Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Tony Sauerhoff, Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

Keynote: Embrace the Shake

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 inside for the resources that can transform your challenges into opportunities for success.

Phil Hansen, Artist, Speaker, Author and Innovator

Sponsored By: Cribl | Wiz, NTT DATA

General Session: Preparing for the Legislative Session

Securing support and resources for technology-related initiatives requires clearly communicating value to decision-makers. In this panel, Texas legislative leaders will share their advice on how to tie your Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) to a forward-facing mission, avoid common mistakes and craft a “winning” request.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Transforming Citizen Engagement Through Digital Services and Accessibility

Digital services must be both innovative and inclusive—so how can governments deliver both? This session highlights best practices for modern citizen engagement, with a focus on state accessibility requirements, to improve service delivery while reaching underserved populations.

Cybersecurity and Risk: Securing Next Gen Government Systems

Explore how has AI reshaped the cybersecurity landscape—from improving threat detection to creating new vulnerabilities. This session will examine how agencies can secure systems while managing risks like prohibited technologies and evolving attack vectors, providing practical strategies for balancing innovation with security and compliance.

Transforming the Organization for a Changing Workforce

AI is not just a technology shift—it’s a workforce and culture shift. This session will discuss how agencies can upskill teams, redesign roles and manage organizational change during AI adoption, allowing them to build a future-ready workforce while maintaining operational continuity.

Lunch

Bits and Bytes: The Onset of Quantum Computing

Quantum computing, a rapidly advancing technology, has the potential to revolutionize government operations by changing the way data is processed, optimizing infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity. What is the current state of quantum computing? How will it help the government deal with the complex challenges faced by the public sector, and what early engagement should be undertaken to prepare for it?

“Best of Texas” Awards Program

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Accelerating App Development in Government IT

Low-code and no-code tools are transforming how applications are built, accelerating delivery while reducing development barriers. Each approach has advantages and limitations depending on project scope, customization needs, organizational capacity, and most importantly, the business problem the application is meant to solve. This session will focus on modern app development and DevOps practices tailored for your organization’s needs.

Strategic Partnerships for Innovation

Innovation in government often depends on strong partnerships and smarter procurement. Building a thriving public-private partnership requires trust, good communication, and a shared vision for the future. This session explores how agencies can find the right partners and leverage vendor ecosystems, shared services and collaborative models to drive efficiency and modernization.

Modernizing Infrastructure

The “backbone” behind digital services often includes aging ERP platforms, growing technical debt and complex cloud transitions. As agencies accelerate cloud adoption, how do they ensure resilience, scalability, and security? Which systems should take priority? This session dives into infrastructure modernization strategies that support critical services while protecting against disruption. Learn how to future-proof systems while managing the speed of technological change.

Laying the Groundwork for AI with Data

AI is only as effective as the data behind it. For public sector organizations, unlocking the potential of data requires more than just access; it demands trust, governance, and alignment. This session explores how to improve data quality, accessibility, and integrity while laying the groundwork for responsible AI adoption. Gain insights on aligning your data strategy with innovation, applying responsible data practices, protecting sensitive information and delivering better outcomes for communities.

Exclusive Briefing for Industry Partners

Hosted by:

Tony Sauerhoff, Executive Director and State Chief Information Officer, Department of Information Resources, State of Texas

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

General Session: From Dial-Up to Digital Twins: 25 Years of the Center for Digital Government and the Road to 2050

In 2001, "digital government" meant moving paper forms to static PDF downloads. Today, it means real-time, AI-driven resident services, "whole-of-state" cybersecurity, and cloud-native infrastructure that never sleeps. As the Center for Digital Government (CDG) celebrates its 25th anniversary, we invite you to a high-energy retrospective and a forward-looking strategy session that tracks the evolution of the public sector’s digital DNA. We will walk through the "waves" of transformation we’ve navigated together and will provide a roadmap for the next quarter-century of innovation.

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

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

End of Conference

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