California Public Sector CIO Academy 2026
Overview
Now in its 21st year, the California Public Sector CIO Academy returns in 2026 as the premier event for developing both today’s senior technology leaders and the next generation rising in their ranks. Rooted in human-centered leadership, the Academy provides a unique environment where current and emerging leaders can sharpen the skills, insights, and resilience needed to guide organizational transformation. Against the backdrop of California’s ambitious digital initiatives, the Academy blends learning, mentorship, and collaboration, empowering leaders at every stage of their journey to shape a government that advances with purpose and innovation.
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, investing in leadership development isn't optional—it's essential. Attending the California Public Sector CIO Academy is an opportunity to engage with forward-thinking leaders, develop your leadership skills, and strengthen the collaboration essential for driving our state's digital transformation.
– Liana Bailey-Crimmins, CA State CIO & Department of Technology Director
Agenda
Tuesday, April 14 |
|
8:00 am Pacific |
Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area |
9:00 am Pacific |
Welcome and Opening RemarksLiana Bailey-Crimmins, State Chief Information Officer and Director, Department of Technology, State of California |
9:15 am Pacific |
Keynote – EMBRACE THE SHAKE: Transforming Limitations into OpportunitiesSuccess, especially in today’s fast-changing business environment, depends on our ability to make creativity and innovation a continuous process. Leaders want to know how their teams can rise above any challenge and succeed no matter what comes their way. Whether the goal is to embrace change, overcome obstacles, sustain growth, or take your success to the next level, leaders and teams want to learn how to “Embrace the Shake.” The term “Embrace the Shake” is coined from artist Phil Hansen’s personal story of transformation. After developing a career-ending tremor in his drawing hand, Phil embraced his “shake” both physically and metaphorically by redefining his limitation as an impetus for creativity. Phil not only restored his artistic abilities, but he also became a much more creative and innovative artist than ever before. Phil’s powerful message of finding creativity within limitations will inspire you to stop looking outside and start looking within for the resources that can transform your challenges into opportunities for success. Phil Hansen, Artist, Speaker, Author, Innovator |
10:15 am Pacific |
General SessionDinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President, IBM Software |
11:00 am Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit Area |
11:30 am Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsAI Strategy and Management: Lessons from the FieldAI adoption is no longer a technical experiment. It is an executive responsibility. As agencies move from curiosity to commitment, CIOs are shaping enterprise strategy, defining governance structures, and setting guardrails for responsible use. This session brings together leaders to discuss how they are managing AI across departments, aligning initiatives to agency priorities, and balancing innovation with risk. You’ll hear what departments are learning about readiness, including what they wish they had known earlier. The CIO Path: Communication, Credibility, and Career StrategyThe CIO role is built on more than technical expertise. In this interactive panel, experienced leaders share their real-world career paths, the lessons that shaped them, and the relationships that helped them earn trust and influence. Explore the soft skills that matter most, from executive communication to stakeholder alignment across finance, security, and program leadership. Hear candid stories and bring your questions for practical advice on your next step. Cybersecurity and Resilience in an AI WorldAI is accelerating innovation, and it is accelerating adversaries just as fast. CIOs are being asked to move quickly while protecting trust, data, and continuity of operations. This session explores how the security and resilience playbook is evolving, including the shifting role of the CISO and the decisions leaders must make to stay ready. Hear a candid discussion of preparedness, business enablement, and the practical steps organizations are taking to strengthen resilience in the AI era. Bridging IT and Business: A Leadership ImperativeThe divide between business and IT often stems from culture, organizational maturity, and misaligned expectations. This discussion explores how CIOs can move beyond a break-fix mindset to become strategic partners aligned with mission outcomes. Public sector leaders will share insights on stakeholder engagement, cost management and relationship-building, along with leadership lessons on turning vision into sustained enterprise execution. Situational Leadership: When to Lead, When to ManageStrong leaders know how to shift gears. They can both rally people around a vision and pivot to tightened execution when results are on the line. In this panel, experienced leaders explore the difference between leading and managing, the signals they use to decide which mode is needed, and how they adapt when missteps happen. Hear practical examples, clear decision cues, and a candid discussion of how to stay effective while guiding teams through change and complexity. |
12:30 pm Pacific |
Lunch |
1:30 pm Pacific |
General SessionKim Mirabella, Vice President, Public Sector, Verizon |
2:15 pm Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaPlease proceed to the concurrent sessions. |
2:45 pm Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsBuilding Tomorrow’s Workforce: Modernizing IT Talent StrategyTomorrow’s workforce demands a modern hiring experience, transparent career pathways, and opportunities for continuous learning. This session examines how departments are attracting next-generation IT talent to public service, streamlining hiring practices, and reshaping career development within state service. Hear how upskilling and reskilling efforts are equipping today’s employees for evolving technology demands and how recent reforms are accelerating hiring and strengthening long-term retention. Sustaining Impact in Lean Times: Priorities, Tradeoffs, and ResultsWhen budgets tighten, every decision carries more weight. IT leaders are expected to sustain service delivery, improve efficiency, and demonstrate measurable results for the public. This session explores how leaders make tradeoffs, prioritize work tied to constituent impact and operational outcomes, and protect long-term value. Expect a candid look at how leaders rethink spending, refine execution, and build stronger teams when resources are constrained. The focus is on sustaining impact, not just reducing cost. Bold by Design: Innovation Built on TrustInnovation requires bold thinking and trust-building execution. Learn how state IT leaders define and quantify innovation risk, apply governance frameworks, and make informed decisions in high-accountability settings. Hear technical strategies that reduce exposure while enabling progress, along with case studies and lessons learned from the field. Build the confidence to advance innovation while maintaining public trust and organizational confidence. Values in Action: DEI in the Current ClimateLeaders build workplaces where people can do their best work, feel respected, and see a future for themselves. Doing that well takes clarity, consistency, and strong leadership, especially when these goals are under scrutiny. This session offers a grounded discussion on what current DEI efforts look like in practice, how to lead with integrity and accountability, and how to measure progress in ways that stand up to questions and expectations. IT as a Line of Business: Building Enterprise PartnershipIT becomes a true strategic partner when it moves beyond reactive service delivery and leads with enterprise priorities. This session explores how leaders position IT as a line of business aligned to the department’s strategic plan rather than responding only to program-specific requests. The conversation highlights how leaders build trust, clarify roles, and listen deeply to strengthen collaboration. The discussion also emphasizes the importance of visibility and cultural presence in reinforcing enterprise relationships. |
3:45 pm Pacific |
Networking Reception in the Exhibit AreaNetwork with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors. |
4:15 pm Pacific |
End of Day 1 |
Wednesday, April 15 |
|
8:00 am Pacific |
Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area |
9:00 am Pacific |
Welcome and Opening Remarks |
9:15 am Pacific |
Keynote – The Power of Peculiar Thinking: Problem-Solving Through Creativity and IngenuityAs a young graduate researcher, Dr. Sammy Ramsey looked at an age-old question “What’s happening to the honeybees?” through a new lens to make a breakthrough discovery that turned the field of bee research on its head. In this talk, Dr. Ramsey spurs audiences to think outside the box as he shares the story of what led him to connect a family member’s health issues back to his bee research to arrive at a powerful conclusion on the parasitic pandemic plaguing the honeybees. In this talk, he walks audiences through his process for using peculiar thinking that gets the brain processing ideas in new and unique ways and unlocks new outlets for pushing past stalls in thinking and productivity. The approach Dr. Ramsey shares gives people the freedom to dig deeper into all the ideas that they’re told are “too crazy” and “will never work” as they figure out how to tackle complex problems and innovate with impact. Dr. Sammy Ramsey, Inspirational Changemaker in Science & Society; Cutting-Edge Communicator, Founder & Director of the Ramsey Research Foundation |
10:15 am Pacific |
General Session – Women in Leadership |
11:00 am Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit Area |
11:30 am Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsAI SessionThe Modern CIO: Leadership, Talent, and TechnologyThe CIO role is changing fast, shaped by rising expectations around security, data stewardship, and responsible technology adoption. At the same time, CIOs are navigating new capabilities like AI, workforce challenges, and the long-term health of their leadership pipeline. This session explores how today’s CIOs are adapting their mindset, priorities, and leadership approach to meet the moment. Hear how leaders are balancing operational accountability with strategic direction, talent development, and preparing teams for what comes next. Business Outcomes Through Data: Turning Modernization into Measurable ValueState agencies are modernizing decades-old data estates while navigating privacy, governance, and public trust. This session explores how modernization leads to measurable business outcomes. Panelists will connect common constraints, from legacy systems to unclear ownership, to real improvements in speed, quality, and decision-making. The discussion will outline what a realistic path forward looks like and how to align data initiatives to quantifiable results. Expect candid lessons, pitfalls to avoid, and practical ways to demonstrate value for programs and the people they serve. Strategy is Easy, Execution is GovernmentStrategy is clean on paper. Execution is where government gets real. In this panel, CIOs unpack what changes when you move into the top role, and why the skills that helped you rise do not always serve you at the executive level. Hear real-world examples of what worked and what did not, plus how CIOs earn buy-in, build culture, and keep teams aligned to mission outcomes even when priorities shift and pressure is high. In the Room: AIO and CIO Networking RoundtablesLeadership is built in moments that rarely make the slide deck. This interactive roundtable brings AIOs, CIOs, and attendees together for candid, small-group conversations about real decisions, tough calls, and what leadership looks like inside state government. Participants will rotate through focused discussions, gaining direct perspective from executives navigating strategy, innovation, and organizational complexity. Come prepared to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships that extend beyond the conference. |
12:30 pm Pacific |
Lunch |
1:30 pm Pacific |
General Session - Envision 2026: California’s IT Strategy and What Comes NextCalifornia’s statewide technology strategy, Envision 2026, sets the course for how government IT aligns technology with mission outcomes and public needs. This session offers an update on the plan’s goals, collaborative development, and annual roadmaps that guide execution across departments. Leaders will reflect on progress to date, share how aligned strategies are improving services and operations, and explore what’s next as agencies prioritize inclusive digital experience, cybersecurity, workforce strength, strategy alignment, and future readiness. |
2:30 pm Pacific |
Networking Break in the Exhibit AreaPlease proceed to the concurrent sessions. |
3:00 pm Pacific |
Concurrent SessionsOperationalizing AI Now: GenAI as a Real Government ServiceGenAI pilots are everywhere, but a demo is not deployment. Moving from experimentation to enterprise value requires quality benchmarks, mature governance, and scalable operations. Dive into what it actually takes to embed GenAI into government workflows, from purposeful proof-of-concepts to scalable production use cases. Hear candid lessons from early efforts and walk through a practical framework for turning curiosity into capability. Don’t Forget the People: Lessons Learned from Leaders Navigating ChangeTechnology initiatives succeed or stall based on how people experience them. This session draws on lived leadership experience across the phases of change from initiation through sustainment. Panelists will discuss how they aligned stakeholders, what they underestimated, and what they would approach differently today. Expect practical guidance for leaders embarking on change efforts, along with insights and resources that help teams stay engaged through transition. Envision 2026 in Action: Turning Strategy into Agency ExecutionEnvision 2026 sets a statewide direction. The next challenge is execution inside agencies with different missions, constraints, and starting points. This interactive breakout moves beyond the overview and focuses on implementation. Participants will discuss how to translate statewide priorities into agency roadmaps, align stakeholders, and identify early actions that build momentum. Expect facilitated back-and-forth, shared examples, and practical discussion on what leaders can do next to move strategy from intent to measurable progress. Dream, Decide, Deliver: Turning Vision Into ResultsVisionary leadership sets direction. Execution delivers impact. In this panel, state IT leaders share how they translate strategy into action when oversight is high and budgets are not. Learn about practical tools for building resilient execution plans, aligning teams around clear outcomes, selecting metrics that demonstrate impact, and addressing the execution gaps that stall progress. Walk away with insights you can apply immediately. In the Room: AIO and CIO Networking RoundtablesLeadership is built in moments that rarely make the slide deck. This interactive roundtable brings AIOs, CIOs, and attendees together for candid, small-group conversations about real decisions, tough calls, and what leadership looks like inside state government. Participants will rotate through focused discussions, gaining direct perspective from executives navigating strategy, innovation, and organizational complexity. Come prepared to ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships that extend beyond the conference. |
4:00 pm Pacific |
Awards Welcome Reception |
4:30 pm Pacific |
CIO Academy Awards Program |
5:30 pm Pacific |
Closing Reception |
6:00 pm Pacific |
End of ConferenceConference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change. |
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
1401 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 808-5291
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
Advisory Board
Government Representatives
Liana Bailey-Crimmins
State Chief Information Officer and Director
Department of Technology
State of California
Amarjot Biring
Chief Information Officer
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
State of California
Thomas Boon
Chief Information Officer
Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
State of California
Chad Bratton
Chief Information Officer
Office of Data & Innovation
State of California
Brenda Bridges Cruz
Director, Justice Data and Investigative Services Bureau
Department of Justice
State of California
Scott Capulong
Chief Information Officer
Department of Tax and Fee Administration, GovOps
State of California
Michael Crews
Chief Information Officer
Governor's Office of Emergency Services
State of California
Chad Crowe
Chief Information Officer
Department of Social Services
State of California
Adam Dondro
Agency Chief Information Officer
Health and Human Services Agency
State of California
Chaeny Emanavin
Deputy State Chief Technology Officer
Department of Technology
State of California
Ryan Fogleman
Information Security Officer
Departmental Information Security Office, California Department of Technology
State of California
Richard Gillespie
Chief Information Officer
Superior Court
Sacramento County
Ajit Girn
Chief Information Officer
Employment Development Department
State of California
Fredrick Gomez
Agency Chief Information Officer/Director of Information Technology Services
Department of Food and Agriculture
State of California
Amar Hariharan
Chief Information Officer
Department of Food and Agriculture
State of California
Monica Hernandez
Deputy Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Department of Technology
State of California
Crystal Holcomb
Deputy Director
Department of Technology
State of California
Jared Johnson
State Chief Information Officer and Chief Deputy Director
Department of Technology
State of California
Jacob Johnson
Chief Information Officer
Department of Rehabilitation
State of California
Marcie Kahbody
Agency Information Officer/Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
State of California
Karl Kopper
Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Transportation
State of California
Stephenson Loveson
Chief Information Officer
Public Employees Retirement System, GovOps
State of California
Calvin McGee
Chief Information Officer
Department of Real Estate
State of California
Kanuri Murty
Chief Information Officer
Financial Information System for California, GovOps
State of California
Enrique Parker
Chief Information Officer
Department of Finance
State of California
Renoir Pope
State Chief Enterprise Architect
Department of Technology
State of California
Jonathan Porat
Chief Technology Officer
Department of Technology
State of California
Katie Regan
State Data Services Manager
Department of Technology
State of California
Kate Ricker
Deputy Director
State Technology Policy and Strategic Management
State of California
Eva Robinson
Agency Information Officer
Department of Veterans Affairs
State of California
Amy Rodriguez
Stakeholder Relations Manager
Department of Technology
State of California
Hong Sae
Chief Information Officer
City of Roseville
Jared Snow
Chief Information Officer
Military Department
State of California
Tuilka Srivastava
Branch Chief, Project Oversight and Strategic Technology Branch
Department of Social Services
State of California
Rob Trojan
IT Consulting Unit Chief
Department of Finance
State of California
Kim Vu
Chief Information Officer
Air Resources Board
State of California
Blaine Wasylkiw
Deputy Chief Technology Innovation Officer
Department of Technology
State of California
Quentin Wright
Chief Information Officer
Department of Technology, GovOps
State of California
Rami Zakaria
Chief Information Officer
Sacramento County
Industry Representatives
Jennifer Acevedo
Major Account Manager
Fortinet
Reid Allen
Director, Public Sector
Complex Solutions
Verizon
Chris Apostolopoulos
Field Account Executive
Dell Technologies
Jeff Beck
Regional Director
VMWare
Sejla Begic
GPS Client Executive
Ernst & Young US LLP
Bobby Boudreault
Director, Public Sector
Verizon
Beau Broker
Security Lead
AHEAD
Shaw-chin Chiu
Managing Client Partner, State of California
IBM
Jason Fedota
Client Relationship Executive
Deloitte
Steven Galvez
Account Executive
Appian
Katherine Gottfried
District Sales Manager
Palo Alto Networks
Jason Green
Regional Manager
Oracle
Craig Holden
Account Executive
Digital Experience, State & Local
Adobe
Marques Holmes
National Director, SLED
Equinix
Miriam Ingenito
Account Relations Director
KPMG
Danny Johnson
Sales Manager
AT&T
Lloyd Levine
National Senior Executive for State Government Strategy
T-Mobile
Patricia McCabe
Vice President, Consulting Services
CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc
Kevin Munoz
Director, Technology Sales
IBM
Stephen Pieraldi
Distinguished Technologist
HP Inc.
Jon Restani
Enterprise Account Manager
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Eric Rood
Senior Account Executive
UiPath
Isaac Sanchez
Principal Account Executive California
Sales
Pegasystems
Alan Sheerer
Account Executive, SLED
Dynatrace
Jennifer Simic Rucker
Regional Director
Microsoft
Mark Spitzer
Senior Manager
Amazon Web Services
Grant Tomlin
Director of Strategic Accounts
Tanium
David Walsh
Key Account Executive
Google Public Sector LLC
Registration Information / Contact Us
Event Date: April 14 and 15, 2026
This is an invitation-only event, open to Public Sector only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact Tabbie Pegoda.
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:
Tabbie Pegoda
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1411
E-mail: tpegoda@erepublic.com
Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:
Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 296-2308
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) 365-2617
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com