead for the state’s Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI COE), guiding strategy and governance for emerging AI capabilities across government.
Neal holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Colorado Technical University, and his technology experience spans more than 25 years across software engineering, digital innovation, and enterprise IT operations. Before joining the State of South Dakota, he held leadership roles at SONIFI Solutions, Sanford Health, and GE Healthcare, where he focused on digital strategy and large‑scale technology delivery.
Recognized for his ability to align technology with organizational goals, Neal is known for building strong partnerships and translating complex technical concepts into practical, value‑driven solutions. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors and with his family, including his wife Lisa, their three adult children, and their families.

Brent Smith

Enterprise Architect, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Brent Smith is an Enterprise Architect for the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Technology (BIT). He drives strategic technology initiatives focused on modernizing the state's IT infrastructure and designing resilient digital solutions to enhance citizen services. By leveraging his expertise in enterprise platforms and robust identity management practices, Brent streamlines complex workflows to improve operational efficiency across state agencies.

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Agenda

Wednesday, April 15
8:00 am Central	Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area Lake Oahe Lobby
9:00 am Central	Welcome and Opening Remarks Grand Galleria Gallery B/C Mark Wixon, Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota
9:15 am Central	Keynote – The Power of TALK in an AI World Grand Galleria Gallery B/C In a world where ChatGPT enables everyone to write like a Harvard graduate, the true power to stand out now lies in verbal communication. Unfortunately, many studies show that the fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death, and those who struggle to talk in front of others will quickly find themselves and their organizations falling behind. Join Anthony Huey in this lively and thought-provoking keynote as he explores the power of verbal communication. Anthony helps his audience understand the importance of perception and how first impressions are primarily formed when we speak, whether in person, virtually, or on the phone. Anthony Huey, President, Reputation Management, LLC Sponsored by: Slalom
10:15 am Central	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area Lake Oahe Lobby
10:45 am Central	General Session – The AI Lifecycle: Balancing Adoption and Governance Grand Galleria Gallery B/C Public agencies are under pressure to modernize while juggling finite resources. How can public sector IT teams embrace AI tools without creating new risks or governance gaps? This session explores practical, real-world uses of AI that streamline routine work while maintaining transparency, and accountability. Our panel will discuss how to evaluate automation opportunities, apply responsible AI principles, and build governance frameworks that scale. Moderator: Neal Nachtigall, Director of Agency and Application Support, Bureau of Information and Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI COE) Lead, State of South Dakota Aaron Caveny, Governance Risk Management and Compliance Team Lead, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota Jim Gilbert, Director of Information Technology, City of Rapid City
11:25 am Central	General Session – Modernization Priorities: Building a Sustainable Roadmap Grand Galleria Gallery B/C Public sector IT teams are constantly working to modernize while balancing significant technical debt. How can leaders set clear modernization priorities, aligning with business goals while navigating the long-term financial impact of subscription-based technology solutions? This session breaks down how to assess technical debt, and how subscription model solutions reshape budgeting, forecasting, and lifecycle management. Moderator: Wayne Hayden-Moreland, Director of Enterprise Platforms and Infrastructure, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota Harold Bruce, Chief Technology Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota Michelle Humann, Director of Member Services, South Dakota Retirement System Tom Valentine, Deputy Director of Administration, Department of Revenue, State of South Dakota
12:05 pm Central	Lunch Grand Galleria Gallery B/C
1:00 pm Central	Bits and Bytes Grand Galleria Gallery B/C These two TED style talks will spotlight forward-thinking public-sector use cases designed to spark new ways of approaching your own project challenges. Colin Keeler, Director of Financial Systems, Bureau of Finance and Management, State of South Dakota Trent Nincehelser, BIT State Radio Manager, Public Safety Communications System
1:30 pm Central	Short Break
1:40 pm Central	General Session – Cybersecurity and Business Process: A Unified Workflow Approach Grand Galleria Gallery B/C Public agencies are constantly working to strengthen their cybersecurity posture while navigating access control needs and process updates. How can organizations redesign business workflows, so they align with technical security requirements without slowing operations? This session examines how to bring business and cybersecurity workflows into unison to reinforce overall security strategy and streamline governance. Moderator: Johnathan Hampe, Chief Information Security Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota Amanda Jost, Director of Technology Operations and Communications, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota Paul Kern, Chief Information Security Officer, South Dakota State University Joseph Marton, Director, Systems Engineering, Veeam
1:40 pm Central	Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners Grand Galleria Gallery D/E Hosted by: Mark Wixon, Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota and Chief Technology Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota
2:20 pm Central	General Session – Identity Management: Protecting Privacy and Public Trust Grand Galleria Gallery B/C Identity management has become a critical challenge for public sector IT as every employee and constituent depends on secure, trusted digital identities. How can organizations protect privacy, maintain public confidence, and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated identity-based scams? This session explores the growing risks in areas like retirement systems and unemployment insurance, where stolen identities are frequently exploited. Speakers will break down practical strategies for prevention, rapid response, and cross departmental coordination. Moderator: Mindy Lejeune, National Conference Director, Government Technology Jim Edman, Cybersecurity Coordinator, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Gregory Dias, Director, Information Systems and Technology, Lawrence County Brent Smith, Enterprise Architect, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota
3:00 pm Central	Networking Break in the Exhibit Area Lake Oahe Lobby
3:20 pm Central	Fireside Chat – Why is IT So Expensive? Grand Galleria Gallery B/C IT leaders are frequently asked why technology costs so much, especially as expectations rise across agencies and legislative evaluation increases. This fireside chat brings together seasoned public sector technology leaders to unpack the real drivers behind IT expenses, from legacy systems and cybersecurity demands to workforce, procurement, and modernization. Attendees will gain clarity on how to set expectations, and advocate for thoughtful long-term investment. Marcia Hultman, Secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation, State of South Dakota Steven Kohler, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Finance and Management, State of South Dakota Mark Wixon, Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota
4:00 pm Central	Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area Lake Oahe Lobby Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.
4:30 pm Central	End of Conference

Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center

920 W Sioux Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 224-6877

Get Directions To
Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Harold Bruce
Chief Technology Officer
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Gregory Dias
Director
Information Systems and Technology
Lawrence County

Jim Edman
Cybersecurity Coordinator
Information Technology
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Jim Gilbert
Director of Information Technology
Information Technology
City of Rapid City

Johnathan Hampe
Chief Information Security Officer
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Wayne Hayden Moreland
Director of Enterprise Platforms and Infrastructure
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Amanda Jost
Director of Technology Operatons and Communications
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Paul Kern
Chief Information Security Officer
Information Technology
South Dakota State University

Tim Kruse
IT Director
Information Technology
Watertown School District

Heather Perry
Deputy Commissioner
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Shawn Plowman
IT Administrator
Commission
Brookings County

Mark Wixon
Chief Information Officer
Bureau of Information and Technology
State of South Dakota

Pat Wolberg
Information Technology Director
Information Technology
County of Brown

Algin Young
Secretary
Department of Tribal Relations
State of South Dakota

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: April 15, 2026

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.

Contact Information

Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:

Amanda Wallace
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1315
E-mail: awallace@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

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South Dakota Digital Government Summit 2026

Overview

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Mark Wixon

Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Anthony Huey

President, CSP

Harold Bruce

Chief Technology Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Aaron Caveny

Governance Risk Management and Compliance Team Lead, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Gregory Dias

Director, Information Systems and Technology, Lawrence County

Jim Gilbert

Director of Information Technology, City of Rapid City

Johnathan Hampe

Chief Information Security Officer, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Marcia Hultman

Secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation, State of South Dakota

Michelle Humann

Director of Member Services, South Dakota Retirement System

Paul Kern

Chief Information Security Officer, South Dakota State University

Steven Kohler

Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Finance and Management, State of South Dakota

Joseph Marton

Director, Systems Engineering, Veeam

Neal Nachtigall

Director of Agency and Application Support, Bureau of Information and Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI COE) Lead, State of South Dakota

Brent Smith

Enterprise Architect, Bureau of Information and Technology, State of South Dakota

Agenda

Wednesday, April 15

8:00 am Central

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Lake Oahe Lobby

9:00 am Central

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

9:15 am Central

Keynote – The Power of TALK in an AI World

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

10:15 am Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Lake Oahe Lobby

10:45 am Central

General Session – The AI Lifecycle: Balancing Adoption and Governance

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

11:25 am Central

General Session – Modernization Priorities: Building a Sustainable Roadmap

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

12:05 pm Central

Lunch

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

1:00 pm Central

Bits and Bytes

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

1:30 pm Central

Short Break

1:40 pm Central

General Session – Cybersecurity and Business Process: A Unified Workflow Approach

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

1:40 pm Central

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Grand Galleria Gallery D/E

2:20 pm Central

General Session – Identity Management: Protecting Privacy and Public Trust

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

3:00 pm Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Lake Oahe Lobby

3:20 pm Central

Fireside Chat – Why is IT So Expensive?

Grand Galleria Gallery B/C

4:00 pm Central

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

Lake Oahe Lobby

4:30 pm Central

End of Conference