Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Denise Reilly-Hughes, Secretary and State Chief Information Officer, State of Vermont

Kellie Campbell, Chief Information Officer, University of Vermont

Keynote - Transform Adversity into Advantage: How to Conquer Life's Hurdles

The world has become more difficult, and the challenges are bigger than ever. Adopting a “new normal mindset” is necessary to empower your team to navigate the challenges and opportunities through a contextual model to overcome adversity. How will you manage uncertainty? Is your team ready to embrace change? This session will provide a powerful and interactive message of resilience and perseverance that will inspire you to see change as an opportunity for growth.

John Register, Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Persian Gulf War veteran, TEDx Motivational Speaker

Sponsored by: Tusker

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: xFact, LLC

Concurrent Sessions

AI in Action: Practical Strategies for Public Sector Impact

AI is quickly becoming an operational imperative for public sector IT. But where should you start, and how do you move from pilots to production? This session will equip you with practical, actionable steps to identify high-impact use cases, prioritize investments, strengthen data foundations, and integrate AI responsibly. We’ll hear real-world examples of successful AI adoption in action.

Moderator: Josiah Raiche, Chief AI Officer, State of Vermont

Aviral Chawla, PhD Candidate and Teaching Assistant, Computer Science Department, University of Vermont

Tessa Lucey, Safety and Compliance Officer/Chief Privacy Officer, University of Vermont

Cyber Resilience in Action: Managing Risk in a Modern Threat Landscape

Cyber threats targeting government entities continue to grow in frequency and sophistication. How can public sector IT leaders strengthen cybersecurity, manage risk, and leverage AI without introducing new vulnerabilities? This session will equip you with practical strategies to enhance incident response, strengthen data governance, and responsibly integrate AI into your security approach. Join your peers to take actionable steps toward building a more resilient, adaptive cybersecurity posture.

Moderator: Rebecca M. White, J.D., Director of Operations, Office of Risk Management

John Toney, Chief Information Security Officer, Agency of Digital Services, State of Vermont

Modernization Strategies at Scale: Aligning Strategy, Spend, and Services

Modernizing service portfolios requires aligning strategy, budgets, and performance to deliver secure, efficient, and citizen-centric outcomes. How can government agencies scale modernization while controlling costs, reducing risk, and managing resources effectively? This session equips leaders with practical approaches to portfolio management, cloud adoption, application rationalization, and cross-functional collaboration to drive sustainable, measurable transformation.

Moderator: Scot Barker, Chief Innovation Officer, Department of Finance & Administration, City of Burlington

Tricia Coates, Director, Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships and Office of Engagement, University of Vermont

Stacy Gibson-Grandfield, Chief Program Officer, Agency of Digital Services, State of Vermont

Lunch

Bits and Bytes – The Power of Data

In these lightning talks, we’ll hear from two public sector IT professionals on the power of data to inform, inspire and deliver meaningful impact.

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Concurrent Sessions

Human Centered AI: What’s Happening Now?

What is the State of Vermont doing right now, which tools are being deployed, what human centered outcomes are expected, and what comes next? We’ll dive into the newly announced AI Task force and the plan for the coming year. This session will map out a clear view of Vermont’s current AI initiatives, highlight real human-centered outcomes, and provide actionable insights you can use to guide your own AI roadmap.

Moderator: Miles Latham, Agency of Digital Services, State of Vermont

Workforce and Partnerships: IT Skillsets for the Future

The success of public sector IT hinges on the skills and partnerships we build today. How can agencies evolve their workforce, strengthen cross-agency collaboration, and create operational partnerships that truly support long-term digital transformation? This session will equip you with actionable strategies to develop future-ready IT skillsets, build effective partnerships, and implement sustainable collaboration models that drive lasting workforce and organizational impact.

Michael Mott, Technology Director, Colchester School District

Tracey Harrington, Director of Core Services, Agency of Digital Services, State of Vermont

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Hosted by:

Denise Reilly-Hughes, Chief Information Officer, State of Vermont

Kellie Campbell, Chief Information Officer, University of Vermont

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: xFact, LLC

General Session

This engaging, interactive, talk show style session features four public sector IT leaders sharing real world insights and experience.

Denise Reilly-Hughes, Chief Information Officer, State of Vermont

Kellie Campbell, Chief Information Officer, University of Vermont

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

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

End of Conference

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