Name: North Carolina Digital Government Summit 2025
Start: 2025-08-14T08:00
Location: Raleigh Convention Center

Overview

The Digital Government Summit is an event that brings together public sector leaders and technology professionals to explore innovative solutions to solve government problems. Key themes include cybersecurity, digital transformation, AI implementation, data governance, and fostering collaboration across multiple stakeholders. Attendees will benefit from expert discussions, peer networking, and insights into the future of government technology. Join us and let’s improve the future of government together!

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Make sure to join us for this exceptional event dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and shaping a better future for our state! As North Carolina’s IT environment continues to evolve, our time together will be invaluable in ensuring that we drive significant progress in all areas of government technology.

– Teena Piccione, Secretary and Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Speakers

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.

Bonnie Brown

Chief Data Officer, Wake County 

As the Chief Data Officer of Wake County, North Carolina, Dr. Bonnie Brown serves the people who live, work, and play, thereby empowering evidence-based decision-making. With over 20 years of experience in various IT roles, Dr. Brown’s areas of concentration include technology adoption, building communities of practice, and organizational change management as it relates to data practice.

Zach Brunk

Senior Solution Engineer, Snowflake

Katina Blue

Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Research & Chief Information Officer, UNC Pembroke

Michael Davis

Innovation Strategist, Wake County 

Michael is an Innovation Strategist with Wake County, where he leads and supports programs and initiatives aimed at helping employees improve how they do their jobs. His work includes facilitating team and project workshops, encouraging cross-departmental learning and connections through communities of practice, and offering employee courses on topics like root cause analysis and visual management. In his free time, he likes being outside with his family, reading about rock and roll, and hunting for pre-loved records, CDs, and books.

Jonathan Feldman

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Department, Wake County

Jonathan Feldman is an award-winning Chief Information Officer, speaker, and writer. He has been recognized for his positive impact on the communities he serves by the Frost & Sullivan CIO Impact Award and inclusion in Government Technology’s Top 25 Dreamers, Doers, and Drivers, and he is frequently listed among top CIO and IT practitioners. Jonathan is widely acknowledged as a pioneer of cloud computing, digital transformation, and civic tech, with Forbes calling his efforts “IT done right.”  
Jonathan’s success leading government technology led him to co-author Code for America’s book, “Beyond Transparency” with Tim O’Reilly and others. His column with InformationWeek magazine, which won an American Society of Business Publication Editors award, started many industry conversations about positive IT transformation. He has spoken all over the world about civic technology, the future of work, talent management, leadership, and digital transformation, and is often quoted in the media about these topics. He is active on social media both to learn and to share and tweets at @_jfeldman.

Raju Gadiraju

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

Raju is a strategic IT leader, innovator, and public speaker with a proven record of solving complex business problems through digital transformation, analytics, AI, and cloud technologies. Since 2016, he has led the North Carolina Division of Employment Security’s modernization efforts—migrating over 80% of workloads to the cloud and launching the state’s first Gen AI customer-facing solution. In 2020, Raju was honored as Public Sector CIO of the Year by Governor Roy Cooper for his leadership during the pandemic.
Core Skills - Strategic Planning and Execution | Digital Transformations |AI and Cloud Technologies | Data Analytics |Program Management |Business Alignment | Leadership Development | C-Level Engagement | Strategic sourcing of IT Services and Products | Contract Management and Negotiations | Business Partnerships Development

Dr. Iris Garner

Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile 

Dr. Iris Garner is a seasoned leader in the intersection of education and telecommunications. As the Senior Southeast Regional Manager for Education, she leads a high-performing team of Account Executives, creating and implementing strategic sales approaches specifically designed for K–12 education customers. Drawing on her deep roots in education, Dr. Garner drives efforts to acquire new partnerships and deliver high-quality customer solutions that support student achievement and community engagement.
In her concurrent role as EDU Segment Advisor, Dr. Garner made history by creating the task force and framework for the largest telecommunications and library partnership in the United States. Her work has impacted multiple domains, including partnership success, data analysis, funding and grant management, strategy, and talent development.
Known for her visionary leadership, public speaking, and dedication to educational equity, Dr. Iris continues to champion scalable, innovative solutions that transform how schools and communities connect, learn, and thrive.

Todd Hamrick

Enterprise Architect, NC Dept of Information Technology

Todd has over 25 years of experience as an IT Professional. He began his career at Oracle where he learned relational database management systems. From Oracle, he transitioned to Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence as a consultant and taught courses on Data Warehousing and Information Access Strategies at the University of California Berkeley. As a manager at Autodesk, Inc. he led teams of data warehousing and business intelligence professionals before transitioning to an architecture role where he was instrumental in driving transformational initiatives. In addition to Autodesk, Todd was an IT Architect at SAS Institute and Director, IT Architecture at Emergent BioSolutions prior to joining the North Carolina Department of IT in his current position as Enterprise Architect.

Torre Jessup

Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology

As deputy director and the N.C. Department of Information Technology's chief information officer, Torre Jessup leads the Internal Operations Division and focuses his efforts on providing enterprise application and infrastructure services to state agencies, local governments and universities across North Carolina.
Prior to being named in the role in April 2024, Jessup served more than two years as NCDIT’s chief operating officer, overseeing the department’s administrative functions. 
In that role, he focused on building capacity in administrative areas to better serve the agency's operational needs, investing in process improvement for statewide IT procurement and increasing the agency’s internal and external engagement. He has also served as NCDIT’s lead for the N.C. Environmental Justice Council and the Interagency Resiliency Task Force. 
Jessup also served more than four years as commissioner of the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, where he oversaw daily operations and provided strategic direction for the division’s key functions, including vehicle registration, driver license issuance, vehicle safety and emissions inspections as well as activities to halt vehicle theft and identity fraud.
Under his leadership, NCDMV relocated its headquarters from Raleigh to Rocky Mount, made significant process improvements and expanded online services.
Jessup’s experience also includes director of the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization for the U.S. Department of Transportation and regional administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration's Southeast Sunbelt Region.
He also spent 20 years in the office of North Carolina Rep. Mel Watt as district director and in various liaison roles. During his tenure, Jessup set policy objectives, oversaw district-level strategy and operations and managed outreach and constituent affairs.
He also served appointments on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Motor Vehicle Administrators and North Carolina Criminal Justice Information Network, as well as the North Carolina Human Relations Commission and the Charlotte Metropolitan Transit Finance Working Group.
Jessup is a graduate of Morehouse College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice. He and his wife Donna are proud parents of two sons.

Dan Kempton

Senior Technology Advisor, North Carolina Department of Information Technology

Dan Kempton serves as the senior technology advisor for the N.C. Department of Information Technology. He brings more than 30 years of technology and business experience, having worked for large and small firms in the private sector as well as for 15 years with the state of North Carolina.
Kempton has held several IT leadership roles, including chief technology officer positions in the private industry and both deputy chief information officer and subsequently chief technology officer at the N.C. Department of Revenue.  At NCDIT, he has led several teams (including the engineering section) that have brought new products, notably multi-cloud capabilities, to state agencies.
Kempton is a strong technology-focused leader who can easily discuss business needs to determine the right solution that fits them. His extensive and broad technical background provides the experience to guide business leaders to the solutions that will achieve
Kempton has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of South Carolina.  He has also earned certification as a government chief information officer from the UNC School of Government.

Benjamin Moore

Regional Cloud SE – Southeast US, Fortinet 

Benjamin Moore is a Regional Cloud Security Engineer at Fortinet with over 20 years of experience in network engineering, cybersecurity, and cloud architecture. Since joining Fortinet in 2020, he has supported hyperscale customers and now leads efforts to help enterprises secure their cloud environments.
Previously, Benjamin spent six years at Cisco as a Systems Engineer and Technical Solutions Architect, working with global clients on infrastructure security and technical strategy. He also held senior networking roles at Energy Transfer and Panhandle Energy, focusing on network design and operations.

Sara Nicols

Energy and Economic Development Manager, Land-of-Sky Regional Council 

Sara Nichols is a passionate advocate for expanding access to the digital ecosystem and a trailblazer who has been at the forefront of implementing transformational broadband projects throughout Western North Carolina. She is a public servant with more than 18 years of experience leading regional initiatives related to broadband, regional planning, and economic and community development.
In her current role as a Energy and Economic Development Program Manager at the Land of Sky Regional Council based in Asheville, North Carolina, Sara serves as the region’s broadband program manager and is widely regarded as a respected technical expert for regional broadband project implementation. Prior to her current role, Sara served as Economic Development Director for the Madison County Department of Development Services in North Carolina, where she led initiatives focused on bringing broadband access to thousands of unserved citizens, facilitated business expansion, and oversaw the creation of the county’s first public art program. She also is a classically trained upright bass player who graces regional stages on the weekend. Her professional background also includes nearly a decade of work experience in the environmental stewardship realm, overseeing projects related to stormwater management, transitions into alternative fuel, and the provision of technical assistance to community stakeholders to help them access and administer related grant funding. In 2022 she was the second highest vote getter in Buncombe County, elected to the Buncombe Soil and Water Conservation District.
Over the course of her professional career, Sara has helped secure more than $75 million in broadband funding for the Western North Carolina region from a wide range of sources including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the state of North Carolina’s Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant program, Dogwood Health Trust, and many other sources. These investments are helping connect over 17,000 unserved residents and businesses in Western North Carolina.
Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mars Hill University. She has graced national stages as a speaker sharing insights on digital inclusion, the importance of broadband accessibility, and the intersection of technology and quality of life. In 2023 she testified before U.S. Congress on the importance of broadband and investing closing the digital divide.

Beth Stagner

Business Applications Director, City of Raleigh 

Beth Stagner is the Assistant Director of IT over Enterprise Applications and Data at the City of Raleigh, bringing over 30 years of experience in technology leadership. Deeply involved with the platforms she supports, Beth pairs technical expertise with strong business acumen to drive effective solutions. She is passionate about building relationships that enable win-win problem solving and ensuring IT initiatives align seamlessly with the needs of the organization and the community.

Trip Stallings

Executive Director, Longitudinal Data Center, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina 

Trip Stallings is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Longitudinal Data System, housed in the Enterprise Data Office of the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT). NCLDS is a comprehensive, cross-agency platform that includes a privacy- and security-forward and carefully-governed data request service, as well as a growing suite of tools for managing data storage and preparation and for enhancing overall data quality.
Before joining NCDIT, Trip was an educator and policy analyst, with more than 30 years of experience working in North Carolina and Virginia at local, regional, and state levels. For more than a decade, he was the Director of Policy Research at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University, where he co-led the Research and Evaluation team. His work there focused on providing timely information about policy-relevant education research to North Carolina policy-makers and other stakeholders with education policy decision-making responsibilities.
He also has worked as an education consultant and policy analyst for several North Carolina-based groups, and he began his professional career as a secondary school teacher, followed by a stint in teacher education.

Kyle Tollion

Senior Sales Engineer I, UiPath

View Speakers

Agenda

Thursday, August 14
8:00 am Eastern	Registration and Morning Refreshments Ballroom A
9:00 am Eastern	Opening Remarks Ballroom B Teena Piccione, Secretary and Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina
9:10 am Eastern	Dynamic Modernization: Solving the Puzzle of People, Process, and Technology Ballroom B Just like puzzle pieces fit together in a specific way to form a complete picture, modern digital infrastructure systems are made up of interconnected components, hardware, software, data, networks, and people - that must align precisely to function properly. If even one piece is missing or misaligned, the whole system can falter. The opportunity to add a synthetic layer of intelligence on top of an already complicated puzzle presents challenges – but also, unprecedented opportunities. How does this reshape the dynamic between human behavior and technology? Can we utilize new tech to solve legacy problems? In this session, visionary Scott Klososky explores bold ideas and forward-looking concepts to help digital leaders anticipate and shape the next wave of transformation. Scott Klososky, Technologist, Futurist, Humanist, Author and Consultant
10:10 am Eastern	General Session: Creative by Necessity - Grassroots Innovation in North Carolina Government Ballroom B Some of the most impactful innovations don’t come from big budgets - they come from bold ideas and creative problem-solvers working with what they have. This session highlights stories from across North Carolina where public-sector employees have tackled tough challenges with ingenuity, determination, and minimal resources. ClarLynda Wiliams-Devane, Chief Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, State of North Carolina
10:40 am Eastern	Networking Break Ballroom A
11:10 am Eastern	Concurrent Sessions Talent on Tap - Unlocking Certification and Upskilling Paths 301AB North Carolina is stepping up to meet the growing demand for IT talent with a range of forward-thinking initiatives that go beyond recruitment. In a competitive landscape where agencies must attract, train, and retain IT and business professionals, emphasis must be put on investing in certifications, workforce development pipelines, and creative learning models that are reshaping what it means to grow talent from within. This session will spotlight the tools and strategies North Carolina public-sector leaders can use to build and sustain a resilient IT workforce. Moderator: Torre Jessup, Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology Katina Blue, Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Research & Chief Information Officer, UNC Pembroke The Data Journey: From Governance to Impactful Decision-Making 302AB In the public sector, data is more than just numbers - it’s the foundation for informed policy, resource allocation, and service improvements. But how do state and local governments ensure they’re collecting, governing, and utilizing data effectively to drive better decision-making? This session will explore the full lifecycle of data - governance, cleansing, and strategy - leading to a North Star of data-driven decision-making. Panelists from state and local governments will share real-world examples of how they have leveraged data to shape policy, improve service delivery, set the foundation for AI, and demonstrate ROI. Moderator: Eric Myers, Deputy Chief Data Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina Bonnie Brown, Chief Data Officer, Wake County Zach Brunk, Senior Solution Engineer, Snowflake Bethany Chappel, Enterprise Data Manager, City of Raleigh Trip Stalling, Executive Director, Longitudinal Data Center, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina Enabling North Carolina’s Communities for a Stronger Digital Future 302C The future of North Carolina depends on strong, reliable, and equitable connectivity. From expanding broadband access in underserved communities to enhancing digital infrastructure for public services, connectivity initiatives are transforming how residents, businesses, and government interact. This session will explore North Carolina’s broadband expansion efforts, the impact of federal and state investments, and innovative initiatives to bridge the digital divide. Moderator: Jonathan Feldman, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Department, Wake County Dr. Iris Garner, Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile Sara Nicols, Energy and Economic Development Manager, Land-of-Sky Regional Council The Cost of Innovation – Economic Forces, Budgets and Smarter Procurement 303 With shifting policies, state and local governments in North Carolina must adapt their IT strategies to align with evolving economic conditions and funding landscapes. Can we better leverage contracts, agile sourcing and vendor partnerships that deliver great value? Can we find creative ways to do less with more? This session will explore key economic trends, investment priorities, procurement strategy and how IT can collaborate to maximize value and accelerate modernization. Dylan Frick, Director of Legislative Affairs, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina James Tanzosh, Chief IT Procurement Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology
12:10 pm Eastern	Lunch Ballroom B
1:00 pm Eastern	General Session: What’s Next in Tech? Private Sector Insights for Public Sector Strategy Ballroom B As emerging technologies reshape the way we live, work, and govern, public-sector IT leaders are under pressure to not just keep up—but stay ahead. What trends are worth watching? Which innovations will deliver the most value? And how can agencies prepare now for what’s coming next? In this dynamic session, leading private sector technology experts will share their perspectives on the future of tech - from AI and automation to cybersecurity, digital services, data strategy, and beyond. Learn what’s around the corner - and how to align today’s decisions with tomorrow’s demands.
1:45 pm Eastern	Short Break Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.
2:00 pm Eastern	Concurrent Sessions Practical Skills for Using Generative AI Responsibly and Effectively 302AB Generative AI has opened the door to new levels of productivity, creativity, and decision-making—but only if you know how to use it well. This session is designed to help public-sector professionals build the skills needed to get the most from AI tools. We’ll explore the art and science of crafting effective prompts, strategies for checking and verifying outputs, and best practices for integrating AI into daily workflows responsibly. Join us for an engaging session that demystifies GenAI and helps you become a more confident, competent user. Michael Davis, Innovation Strategist, Wake County Raju Gadiraju, Chief Information Officer, Division of Employment Security, Department of Commerce, State of North Carolina Vijay Ramanujam, Chief Information Officer, Department of Health and Human Services Kyle Tollion, Senior Sales Engineer I, UiPath Bridging the Gap Between Business and IT 302C Despite sharing common goals, business and IT teams often speak different languages—leading to misaligned priorities, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities. As digital transformation accelerates, successful public-sector organizations are rethinking how to foster collaboration, build trust, and align strategy across both sides of the aisle. This session will explore practical ways to close the communication gap between business and IT leaders. From translating technical concepts into business value to building shared roadmaps and inclusive governance structures, we’ll examine proven strategies for creating a culture of partnership. Todd Hamrick, Enterprise Architect, NC Dept of Information Technology Beth Stagner, Business Applications Director, City of Raleigh Cloud at the Edge: Managing Risk in a Distributed World 303 Cloud adoption has progressed well beyond the early days of simple data migration; it now demands a strategic approach to security, architecture, and compliance. The evolution of the cloud is inseparable from the evolution of the threat landscape. Hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge environments offer new opportunities - but they also create new attack surfaces, identity management challenges, and compliance risks. In this session, we’ll explore how cloud adoption has matured and what public sector leaders need to consider as threats grow more complex. Bernice Russell-Bond, Chief Information Security Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology Dan Kempton, Senior Technical Advisor, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina Jon Minshew, Chief Strategy and Innovation Office, Dell Technologies Benjamin Moore, Regional Cloud SE – Southeast US, Fortinet Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners 301AB Hosted by: Teena Piccione, Secretary and Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina
3:00 pm Eastern	Networking Break Ballroom A
3:20 pm Eastern	General Session – The Government Experience Revolution – Reimagining Personalized Government Delivery Ballroom B Constituents today expect the same level of seamless, personalized service from government that they receive in the private sector. The Government Experience Revolution is transforming how agencies deliver services - moving from one-size-fits-all approaches to data-driven, user-centric experiences. This session, presented by the Center for Digital Government, will explore how governments are leveraging AI, digital identity, and advanced analytics to anticipate citizen needs, streamline interactions, and build trust through personalization. Barry Condrey, Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government
3:50 pm Eastern	Best of North Carolina Technology Awards Ballroom B
4:10 pm Eastern	Networking Reception Ballroom A Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.
4:40 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

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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

Keith Briggs
Chief Architecture & Innovation Director
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Christie Burris
Chief Data Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Nicole Coughlin
Chief Information Officer
Town of Cary

Mick DiGrazia
Senior Director of Enterprise Operations
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Joey Ennis
Chief Information Officer
Department of Administration, DMVA, Ethics
State of North Carolina

Jonathan Feldman
Chief Information Officer
Wake County

Patrick Fleming
Chief Information Officer
Technology Solutions & Distance Learning Division
North Carolina Community College System

Dylan Frick
Legislative Affairs Director, Deputy Secretary of External Affairs
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

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

Hugh Harris
Chief General Counsel
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Christine Hofer
Chief Information Officer
Office of State Human Resources
State of North Carolina

I-Sah Hsieh
Artificial Intelligence Governance & Policy Executive
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Torre Jessup
Deputy State Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

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

Chris Koltyk
Chief Information Officer
City of Gastonia

Glenn Mack
Chief Information Officer
Department of Public Safety & Adult Correction
State of North Carolina

Carol Malony
Chief Information Officer
Office of State Management & Budget
State of North Carolina

Teena Piccione
Secretary & Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Glenn Poplawski
State Solutions Director
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

Vijay Ramanujam
Chief Information Officer
Department of Health & 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
Chief Information Security Officer
Department of Information Technology
State of North Carolina

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

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

Michael Taylor
Deputy County Manager & Chief Information Officer
Pitt County

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

Brian Watkins
Chief Information Officer
Department of Transportation
State of North Carolina

Mark Wittenburg
Chief Information Officer
City of Raleigh

Industry Representatives

Zach Brunk
Senior Solutions Engineer
Snowflake, Inc.

Will Gilbert
Technology Sales Leader, State of NC
IBM

Eric Gillett
Regional Systems Engineer
Fortinet

Don Katello
Senior Manager
State Government
T-Mobile

Jon Minshew
Chief Tech & Innovation Strategist
Dell Technologies

Ford Porter
Director, Advisory
KPMG

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: August 14, 2025

Open to Public Sector only.

Registration - Free

If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.

Contact Information

For registration and general assistance contact:

Sherri Tidwell
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 932-1382
E-mail: stidwell@erepublic.com

For assistance or questions concerning Sponsor Logos or Logistics please contact:

Mireya Gaton
Government Technology
Phone: (916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact:

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

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North Carolina Digital Government Summit 2025

Overview

A message from our Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Scott Klososky

Technologist, Futurist, Humanist, Author and Consultant

Bonnie Brown

Chief Data Officer, Wake County

Zach Brunk

Senior Solution Engineer, Snowflake

Katina Blue

Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Research & Chief Information Officer, UNC Pembroke

Michael Davis

Innovation Strategist, Wake County

Jonathan Feldman

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services Department, Wake County

Raju Gadiraju

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

Dr. Iris Garner

Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile

Todd Hamrick

Enterprise Architect, NC Dept of Information Technology

Torre Jessup

Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer, NC Dept of Information Technology

Dan Kempton

Senior Technology Advisor, North Carolina Department of Information Technology

Benjamin Moore

Regional Cloud SE – Southeast US, Fortinet

Sara Nicols

Energy and Economic Development Manager, Land-of-Sky Regional Council

Beth Stagner

Business Applications Director, City of Raleigh

Trip Stallings

Executive Director, Longitudinal Data Center, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina

Kyle Tollion

Senior Sales Engineer I, UiPath

Agenda

Thursday, August 14

8:00 am Eastern

Registration and Morning Refreshments

Ballroom A

9:00 am Eastern

Opening Remarks

Ballroom B

9:10 am Eastern

Dynamic Modernization: Solving the Puzzle of People, Process, and Technology

Ballroom B

10:10 am Eastern

General Session: Creative by Necessity - Grassroots Innovation in North Carolina Government

Ballroom B

10:40 am Eastern

Networking Break

Ballroom A

11:10 am Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

Talent on Tap - Unlocking Certification and Upskilling Paths

301AB

The Data Journey: From Governance to Impactful Decision-Making

302AB

Enabling North Carolina’s Communities for a Stronger Digital Future

302C

The Cost of Innovation – Economic Forces, Budgets and Smarter Procurement

303

12:10 pm Eastern

Lunch

Ballroom B

1:00 pm Eastern

General Session: What’s Next in Tech? Private Sector Insights for Public Sector Strategy

Ballroom B

1:45 pm Eastern

Short Break

2:00 pm Eastern

Concurrent Sessions

Practical Skills for Using Generative AI Responsibly and Effectively

302AB

Bridging the Gap Between Business and IT

302C

Cloud at the Edge: Managing Risk in a Distributed World

303

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Chief Data Officer, Wake County 

Innovation Strategist, Wake County 

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

Industry Segment Advisor, T-Mobile 

Regional Cloud SE – Southeast US, Fortinet 

Energy and Economic Development Manager, Land-of-Sky Regional Council 

Business Applications Director, City of Raleigh 

Executive Director, Longitudinal Data Center, Department of Information Technology, State of North Carolina 