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Overview

The IT Leadership Forum brings together current and emerging technology leaders with the industry partners that support them. This invitation-only event provides a space for leaders to collaborate while addressing the most important policy, management and leadership issues surrounding the future of digital government. Contact us if you’d like to join the conversation!

A message from our Keynote Speaker

The Texas IT Leadership Forum is a fantastic opportunity to come together and learn. I encourage Texas' government technology professionals to attend, connect with their fellow leaders, and collaborate to improve how we serve the Lone Star State.

- Amanda Crawford, Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer

Speakers

Amanda A. Crawford

Amanda A. Crawford

Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Resources (DIR), State of Texas

Amanda Crawford is the Executive Director of DIR and serves as the Chief Information Officer for the State of Texas. In this role, she is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and daily operations of DIR, an agency with an annual fiscal profile of more than $4 billion per year. DIR's responsibilities include protecting the state's data and critical technology infrastructure, managing a multi-billion-dollar cooperative contracts program, and providing strategic technology leadership, solutions, and innovation to all levels of Texas government. Under Mandy’s leadership, DIR led the state’s successful response to the 2019 ransomware attack that affected over 20 local government entities in Texas and secured the transition to the next-generation suite of managed IT services offered through DIR’s Shared Technology Services program.
Prior to leading the team at DIR, Mandy served at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG) for more than 17 years. She held various positions at the OAG, including ultimately serving for two and a half years as the Deputy Attorney General for Administration and General Counsel. Mandy also served as a faculty member for the National Attorneys General Training Research Institute’s Center for Leadership Development, teaching managerial leadership across the country.
Mandy earned her B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin and her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. She is a graduate of the Governor’s Center for Executive Development through the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. 

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Scott Klososky

Scott Klososky

Technologist, Futurist, Humanist, Author and Consultant

As a founding partner of digital strategy firm, Future Point of View (FPOV), Scott lives on the leading edge of technology and innovative thinking. Scott speaks to large audiences worldwide about the intersection of humanity and the Digital Transformation. Through FPOV, Scott provides advisory work for clients including Fortune100, SMB’s and government entities. This work has driven him to develop unique concepts such as the HUMALOGY® Scale for measuring the amount of human or machine involved in a system or process, and the Rivers of Information® process for building learning eco-systems. He also pioneered a framework for looking accurately into the future of an industry sector in order to set organizational strategy: The High Beam process.
Scott co-founded Alkami Technology (ALKT), the developer of a second-generation online banking platform with innovative features non-existent in current systems. The company went public in 2021 at a $3billion valuation and is today headquartered in Dallas with over 350 employees.
Scott is recognized globally for his unique ability to accurately predict future digital trends and explain the logic behind why these will alter the current status quo of the economy and society. While business application of his insights is extremely valuable to leaders and companies, he is also motivated help improve the impact post Covid environments are having on people and their daily lives. Technology has been increasingly driving change and stress and recent events are amplifying this problem. He has a unique perspective on how to manage the personal toll technology is causing people, teams and organizations.
Even as a young child, Scott was destined to see the world through a Humalogy® lens. His father was a programmer for Boeing and his mother was a counselor who mixed many philosophies into her practice of helping people in life. To this day, he is a hybrid of a technologist and humanist who strives to find a hopeful future in blending the two.
Scott has the ability to entertain, inspire, and enlighten audiences, while helping them gain new perspectives about how technology is impacting us. Scott never does a canned presentation with the exact content across events. He sets himself apart from other speakers by architecting his content with the latest examples, current events and trends relevant for the keynote he is delivering.
He is equally adept at giving large stage keynotes, speaking to small boards of directors, facilitating half and full day workshops, and doing break-out sessions. As an added bonus of his presentations, attendees come away learning how to be a better facilitator, speaker or presenter by seeing Scott use different applications and technologies to engage audiences either in a virtual, hybrid or in person setting. The best measure of his ability to inspire and inform audiences is the high percentage of speaking clients who bring him back for follow up work with their audiences.
He produces a podcast titled “The Digital Optimist” in which he delivers ideas about the transformation of humanity through the impact of technology with a positive and hopeful lens. He also writes a blog titled Digital Awakening – both can be found at his website at www.klososky.com.

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Stacey Caster

Stacey Caster

CEO and Founder, North Executive Advisor

Throughout her impressive and diverse career, Stacey Caster has earned a reputation for being a forward-thinking leader, business consultant, executive coach, and workshop facilitator. Possessing an innate understanding of people, businesses, and systems that she has continued to develop throughout her 25+ year career, Stacey has been recognized for her innovative approach to organizational structure, management, and leadership development. At the core of her work, she was responsible for increasing the value and performance of senior leaders, c-level executives, organizations, and teams and for delivering the necessary support to help businesses run smoothly. Stacey is an accomplished and well-respected speaker, consultant, and engaging business coach. She’s also an accomplished business leader specializing in technology and business operations. Stacey is constantly driven to transform obstacles into opportunities and challenges into possibilities for her clients.
Stacey was chosen by LA Weekly as one of the “Top 10 Leadership Coaches to Watch in 2024” and a 2023 RISE Mentor of the Year. In addition, she is an ICF Certified Executive Coach, a Certified Master Facilitator, and a Genos Emotional Intelligence Certified Practitioner.

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Tracy-Ann Palmer

Tracy-Ann Palmer

CEO and Founder, Corporate Athlete Academy

Tracy-Ann is a seasoned, well-rounded, executive leader with 25+ years of global transformation experience and deep expertise across all areas of the business. She is a catalyst for change and a savvy, courageous leader who is unafraid to tackle difficult challenges. Optimistic in the face of uncertainty, Tracy-Ann is able to skillfully navigate through ambiguity and stay ahead of the market. She is a stellar relationship builder and inspirational leader who creates diverse, resilient teams that consistently exceed growth targets. Tracy-Ann develops bold leaders through passionate, empathetic mentorship. With a pioneer mindset, she develops winning cultures and empowers people to deliver value beyond their own expectations. Tracy-Ann is a celebrated motivational speaker, executive coach known for accelerating growth in the face of adversity, exceptional entrepreneurial success, and visionary leader.
Tracy-Ann is a 2023 Stevie Award Winner – Women Executive of the Year, a CRN Executive Mentor of the Year, a CRN Inclusive Leader Award recipient, a Channel Futures Top 20 Cloud Channel Leader, a CRN Female Executive of the Year and Role Model of the Year finalist, and a CRN Power 100 recipient three years in a row for The Most Powerful Women of the Channel. Tracy-Ann is also the Founder of the “We Build Character” non-profit executive leadership mentoring program.

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Amina Al Sherif

Amina Al Sherif

Generative AI & ML Practice Lead, Google Cloud

Amina Al Sherif is a technical engineering lead in machine learning and generative AI at Google. She immigrated to the United States in 2010 as a first generation Arab-American. She has spent twelve years in the Department of Defense serving as an Army officer in the Reserves and North Carolina National Guard as a tactical cyber operator and cyber targeter.
Amina has previously worked as an early stage startup executive focused on artificial intelligence innovation and product. Prior to her startup experience, Amina worked at Google as a Cloud Engineer bringing the innovation and power of Google’s capabilities to the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. She focused on big data and machine learning, gaming and simulation, and data privacy and security in cloud computing and analytics.
Amina has worked with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as an Arabic, Farsi, and French language enabled Open Source Exploitation Analyst at Fort Belvoir, VA and Fort Bragg. She deployed under Operation Inherent Resolve to Baghdad, Iraq in 2015/2016. In 2016-2017 she deployed to Afghanistan supporting the Special Operations Community. Most recently Amina deployed to Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Israel for a Special Missions Unit out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina supporting cyber-HUMINT operations.
Amina holds a BA in Linguistics and Arabic from the University of Mississippi and a Masters in Professional Studies in Cybersecurity and Information Sciences from Penn State University. She is currently attending the University of Texas in San Antonio to pursue a career in astrophysics at the PhD level. She regularly blogs on Medium documenting her self-taught technical career. In January 2020, she published her first book An Approach to Machine Learning in Cyber Defense for the Department of Defense. She is also working on a three-part young adult fiction novel series and is currently contracted with Black Rose Writing for publication. She also blogs regularly on her website, https://www.aminaalsherif.camp

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Jessica Ballew

Jessica Ballew

Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Safety, State of Texas

Jessica Ballew is the Chief Information Officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety, leading the agency's technology strategy and operations with a focus on innovation and interoperability. Throughout her career at the agency, Jessica has managed multiple programs, including the Infrastructure Operations Division, Driver License Improvement Program, Crime Lab Technology Program, Crime Records Technology Program, Enterprise Project Management Office, Procurement & Contract Services, and the Innovation and Data Office.
Jessica serves on the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) Communications & Technology Committee, Real Time Crime Center and Artificial Intelligence Sub-Committees, and the Artificial Intelligence Workgroup. She has also served multiple terms on the State of Texas Contract Advisory Team, State Agency Coordinating Committee Procurement Sub-Committee, State Agency Coordinating Committee Records and Information Management Sub-Committee, Governor’s Commission for Women State Agency Council, and co-chaired the Texas Association of State Systems for Computing and Communication Special Interest Group in Project Management.
Ballew holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Arizona State University and a Master of Science in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas. She is a Certified Texas Contract Manager and Certified Texas Contract Developer, a graduate of the Governor’s Executive Development Program, and a Texas Fiscal Officers’ Academy graduate.

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Chris Bunton

Chris Bunton

Chief Information Officer, Department of Agriculture, State of Texas

Chris Bunton is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience and a passion for sharing knowledge.
Chris is a state IT Leader who has been sharing his real-life industry experience with IT professionals for over 20 years. He brings real-life industry and private sector experience, with an in-depth ability to apply technical concepts to reality. During the last 15 years, he has held Infrastructure Director and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) positions for the state. He currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for the Texas Department of Agriculture. He has also served on several advisory panels, including the Technical Advisory Panel for TxDOT, Security Advancement Forum for the Enterprise (SAFE) for DADS, and the Interview Panel for ACC's Provost. Additionally, he has been a part of the IT Leadership Committee, served on the Cybersecurity Counsel, and is a member of the Digital Government Advisor Board. Chris holds a bachelor’s in Computers Science degree and an Associates in Business Administration.
Chris enjoys sharing technical expertise to help people utilize technology for advancement. He has a passion for customer service and helps Texans!

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Brian Cohen

Brian Cohen

Vice President, Center for Digital Government

Brian Cohen is the Vice President of the Center for Digital Government and Center Digital Education, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government and education. Prior to joining the Center, Brian was Vice Chancellor and University CIO for the City University of New York (CUNY).
As the Vice-Chancellor and University CIO at CUNY, Brian directed the Office of Computing and Information Services (CIS), developed, and managed the enterprise IT vision, strategy and day-to-day technology operations of the University. His areas of focus included academic and business systems, cloud strategies, IT policies and procedures, Cybersecurity, project management, IT resiliency and disaster recovery, and network and telecommunications.
Brain also served in leadership roles with the City of New York. Among his many accomplishments, Brian developed the City of New York’s E-Government strategy, implemented the City’s award-winning nyc.gov website, and managed the City’s effort to address the Y2K technology challenge.

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Frank Feagans

Frank Feagans

Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer, University of Texas at Dallas

Frank Feagans is the Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer for the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to joining UT Dallas in 2015, Frank was the Executive Director of Central IT Services for the University of Arizona. Before his transition into Higher Education, Frank’s career was in private industry, where he held various senior IT leadership positions. His experience includes 15 years within the McDonald’s system, 8 years in IT consulting, and 2 years with US Cellular.
Frank has extensive experience leading all facets of IT, including research computing, application development, enterprise and solutions architecture, project management, infrastructure, operations, and client services. With a keen ability to mitigate systemic risks in complex systems, Frank champions IT as a transformational partner to the business. He emphasizes the importance of strong collaborative relationships with colleagues and service providers and fosters an IT culture rooted in caring and teamwork.
A native of Illinois, Frank holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Dustin Haisler

Dustin Haisler

President, e.Republic

Dustin Haisler is the President of e.Republic - the nation's leading state and local government data, media, and events company - and the parent company of Government Technology, Governing, and the Center for Digital Government. He is also active in the academic and research community, serving as co-lead of the Center for Public Sector AI, an Eisenhower Fellow (2019 Zhi-Xing Program), board member of the Good Governance Worldwide Academic Journal, and Program Faculty for the Certified Public Management Program (CPM) at Texas State University.
As the former Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Assistant City Manager for the City of Manor, Texas, Dustin quickly built a reputation as an early innovator in civic tech. He pioneered government use of commercial technologies not previously used in the public sector, including open innovation, Quick-Response (QR) barcodes, crowdsourcing, and gamification. Recognized as one of the nation’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers for government technology, he was also named a Business Transformation 150 Leader by Constellation Research. His work has been featured in Wired, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, the Today Show on NBC, The Economist, CNN, Fortune, and Citizenville by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Most recently, Dustin has led initiatives to help public sector agencies safely adopt and integrate artificial intelligence technologies through public speaking, research, training, expert testimonies, and the development of AI tools.
Dustin graduated Magna Cum Laude from LeTourneau University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and has conducted research with universities around the globe on incubating next-generation technologies in government, including the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University and the University of Trento, Italy. He is a frequent speaker and expert advisor who collaborates with Fortune 500 companies, investors, government agencies, academia, startups, and non-profits worldwide on the global govtech market, public sector technology trends, and artificial intelligence development.

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Sylvia Kauffman

Sylvia Kauffman

Chief Information Officer, Health and Human Services Commission, State of Texas

Sylvia Hernandez Kauffman is Chief Information Officer for Texas Health and Human Services (HHS).
Kauffman has more than three decades of experience in executive and senior leadership roles in information technology and state government.
A native Texan, Kauffman started her career as a database administrator and systems analyst with Exxon Company USA in Houston. Prior to joining HHS, she served in the State of Massachusetts’ IT division where she led the procurement, design, development, and implementation of the award-winning Massachusetts state government portal, www.Mass.Gov.
Kauffman has served in various leadership roles at HHS, including Inspector General in the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Deputy Inspector General for Data and Technology in OIG. She also led the HHS Office of e-Health Coordination where she oversaw funding and policy development for the Health Information Exchange Network in Texas.
Kauffman earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stanford University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University.

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Kerrica Laake

Kerrica Laake

Chief Information Officer, City of Austin

Kerrica has over 30 years of local government experience and for over twenty years she has successfully engaged leadership teams, stakeholders, customers, staff, and vendors to create innovative, customer driven, community focused technology solutions for the Austin community. 
As the Chief Information Officer for the City of Austin, she focuses on digital transformation efforts that will help the city modernize its technology portfolio and improve the digital experience for employees, the community and business operations. Additionally, her teams provide the core IT services that the City depends on daily.
Kerrica is a University of Texas alumna and she’s active in the Austin technology community serving as an advisor to the SIM (Society for Information Management) Austin Board of Directors and sits on the ACC Continuing Education IT Advisory Board. She was awarded the Statescoop Local IT Leader of the Year Award in 2023.

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Jamie McClanahan

Jamie McClanahan

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Division Director, Department of Parks and Wildlife, State of Texas

Jamie started her career with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) as an Accountant and over the next 10 years, advanced to management positions in the financial branch. During that time, she earned her M.B.A in Management Information Systems and accepted a position as a Systems Analyst and continued to advance within the Information Technology branch. She served in senior roles within Information Technology (IT), leading opportunities to partner with the resource branches to increase business and service delivery to internal and external customers.  Additional responsibilities included the oversight and planning of agency technology-based services and systems, providing counsel and advice on business and strategic initiatives related to technology activities. In addition, she oversaw the Agency Technology Governance Committee, which entails managing the agency technology portfolio, strategic planning, and agency compliance with IT policies and guidelines. She also led or was part of complex vendor and custom development projects and provided oversight on vendor contract management. In November 2021, she was named the new Chief Information Officer/IT Director for TPWD.  Jamie proudly reached her twenty-two year milestone at TPWD in June, after getting the opportunity to work within and among many different branches and programs throughout the agency.
She lives by the agency mission, even away from TPWD, you can find her outside, with family hunting, hiking, camping and fishing on days she is not at work.  She is driven to find ways to contribute to TPWD, keeping these amazing resources for her boys and generations to come.

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Steve Pier

Steve Pier

Deputy Executive Director, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

Steve Pier began working in politics and government in 1994. Working in Texas until 2007, he turned to the international arena through 2014 and returned to Texas government service in 2015.
In late 2019, Steve came to the Department of Information Resources (DIR) as chief of staff and recently moved into the role of deputy executive director. At DIR, his areas of responsibility include oversight of external relations, outreach, compliance, and risk management. Additionally, he works closely with the executive director on issues such as strategic solutions, finance, and human resources.
Before joining DIR, he served as the director of governmental relations at the Office of Attorney General starting in January 2015. In August 2015, that role expanded to include strategic initiatives allowing Steve to assist the attorney general in large-scale efforts such IT modernization and the agency’s zero-based budgeting initiative.
Steve spent five years as the country director for IRI’s Arabian Gulf and Pakistan programs where he worked to build civil society organizations, develop political parties, and conduct public opinion research. Following that, Steve launched OxOr Development. OxOr provided consultative services to foreign political parties, candidates, and NGOs, as well as other political entities in developing democracies across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Steve assisted heavily with campaign and political party trainings throughout the Middle East/North Africa region and the Far East and observed elections for the International Republican Institute. He conducted trainings and/or consultations in approximately twenty countries and for activists for another half dozen. In December 2007, he was chosen as a delegate for IRI’s election observation in Pakistan. In December 2008, he served on IRI’s election observation in Bangladesh and in August 2009, he provided logistical assistance for IRI’s Afghanistan election observation.
Steve’s stateside campaign experience ranges from local county races to a successful US Senate campaign. His legislative experience includes time as a legislative aide, chief of staff for a committee chairwoman, and as the director of government relations for the Texas Workforce Commission with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C.

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Tracy Prater

Tracy Prater LinkedIn

Manager, Business Process Outsourcing, Access Sciences Corporation

Tracy Prater joined Access Sciences in 2005, bringing a varied portfolio of Information Systems experience spanning almost 25 years. He has a proven track record of leading and facilitating Document Management System (EDMS) migrations, rollouts, divestitures, change management communications, and training programs.
Tracy is a trailblazer for organizational change management programs which deliver esprit de corps to the project and for the impacted audience, profoundly demonstrate "What's In It for Me" (WIIFM).
He is a lifelong dog dad, classic rock curator, and audio-visual volunteer for non-profit organizations and schools in his community.

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Savita Raghunathan

Savita Raghunathan LinkedIn

Principal, Deloitte

Savita Raghunathan is a Principal with Deloitte Consulting with over 16 years of experience in large-scale low-code and custom application development, enterprise application integration, program management and client advisory services for various government clients. Her areas of expertise include management of large-scale IT implementations using Agile concepts covering the software development lifecycle.

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Chris Shuster

Chris Shuster LinkedIn

Principal, Human Capital, SLED, KPMG

Ben Straub

Ben Straub LinkedIn

Head of Public Sector, Atlassian

Ben Straub is the Head of Public Sector for Atlassian. He leverages over 25 years of experience in enterprise software to lead the go to market efforts for government, federal systems integrators, defense contractors and education. Prior to joining Atlassian Ben held various go to market leadership roles at organizations such as Pendo, ServiceNow and Cornerstone both in the public and private sector. His unique perspective of seeing the many differences in the markets helps him become a trusted advisor to public sector organizations looking to drive significant digital transformation.

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Dave Tucker

Dave Tucker

Director of Strategic Digital Services, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

Dave is the Director of Strategic Digital Services in the Chief Technology Office of the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR.) Dave leads the team that assists agencies and IHEs in adopting digital technology, transforming manual processes with digital processes, and replacing legacy technology with modern technology. Dave has managed or supported state government programs for 25 years as a project manager, vendor manager, business analyst and grant manager. He’s also President of the Southern Region of the National Association of State Technology Directors.
Dave holds bachelor’s degree from Bard College, and is a certified Project Manager, Scrum Master, Contract Manager, Facilitator, and ITIL Practitioner. When not working or parenting two daughters, Dave rehabilitates vintage mechanical watches (at times successfully,) and is usually recovering from electric skateboard injuries.

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Bala Vaithyalingam

Bala Vaithyalingam LinkedIn

Worldwide Leader for Data & AI Solutions, IBM

Bala is a recognized Thought Leader on Data and AI from IBM. He leads Worldwide Solution engineering from IBM Technology Expert Labs to design and deliver solutions around Data Governance, Data Integration, Data Observability, GenAI and AI Governance.
Bala has a proven track record of designing and implementing Data and AI solutions for many State agencies, federal and private organizations in North America and around the world. He has extensive expertise in working with Chief Information Officers (CIOs) Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and CXOs to develop information governance strategy, Data Strategy, and agile implementation roadmaps to successfully adopt the governance journey to meet their regulatory compliance needs as well as to generate business value from the data management landscape. Bala received many awards in IBM including patent application invention achievement award for governed database connectivity through and around data catalog to registered data sources.
Bala lives in Frisco, Texas, and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Purdue University and awarded three University gold medals for his outstanding achievements in bachelor degree (B.Tech) from Anna University, India.

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Sally Ward

Sally Ward

Deputy Chief Operations Officer for Shared Technology Services (STS), Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

Sally Ward serves as Deputy Chief Operations Officer for Shared Technology Services (STS) at the Texas Department of Information Resources. Sally’s experience in vendor management, information technology, and technology sourcing includes both public and private industry. Sally implemented a Vendor Management Office at DIR overseeing a “best in breed” vendor outsourcing model for the state’s STS program, which includes managed public and private cloud, security, application development, and digital government services. As an applications development Systems Engineer, Sally spent 20 years with EDS in leadership roles managing Medicaid and Medicare outsourced systems, including Chief Information Officer and Chief Operations Officer roles. Sally also served as a Senior Research Analyst with the Comptroller of Public Accounts specializing in IT contracting and public health care issues. Sally is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with degrees in Mathematics and Business.

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Jerry White

Director of Human Resources, Texas Workforce Commission

Jerry White is the director of Human Resources at the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). He was hired there in 2014 to oversee the agency’s hiring processes and was promoted to HR director the next year. Before TWC, White was executive manager over the communications and human resources functions at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in Austin. White also worked for 25 years as a journalist in Austin, first as a as a reporter and editor at the Austin American-Statesman and then as a news manager at KVUE-TV and KVUE.com. He holds degrees in English writing from St. Edward’s University and mass communications from Texas State University. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute and as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) by the Society of Human Resource Management. He also has specialty certifications in people analytics and HR ethics.

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Agenda

Thursday, November 21

8:00 am Central

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

JW Grand Ballroom Foyer and Salon 5

9:00 am Central

Opening Remarks

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

Amanda Crawford, Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

9:15 am Central

Keynote – The Age of Digital Disruption: Moving Forward, Faster

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

Technology advancements continue to disrupt at a swifter pace than ever before. 2023 witnessed the impact of AI in all sectors, and this year the public sector is required to adapt and adopt at a speed unheard of in the past. For the rest of our careers, intelligence will be built into all devices, applications, and processes. This changes how we must think about the use of data and the integration of humans and machines. What are the crucial strategies for adapting to and maximizing the benefits of these advancements? This session will have you ready to move forward at high speed as it paints a vibrant picture showing how synthetic intelligence can amplify current systems and our workforce.

Scott Klososky, Technologist, Futurist, Humanist, Author and Consultant

10:15 am Central

Bits and Bytes – Strategies for Success

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, leading transformative IT initiatives successfully is crucial for driving innovation and maintaining a competitive edge. How do we engage efficiently with the correct stakeholders? Are there challenges or potential pitfalls that we should be aware of? Join our expert panel of IT leaders who have done it – and gain valuable insights into getting tech projects across the finish line.

Moderator: Dustin Haisler, President, e.Republic

Chris Bunton, Chief Information Officer, Department of Agriculture, State of Texas

Jamie McClanahan, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Division Director, Department of Parks and Wildlife, State of Texas

Cory Wilburn, Chief Information Officer, The University of Texas Austin

10:45 am Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 5

11:15 am Central

Concurrent Sessions

AI and Automation in Practice: Turning Vision into Action

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 2

As AI and automation become integral to the future of government, leaders must navigate the complexities of transforming cutting-edge technology into practical, implemented solutions. How can IT leaders overcome the barriers to adoption and help guide projects through critical milestones? What strategic decisions, visionary thinking and collaborative approaches are necessary to drive successful outcomes? This session dives into what we as leaders need to be thinking of now and into the future as we look to elevate our services through automation.

Moderator: Casey Kennedy, Director of Information Services, Office of Court Administration, State of Texas

Amina Al Sherif, SLED Practice Lead, AI & ML, Google Cloud

Dave Tucker, Director of Strategic Digital Services, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

George Stolard, Chief Information Officer, Innovation & Technology Division, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, State of Texas

Let’s Get to Work! Addressing Challenges and Solutions for Texas’ Future Workforce

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 3

As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, agencies are facing unique hiring challenges and seeking innovative solutions to build and retain a skilled IT workforce. From competition with the private sector to the complexities of government hiring processes, we'll first uncover the root causes behind these challenges. But what’s next? How can organizations overcome those obstacles to create an effective team? Are there unique internship or hiring opportunities that we can replicate? Our expert panel will look to answer those questions and will explore how they are tackling one of the biggest challenges we face as leaders today.

Moderator: Jerry White, Director of Human Resources, Texas Workforce Commission

Jessica Ballew, Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Safety, State of Texas

Chris Shuster, Principal, Human Capital, SLED, KPMG

Ben Straub, Head of Public Sector, Atlassian

Navigating Change: Aligning Internal and External Strategies for Effective IT Leadership

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 4

Public sector IT leaders must successfully navigate the complex landscape of change management, balancing internal dynamics with external pressures. How can we overcome resistance, communicate effectively across departments, and ensure smooth transitions? Can we foster a culture of adaptability? This session explores how you can drive change that not only meets internal objectives but also resonates with the broader demands of the organization’s ecosystem.

Moderator: Brian Cohen, Vice President, Center for Digital Government

Joseph Janecka, CEO, PARSOLVO

Tracy Prater, Manager, Business Process Outsourcing, Access Sciences Corporation

Sally Ward, Deputy Chief Operations Officer for Shared Technology Services (STS), Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

12:15 pm Central

Lunch

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

1:15 pm Central

IT Leadership Awards

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

Applaud the winners of the IT Leadership Awards. This award program honors outstanding public sector IT leaders.

1:30 pm Central

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

1:45 pm Central

Concurrent Sessions

Leadership in the Era of Emerging Technologies

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 2

True leadership in the fast-paced realm of IT leadership extends beyond mere awareness – it requires the ability to guide your teams adeptly through transformative periods. Are you equipped with the necessary skill sets to lead effectively amidst emerging technological challenges? This session offers unique perspectives on how to lead in this rapidly evolving technological landscape, balance risk with strategic decision making, and drive transformative change within your organization ensuring its readiness for tomorrow.

Moderator: Brian Cohen, Vice President, Center for Digital Government

Frank Feagans, Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer, University of Texas at Dallas

Kerrica Laake, Chief Information Officer, Communications and Technology Management, City of Austin

Savita Raghunathan, Principal, Deloitte

Bala Vaithyalingam, Worldwide Leader for Data & AI Solutions, IBM

Mastering the Dual Roles: When to Lead, When to Manage

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 3

As IT leaders, understanding when to lead with vision and inspiration, and when to manage with structure and efficiency is paramount for driving organizational success. What are some nuanced distinctions between leadership and management? Can you effectively unravel the key roles and responsibilities associated with each? Join this session where we’ll dissect the roles of leadership and management, examining how they synergize to drive efficiency.

Moderator: Dustin Haisler, President, e.Republic

Sylvia Kauffman, Chief Information Officer, Health and Human Services Commission, State of Texas

Steve Pier, Deputy Executive Director, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

2:45 pm Central

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 5

3:15 pm Central

Featured Speakers – Navigating Leadership with CLARITY

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 6/7/8

It’s no secret that work in the public sector is rewarding. It’s also no secret that conditions to get this rewarding work done can be difficult with teams feeling like there’s never enough money, people, or time. How do current and future leaders cultivate skill sets that allow them to withstand and recover from the daily challenges presented? In this engaging workshop, you’ll enhance your leadership toolkit with the CLARITY framework. You’ll leave with an action plan to implement for immediate results all while enhancing your capacity for resilience!

Stacey Caster, CEO and Founder, North Executive Advisor

Tracy-Ann Palmer, CEO and Founder, Corporate Athlete Academy

4:15 pm Central

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

JW Grand Ballroom Salon 5

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

4:45 pm Central

End of Conference

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

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JW Marriott Austin

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Tanya Acevedo
Chief Information Officer & Senior Vice President
Capital Metro

Fuat Aki
Director of Development
Texas Education Agency
State of Texas

Patricia Avitia
Chief Information Officer
Water Development Board
State of Texas

Jessica Ballew
Chief Information Officer
Department of Public Safety
State of Texas

Wendy Barron
Chief Information Officer
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
State of Texas

Chris Bunton
Chief Information Officer
Department of Agriculture
State of Texas

Amanda Crawford
Executive Director & State Chief Information Officer
Texas Department of Information Resources
State of Texas

Carl Drescher
VP of Technology Operations
Lower Colorado River Authority
State of Texas

Daniel Drumm
Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Banking
State of Texas

Mark Gager
Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Services
Bexar County

Tony Gonzalez
Director of Information Technology
Information Technology
City of New Braunfels

Heather Hall
Chief Information Officer
Texas Workforce Commission
State of Texas

Ann Hallam
Chief Information Officer
Texas State Board of Public Accountancy
State of Texas

Keith Halman
Associate Vice Chancellor and System Chief Information Officer
Information Technology
Texas Tech University System

Bruce Hermes
IT Director
Austin Transit Partnership

John Hoffman
Deputy State Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Resources
State of Texas

Sylvia Kauffman
Deputy Executive Commissioner, Information Technology & Chief Information Officer
Health and Human Services Commission
State of Texas

Casey Kennedy
Director, Information Services Division
Office of Court Administration
State of Texas

Kerrica Laake
Chief Information Officer
Communications and Technology Management
City of Austin

Enrique Martinez
Chief Technology Officer
Information Technology
City of Arlington

Jamie McClanahan
Director of IT
Department of Parks and Wildlife
State of Texas

Drew McGrath
Chief Information Officer
Department of Family and Protective Services
State of Texas

Anh Selissen
Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
State of Texas

George Stolard
Chief Information Officer
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
State of Texas

Ralph Warren
Director of Information Technology Services
Information Technology Services
Travis County

Cory Wilburn
Chief Information Officer
Texas McCombs School of Business

Industry Representatives

Kindra Allen
Client Relationship Executive
Deloitte

Mark Dennis
Technology Sales Leader
IBM

Joseph Janecka
CEO
Parsolvo

Jack O'Connell
Senior Account Executive
Google Public Sector

Ashley Schilling
Director, Technology Capabilities
Access Sciences

Registration Information / Contact Us

Contact Information

2025 Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

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

Venue

JW Marriott Austin

110 E 2nd Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-4777