North Carolina Digital Government Summit 2026 Banner

Overview

The North Carolina Digital Government Summit is where innovation meets impact!

Bringing together the brightest minds in state and local government, this summit empowers public-sector leaders to explore cutting-edge technologies, modernize operations, and solve pressing challenges. From cybersecurity and AI to data governance and digital service delivery, sessions are designed to spark insight, foster collaboration, and accelerate real-world results. Whether you're shaping strategy or implementing solutions, the Summit delivers valuable peer connections and actionable guidance to help move your mission forward.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Phil Hansen

Phil Hansen

Artist, Speaker, Author and Innovator 
Referred to by his fans as “the Artist for the People”, Phil Hansen is an internationally recognized multimedia artist, speaker, author, and innovator -- at the forefront of bringing art to a wider audience. Crashing irreverently through conventional boundaries, Phil works at the intersection of traditional art, electronic media, offbeat materials, and interactive experiences. His meta-art, with its process-focused videos (sometimes including destruction), powerfully demonstrates to millions that art is action, not just result. Hansen's work also extends deeply into traditional media with features on the Discovery Channel, Good Morning America, the Rachael Ray Show, Last Call with Carson Daly, Glamour and many more. Many influential clients, including the Grammy Awards, Disney, Skype, Mazda, and the Rockefeller Foundation, seek out his work. For the tens of millions who have seen Phil’s art on TV and online, it’s hard to imagine his artistic journey. His journey nearly came to an end when a tremor developed in his drawing hand. In exploring new ways to create art, Phil discovered that by embracing his shake. Limitations could become the passageway to creativity. His inspirational story was first shared on the TED stage to a standing ovation. It reached a global audience, with PBS, BBC, and CBC among its broadcasters. Now, Phil’s ability to draw parallels to the business setting has won him followers among industry and business leaders. This has led to invitations to speak at the TED conference, Adobe MAX Creativity Conference, World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, and the Million Dollar Round Table. Phil’s message of self-reinvention and the power of transforming adversity into opportunity translates well across audiences. This is regardless of the industry. His message inspires, motivates and re-energizes the creative spirit in us all.” - Ford Motor Company 
“We need to first be limited in order to become limitless.” - Phil Hansen 
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Dr. Bonnie Brown

Dr. Bonnie Brown

Chief Data Officer, Wake County

Dr. Bonnie Brown is the Chief Data Officer for Wake County Government, where she leads data strategy, governance, analytics, and responsible AI initiatives. She works across departments to make trusted data more accessible and help people at every level use data to improve decisions, services, and community outcomes.
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Saba Eskandarian

Saba Eskandarian

Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Eskandarian is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science department at UNC Chapel Hill, where co-leads the cryptography group and conducts research on cryptography, security, and privacy. He received his Ph.D. at Stanford University and is the recipient of NSF CAREER and Google Research Scholar awards.
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Arthur Higbee

Arthur Higbee LinkedIn

Managing Director, KPMG

Arthur Higbee is an Advisory Managing Director with KPMG. With 25 years of experience leading major public sector technology transformations, Arthur specializes in connecting the employee experience with the citizen experience. He designs modernization projects with a holistic focus on outcomes—digitizing back-end operations so front-line government staff can seamlessly deliver polished, accessible public services. PMP and SAFe Agile certified, Arthur brings deep expertise in agile delivery and human-centered design to help agencies deliver a connected government experience.
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Jon Minshew

Jon Minshew LinkedIn

Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist, Dell Technologies

As a State and Local Government strategist Jon serves as a subject matter expert and thought leader to support transformation in state and local governments throughout the country. Before Dell Technologies, Jon served as Chief Customer Officer of the NC Department of Information Technology, and CIO, Office of the Governor.
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Anthony Okwechime

Anthony Okwechime LinkedIn

Applied AI Specialist, Google Cloud

Anthony Okwechime is an Applied AI Specialist at Google, serving as a trusted strategic advisor to public sector leadership on the high-impact adoption of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). He specializes in revolutionizing how government agencies interact with the public, primarily focusing on designing and deploying intelligent, constituent-facing AI agents.
Operating at the critical intersection of public service and internal operations, Anthony champions a holistic approach to digital transformation. He understands that a world-class citizen experience demands an equally robust staff experience. To achieve this, he bridges his deep expertise in external agent building with the modernization of internal workflows - guiding agencies to eliminate back-office friction and empower the public servants who manage these advanced tools.
Known for his thoughtful insights into AI acceleration and risk mitigation, Anthony partners with government agencies across the US to navigate complex deployment challenges and avoid common pitfalls. His comprehensive strategy ensures that agencies execute secure, scalable AI initiatives that harness the full power of Google Cloud, ultimately delivering transformative, long-term value to both communities and the government workforce.
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Robert Reynolds

Robert Reynolds

Chief Information Officer, Orange County, North Carolina

As a trusted thought leader with over 25 years of demonstrated success, Robert helps organizations in establishing strategic vision, creating digital transformation strategies, nurturing innovation, and building collaborative relationships across the enterprise, thereby helping lead organizations and their technology initiatives to successful outcomes. During his career, Robert has consulted for the federal government and corporate clients helping them to improve operations and IT security. Robert has held senior leadership positions in corporate, State and Local Government organizations with extensive IT operations and security experience in law enforcement and military high value mission critical environments. Robert holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and an MBA from the University of Maryland. He also holds the CISSP, MCSE, and Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) certifications. Robert is an active member of FBI InfraGard, ISSA, ISC2 Raleigh Chapter and the U.S Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force. Robert has also served in the United States Navy.
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Bernice Russell-Bond

Bernice Russell-Bond

State Chief Information Security Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology 

Bernice Russell-Bond, a cybersecurity leader with more than 25 years of experience, serves as the state chief information security officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology.
Russell-Bond oversees North Carolina’s cybersecurity efforts with a focus on strengthening partnerships and collaboration at the state, local and federal levels. She enjoys leading teams to empower all staff in fostering an effective cybersecurity culture.
Russell-Bond has held a variety of private-sector and nonprofit leadership roles in cybersecurity operations, risk management, IT governance, incident management and auditing. Before joining NCDIT in March 2025, she was chief information security officer and vice president of information security at RTI International. She also owned and ran her own IT risk management consulting firm for nearly 20 years.
She was named the NC TECH Association’s 2024 CISO of the Year and serves on the association’s advisory board. She is also board chair for the N.C. Museum of Life and Science.
Russell-Bond holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration for the University of Phoenix in addition to CISSP, PMP and ITIL v3 Foundations certifications. 
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Jonathan Shaw

Jonathan Shaw LinkedIn

National Director State Strategy, Fortinet

Jonathan serves as the National Director of State Strategy at Fortinet. Prior to joining Fortinet, Jonathan served the State of North Carolina in various appointed leadership positions for two separate Governor’s administrations.  
Most recently, Jonathan served as the Chief Operating Officer of the NC Department of Information Technology.  As COO, Jonathan ran all aspects of operations within the department and its nearly $1.2billion budget as well as the state’s $1.5 billion Statewide IT Procurement Office.  He managed the Legal Division, Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Legislative Affairs, Human Resources, Communications and Facilities.  
Jonathan began his service to the department when he was appointed to be the General Counsel. In that role,  he managed the Department's legal department, with a focus on complex IT contract negotiations and legislative affairs.  He also wrote the legal structure for the State’s Office of Broadband and Digital Opportunity which is set to distribute over $2billion in state and federal funds.
Prior to joining DIT, Jonathan spent over a decade with the NC Department of Justice where he was a Special Deputy Attorney General representing various state agencies including DIT where he served as legal counsel to the Statewide IT Procurement Office negotiating IT contracts for all state agencies. 
Jonathan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Central School of Law.  He is a self-proclaimed rabid fan of Carolina Basketball and a lifelong Tar Heel. 
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James Tanzosch

James Tanzosch

Chief IT Procurement Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

James Tanzosch, who joined the N.C. Department of Information Technology in August 2022, exercises management oversight of the Statewide IT Procurement Office and leads the effort to streamline the state’s IT procurement procedures. 
He is responsible for developing the state's IT procurement strategy, aligning it with the overall state IT and business strategy priorities and translating state IT and business imperatives into IT procurement targets. He also seeks to introduce enhanced e-procurement, contract management and supplier performance tools in collaboration with the N.C. Department of Administration's Division of Purchase and Contract.
Most recently, Tanzosch was purchasing director at North Carolina Central University from April 2020. He has also served as procurement services manager for the University of Northern Iowa and held various roles with John Deere.
Previously, Tanzosch held leadership positions with the Iowa Public Procurement Association and attended the National Institute for Government Procurement Leadership Academy. He has a bachelor's degree from Grinnell College and a master of business administration from Iowa State University.
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Paul Tine

Paul Tine

Commissioner, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles

Paul Tine serves as Commissioner of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), a role he assumed in May 2025. As commissioner, he oversees the agency’s daily operations, including driver services, vehicle registration, customer compliance services, and business services. He is focused on improving customer service by reducing wait times, addressing staffing challenges, and enhancing the overall DMV experience for North Carolinians.
Tine is the owner of Midgett Insurance Agency in Kitty Hawk and previously served two terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing Dare, Hyde, Washington, and part of Beaufort counties from 2013-2017. During his legislative tenure, he co-chaired the Transportation Appropriations Committee, served on the Joint Transportation Oversight Committee, authored the strategic planning process for the N.C. Department of Information Technology. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Elizabeth City State University.
Tine holds a bachelor’s degree in English from James Madison University and an MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Martha Wewer

Martha Wewer

Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Martha Wewer is the State's Chief Privacy Officer and oversees the Office of Privacy and Data Protection within NC DIT.  The Office manages the state’s privacy program, ensures transparency in the use of data, and provides guidance and support to state agencies seeking to accomplish the important task of protecting the privacy of residents.  Previously, Wewer served as the global privacy officer and senior counsel at RTI International for 10 years and prior to that role, as the privacy officer at the State Health Plan for North Carolina for five years.  She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and holds a law degree from the University of San Diego, School of Law and bachelor’s in political science from the University of California, San Diego.
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Agenda

Wednesday, August 19

8:00 am Eastern

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Ballroom A

9:00 am Eastern

Opening Remarks

Ballroom B

Nate Denny, Secretary and Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

9:10 am Eastern

Keynote – EMBRACE THE SHAKE: Transforming Limitations into Opportunities

Ballroom B

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

Sponsored by: Talent International

10:10 am Eastern

General Session

Ballroom B

10:40 am Eastern

Networking Break

Ballroom A

Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: SimpliGov and Soteria LLC

11:00 am Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

From Prompting to Delegating

301AB

This session shares how the public sector is leading a new era of innovation. Attendees will get an introduction to the latest generation of frontier models — the most powerful yet, built on a foundation of agentic reasoning and multimodality — and see how no-code agents grounded in enterprise data can automate work using a library of pre-built tools and actions. The session closes with a practical look at getting started, walking through an agent catalog and real day-one use cases drawn from state government.

Building a Workforce Ready for What’s Next

302A

The pace of change in government technology has outrun most training programs — and the gap between the tools agencies are deploying and the skills their people have to use them is widening. This session focuses on practical approaches to workforce development that actually stick: how to assess where your organization stands, how to build internal champions who can carry learning across departments, how to design training that reaches people at different levels of technical comfort, and how to make the case for sustained investment in upskilling when budgets are tight. The conversation draws on real examples from across state and local government and leaves room for attendees to share what's working — and what isn't — on their own teams.

Moderator: Zach Thorn, Senior National Conference Director, Government Technology

Karen Lee, Workforce Development Manager, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Rob Reynolds, Chief Information Officer, Orange County

Privacy and Data: Building the Foundation for Secure Information Sharing

302B

Data-mature agencies that get this right are the ones that can move faster, share more confidently, and avoid the kind of headline-making incidents that set everyone back. This session cuts through the compliance-speak to talk practically about what good data governance actually looks like on the ground: how to get a real handle on what data you have and who should be touching it, how to build privacy protections that actually get followed, and how to make data sharing between state and local partners work without introducing new vulnerabilities in the process. Bring your messiest data problem — this is a judgment-free zone.

Moderator: Martha Wewer, Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Dr. Bonnie Brown, Chief Data Officer, Wake County

Jon Minshew, Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist, Dell Technologies

Jonathan Shaw, Director of State Strategy, Fortinet Inc.

Mirror Image: Staff Experience = Citizen Experience

302C

The experience a constituent has with a government service and the experience the employee has delivering it are two sides of the same system — when the internal tools are clunky, the public feels it, and no amount of front-end polish fixes a broken back end. This session reframes user experience as a single connected problem, exploring how improving internal workflows and public-facing services together produces better outcomes than tackling either alone — all while meeting the mandate to make government genuinely accessible. The throughline is staying anchored to the outcome: the real problem being solved, and the people on both sides of the desk it's being solved for legal, communications.

Moderator: Torre Jessup, Senior Advisor for Digital Experience in the Office of Governor Josh Stein

Arthur Higbee, Managing Director, KPMG

Anthony Okwechime, Applied AI Specialist, Google Cloud

Demarc Ramanand - UX/UI Designer, City of Charlotte

Paul Tine, Commissioner, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles

12:00 pm Eastern

Lunch

Ballroom B

1:00 pm Eastern

General Session

Ballroom B

1:30 pm Eastern

Short Break

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions

1:45 pm Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

The Delivery Problem: Modernizing How Government Builds

301AB

The hard part of modernization isn't the public-facing storefront — it's the delivery model behind it. Legacy systems are aging, budgets won't cover wholesale replacement, and procurement often moves slower than the technology it's meant to acquire. As new tools lower the barrier to building software, the build-versus-buy line is shifting fast, raising hard questions about what teams can credibly build themselves, who owns the path from prototype to production, and how to keep delivery evolving when the old "30/60/90" playbooks no longer fit. Join state and local technology leaders for a candid exchange on modernizing how government actually builds.

Moderator: Raymond Thomas, Innovation Director, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

James Tanzosh, Chief IT Procurement Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Jessica Nash, IT Modernization Manager, City of Asheville

Mike Ware, Chief Information Officer, Department of Transportation, State of North Carolina

Identity, Fraud, and the Future of Digital Trust in Government Services

302A

The fraud landscape facing government agencies has changed significantly: rings are more dispersed, identities are easier to fabricate, and the pressure points have shifted to corners of government that weren’t previously high-risk targets — including education benefits, where ghost student schemes have become an increasing concern. This session examines where fraud is heading across the full identity lifecycle, from enrollment and eligibility verification through ongoing account management and re-authentication. Panelists will discuss how fraud tactics are evolving, what detection capabilities agencies need to keep pace, and how identity proofing strategies can be strengthened without creating friction that drives away legitimate residents. Designed for agency leaders responsible for benefits administration, eligibility programs, and digital identity infrastructure.

Moderator: Jennifer Fix, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Watching Responsibly: The Future of Public Safety Technology

302B

Public safety is being reshaped by new technology, drones as first responders, license plate readers, and interconnected camera networks that see more, faster, than ever before. But every new sensor raises questions about privacy, data minimization, and public trust: How much data do you really need to collect, how long should you keep it, and what has to be disclosed to the public? This session brings state and local leaders together for a candid conversation about adopting public safety technology responsibly — capturing only what serves a clear purpose, building retention and disclosure practices that sustain public trust, and getting legal, privacy, and operational voices to the table before deployment, not after.

Ellen Thomas, Public Safety-Application Development Support Manager, City of Charlotte

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

302C

2:45 pm Eastern

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Ballroom A

Refuel and reconnect over premium refreshments courtesy of Recharge Break Sponsors: SimpliGov and Soteria LLC

3:15 pm Eastern

General Session - Before Q-Day: Getting Post-Quantum Ready

Ballroom B

Q-Day—the moment quantum computers can break today's encryption—is coming, and adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data to decrypt later. This session explains what quantum computing means for your agency's security, why post-quantum readiness can't wait, and the concrete first steps to take now: inventorying your cryptographic dependencies and building a migration roadmap that puts you ahead of the threat.

Moderator: Bernice Russell-Bond, Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Saba Eskandarian, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

4:00 pm Eastern

Networking Reception

Ballroom A

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

4:30 pm Eastern

End of Conference

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

Raleigh Convention Center

500 S Salisbury St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 996-8500

Get Directions To
Raleigh Convention Center

Advisory Board

Government Representatives

Jim Alberque
GIS & Emerging Technology Manager
City of Raleigh

Katina Blue
Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Research & Chief Information Officer
UNC Pembroke

Brandon Boone
Strategic Communications Director`
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Keith Briggs
NCDIT Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Chris Butts
Chief Information Officer
Technology Solutions Department
Town of Chapel Hill

Nate Denny
Secretary and Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Cristalle Dickerson
Deputy Chief of Staff
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Mick DiGrazia
NCDPS Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Jennifer Fix
Deputy State Chief information Security Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Patrick Fleming
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
North Carolina Community College System

Greg Flynn
Deputy State Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Raju Gadiraju
Chief Information Officer
Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security
State of North Carolina

I-Sah Hsieh
Deputy Secretary for AI and Policy
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Torre Jessup
Senior Advisor for Digital Experience
Office of the Governor
State of North Carolina

Lisa Jones
Chief Information Security Officer
Wake County

Marina Kelly
Chief Information Security Officer
City of Raleigh

Dan Kempton
Senior IT Advisor
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Bria King
Exec Admin to State Secretary/SCIO Nate Denny
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Glenn Mack
Chef Technology Officer
Administrative Office of the Courts
State of North Carolina

Angela Morando
Legislative Liaison
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Glenn Poplawski
NCDAC Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Azhar Rahman
Chief Data Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Vijay Ramanujam
Chief Information Officer
Department of Health and Human Services
State of North Carolina

Rob Reynolds
Chief Information Officer
Orange County

Amanda Richardson
Chief Information Officer
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
State of North Carolina

Bernice Russell-Bond
State Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Allan Sandoval
Chief Information Officer
Department of Commerce
State of North Carolina

Adrian Savic
Chief of Staff
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Justin Sherwood
Director of Information Technology
Franklin County

Kate Smith
Chief Information Officer
Office of State Controller
State of North Carolina

Beth Stagner
Business Applications Director
City of Raleigh

James Tanzosh
Chief IT Procurement Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Mike Ware
Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
State of North Carolina

Martha Wewer
Chief Privacy Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Mark Wittenburg
Chief Information Officer
City of Raleigh

Industry Representatives

Alexis Cruz
Senior Manager
T-Mobile for Government

Shane Davis
Account Executive
Microsoft

David Pickett
Account Manager
Fortinet

Sarah Rodriguez
Director
Health & Human Svcs
KPMG

Manny Veloza
Account Executive - NC
Dell Technologies

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: August 19, 2026

Open to Public Sector only.

Registration - Free

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:

Sherri Tidwell
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1382
E-mail: stidwell@erepublic.com

Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:

Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
A division of e.Republic
Phone:(916) 296-2617
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) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com

Venue

Raleigh Convention Center

500 S Salisbury St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 996-8500

Show Hotel & Parking

Room Block 

There is no room block set up for this event. There are a number of hotels nearby. 

Map and Directions 

Please note: The exit ramp from Westbound Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd to northbound McDowell St. is closed from 4/15/26-12/31/26. The recommended detour is a right turn at Wilmington St. followed by a left turn on either South St. or Lenoir St. 
https://www.raleighconvention.com/attendees/directions-parking  

Event Parking 
Self-parking: $3/hour with a $15 maximum 
Valet parking: N/A 
Note: There are a number of self-park options available surrounding the Raleigh Convention Center. The closest recommended parking will be at the Convention Center Charter Square Underground parking structure for $3 an hour with a $15 daily maximum. https://raleighnc.gov/parking/places/convention-center-charter-square-underground-decks  

Parking fees subject to change without notice.