Kaitlin Biteler is a tax professional with a focus on data analytics and continuous improvement. With a background in technology, engineering analytics, and audits, she focuses on developing efficient strategies for analyzing and using data. Leveraging her expertise, Kaitlin drives decision-making and optimizes tax-related projects using data analytics, ensuring they can be scaled effectively.

Harold, a seasoned IT professional with a profound passion for customer service, technology, and innovation, embarked on his journey in the field with a BS in Computer Science from Texas State University. With a career spanning over three decades, he has notably contributed to the IT landscape, moving seamlessly from technical roles to strategic leadership positions. Harold began his career in Texas, later moving to North Dakota, where he led significant technology initiatives that transformed IT services in academia.
As IT Director at two large universities departments, Harold was instrumental in implementing cutting-edge technologies. His tenure in state government across three states for 14 years is marked by application integration and enterprise architecture strategies that significantly improved operational efficiencies.
Currently, as the guiding force behind the Development Enterprise Architect Team in Pierre since 2016, Harold and his team are dedicated to empowering BIT and state agencies with innovative solutions in Application Architecture, System Integration, Microsoft Azure Services, and beyond. His leadership aims to position the Bureau at the forefront of the rapidly evolving IT sector.

Mike has over 20 years of strategic planning, portfolio and project management, process
improvement, and change management expertise. His extensive background encompasses
logistics, supply chain management, and operations management. He has led cross-
functional teams and delivered complex projects across diverse industries such as the U.S.
military, biotechnology, and higher education. His career journey showcases his adeptness in spearheading a wide range of initiatives,
underscoring his commitment to driving project success through effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and an emphasis on interpersonal skills to navigate challenges.

Gregory Dias is the Director of Information Systems & Technology for Lawrence County, SD. He has served in the IT realm for over 4 decades, beginning his career in the U.S. Marine Corps as a data systems specialist, eventually retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a Sergeant Major. He served at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon, where his duties required a Top Secret, compartmented information security clearance. He has served in his current capacity with Lawrence County for the past 30+ years, where he has overseen the execution of countless projects and initiatives supporting the organization’s mission of serving the county’s citizens. He holds several advanced certifications in both information technology and cybersecurity, and strives constantly to improve the skills and efficiency of both himself and his team. It is an honor for him to participate as a panelist during the SD Digital Government Summit. 

Jim Edman is the Cybersecurity Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in South Dakota. As Cybersecurity Coordinator, Jim works with critical industry sectors across the state on cyber risk management and improved cybersecurity hygiene.
Prior to joining CISA in 2021, Jim worked with South Dakota state government in the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT) with experience in applications development and networking technologies for state government, K-12 and Higher Education. Jim served as Chief Information Security Officer for the last 13 years. Establishing operational, strategic, and collaborative platforms to successfully safeguard constituent and government data. He also served as the Broadband Manager for the ConnectSD project to bring high speed broadband to every South Dakotan. Other positions include Deputy Chief Information Officer and acting Chief Information Officer.
He enjoys reading, hunting pheasants, playing basketball, golf and doing all sorts of family activities.

Philip A. Egeberg, CISSP, is the Managing Director of IT and OT at Brookings Municipal Utilities (BMU) and Swiftel Communications. He has more than 26 years of experience in information technology and information security, with expertise in regulatory compliance, risk management, incident response, and strategic planning in both public and private sectors. He was also an Adjunct Instructor at Dakota State University, teaching graduate courses on Data privacy and Incident Response. He holds a master's degree in information systems from Dakota State University and two bachelor's degrees in business economics and agricultural business from SDSU. He is also a retired military veteran, having served in the SD Air National Guard, the SD Army National Guard, and the US Marine Corps. 

Kari Fuhrman has worked for BIT Development since 2022. Coming to BIT with 20+ years of Project Management experience in both private and public sector, as well as extensive experience in working directly with vendors, and setting up PMOs - Kari has provided the team with a depth of knowledge that has proved invaluable. Kari was the first Project Manager hired to focus solely to work with the project teams to mentor, train, and improve our project management best practices, standards, and methodology and is now one of a team of PMs putting their expertise to work for the State of SD.

Lauren Gilsrud is the Business Intelligence Specialist at the South Dakota Department of Revenue (DOR) and has been with the agency since 2018. She is a graduate of South Dakota State University, and more recently, a graduate of the 2023 Leadership South Dakota State Government program. Lauren focuses on modernizing technology systems, processes, and data structures to drive efficient leverage of tools and systems. Her most exciting project to date was working on the DOR Property Tax Modernization project as project manager. She is excited for her newest endeavor, project manager for the Motor Vehicle Modernization project.
As a Pierre, South Dakota native, Lauren appreciates the amazing outdoor opportunities the great state has to offer! She enjoys activities such as hunting and fishing on her family’s land with her friends and two Labrador retrievers.

Kent Grode has been an employee of the Judicial Branch of the State of South Dakota for over three decades. His positions with the Unified Judicial System (UJS) have included Programmer Analyst, Network Services Manager, and, for the past 15 years, Director of Information and Technology. He has participated in the State Court migration from multiple mainframe-based legacy case management systems to a modernized solution that provides essential access for Justice Partners and the public while allowing future expansion and enhancements.

Jim Gilbert has had a long and varied career spanning almost 3 decades in the IT industry. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Physics with a minor in Mathematics from Moorhead State University, Jim laid a solid foundation for a career marked by strategic leadership and a commitment to technological innovation. Currently serving as the IT Director for the City of Rapid City, Jim leads a team of extremely talented individuals that support the employees and citizens of Rapid City. He has also spearheaded major updates to the city's IT infrastructure and is currently working on a Master’s Degree in Data Science. Jim's notable achievements extend beyond his current role, including a pivotal position at Microsoft, where he played a key role in building and maintaining Microsoft Learning-related tools and supporting communication security as a civilian with the U.S. Army.

Heather Kari has worked for BIT Development since 2017, she’s been the manager of BIT Project Management Office since its official creation last year. Prior to that, her team was responsible for ensuring BIT Development, whose work spans across the 30+ agencies in the executive branch, had clearly defined processes for creating high-quality applications and the quality control and coaching that went along with it. The new team’s focus expanded to standardizing the project-related governance processes including sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques not just for internally developed applications but also vendor-built applications. Her team is also taking on the actual Project Management on high risk or high visibility projects. Hopefully, sharing some of the experiences her and her team are working through can help ease you through your own project management challenges.

Paul Kern is the Chief Information Security Officer at South Dakota State University. Paul started his professional career in 1995 as a secondary English and Computer Science teacher. While Paul does enjoy literature and Shakespeare, his time as a computer teacher ignited a love for information technology that would change the course of his life. Paul left teaching in 2001 to pursue an IT career, and he spent the next eleven years working in the telecommunications industry doing networking, system administration, and web development. During this time, Paul discovered that information security principles and practices were critical to a business’s survival, and his love for cybersecurity was born. In 2012, Paul accepted a cybersecurity position with the South Dakota Board of Regents and in the twelve years since, he has had the privilege of working in various cybersecurity roles in Higher Education and the Financial Services industry. Paul holds GIAC certifications in network penetration testing (GPEN) and web application penetration testing (GWAPT), and he is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Shamla Naidoo is a technology industry veteran with experience helping businesses across diverse sectors and cultures use technology more effectively. She has successfully embraced and led digital strategy in executive leadership roles such as Global CISO, CIO, VP, and Managing Partner, at companies like IBM, Anthem (Wellpoint), Marriott (Starwood), and Northern Trust. Shamla has helped organizations in over 20 countries recognize the impact of digital transformation globally and advise their stakeholders on predicting and navigating the necessary changes in laws and regulations. In addition, she has worked with intelligence communities to use digital and cyber within their organizations to protect businesses and society from technology misuse. Shamla remains actively engaged in the industry, as an independent board director at public companies and with organizations like the Security Advisor Alliance, the Shared Security Assessments Group, Institute for Applied Network Security (IANS), Executive Women’s Forum (EWF), HMG Strategy Group, and the Round Table Network. In addition, she is an influential member of the legal community, creating and teaching courses on law, technology, and privacy for the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. She frequently speaks at the American Bar Association and formerly served as the Committee Chair on Legal Technology for the Illinois State Bar Association. As a practitioner, teacher and coach, she enjoys the opportunity to help seasoned professionals to take their careers to
the next level.

Senior Solutions Engineer supporting State & Local Governments and Higher Education clients in the Midwest and Upper Northeast.  Served as IT Director for large public school system for 11+ years and has extensive experience in identity management.

Miguel Penaranda serves as the CISO for the State of South Dakota. He started his career in State Government in 2004 as a Technology Specialist for the Department of Education and transitioned to the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT) on 2005, as a Senior Programmer Analyst, and then taking the role of State Webmaster, leading the State’s web presence until 2010. As cyber security became a large concern, Miguel transitioned to a Cyber Security Analyst in BIT, and in 2016, formally started the Security Operations Center (SOC) in BIT. He has witnessed the progress and importance of cyber security in the State and around the country. Working with State and Federal partners, he is focused on his primary mission, to protect the State of South Dakota from all cyber-attacks.

Scottie Ray is a constant learner and Principal Solutions Architect for Cloudflare's Public Sector team.  For nearly 30 years, Scottie has worked with customers across many verticals as they navigated shifting technology paradigms. Today, he is focused on helping organizations drive their digital transformation efforts while developing strategies to increase the pace of innovation, reducing cyber risk, and ultimately, delivering superior outcomes for those initiatives. 

Nick has worked as an analyst in South Dakota State Government for five years. The past two years as the Data Analyst for the South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS). As the first data analyst at SDRS, Nick established data services by developing reporting solutions, automating manual processes, integrating new technology solutions, and implementing data governance best practices. He holds a MS in Program Evaluation and Data Analytics, and a BS in Geography with an undergraduate certificate in Applied Business Data Analytics.

Elijah Rodriguez is the Chief IT Officer for the Legislative Research Council (LRC), a nonpartisan agency of the South Dakota Legislature that provides legal, fiscal, and administrative services for the Legislature's members and staff. In the last 19 years, Elijah has served in various technical and leadership roles for organizations in the ag industry and state government. He holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, and a master's degree in Information Technology/Project Management. Elijah is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Scrum Master Certified (SMC), and ITIL 4 certified.

Pat Snow serves as the CTO for the State of South Dakota, a position he has held since 2015. Before this, he served as Commissioner/CIO for the State from March 2018 to October 2019. Under his leadership, the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT) operates as the central IT authority for South Dakota, delivering a broad range of technology services to executive branch state agencies, K-12 education, and higher education customers.
Beginning his career with the State government in 1996, Pat has been instrumental in making South Dakota a national leader in consolidated Information Technology infrastructure. His vision led to the development of a shared services model renowned for its efficiency and effectiveness, covering areas such as application development, data center, networking technologies, and more recently, cybersecurity, high-speed broadband for State and educational institutions, public/private cloud services, and data analytics.
In addition to his established contributions, Pat has spearheaded significant initiatives in digital citizen service modernization and enterprise digital identity. Recognizing the evolving expectations of citizens and the imperative for secure digital interactions, Pat has directed efforts to overhaul digital services, ensuring they are accessible, intuitive, and user-centric. This modernization drive aims to transform how citizens interact with government services, making them more seamless and integrated into daily life.
Furthermore, Pat has been a leading advocate for enterprise digital identity frameworks. Understanding the critical role of identity verification in the digital age, he has pushed for robust, secure, and flexible digital identity solutions. These initiatives not only enhance the security of digital transactions but also pave the way for more personalized and efficient services, establishing South Dakota as a model for digital identity management.
Pat’s passion for technology and its potential to improve lives extends beyond infrastructure and security. He is deeply committed to the advancement of the state's enterprise technology solutions and the talented staff designing and operating these systems. Through strategic leadership, Pat fosters innovation, champions agile methodologies, and implements common-sense strategies that resonate with both clients and staff.
His tenure has brought BIT national recognition as a frontrunner in technology service consolidation, digital modernization, and identity management efforts in government and education sectors.

Pat Wolberg has been in IT for 34 years. His career began in the USAF as a Communications Computer System Programmer. His first duty station was at Brooks AFB in San Antonio, where He worked on the Civilian payroll system and also programmed the Armstrong Laboratory Management Information System. ALMIS was the first messaging system for the USAF. It was used to communicate over secured network between bases, much like email. He then moved to Colorado Springs where he did programming on the GPS Control Segment and ground equipment and supported both Lockheed Martin and Boeing. He performed System and Satellite Engineering from launch through end of life for satellites. Since then, he has had several roles in IT Management and System Engineering. His current role is the IT Director for Brown County SD, where he oversees several critical county services to include, 911, Jail, State Attorney, Sheriff, and many others.