Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

George Washington Ballroom

Opening Remarks

Patriots Theater

Kevin Dehmer, Chief Technology Officer, State of New Jersey

Welcome Remarks

Patriots Theater

General Session – From Vision to Execution: Partnering to Deliver Better Government Services in New Jersey

Patriots Theater

New Jersey is entering a new phase of digital government — one where innovation, technology operations, and policy execution are no longer separate conversations, but a coordinated strategy. This session brings together leadership from the New Jersey Innovation Authority and the Office of Information Technology to share how the state is aligning innovation with enterprise technology delivery to improve outcomes for residents and businesses, from shared services to licensing and benefits delivery. Participants will understand how coordinated governance and partnership can accelerate implementation and improve service delivery across agencies.

Kevin Dehmer, Chief Technology Officer, State of New Jersey

Dave Cole, Chief Innovation Officer, State of New Jersey

New Jersey Excellence in Technology Awards

Patriots Theater

Be ready to celebrate with the New Jersey Government Technology community as we recognize the amazing technology and service work done for the people across the state.

Hosted by: Kevin Dehmer, Chief Technology Officer, State of New Jersey

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Keynote – EMBRACE THE SHAKE: Transforming Limitations into Opportunities

Success, 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 and Innovator

Lunch

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Concurrent Sessions

From Detection to Recovery: Running IT During an Attack

Disruptions are no longer a matter of if, but when — and every organization will face one eventually. Agencies must be prepared not only to prevent cyber incidents, but to maintain business continuity while systems are degraded or offline. This session focuses on what happens after detection: the technical and operational decisions around containment, identity control, network isolation, backup restoration, and coordinated communications required to keep essential services running during response and recovery. Join this session to learn how agencies structure incident command, prioritize service restoration, work with security and cloud providers in real time, and minimize downtime through practiced continuity and response playbooks rather than improvised reactions.

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

Killol Darji, Chief Information Security Officer, Courts, State of New Jersey

Craig Robertson, Senior Account Executive, T-Mobile for Government

Data You Can Use: From Internal Data to Public Value

Government data initiatives are evolving beyond publishing datasets toward building trusted, usable information that supports daily operations and decision-making. Is your data only being stored, or is it actively driving decisions and services? Agencies are focusing first on governance, data quality, interoperability, APIs, and analytics, so information can move reliably across systems and teams. When those foundations are in place, open data becomes a natural outcome — not a separate effort. This session explores how organizations are structuring their data environments to power internal insights, application development, and service improvement, while enabling meaningful public transparency.

Moderator: Poonam Soans, Chief Data Officer and Director of Application Development, Office of Information Technology, State of New Jersey

Valarry Bullard, Director, Office of Broadband Connectivity, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Elliot Flautt, Director of State Data Solutions, Tyler Technologies

Laura Madden, Digital Communications Manager, Office of the State Comptroller, State of New Jersey

Harsh Pachisia, Data and Policy Lead, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Christopher Wheeler, PhD, Chief Data Officer, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey

Procurement Rewired: From Purchases to Platforms

Modern digital services depend not just on what technology is purchased, but how platforms are operated over time. Traditional procurement models built around one-time purchases struggle to support cloud services, shared platforms, and hybrid environments. This session explores how agencies are reforming procurement to support subscription services, modular implementation, and shared responsibility operating models — enabling multi-agency platforms that remain secure and reliable after deployment. Participants will gain insight into how modern contracting approaches support scalable infrastructure and continuous service delivery rather than single-project implementations.

Moderator: Ken Skeen, Conference Director, Government Technology

Miatta Myers, Procurement and Acquisition Specialist, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Inclusive by Default: Designing Digital Services Everyone Can Use

Over the past year, agencies have learned that accessibility cannot be treated as a one-time compliance project — it must be built into how services are designed and delivered. As government continues to pursue operational excellence, accessibility becomes a core part of effective public service rather than a last-minute fix and a key step in reducing the digital divide while meeting ADA expectations. Building on last year’s discussion of WCAG readiness, this session explores what comes next: embedding accessibility into everyday operations, procurement decisions, and digital development workflows to help participants understand how to operationalize accessibility as a standard part of service delivery. What have we learned since preparing for the mandate, and how do we make accessibility sustainable? Join this session to hear practical approaches agencies are using to integrate accessibility from the start, reduce rework, and deliver clearer, more inclusive services for all residents.

Andrew Wong-Crocitto, Product Designer, Accessibility, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Prioritizing Government Technology That Delivers

Public-sector teams are facing growing demand, limited resources, and constant change. Delivering better services is no longer about doing everything — it’s about choosing the right things. How do you decide what not to do when everything feels urgent? Join this conversation to learn practical approaches agencies are using to prioritize work, focus resources where they matter most, and sustain reliable services. Hear how leaders are balancing maintenance, modernization, and innovation without overextending their teams. Leave with ideas you can apply immediately to align projects with outcomes and make clearer tradeoff decisions.

Aditi Sharma, Product Director, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Continuity by Design: Workforce Strategy for Modern Government

Sustaining progress depends on more than technology — it requires a prepared workforce. With retirements accelerating and skill demands evolving, agencies must move from reactive hiring to intentional succession planning that preserves institutional knowledge while preparing teams for emerging technologies, helping participants understand how workforce continuity supports long-term modernization and reliable public services. What happens when a key technical leader retires tomorrow — would your agency be ready? Join this session to learn practical approaches agencies are using to build internal talent pipelines, retain knowledge, and ensure critical services continue without disruption.

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

Kai Feder, Chief Operating Officer, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Carrie Smith, Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist, Dell Technologies

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Hosted by: Kevin Dehmer, Chief Technology Officer, State of New Jersey

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session – AI in Action: Delivering Better Government Through Responsible AI

Artificial Intelligence is moving from experimentation to execution across the Garden State government. As the state advances its broader strategy to improve service delivery, modernize procurement, and enhance operational efficiency, agencies are beginning to apply AI in practical, measurable ways. This session highlights how departments are using AI not as a standalone technology initiative, but as a tool to simplify processes, reduce administrative burden, and help staff focus on higher-value work, including real New Jersey examples where automation has reduced processing time and improved response to residents.

Moderator: Walker Gosrich, AI Research and Management Fellow, New Jersey Innovation Authority

Joseph Beck, Assistant Commissioner, Chief Information Officer, Department of Labor

John Harrison, Chief Information Officer, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey

End of Summit

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change