Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Kathy Hausmann, Director of Digital Infrastructure and Support Services at Saint Mary's College

Tyler Horning, Senior Account Manager, Central Region, Public Sector, SolarWinds

What You’ll Learn:

Saint Mary's Student-Run IT Support Evolution

Discover how Saint Mary's College transformed from post-it note tracking to a sophisticated Web Help Desk system that resolves nearly 50% of tickets within one day

Explore their innovative two-tier support model: ResNet (student tech support) and Help Desk (faculty/staff support), both primarily staffed by students

Learn how this IT experience creates a powerful talent pipeline, with former student workers landing positions at Google, JPMorgan Chase, and other major companies

Comprehensive Student Training and Support Operations

Inside Saint Mary's multi-phase training program: 3½ days of focused instruction followed by immersive orientation weekend experience that covers "everything they'll see in an academic year"

How the FAQ feature creates invisible success stories by helping students solve problems independently without completing ticket submissions

The critical philosophy of teaching student staff it's "okay to say 'I don't know'" and escalate issues to supervisors

SolarWinds Partnership and Customized Solutions

How Web Help Desk's customization enables Saint Mary's to tailor experiences for different campus populations (including the "three strikes" system for students vs. automated reminders for faculty/staff)

Impressive ROI metrics across higher education: 51% of institutions report 1-2x investment return with 17% seeing 3x return, and some seeing value within just 5 days of implementation

The power of automated workflows, escalations, and knowledge base development in creating efficient support operations

Looking Beyond Technology

Why Kathy recommends IT support jobs for students across ALL disciplines: "Nursing majors learn troubleshooting, education majors gain classroom-relevant skills, philosophy majors can thrive"

Tyler's advice to students: "Absorb as much as you can, understand the broader organizational flow, and learn how to solve others' problems"

How Saint Mary's exemplifies higher education's common challenges (understaffing, budget constraints) while creating innovative solutions through student empowerment

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:00:58) Meet the innovators: SolarWinds and Saint Mary's College

(00:03:58) From Post-it notes to digital transformation

(00:05:05) Web Help Desk: The Spring 2014 revolution

(00:07:42) Student-powered IT support model

(00:09:22) Impressive metrics: 50% of tickets resolved within one day

(00:13:19) Student IT bootcamp: The intensive training approach

(00:19:43) Customizing support for campus culture

(00:22:02) Career advice: "Any student should look at working in IT"

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Dr. LeeBrian Gaskins, Senior Associate Vice President of IT/CIO at University of Houston-Clear Lake

What You’ll Learn:

- 6-week crisis leadership insights: How Dr. Gaskins built team trust and executed digital transformation during COVID with a brand-new team

- AI concierge vision for higher ed: Real-world use cases for student support systems that access enterprise data and provide personalized recommendations

- NASA's cultural influence on tech strategy: How space program values of exploration and resilience shape innovation approaches in higher education

- Email security culture building: Lessons from achieving 96-97% spam filtering while shifting user behavior from "fix later" to "safety first"

- Collaboration as "magnifier and multiplier": Why Texas higher ed leaders prioritize peer networking and mentorship for amplified problem-solving

Timestamps

00:34 - Introduction and NASA Memorabilia Space Tour

01:00 - Dr. Gaskins' Journey: West Virginia to NASA's Backyard

03:00 - Childhood Space Dreams Driving Technology Innovation

05:00 - International Business Background and Cross-Border Tech

08:00 - Texas Higher Ed Collaboration Networks and Mentorship

11:00 - Collaboration as a "Magnifier and Multiplier" Strategy

13:00 - NASA's Cultural Influence on STEM and Resilience

17:00 - 6-Week COVID Crisis Leadership with New Team

23:00 - Human-Centric Tech: Internet Access and TTY Device Stories

28:00 - AI in Higher Ed: Ethics, Policy, and Student Experience

34:00 - AI Concierge Vision: Enterprise Data and Student Support

41:00 - Email Security Culture: 96-97% Spam Filtering Success

45:00 - EDUCAUSE Takeaways and Cross-Pollination Benefits

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Kerrica Laake, Chief Information Officer, City of Austin

Anh Selissen, Chief Information Officer, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)

Tanya Acevedo, Senior Vice President and CIO, CapMetro

Stephanie Weber, Industry Leader, State and Local Government and Higher Ed Appian

What You’ll Learn:

Breaking Silos from the Inside Out — How Kerrica's 33-year climb from city intern to CIO taught her that real transformation starts with asking "why" at every level, and why pairing IT with city executives through Austin's Business Relationship Program rewired decades of entrenched silos.

Triple-Crisis Leadership at TxDOT — How Anh navigated a reorg, COVID, and ransomware attacks while launching crash-predictive AI that spots stranded vehicles before secondary collisions occur — delivering a 29% statewide reduction in secondary crashes across construction zones.

Turning Financial Crisis into Transit Innovation — How Tanya's transparent leadership during a sales tax shortfall inspired cross-training initiatives that birthed $1.75 fully integrated trip planning — allowing CapMetro to directly compete with expensive, unreliable rideshare.

Unified Emergency Response in Action — How Austin's women CIOs orchestrated city, state, and transit agencies in one CTEC center, creating a coordinated crisis response model.

How Appian-Powered Orchestration Connects Human Services End-to-End — Linking housing assistance, food programs, and job services so no resident falls through the cracks.

Why Leading Agencies Choose Process Improvement Over "Efficiency" — How component-driven approaches help departments work smarter with existing systems instead of costly rip-and-replace projects that disrupt operations.

Timestamps

(01:00) 33-Year Orchestration: From City Intern to Silo-Breaking CIO Leadership

(02:00) Breaking Departmental Silos: Business Relationship Program Pairs IT with City Executives

(04:00) Crisis as Catalyst: CapMetro's Transparent Response to Sales Tax Decline

(06:00) Triple Crisis Orchestration: Surviving Reorg + COVID + Ransomware at TxDOT

(13:00) Crash-Reducing AI in Action: 29% Secondary Crash Reduction Through Predictive Analytics

(17:00) Transit Orchestration: $1.75 Multi-Mode Integration That Competes with Uber

(21:00) CTEC Center Model: Orchestrating City, State & Transit for Emergency Response

(24:00) Change Management Strategy: Applying "Weakest Link" Principles Across Organizations

(28:00) AI Orchestration Framework: Ethical Pilot Programs Over Shiny Technology

(32:00) Legacy System Orchestration: Innovation Labs That Modernize While Preserving Function

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Blake Hall, Founder & CEO, ID.me

What You’ll Learn:

How Blake's grandfather earned a Bronze Star with Valor at Anzio and established three leadership rules that shaped three generations of soldiers

Why Roy, an Iraqi interpreter, became a life-changing mission that demonstrated the true meaning of bringing everyone home

How ID.me is building the identity layer for the internet with a digital wallet that puts consumers in control of their data

The four immutable character traits Blake screens for: optimism, kindness over niceness, fight-or-flight control, and zero tolerance for jerks

Strategic fundraising lessons from raising over $100 million while maintaining company control and avoiding liquidation preference traps

Timestamps

(01:00) Military Heritage: Three Generations of Soldiers from WWII to Iraq

(02:00) Grandfather's Bronze Star: Saving His Unit at Anzio Against Nazi Machine Guns

(04:00) The Three Family Rules: Humility, Hard Assignments, and Leadership Lessons

(05:00) Roy's Story: Meeting the Iraqi Interpreter Who Looked Like a "Water Boy"

(07:00) Combat Reality: 19 of 22 Interpreters Executed Over 24 Months

(08:00) The Promise: "I'm Going to Bring All My Guys Home"

(13:00) Combat to Civilian: "Where Do I Go on Friday to Hang Out?"

(14:00) ID.me's Mission: Building the Identity Layer for the Internet

(15:00) Digital Wallets Beyond Payments: Privacy Filters and Never Do Same Thing Twice

(21:00) Core Value #1: "Don't Be a Jerk" - Zero Tolerance Policy

(22:00) Core Value #2: "Kind vs. Nice" - Truth-Telling Over People-Pleasing

(23:00) Core Value #3: "No Pessimists" - The Apollo 13 Mindset

(25:00) Hiring Strategy: Screening for Immutable Character Traits First

(27:00) Duke Basketball Example: Coach K's "We're Gonna Win" Leadership

(31:00) Fundraising Timing: Running Experiments Before Raising Capital

(34:00) Paul Graham's Wisdom: "Love from Few vs. Lukewarm from Many"

(36:00) Founding Team Dynamics: Complementary Skills and Vesting Agreements

(39:00) Strategic Investors: USAA Partnership Without Control Strings

(40:00) Crossover Funds: Viking Global's $100M+ Rounds Without Board Control

(42:00) The Four Business Questions: Size, Frequency, Price, and Moats

(45:00) Book Recommendations: Military Leadership to Tech Innovation

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

George Williams, CIO, Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board

What You’ll Learn:

How a 42-year-old COBOL system from 1983 finally got retired — and why a 70-year-old contractor stayed on just to see it die

Why George paused the entire project for a year and restructured the whole team — and how that bold move led to a successful go-live after two failed attempts spanning nine years

The critical moment George stopped outsourcing ownership to contractors and put actual agency employees in charge

How battlefield leadership lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan shaped George's approach to managing massive licensing operation

Why “success” nearly broke the system — and how the agency handled 30,000+ phone calls in just three months post-launch

How George built a cross-division data governance team to prevent inaccurate AI answers — and what every CIO should learn from it

Why Salesforce developers are solid gold — and how George is fighting to keep them in the public sector with training budgets and team loyalty

The one job George believes every CIO must do: take the heat round so their team can thrive

Timestamps

(00:35) From Army Combat Vet to Cannabis & Liquor Board CIO

(03:00) Basketball to Military: “Too Slow for Forward, Too Short for Center”

(06:00) Iraq 2004: Getting Blown Up and Building Resilient Teams

(12:00) 9-Year Project Nightmare: Firing Teams and Rebuilding from Scratch

(16:00) 42-Year-Old COBOL System: The 1983 Legacy That Wouldn’t Die

(23:00) 7 Legacy Systems to Salesforce: The Technical Transformation

(26:30) 20,000 Liquor + 1,900 Cannabis Licenses: Managing Complex Customer Operations

(33:00) CIO as Translator: Making Tech Make Sense to Non-Tech Leaders

(38:00) 30,000 Phone Calls Post-Launch: When Success Creates New Problems

(44:00) Leadership Lessons: Taking the Heat and Supporting Your Team

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Frank Quintana, CIO, City of Miami Beach

Ricardo Castillo, CIO, City of North Miami Beach

Raimundo Rodulfo, CIO, City of Coral Gables

Kyle Patel, VP of Engineering, Polimorphic

What You’ll Learn:

How Miami Beach serves millions of international tourists with 6 AI agents instead of expanding staff in their 7-square-mile destination

Why Coral Gables found a missing child in 2 minutes during a 50,000-person event using computer vision from 1,000+ sensors

The leadership story behind "hand the marker" - how South Florida CIOs transform interns into teachers who build better teams

How Polimorphic's AI pre-screens applications in 30 seconds, catching 90% of errors before staff review (25 languages expanding to 70)

Why North Miami Beach turned a 6-year permitting system failure into breakthrough collaboration across 14 departments

The governance strategy that blocks shadow AI while enabling department self-service: Miami-Dade College education + centralized licensing + technology controls

Timestamps

(03:00) 7 Square Miles, Millions of Tourists: Miami Beach's AI-First Customer Service Strategy

(08:00) 1,000+ Sensors to 2-Minute Rescue: Coral Gables' Smart City Emergency Response Evolution

(16:00) 30-Second Application Pre-Review: Polimorphic's AI Catches 90% of Errors before staff review (25 languages expanding to 70)

(22:00) Shadow AI Governance: Miami-Dade College Education + Centralized Licensing Strategy

(30:00) 6-Year Permitting Failure Becomes Collaboration: Breaking Down North Miami Beach's 14-Department Silos

(34:00) Hand the Marker Leadership: How Interns Become Teachers Who Build Better Teams

(42:00) Human Capital as Competitive Advantage: Coral Gables' Private Sector Mindset in Government

(47:00) 25 Languages to 70: Polimorphic's Multilingual Government Access Transformation

(50:00) The Next Decade CIO: From Keep-the-Lights-On to Strategic Problem-Solving Partner

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Sindhu Menon, CIO & Executive Director of Universal Services, Harris County

Robyn Doughtie, CIO, Fort Bend County

Misty Witmer, CIO, Galveston County

Mani Nagothu, Field CISO, SentinelOne

What You’ll Learn:

How Harris County's innovation lab is testing AI and emerging technologies while building nimble, resident-centric, and resilient operations

Why Fort Bend County successfully processed 30,000 ServiceNow tickets while reducing active projects from 200 to 86 through strategic prioritization

Galveston County's approach to coastal resilience, including data center failover systems and business continuity planning for hurricane seasons

The strategic evolution of cybersecurity leadership from technical expertise to enterprise risk management integration

How county CIOs are building the next generation through customer experience academies, with one leader surprising her team with new leadership training objectives

Timestamps

(01:00) Meet the Texas County Women: 6M+ Residents Served

(03:00) Building Nimble, Resident-Centric Organizations During Transformation

(07:00) Strategic Leadership Team Development: CTO, Justice Technology Leaders

(09:00) From Pennsylvania to Texas Coast: Modernization in Hurricane Territory

(12:00) ServiceNow and Workday Implementation: Balancing Resources and Priorities

(14:00) Data Center Flooding Lessons: "Basements in Houston Area, Not a Good Idea"

(17:00) Emergency Preparedness: Raleigh vs Houston Regional Differences

(20:00) Coastal Resilience: Building Continuity Systems That Never Go Offline

(26:00) Digital Equity and Broadband: Beyond Infrastructure to Digital Literacy

(30:00) Court System Modernization: Business Intelligence Transforming Resident Services

(36:00) Lifting Teams Up: Leadership Development and Internal Promotion Strategies

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Featuring:

Josh Bright, CIO and Associate Vice Chancellor for IT at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB)

Kyle Bowen, Deputy CIO at Arizona State University (ASU)

Charles Elliott, Field CTO for Public Sector at Google

What You’ll Learn:

High-Impact AI Strategies

ASU's language learning: German professor developed a custom AI tool that breaks free from "arcane phrases like 'where is the library'" to enable personalized conversational practice that adapts to student interests and provides immediate feedback

UCSB's data-driven approach: Five strategic AI pilots generating concrete metrics to inform new leadership's investment decisions during chancellor transition, ensuring continuity of innovation

Google Cloud's Rapid Innovation Team delivers accelerated proof-of-concepts through enhanced user story collaboration, allowing universities to quickly transform ideas into working prototypes

Technology Infrastructure Innovations

ASU's "Create AI Platform" unifies multiple LLMs into a single environment where faculty, researchers and students can rapidly prototype solutions to real-world problems, creating an agile development ecosystem

Google's migration of Collaboratory to cloud infrastructure gives educational institutions both seamless collaboration features and enterprise-scale computing power for complex research workloads

UCSB's partnership with Goldstein yielded comprehensive consensus from 200+ stakeholders including 70+ faculty members, creating what Josh calls "a fantastic engagement" leading to unified campus IT direction

Transformative Leadership & Organizational Development

UCSB's immersive five-day on-site "conference" reconnected hybrid workers with campus mission after 5-year absence for some staff, yielding emotional breakthrough: "We didn't know we needed this"

UCSB's year-long MOR Associates Leadership Program builds shared language among senior IT leaders while requiring all central IT staff to achieve Yellow Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma

ASU's competitive AI Innovation Challenge framework creates structured experimentation that simultaneously explores possibilities and identifies governance issues: "It helps us put in place the kind of guidelines or processes to help mitigate them in the future"

Cross-Institutional Partnership Models

Google Cloud's advanced multimodal capabilities enable universities to process diverse inputs—"video, audio, geometry assignments, you name it"—creating richer educational experiences for students

ASU's operational success applying AI to incident communications demonstrates how technical teams can "translate and help communicate about what's happening in technology environments to provide better messaging, faster"

UCSB's campus-wide mentorship program connects IT professionals across organizational boundaries, currently in its second cohort and delivering "really fantastic outcomes, just helping people to see, partner with those who are a little further along the road"

Timestamps

(01:15) ASU's three-pillar AI strategy: Education/Community, Technology, Experimentation

(02:00) Real-world AI applications at ASU: German language learning and incident response

(03:00) UCSB's campus IT strategy development with 200+ stakeholders

(06:00) UCSB's Enterprise AI pilots for gathering implementation data

(08:00) Leadership development initiatives at UCSB

(12:30) ASU's AI Innovation Challenge framework

(15:00) UCSB's transformative five-day on-site experience for remote staff

(18:00) Leadership advice for technology leaders in Higher Ed

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Kendra Ketchum, Vice President for Information Management and Technology and CIO at the University of Texas, San Antonio

Jared Pane, Director of Solutions Architecture at Elastic

What You’ll Learn:

Leadership Philosophy & Team Building

Discover Kendra's transformative "humble, hungry, and kind" leadership philosophy that's reshaping technical teams at UTSA

Why Kendra actively avoids hiring "brilliant jerks" who might be technically strong but ultimately damage team culture and prevent success

How embracing failure as a pathway to growth creates resilient, innovative teams: "Fail fast, pivot faster"

UTSA's Student-Empowered Security Operations Center

The remarkable journey from concept to impact: How UTSA's SOC has placed 179 students directly into tech roles, creating vital "connective tissue" for San Antonio's tech economy

Inside the innovative "glass screen" SOC design that transforms cybersecurity education into an immersive experience where students feel "part of something big"

Why Kendra challenges higher education's fundamental approach: "If you're not consuming the knowledge you're creating in these students, what are you doing?"

Elastic's AI-Powered Cybersecurity Revolution

The "secret sauce" behind Elastic's vector database and AI search capabilities that detect vulnerabilities competitors miss entirely

How Elastic's attack discovery transforms SOC operations by using AI to analyze thousands of alerts in minutes, not days

Texas A&M's rapid response to a devastating 2019 ransomware attack and why they made Elastic Agent mandatory across their technology infrastructure

Breaking the Status Quo

Strategies for challenging the dangerous "that's how we've always done it" mentality in higher education

How cross-sector collaboration between universities, government agencies, and industry partners is solving complex cybersecurity challenges

The power of staying curious: "When you nurture and grow people, I am just as feisty and fiery in protecting them too"

Timestamps

(02:53) "Humble, hungry, and kind": Building teams that drive results through trust

(07:55) Elastic's AI-powered search: The difference between "being on the news" and staying secure

(13:42) UTSA's SOC origin story: Creating career pathways and economic impact

(21:45) Higher ed's responsibility to "consume its own product" by hiring graduates

(26:45) Inside Texas A&M's ransomware response and security transformation

(31:30) Change leadership: Challenging the status quo and finding paths to "yes"

(36:18) Innovation through experimentation: "Let's try it and see if it works"

(39:43) Final advice for rising technology leaders: "Stay curious" and "be authentically yourself"

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Timothy Winders, AVP and Deputy CIO at Purdue University

Zach Rossmiller, CIO, University of Montana

Mani Nagothu, Americas Field CISO & Associate Director at SentinelOne

What You’ll Learn:

How Purdue navigates the unprecedented challenge of scaling AI access across their university system - balancing million-dollar licensing costs against student equity

Inside the University of Montana's innovative state-wide cybersecurity hub that transforms students into SOC analysts through real-world experience

How AI is reshaping both sides of cybersecurity - from sophisticated threat actors leveraging LLMs to defenders using AI-powered SOC automation

Practical strategies for integrating AI into higher education operations, from custom GPTs for student government to AI-enhanced writing support

Why getting diverse student perspectives on AI tools is crucial for successful implementation in higher education

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(03:00) Purdue's Enterprise AI Access Challenges

(09:00) Montana's Cyber Montana Initiative & SOC Training

(15:00) AI in Modern Cybersecurity Operations

(20:00) Practical AI Implementation Stories

(25:00) Student Perspectives & Future Outlook

(31:00) Looking Ahead: Guest Recommendations

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Aaron Judy, Chief of Innovation and Emerging Technologies, Maricopa County

Steven Hintze, Chief Data and Product Officer, Arizona Department of Child Safety

Kyle Patel, Lead Product and Engineering, Polimorphic

What You’ll Learn:

How to build working AI prototypes in 10 minutes that impress stakeholders and scale to production (like Maricopa County's animal contact tracing system)

Why 30 years of unstructured government data delivers better AI results than traditional structured approaches—and how to leverage it

The proven framework that helped one county identify 100+ AI use cases across 55+ agencies and avoid the "SQL query disguised as AI" trap

How AI can recover 100s of hours worth of staff time by eliminating repetitive tasks while improving citizen experience

The composable architecture strategy that lets you completely rebuild your AI stack within 30 days of production release without losing momentum

Timestamps

(06:00) Why 30 Years of Unstructured Data Beats Clean Databases

(10:00) Beyond Press 1 Press 2: True AI Automation vs. Labor Shifting

(13:00) The 10-Minute Prototype That Impressed Animal Care Directors

(18:00) What Vendors Get Wrong: Extracting vs. Creating Value for Government

(22:00) AI as Therapy: Validating Difficult Caseworker Decisions

(30:00) The Mom Test in Government: Solving Real vs. Requested Problems

(34:00) Innovation Roadshows: Getting 55 Agencies to Embrace Emerging Tech

(37:00) Future Vision: Decentralized Identity and 24/7 Government

(42:00) Amazon-Level Service: Building Public Trust Through Better Technology

(47:00) Failing Fast with Grace: Building Psychological Safety for Innovation

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brendan leads Ramsey's 250+ person technology organization, overseeing engineering, product, and software teams.

I sat down with Brendan, who has deep insight gleaned from years of startup to leading large-scale teams, to explore the topic of "Mastering Accountability."

One insight that struck me is Brendan's definition of accountability itself:

Throughout our interview, Brendan shares tactical advice to drive accountability on both an individual and organizational level.

You’ll find immense value in hearing how Ramsey Solutions creates an ownership culture.

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

In this engaging episode, you’ll discover:

00:30 - Leadership is like a never-ending pie contest.
05:25 - Brendan's path from software engineer to CTO and the self-improvement CTO journey
07:02 - Essential leadership books that shaped Brendan's leadership approach
14:03 - The dual need for business and engineering knowledge in technology leaders
17:18 - Transitioning from startup to managing large teams and the importance of accountability
19:30 - The 4-step guide to setting expectations for CIOs to minimize team burnout
21:12 - Avoiding "ious" expectations for better team communication and performance
23:09 - Understanding the DISC profile dynamics within tech leadership
25:38 - Brendan's personal evolution into a high-performing leader and his definition of accountability
29:24 - Visualizing expectations and understanding the need for prioritization in leadership
31:52 - A breakdown of the four leadership archetypes and the importance of self-assessment
34:59 - Strategies to elicit honest feedback from your team and improve credibility

Become a better leader at https://www.ramseysolutions.com/business/entreleadership

ps: What's been your single biggest challenge regarding accountability—whether holding yourself or others on your team accountable?

I'd love for you to reply back and share your biggest challenge regarding accountability

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

- Dr. LeeBrian Gaskins, Senior Associate Vice President of IT/CIO at University of Houston-Clear Lake

- William Huang, Deputy CIO, University of Texas System

What You’ll Learn:

Student-Centered Innovation in Higher Ed

UT System declared 2024 as "the year of the student," implementing the 25-year-old Archer Center Fellows program that brings 30-40 undergraduate, graduate, and medical students to Washington D.C. for leadership development

The UT System's 12-week summer internship program provides students with 9 hours weekly of professional development alongside functional work in IT, business, accounting, and legal areas

UHCL prioritizes graduate education growth through collaborative approaches with other Houston institutions, rejecting the "zero-sum game" mentality in student recruitment to create shared student success

Enterprise AI Implementation Strategy

UT Health Houston formalized a major partnership with OpenAI to provide advanced AI tools for medical students and clinical faculty, representing one of several mission-specific AI implementations

UT System has deployed a multi-node private AI cluster at their shared data center for all 14 institutions to develop business use cases, creating a secure on-premises AI environment

UHCL is developing 24/7 AI tutoring systems that help students identify knowledge gaps before exams and using AI analytics to mine historical student data for previously unrecognized improvement opportunities

Cross-Campus Collaboration Framework

The UT System achieves economies of scale by site-licensing Microsoft tools for all 256,000 students, faculty, staff and clinicians across its 14 institutions

UHCL collaborates with neighboring Houston campuses to create consistent experiences for faculty who teach across multiple institutions and share licensing resources

Regional partnerships between campuses with similar demographics (like Hispanic-serving institutions) enable targeted technology solutions for specific student populations

Space & AI Educational Innovation

UHCL was established through direct partnership with NASA, whose director requested graduate education facilities near the space center 50 years ago

The university houses NASA archives through the Space Act and maintains strong aerospace engineering and space exploration business programs

UT San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio jointly created one of the first programs combining a medical degree with a master's in AI, featuring three years of medical education, one year of AI focus, and a capstone integration year

Timestamps

01:37 - William Huang's background and DJ experience

02:00 - 2024: "The Year of the Student" and Archer Center Fellows

04:42 - Enterprise AI Strategy across UT System

07:58 - UHCL's AI Policy and Student Success Applications

10:53 - Balancing System-Wide Initiatives Across 14 UT Institutions

12:00 - Regional Collaboration Between Houston Area Campuses

16:24 - UHCL's NASA Connection and Aerospace Focus

19:25 - How AI Will Transform Digital Transformation

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Wendy Barron, CIO, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Courtney Arbour, Executive Director, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

What You’ll Learn:

How choosing $6 million in planning funds over $150 million in immediate funding can lead to better modernization outcomes at Texas DMV

The strategic approach to consolidating 25+ programs and 8 legacy licensing systems at TDLR into a unified platform

How Texas DMV interfaces with 254 counties through 500+ Tax Assessor Collector offices and plans to streamline manual processes using RPA

The innovative use of regulatory authority to combat human trafficking through emergency facility closures and cross-agency data sharing

Why building relationships with vendor communities and stakeholder feedback loops drives successful transformation in government

Timestamps

(03:00) Why Licensing is Workforce Development: Career Transition Strategy

(05:00) $6M vs $150M: How DMV Chose Planning Over Quick Implementation

(08:00) 25+ Programs, 8 Legacy Systems: TDLR's Consolidation Strategy

(11:00) Solving the "Page 10 Error": RPA for 500+ County Tax Offices

(16:00) 35 Facilities Closed: Using Tech Authority to Combat Human Trafficking

(18:00) Multi-State CIO Networks: Learning from Florida, California, Arizona

(21:00) Innovation Sources: Vendor Partnerships and Stakeholder Feedback Loops

(25:00) 2025 Execution Plan: Balancing Quick Wins with Long-Term Vision

(27:00) New York's Planning Failures: Expensive Lessons for Texas Modernization

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Craig Woolley, Chief Information Officer at Louisiana State University (LSU)

Kim Milford, Chief Information Security Officer at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Ed Wozencroft, VP for Digital Strategy and CIO at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)

Mary Lou Prevost, Group Vice President | US | State, Local Government and Education at Splunk

What You’ll Learn:

Student-Powered SOC: A Revolutionary Education & Security Model

How LSU created a scalable "student-powered" SOC model that provides real-world cybersecurity experience while enhancing institutional protection

The unique public-private partnership with Techstream that enables 24/7 security operations while students work regular business hours

State-level buy-in with $7.5 million in recurring funding that has expanded the model to over 20 institutions across Louisiana

Developing the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

How the model creates a direct pipeline to industry with the first cohort of students all receiving job offers before graduation

The critical "six-week" timeline from student hiring to SOC frontline deployment, meeting the urgent need for cyber talent

Why both LSU and NJIT open their programs to students of all backgrounds, not just IT or cybersecurity majors

Expanding Data Analytics Beyond Security

University of Illinois' creative applications of Splunk beyond security - from analyzing email marketing performance to library resource utilization

How IT data helped locate a student in crisis at NJIT, demonstrating the life-saving potential of security analytics platforms

The power of data visualization in communicating cybersecurity threats to government officials and securing institutional buy-in

Building Consensus in Decentralized Universities

The patient, collaborative approach to cybersecurity policy development with faculty at LSU through regular committee meetings

University of Illinois' strategy of absorbing security costs centrally rather than charging departments to ensure wider adoption

How cross-institutional partnerships amplify security capabilities through shared threat intelligence

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:00:58) Meet the innovators: HigherEd leaders transforming cybersecurity

(00:02:00) LSU's game-changing SOC model: Where university security meets workforce development

(00:05:40) Addressing the 2.3 million cyber job gap: "We have to solve this talent challenge"

(00:07:40) NJIT's bold vision: Expanding the student SOC model across New Jersey's institutions

(00:11:00) Beyond security: University of Illinois transforms email analytics and library services

(00:16:15) Data saves lives: How network analytics prevented a campus tragedy at 2AM

(00:22:50) "All three have job offers already": The remarkable ROI of student-powered security

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

🎙 About the episode

In this episode, we dive into the importance of mental wellness with Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO of Enterprise Applications at the City of Houston. Summer shares valuable insights on creating a safe space for team members to share stress, recognizing signs of distress, and fostering a sense of identity outside of work. Learn how building trust, open communication, and leadership support are key to enhancing team performance and well-being. Don't miss out on this valuable conversation that goes beyond technology in the public sector.

00:00 Joe Toste hosts public sector tech podcast.

05:52 Recognizing signs of distress in high performers.

06:36 Benching players, human complexity, tips for leaders.

11:03 Public sector tech leaders share valuable insights.

Key Highlights

Mental Health in IT Professionalism: "I was having mental breakdowns. And that's when I realized the path we chose to be it professionals isn't going to be easy mentally."

— Summer Xiao [00:01:48 → 00:01:59]

Trust and Sharing Stress: "So I think the first thing is people don't share stress with others that they don't trust."

— Summer Xiao [00:02:43 → 00:02:51]

Workplace Stress Management: "But that's how you create the safe environment. First is establishing trust."

— Summer Xiao [00:03:37 → 00:03:40]

Preventing Burnout in the Workplace: "How do we recognize it earlier to say, hey, I think somebody's really going down this. They're really unwell emotionally, and mentally, how do we peel them back before they become a negative influence on everybody else?"

— Summer Xiao [00:05:11 → 00:05:27]

Leadership and Workforce Management: "And you have to recognize that early in the situations where we had to let people go, I think as a leader, I haven't recognized that early enough. That's the biggest learning. So I'm constantly serving right now, especially as my top performers who's going to start going down the path. Let me yank them back. Right. And some of the sure signs that somebody is under distress is if they're a high performer and they lose the ability to listen, you find yourself having to repeat something multiple times, and they still make the same mistakes."

— Summer Xiao [00:05:52 → 00:06:22]

Supportive Leadership in the Workplace: "When I go to my CIO saying, hey, summer is stressed. It's not a foreign concept to her. She's very accepting. And I think that's really important, is to have this awareness through all levels for the organization."

— Summer Xiao [00:07:34 → 00:07:48]

Leadership in Project Management: "we only need two things for the project to be successful. We don't need infighting with our business partners, and we need leadership, support. Everything else we can handle, the team can handle."

— Summer Xiao [00:08:19 → 00:08:30]

Work-Life Balance in Entrepreneurial Families: "I couldn't separate myself because it didn't know the concept."

— Summer Xiao [00:09:04 → 00:09:28]

Work-Life Balance: "When I see them getting really stressed, they're working at 10:00, 12:00 and I say, let's all say my work is not me. I'm not my work, my work is not me. I'm not my work."

— Summer Xiao [00:09:52 → 00:10:03]

The Cost of Disconnecting in a Connected World: "I wanted to take full economic advantage of the money I paid at Disney. Did not want to waste my money. And the first two days was uncomfortable. And then I got used to it. I was like, this is a nice feeling. I guess nothing has fallen apart yet. I think."

— Summer Xiao [00:10:18 → 00:10:44]

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Teena Piccione, Secretary and State CIO, North Carolina

J.R. Sloan, State CIO, Arizona

Mark Wittenburg, CIO, City of Raleigh

Jonathan Feldman, CIO, Wake County

Joe Durante, Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist, Dell Technologies

What You’ll Learn:

How North Carolina's State CIO (from Google, AT&T, Fidelity, and more!) attracted world-class talent by selling the "most insane job" with the biggest data set and playground they'd ever see

Why shifting from "customers" to "colleagues and partners" eliminated IT roadblocks and built trust with departments like public safety

How to slash state procurement timelines from 9+ months to 45 days using proactive vendor negotiations and continuous pipeline management that saves agencies money to spend elsewhere

Arizona's AI governance framework that approved 15+ use cases saving employees 2.5 hours per week while protecting data through questionnaires and sandbox environments across 130+ agencies

Why city councils care more about AI's environmental impact than security risks, and how CIOs are building sustainability requirements into procurement policies

Timestamps

(01:00) Meet the Powerhouse Pod: State CIOs from NC & AZ + City & County Leaders + Dell

(06:00) The "Most Insane Job" Pitch: How to Recruit World-Class Talent

(11:00) Building Your Network Before You Need It: Relationship-Based Recruiting

(15:00) Screening for Heart: Finding Candidates Who Care About Mission Over Money

(19:00) Language That Transforms: From "Customers" to "Colleagues and Partners"

(22:00) Procurement Revolution: Slashing 9-Month Timelines to 45 Days

(26:00) Arizona's GenAI Use Cases: 15+ Approved Use Cases Saving 2.5 Hours Per Week

(33:00) AI in Action: Predictive Policing and Real-Time Crime Centers

(36:00) Surprising City Council Reaction: Environmental Impact Over Security Fears

(40:00) Legacy Modernization Strategy: Leading with Pain Points and Value

(46:00) Leadership Philosophy: The Power of Leading to Give vs. Get

(50:00) Building Teams That Last: Developing People Before Processes

(53:00) True Collaboration: Staying Curious, Connected, and Innovative

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Featuring:

• Ryan Murray, Deputy Director and Chief Information Security Officer, State of Arizona
  • See Ryan's past episodes here: https://podcast.techtables.com/guests/ryan-murray/
• Ralph Johnson, Chief Information Security Officer, State of Washington
• Owen Zorge, Chief Information Security Officer, City of Chandler
• Cátia Pereira, Manager - Sales Engineering at Kiteworks

In this episode you'll learn:

• Building Statewide Cybersecurity Programs: How the State of Arizona has implemented its Cyber Readiness Program to support local governments with advanced cybersecurity tools, improving overall security posture and resource allocation.
• Fostering Collaboration in Cybersecurity: Insights into how the State of Washington is overcoming mistrust between state and local entities through collaborative initiatives and grant programs to enhance cybersecurity measures across jurisdictions.
• Effective Cybersecurity Partnerships: Real-world examples from the City of Chandler on the benefits of collaborative purchasing and support systems, and how working with state programs can lead to significant improvements in local cybersecurity defenses.
• Public-Private Sector Partnerships: The role of companies like Kiteworks in facilitating secure communication and data sharing within public sector organizations, highlighting successful implementations and scalable solutions.
• Addressing Workforce Challenges: Creative strategies from Arizona and Washington on how to tackle the cybersecurity talent gap, including eliminating degree requirements, providing on-the-job training, and engaging with educational institutions to build a future-ready workforce.
• Harnessing Emerging Technologies: Practical applications of AI and machine learning in cybersecurity for anomaly detection and autonomous vulnerability management, and the importance of balancing innovative tech adoption with fundamental security practices.
• Leadership and Strategic Insights: Perspectives from top CISOs on managing cybersecurity in state and local governments, the importance of trust and collaboration, and strategies for continuous improvement in an evolving threat landscape.

Full transcript and show notes

Ryan's LinkedIn

Ralph's LinkedIn

Owen's LinkedIn

Cátia’s LinkedIn

***

RECOMMENDED EPISODES

→ #173: Doug Ducey, 23rd Governor of Arizona

→ #174: Jack McCain & Tim Roemer - National Security from State to Local Governments
→ #175: Ralph Johnson, Allen Ohanian, Martha Goodwin, and Dr. Muriel Reid – The Human Firewall: Cybersecurity's Next Frontier
→ #176: Lester Godsey, Christian Taillon, Tina Carkhuff, and Gary Depreta - Weaving the Cybersecurity Tapestry: The Art of Public Private Collaboration

***

WHEN YOU'RE READY

📬 TechTables Newsletter

🎥 Upcoming Events

🤝 Looking to increase brand affinity? 

Promote your company’s logo and case study to an audience with $10 billion in public sector State, Local, and Higher Education (SLED) IT spend through our newsletter, which boasts an 80% email open rate and a 10% click-through rate (industry averages are 30% and 1%). 

This means we have a super engaged audience (not just a database of emails).

Reach the SLED market’s top public sector technology C-Levels like SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP. Schedule a call to learn more!

***

CONNECT
🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

***

PARTNERS

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

SentinelOne: Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAP: Driving digital transformation in cities like Copenhagen. See how they’re making digital strides.

Download the Case Study Now or click here: https://www.sap.com/documents/2021/02/10c410bc-cc7d-0010-87a3-c30de2ffd8ff.html

🤝 Reach the SLED market’s top public sector technology C-Levels like SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP. Schedule a call to learn more!

***

SAY THANKS

💜

Lester Godsey, CISO, Maricopa County

Lester serves as the Chief Information Security Officer for Maricopa County, the fourth largest county in the United States by population. With extensive experience in managing cybersecurity risks and implementing robust security protocols, Lester plays a crucial role in safeguarding the county’s digital infrastructure against various cyber threats.

Tina Carkhuff, Industry Executive Advisor, Splunk

Tina is an Industry Executive Advisor at Splunk and the former CIO for the City of Houston. With a deep passion for data analytics, Tina brings valuable insights from her work with Splunk’s platform in detecting and mitigating fraud. Her experience spans across various public sector roles, where she has consistently leveraged data to drive significant improvements in cybersecurity and operational efficiency.

Gary DePreta, Senior Vice President US Public Sector, Cisco

Gary is the Senior Vice President of US Public Sector at Cisco. Having joined Cisco in 2005 and with a brief stint at Splunk, Gary has a unique perspective on the integration of advanced cybersecurity solutions. He is dedicated to addressing the complex challenges faced by public sector entities, particularly in enhancing cybersecurity through innovative technologies and strategic partnerships.

Christian Taillon, Threat Response Engineer, Grand Canyon Education

Christian is a Threat Response Engineer at Grand Canyon Education. He is committed to protecting student and institutional data while training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Christian’s work involves utilizing advanced security technologies and fostering public-private partnerships to bolster cyber defenses within the educational sector.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How Maricopa County combats misinformation and disinformation, particularly during election cycles, and the importance of incident response protocols in addressing physical and digital threats.
• The role of data analytics in fraud detection, exemplified by Splunk’s success in helping states like New Jersey save billions in fraudulent unemployment claims.
• The impact of Cisco’s acquisition of Splunk on enhancing cybersecurity through the integration of data analytics and threat intelligence.
• The strategic importance of public-private partnerships in improving cybersecurity defenses, with real-world examples from Grand Canyon Education.
• The challenges and solutions associated with using AI and machine learning in cybersecurity, including maintaining data privacy and automating threat response.
• How trust in government can be restored and improved through effective public-private collaborations and innovative use of technology.

Full transcript and show notes

Lester's LinkedIn 

Tina's LinkedIn 

Christian LinkedIn

Gary's LinkedIn

***

RECOMMENDED EPISODES

→ #173: Doug Ducey, 23rd Governor of Arizona

→ #174: Jack McCain & Tim Roemer - National Security from State to Local Governments
→ #175: Ralph Johnson, Allen Ohanian, Martha Goodwin, and Dr. Muriel Reid – The Human Firewall: Cybersecurity's Next Frontier

***

WHEN YOU'RE READY

📬 TechTables Newsletter

🎥 Upcoming Events

🤝 Sponsor The Public Sector Show by TechTables - Podcast & Newsletter

***

CONNECT
🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

***

PARTNERS

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

SentinelOne: Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAP: Driving digital transformation in cities like Copenhagen. See how they’re making digital strides.

Download the Case Study Now or click here: https://www.sap.com/documents/2021/02/10c410bc-cc7d-0010-87a3-c30de2ffd8ff.html

***

SAY THANKS

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

Want to see AI-powered security in action? Check out how the State of Montana revolutionized their cybersecurity using SentinelOne - they're now protecting over 15,000 endpoints across 25 state agencies. Click here to see their success story.

INSIDE TODAY’S ISSUE:

* 🎙️ [New Episode] Breaking the status quo in GovTech: Meet four trailblazing women.

* 📹 A behind-the-scenes look at the new Seattle + Bellevue promo video.

* 💼 Work with me: Discover collaboration opportunities tailored for CIOs and vendor partners

Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Handling Perfectionism and Failure in Leadership

King County CIO Megan Clarke gets real about a game-changing moment in her career - when her 'perfect' system got labeled as a glitch. She opens up about facing constant scrutiny in tech leadership, finding the confidence to stand firm when you know you're right, and why great leaders aren't afraid to say 'I don't know.' Learn how embracing imperfection transformed her approach to public sector innovation.

FEATURING:

* Megan Clarke, Chief Information Officer, King County

* Sabra Schneider, Chief Information Officer, City of Bellevue & MIX President

* Michelle Jackson, Information Technology Director, City of Camas

* Christina Parra, Enterprise Account Manager, SentinelOne

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

* How public sector IT leaders navigate challenges and innovation, from implementing AI chatbots to securing cybersecurity resilience

* Practical strategies for cybersecurity recovery, including backup testing, rapid recovery planning, and department-specific training

* Specific ways to support women in tech leadership, from addressing note-taking bias to providing mentorship and visibility opportunities

* How SentinelOne builds inclusive culture through paid family leave, mental health days, and internship programs

* Why addressing the tech pipeline gap must start with K-12 education, with data showing significant drop-off between ages 12-17

LINKS MENTIONED:

* Megan Clarke's TEDx Talk on Being Perfectly Imperfect

* Christina Parra: Why Diversity in Cybersecurity Matters

📹 A behind-the-scenes

look at the new Seattle + Bellevue promo video

👉 Click here to see the promo video!

💼 Work with me

Discover collaboration opportunities tailored for CIOs and vendor partners

For CIOs -

The Collaboratory: Where Public Sector Technology Leaders Get Real

Tired of the same conference slides? So are your peers.

I really felt like you were offering something different that brought people together... having frank conversations and discussions. I just came back from a conference, and it was the same bloody slides on train-your-people-about-security. And I was just like, why don't we talk? Why don't we take this to the next level, like where it really matters? And that's what you're doing here.

Join a vendor-free community of public sector technology leaders who skip the slides and dive into what actually matters.

Email collaboratory@techtables.com to apply today!

For Vendor Partners - Why brand matters in B2B

B2B buying process has changed, and your sales strategy must, too

Dave Gerhardt says it best:

Brand will help you win deals. Brand gets you out of the feature wars. Brand means you're not battling over a 4.6 vs. 4.7 rating on G2. Brands means the sales team isn’t grasping at straws to articulate how you're different. Without a brand, people will buy: 1. The product they've bought before (it's safer, they've used it before) 2. The product that's cheaper (it's safer, it doesn't break the bank)

This is where TechTables comes in.

We understand brand better than anyone in the public sector. Let us help you build a brand that wins deals, stands out, and drives pipeline.

Ready to leave outdated marketing and content strategies behind? Let TechTables elevate your brand to the next level.

Email sales@techtables.com to start the conversation today.

ps: Not ready yet? No worries. Check out my exclusive interview with the 23rd Governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, where we talk about how “Cybersecurity is Homeland Security” and Arizona’s trailblazing Whole of State approach.

Watch it below!

The TechTables Newsletter is proudly brought to you by our national partner, Verizon

Verizon Frontline is the most advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most. Click here to check out the solutions built for first responders.

Connect w/ Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmlange/

Show Notes:

In this episode, we sit down with Doug Lange, former Chief Strategy Officer for the State of Arizona and current VP of IT Strategy at Choice Hotels, to discuss his transition from the public sector to the private sector. We dive into the differences in speed and execution, exploring how the urgency in the private sector differs from the public sector. Additionally, we examine Doug’s unique approach to fostering a culture of creativity and empowerment in the workplace.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Doug Lange, sharing his background and current role at Choice Hotels.
01:21 - Doug's role in encouraging the host to go live and in person for the podcast.
02:26 - Reflecting on the journey from episode 22 to the present, highlighting the growth and development within the public sector.
03:46 - Exploring the book "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel and its influence on Doug's approach to speed and innovation in the private sector.
05:20 - Comparing the complexities and motivation in government versus the private sector.
06:36 - Discuss collaborative efforts and competition in the private sector compared to the community aspect of the public sector.
08:10 - Exploring the urgency and speed of execution in the private sector versus the public sector's risk-averse environment.
09:53 - Doug's thoughts on a potential return to the public sector and the areas that could be improved to foster growth and innovation.
14:16 - Addressing the concept of the slowness of government and how it balances with Doug's experience transitioning to the private sector.
18:34 - The "Speaker's Journey" career series and the impact of personal stories and vulnerabilities on team dynamics and collaboration.
21:06 - Sharing Simon Sinek's video and the power of openness and vulnerability in building diversity and fostering passion within a team.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Jim Weaver, Secretary for Information Technology & CIO for the State of North Carolina. Jim leads the agency responsible for strategic IT planning and the procurement and delivery of IT services and solutions as well as cybersecurity. In today's episode, we cover Jim's unique perspective on North Carolina's leadership in expanding equity through broadband access and affordability across the state.

We know that in some cases it's 2-3% of a family's income to pay for the cost of internet. And during the times of the pandemic and the economic upheaval that we saw in 2020, there was a choice between access to these types of benefits, if you will, versus putting food on the table ~ Jim Weaver About 10% of our state, or about 1.1 million individuals, do not have access to the internet today here in North Carolina. And that's terrifying ~Jim Weaver Schools now, as we've seen, aren't necessarily a schoolhouse. Our world has changed a lot because of COVID. And so we have to look at delivering service wherever they're at and when the individual needs it ~ Jim Weaver

Powered by: Verizon Public Sector

And a huge thank you to Verizon Public Sector. This live podcast would not be possible without the support of Verizon. Verizon is redefining the front line for first responders, educators, and K-12 students. As a high school basketball coach working with young student-athletes I love the important mission Verizon is filling at the federal, state, and local levels working to close the digital divide by investing in high-speed internet infrastructure, access, and affordability across the nation. Learn more about Verizon Public Sector by heading to verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/.

In today's episode you will learn:

[02:18] What are three key strategies in North Carolina's $1.2 billion holistic approach to providing broadband to all areas- rural, suburban, and urban- throughout the state?

[06:18] What is North Carolina doing well that has been attracting high-tech industries to the state? And what does Jim envision needs to be done in order to sustain those opportunities?

[08:11] How is North Carolina addressing the digital equity divide differently than what has been done in the past? Jim Weaver talks about the governor's plan for 100% connection for households with school-aged children.

[16:40] Jim identifies what he terms as the Four Pillars of Digital Transformation and where they are headed with each

[29:15] The importance of agility in organizational structure

[00:18] + [23:39] Can a die-hard Yankees fan and Red Sox fan peacefully coexist? The friendly banter begins here, and continues in Raleigh on TechTables' first Suite Talk: Grillin' & Chillin' event, coming up on July 22nd, 2022

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please do leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables 

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/

Connect with Kevin Gilbertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgilbertson/

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

00:50 Kevin shares his background in the private sector and how having a non-exclusively public sector background can benefit persons in CIO roles

09:37 Kevin discusses how onboarding people into the Public Sector through internship and apprenticeship opportunities can be a win-win

11:19 It's not just about pay: Kevin relates how the ability to impact citizens' lives for the better brings value beyond monetary compensation

13:34 Send them out and welcome them back- Kevin talks about the importance of creating an "alumni" mindset that encourages former employees to want to come back when they are ready to serve again

18:58 How incorporating learning-based goals alongside results-driven goals can produce better overall outcomes

19:59 What is the Montana Digital Challenge and the next steps being taken towards going 100% digital?

26:32 The low code, no code strategy and how it's being implemented in Montana

Get new episodes directly in your inbox - We send updates every week and bonus content over the weekend. Join the newsletter below.

TechTables is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow us:

LinkedIn TechTables https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste

Connect: LinkedIn, Twitter

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

📚 Timestamps

00:34 - Steve provides an overview of Dynatrace and its role in helping companies successfully adapt and adopt new enterprise cloud technologies.
01:54 - Steve Tack draws parallels between coaching athletics and coaching the product team at Dynatrace, emphasizing the importance of engagement, competition, and bias toward action.
06:20 - Discussion on how Dynatrace is helping customers deploy faster and with more agility in a multi-cloud environment, focusing on the increasing complexity of cloud infrastructure services and the need for speed, reliability, and security.
09:01 - Three key lessons were shared on navigating the transition from on-prem to cloud, emphasizing the significance of people and processes, adopting cloud-native technology, and having a bias towards innovation.
18:07 - Testimonial highlighting the impact of Dynatrace in increasing conversions for a footwear retailer during the pandemic, showcasing the role of automation in driving innovation and freeing up development capacity.
22:34 - Steve Tack shares insights into where Dynatrace is heading in the next three to five years, focusing on leveraging automation and driving businesses forward with precise answers and automated actions.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

JP Dinnell, former U.S. Navy SEAL, Leadership Instructor, Speaker, and Strategic Advisor, Echelon Front

What You’ll Learn:

How JP went from being served divorce papers on his anniversary to rebuilding his marriage using extreme ownership principles

Why Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War by putting team first

The dangerous transition trap that destroys military veterans (and how to avoid it by establishing a clear new mission)

JP's daily "war against complacency" strategy that protects your marriage, business, and health from gradual decay

The 3 pillars of elite mastery that took JP from Delta Platoon sniper to Echelon Front leadership instructor

Timestamps

(03:12) JP's SEAL Team Background and Combat Experience

(07:55) The Dark Transition: When Everything Falls Apart

(11:00) Driving Ownership: Lessons from Ramadi Combat Operations

(17:00) Extreme Ownership: The Path Out of Dark Places

(22:00) Entrepreneurship as the Ultimate Reality Check

(25:00) Declaring War on Complacency Every Single Day

(31:00) Humility: The #1 Trait of Combat-Effective Leaders

(38:00) Three Pillars of Elite Mastery: Discipline, Patience, Dedication

(42:00) Echelon Front's FTX: Real-Time Leadership Under Pressure

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Dr. Vanessa Kenon, Associate VP for Technology Compliance and Community Engagement, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)

Dr. Joe Way, Executive Director of Digital Spaces, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

What You’ll Learn:

How UTSA's Bold Careers program expanded to serve over 85 students through partnerships with Rackspace, Dell Technologies, and DoD contractors

Why eSports is a multi-billion dollar industry creating new career pathways for students beyond traditional gaming roles

UCLA's strategic preparation to serve as Olympic Village for the 2028 Olympics while increasing enrollment by 20-25%

The importance of creating frictionless campus experiences that integrate technology across dorms, classrooms, and events

How digital twins of campus spaces can optimize resources, improve sustainability, and transform the educational experience

Timestamps

(02:24) UTSA's Bold Careers: Expanding to 85+ Students with Industry Partners

(05:00) UCLA's Digital Transformation and Olympic Village Preparation

(07:58) Student Success Stories: Building Experience and Careers

(11:11) "Students Are Their Own Brand": The Modern Education Model

(14:22) eSports as a Multi-Billion Dollar Career Pathway

(17:47) UCLA's Vision: Creating a Frictionless Campus Experience

(20:59) Digital Twin Campus: Optimizing Resources and Sustainability

(28:59) Meeting Students Where They Are: The Future of Learning

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

---

Brad Oswald is the customer success manager at Florida Digital Service. In this episode, Brad unpacks why he pivoted careers to serve partners with a “get out of the office” approach centered on empathetic listening, disciplined systems, and relationship building over simplistic adoption metrics.

Connect with Brad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-oswald-9380b493/

In this episode, you’ll learn:

01:52 - From Chasing Commissions to Pursuing Purpose: Why Brad Shifted Careers

03:22 - The Startup Pitch that Convinced Brad to Join the Mission

04:52 - What to Look For When Hiring a Relationship-Focused Role

06:31 - Walking the Tightrope of Assertive Empathy with Partners

08:36 - Why Leading With Empathy is a Game-Changer

10:10 - Ditching Sales Quotas: How to Scorecard Lasting Partner Success

14:11 - What Jocko Willink Taught Brad About Unlocking Potential

16:14 - The Moment Our Perspective Fundamentally Shifted: Getting Out of the Office

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

You'll learn practical steps your agency must take now to avoid devastating consequences when an attack inevitably strikes.

Don't miss this powerful episode on safeguarding your citizens from growing nation-state actors.

------

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne: Transforming state security with AI-powered solutions. Protecting 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAP: Driving digital transformation in cities like Copenhagen. See how they’re making digital strides.

Download the Case Study Now or click here: https://www.sap.com/documents/2021/02/10c410bc-cc7d-0010-87a3-c30de2ffd8ff.html

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter 

🔖 Timestamps

00:35 - Jack McCain's journey from Navy helicopter pilot to CEO of Blue Sky
01:20 - How Blue Sky connects allies with strategic US industries
01:50 - Tim Roemer’s background in cybersecurity and homeland security
05:52 - The motivations behind Jack and Tim's service
07:03 - Insights from Vicki Mayo on rescuing Afghan women during the U.S. withdrawal
08:30 - Jack and Tim discuss the biggest international threats to public safety
09:58 - The impact of nation-state actors on local cybersecurity defenses
12:14 - Proactive steps to mitigate cyber threats in local and state governments
16:06 - How Blue Sky and GMI are aiding governments with secure technology solutions
20:01 - The interplay between global threats and local cybersecurity measures
21:10 - Leadership principles from Jack McCain's expansive career
23:41 - Quick-fire questions: Final Four predictions, leadership book recommendations, and best local Mexican cuisine in Arizona

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

• LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
• LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
• Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Richard McHattie, CIO of Maricopa County, Chris Chirgwin, CIO of Santa Barbara County, Mike Hojnicki, CTO of New Castle County, and Don Ingle, Industry Executive Advisor from SAP, share valuable insights into how these technology leaders are reshaping the future of county resident experiences. Discover how their groundbreaking strategies are setting new standards for innovation and transforming community services, promising a future where technology seamlessly enhances daily life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 • How counties like Maricopa, Santa Barbara, and New Castle County are revolutionizing resident experiences with digital modernization.

 • The transformative power of AI in enhancing public sector services and support.

 • The importance of collaboration in driving innovation and overcoming IT challenges.

 • Why balancing people, processes, and technology is crucial for successful digital transformation.

 • Strategies for building a high-performance IT culture in hybrid and remote environments.

Full transcript and show notes

Read the full transcript

 • Richard McHattie: LinkedIn

 • Chris Chirgwin: LinkedIn

 • Mike Hojnicki: LinkedIn

 • Don Ingle: LinkedIn

***

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(03:12) Communicating with Elected Officials

(05:48) Project Justification: Costs & Operations

(07:55) People, Processes, & Business Transformation

(10:32) Leveraging AI for Efficiency

(13:10) Clean Data & AI for Process Improvement

(15:48) Analyzing Transcripts & Financials with AI

(18:02) Tech Accessibility for Public Sector

(20:44) Communicating Long-term Value to Leadership

(23:19) Building a Remote Workforce & Accountability

(26:01) Collaboration at State & Local Levels

(28:32) Educational & Government Partnerships in Arizona

(30:58) Multi-jurisdiction Collaboration in Washington

(33:12) Enhancing UX by Shifting Services Online

(36:33) Managing Limited Funding with AI & Tech

WHEN YOU'RE READY

📬 TechTables Newsletter

🎥 Upcoming Events🤝 Looking to increase brand affinity?

Promote your company to a highly engaged audience in the public sector State, Local, and Higher Education (SLED) market with over $10 billion+ in IT spending. Our newsletter boasts an impressive 80% email open rate and a 10% click-through rate, far exceeding industry averages of 30% and 1%.

Reach top public sector technology C-Levels like those at SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP. Schedule a call to learn more, or email joe@techtables.com.

***

CONNECT🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

***

PARTNERS

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

SentinelOne: Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAP: Discover how the latest in generative AI capabilities in the SAP solutions portfolio can help you revolutionize your business model strategy. Learn more at https://www.sap.com/index.html

***

SAY THANKS

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

In a world of increasing cyber threats, how can government technology leaders try to stay a step ahead of nefarious hackers from China, Russia, and beyond? Our guests, former Florida CIO Jamie Grant and SentinelOne's Morgan Wright give us an inside look at the high-stakes cybersecurity race against bad actors and nation-states.

Join us as Jamie and Morgan pull back the curtain on Florida's evolving cyberstrategy to get "left of boom" and prevent attacks before they happen. They'll discuss how AI, automation, and other innovative tools are being used to combat and outmaneuver complex threats.

We'll also explore some of the unique public sector challenges around recruitment, retention, and procurement that Jamie's team overcame through creative problem-solving and a change in mindset.

Connect with Jamie Grant here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdubyagrant

Connect with Morgan Wright here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganwright150/

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

🔖 Timestamps 

0:00 - Intro

3:00 - Morgan Wright on how 9/11 shaped his "left of boom" cybersecurity approach
6:00 - Connecting dots across agencies to prevent attacks

9:00 - Creative problem-solving strategies for cybersecurity
12:00 - Government procurement disconnects
15:00 - Emphasizing speed and agility in public sector
18:00 - Automation's role in defending against nation-state threats
21:00 - Recruiting and retaining talent in public service

24:00 - Evolving workforce and technology for enhanced value
27:00 - Driving value on cybersecurity offense

30:00 - Pattern recognition across industries
33:00 - Innovative cybersecurity philosophies and risk aversion

36:00 - Entrepreneurial thinking in government

39:00 - Florida's 2030 Cybersecurity Workforce Vision
42:00 - Partnerships over headcounts in government
45:00 - Economic barriers against adversaries
48:00 - Handling continuous attacks on Florida

51:00 - Rethinking Cybersecurity with AI
54:00 - Inefficient procurement processes
57:00 - Empowering teams in cybersecurity
1:00:00 - Preparing for future threats
1:03:00 - Automation and AI in network security

1:06:00 - Local government technology adoption barriers

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour, where we will dive deeper into these insights and explore the cutting-edge solutions driving innovation in the public and private sectors.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Featuring:

Shane McDaniel, CIO, City of Seguin & 2025 TAGITM President

James O’Brien, Information Security Officer, Port Houston (& 2026 TAGITM President)

Jose Mendez, IT Director, Town of Flower Mound

Ted Gruenloh, CEO, Nomic Networks

Episode Highlights:

What happens when local IT leaders transform city government through servant leadership, authentic vendor partnerships, and homegrown talent?

Shane McDaniel reveals how Seguin’s investment in people turned 2 new positions into 5 internal promotions and 27 innovation awards.

James O’Brien shares his journey from a 2-person team supporting 450 employees to leading a high-trust, hybrid culture at Port Houston.

Jose Mendez explains how Flower Mound’s “trust but verify” accountability framework drives transparency, measurable outcomes, and stakeholder confidence.

Ted Gruenloh unpacks how authentic vendor partnerships led to 13 of 17 sales deals and why mutual trust is the foundation of sustainable partnerships.

Together, they explore how servant leadership, accountability, and community (like TAG) are fueling Texas’ award-winning IT culture — and why these lessons matter for every public sector leader nationwide.

Timestamps

(00:32) Why Texas IT Leaders Choose Public Service — Finding Purpose and Calling

(07:00) From Keyboard Warrior to Strategic Leader – James O’Brien’s Leadership Evolution

(10:00) Trust Nothing, Verify Everything – Jose Mendez’s Accountability Framework

(15:00) 27 Innovation Awards – How Seguin Built a Winning IT Culture from Within

(19:00) 2 New Positions, 5 Promotions – Shane McDaniel’s Talent Development Strategy

(23:00) 13 of 17 Deals Closed – Ted Gruenloh on Authentic Vendor Partnerships

(30:06) Funny Moment – Justin Cure and Rishma Khimji Bring Some Texas Humor

(32:59) 450 Employees, 2 IT Staff – How TAG Became James O’Brien’s Lifeline

(33:00) Building Trust in Hybrid Work – Port Houston’s Communication Playbook

(40:00) Looking Ahead to TAGITM 2026 – Why Texas Values Drive IT Excellence

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Episode Highlights

What if cybersecurity in government isn’t about buying the newest tools — but trusted relationships, shared intelligence, and grassroots innovation?

In this episode, four Texas public sector leaders share how local governments are building enterprise-level resilience without enterprise budgets. From 27 innovation awards in the City of Seguin (and counting — Shane scored #27 mid-interview), to mutual aid agreements replacing $40K emergency response contracts, to AI solutions that collapse months of compliance work into hours — this is a masterclass in trust-powered transformation.

You’ll hear how the TAGITM community launched a secure statewide Data Collective (don’t worry — Eric double-checked the security for everyone), how a Cohesity box landed in a city office just two days after the PO was signed (Jody may or may not have had it ready in the trunk), and why the best IT decisions aren’t always about cost — but collaboration, community, and a few Hawaiian shirts.

(00:45) “We’re Calling on you, Rishma!” — Shane’s Shoutout to Las Vegas Airport CIO

(03:00) 27 Innovation Awards (and Counting): How Shane’s Rural Team Built Big-City Security

(06:00) Data vs. Cyber Resiliency: The 2016 Shift That Changed Everything

(11:00) Degrees & Certs: From Zero to 13 Degrees and 27 Certs in a Small Texas Team

(13:00) Data Collective: How Texas Cities Built a Secure, Peer-Driven Vendor Intelligence Platform

(17:00) Mutual Aid Agreements: How 15+ Cities Replaced $40K Emergency Contracts

(34:00) RAG in Action: How AI Cut Compliance Work From Months to Hours

(43:00) No-Brainer Decisions: When User Experience Beats Price

Featuring

Shane McDaniel, Chief Information Officer & TAGITM President, City of Seguin

Tony Gonzalez, IT Director & Past TAGITM President, City of New Braunfels

Eric Matthews, Chief Information Officer, City of Allen

Marlin McFate, CTO & CISO for Public Sector, Cohesity

Links Mentioned

TAGITM - Serving as the premier organization for government technology professionals in Texas

Cohesity - Modern data security and management for local government. Protect against ransomware and other cyber threats. Manage local government agency data securely and effectively.

🔥 Want more from the 2025 TAGITM Podcast Tour? Check out 2 other binge-worthy episodes you can’t miss.

#213: How TxDOT's AI Cut Crashes 29% — Plus Austin's Multi-Agency Crisis Response

#215: CapMetro Built AI So Human Callers Can’t Tell + How Austin Put Data Stewardship Before AI Hype + UTSA’s “Humble, Hungry, Kind” Culture

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Featuring

Bill Kehoe, Chief Information Officer and WaTech Agency Director, State of Washington

Tim Galluzi, Chief Information Officer, State of Nevada

Alan Fuller, Chief Information Officer, State of Utah

Episode Highlights

What if the future of government IT isn’t about the biggest budget—but the courage to ship fast, fail forward, and use AI that actually works?

Three state CIOs share how they’re turning bold ideas into measurable wins:

• Nevada detects wildfires faster and launches aircraft sooner with AI.

• Utah rolled out Gemini statewide—deflecting 70% of help-desk calls.

• Washington uses AI to translate legacy COBOL into plain English, cutting months of manual work.

You’ll also hear Tim Galluzi’s Marine Corps lesson that “speed beats perfection,” Alan Fuller’s vision for cryptographically verifiable credentials (yes, even beekeeping licenses), and Bill Kehoe’s “Coffee with Kehoe” approach that guided teams through a $16B deficit with transparency.

When CIOs put people before platforms, they build systems that truly serve citizens.

Timestamps

(01:00) Coffee with Kehoe: Leading Teams Through $16B Deficit with Transparency

(03:31) Marine Corps to State IT: “Speed Beats Perfection” Leadership Philosophy

(11:00) Utah’s Reality Check: From “Can’t Run Zoom” to Strategic Innovation Partner

(15:00) Data Foundation First: From Spreadsheet Chaos to Customer Experience Insights

(19:36) 3 States, 3 AI Wins: COBOL to English, 70% Deflection, $1M Saved

(30:30) Wildfire AI: Nevada Saving Lives with Early Detection

(36:00) “We Aren’t the Alpha Big Dog”: Learning from the Smallest Counties

(39:00) Digital Identity Revolution: Every Credential Cryptographically Verifiable

(42:00) One Portal, One Identity: Making Government Simple for Citizens

🔥 Want more from TechTables? Check out these 3 other binge-worthy episodes you can’t miss.

#209: Teena Piccione, J.R. Sloan, Mark Wittenberg, Jonathan Feldman & Joe Durante

#173: Exclusive Interview with the 23rd Governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey

#138: Breaking Burnout with Jim Weaver, CIO, North Carolina & Mandy Crawford, CIO, State of Texas

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

In this episode, Craig Woolley from LSU, Lizbeth Johnson from NC A&T, and Ron Ringgold from SentinelOne break down how a student-powered SOC model is scaling across 32+ institutions - and why the hardest part of cybersecurity leadership isn't the technology, it's the people.

Featuring

Craig Woolley is CIO at LSU - 35 years in higher ed IT, architect of the student-powered SOC model now operating across 32+ institutions in partnership with TechStream, and chair of LSU’s AI strategy committee that produced an 80-page institutional report.

Lizbeth Johnson is Interim Chief Information Officer and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University - three months into the CISO role after more than a year at NC A&T, bringing a change-agent approach to shadow AI governance and team-building on a growing campus.

Ron Ringgold is Public Sector CISO at SentinelOne - former Army with 17 years in the Department of Defense and intelligence community, former architect of the Department of Commerce’s zero trust strategy, and adjunct professor of cyber policy and governance at University of Maryland Global Campus.

Timestamps

(0:00) LSU's student-powered SOC - Craig Woolley on 35 years in higher ed IT and why the model works

(2:00) Tiger SOC launches - scaling the LSU model to 32+ institutions and nine private industry customers

(3:00) The grief of going from technician to leader - Lizbeth Johnson on the identity shift no one warns you about

(9:00) Teaching cyber policy vs. living it - Ron Ringgold on why experienced practitioners sometimes make the hardest students

(11:00) Shadow AI at NC A&T - how a vendor tipped off the CIO and turned a compliance risk into a partnership

(14:00) Cutting Commerce's cyber budget 60% - Ron Ringgold on zero trust, bakeoffs, and building a unified security stack

(20:00) The Neighborhood Watch - how 32+ schools share threat intelligence and auto-block attacks within 10 minutes

(24:00) AI ROI at LSU - why Craig chaired an 80-page AI committee and what "low-hanging fruit" actually means

(27:00) Building great teams - trust, empathy, and treating internal departments like customers

(32:00) Open door, open calendar - Lizbeth on how she empowers her team to own their own 1-on-1 agendas

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Lester Godsey is Chief Information Security Officer at Arizona State University - back at ASU after 30 years, having previously served as CISO at Maricopa County where he led cybersecurity through the 2020 and 2024 elections.

Matthew Leger is Senior Research Manager at IDC covering worldwide education and EdTech digital strategies - previously an academic researcher at Harvard Kennedy School and administrator at SUNY Albany, with over a decade across nearly every seat in higher education minus professor (though it’s on the list). : )

Dan Kent is Field CTO at Cloudflare - focused on helping public sector customers navigate emerging technologies, with 18 years working alongside higher education organizations and five kids who between them have given him more higher ed exposure than most.

Timestamps

(2:40) The Higher Ed AI Wild West - Matt on aimless experimentation, siloed adoption, and why coordination is the real governance problem

(5:45) ASU's Create AI Platform - Lester on the walled garden approach, 50+ LLMs, and the internal ethical AI engine built before he arrived

(8:00) AI in 2025 is where cloud was in 2010 - Dan on why undefined terminology is creating fear in boardrooms and legislatures

(10:00) Agentic AI is the biggest security concern - Dan on why giving agency to a machine is a fundamentally different risk than generative AI

(17:00) Shadow AI is just shadow IT - Lester reframes the governance problem and walks through ASU's nuanced three-tier DeepSeek response

(22:00) Less than 50% have a data governance plan - Dan on what he's hearing from public sector customers on AI readiness

(27:00) Declining trust in higher ed - Matt on whether the ROI skepticism is real and how AI can help institutions demonstrate value

(30:40) ASU's student-led SOC - Lester on training the next generation of analysts with agentic AI and security orchestration

(33:00) Final takes - AI as a security tool, tabletop exercises for AI threats, and why today's students will shape AI's ethical future

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

In this EDUCAUSE episode, Dr. Vanessa Kenon from UTSA, Tonya Bennett from the University of Pennsylvania, and Tim Boltz from Carahsoft get into the tension every higher ed IT leader is sitting with right now - when to move on AI, when to wait for policy, and how to keep curiosity alive before the feds rewrite the rulebook.

Featuring

Dr. Vanessa Kenon is Associate Vice President for Information Technology at the University of Texas at San Antonio - leading IT through a major university merger while keeping innovation and compliance from pulling the institution in opposite directions.

Tonya Bennett is Director of Educational Technology at the University of Pennsylvania - managing the LMS-centered EdTech ecosystem across 12 schools and bringing a master's in law to every AI governance conversation she's in.

Tim Boltz leads the Education Vertical at Carahsoft - 17 years in, representing 1,500 manufacturers, and building the cooperative purchasing infrastructure that lets institutions stop waiting on 12-18 month RFQ cycles.

Timestamps

(1:00) Bold Careers & ServiceNow University - 400+ students served and 150 chasing 25 spots

(8:00) TASSCC - how Texas built its own version of EDUCAUSE and why vendor partnerships made it work

(11:00) Financial pressures in higher ed - why leaning into IT investment beats pulling back

(15:00) Frictionless EdTech at UPenn - one credential, every platform, zero manual steps

(20:00) UTSA’s experiential learning engine - DoD contractors, RackSpace, Dell & eSports

(26:00) Carahsoft’s easy button - cooperative purchasing vehicles already live across all 50 states

(29:00) AI’s legal wild west - agentic AI, IP liability & who’s responsible when the agent acts

(35:00) Curiosity vs. compliance at UTSA -keeping innovation alive without losing governance

(39:00) Closing trends - community over commodity, workforce readiness & what’s next for Higher Ed

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Josh Bright is Associate Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO at UC Santa Barbara - a returning guest from Episode 200, now 18 months into a campus-wide IT strategy that his provost cited as a model for cross-silo collaboration.

Dwane Sterling is VP for Enterprise Solutions and Enabling Technologies at Virginia Tech - five months in from six years as CIO at Skidmore College, where he helped replace 90% of the institution’s infrastructure and applications.

JJ Mahon leads the higher education team for Cisco ThousandEyes across the U.S. - a former Army helicopter pilot, high school math teacher, and French horn player who now focuses on proactive digital experience monitoring at scale.

Timestamps

(0:00) Josh Bright, UCSB - from service function to IT strategy success 12 months later

(3:30) Dwane Sterling, Virginia Tech - the listening tour and what shocked him in the first 90 days

(6:00) Communication as a scalpel, not a rock - Dwane on why IT leaders need to wield it differently

(7:30) JJ Mahon, Cisco ThousandEyes - shifting IT from cost center to campus catalyst

(9:00) Seeing the smoke before the fire - JJ on the case for proactive monitoring over reactive ticketing

(11:00) Josh Bright - UCSB's AI community of practice and building on AWS Bedrock

(14:00) Dwane Sterling - Virginia Tech's vision for safe application development and AI security

(18:00) Josh Bright - putting his leadership team through the Moore Leadership Program and what changed a year later

(24:00) JJ Mahon - common operating language as the breakthrough for breaking down IT silos

(26:30) Closing advice - "Leaders rise to the level of their collaboration"

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

In this episode, Dave Weil from Ithaca College and Mark Richards from Omnissa explore how a small liberal arts IT team built an AI tool that freed up 150 at-risk student meetings - and why human-to-human connection has to stay at the center of any real AI strategy.

Featuring

Dave Weil is Senior Vice President of Strategic Services and Initiatives at Ithaca College - overseeing HR, IT, Analytics, and AI, and a longtime contributor to EDUCAUSE leadership development including the Senior Director Institute and the EDUCAUSE Leaders Academy.

Mark Richards is Senior Manager at Omnissa - formerly the end user computing division of VMware, now an independent company with over 30 years of experience designing and implementing endpoint and virtual desktop solutions across higher education and public sector.

Episode Highlights

- AI cut ICare research from an hour to a minute - and freed 150 student meetings

- “We don’t lead technology, we lead people that lead the technology” - Dave Weil

- Virtual labs turning physical computer rooms into classrooms at community colleges

- The Four Rights: right person, right seat, right things, right time

- Patch management is still your biggest security gap in higher ed

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Joe Way is the Executive Director of Digital Spaces at UCLA and co-founder of HETMA

BC Hatchett is the Director of Classroom Technology at Vanderbilt University and co-founder of HETMA

Ben Moebes is a Director of Public Sector at Ericsson

Timestamps

(1:00) Vanderbilt classroom technology — BC Hatchett introduces HETMA and managing campus learning spaces

(4:05) Vanderbilt’s satellite campus challenge — delivering the same experience 2,000 miles away

(6:00) 5G vs Wi-Fi on campus — why cellular connectivity fills gaps Wi-Fi was never designed for

(8:50) When classrooms start thinking — UCLA’s AI vision for higher education

(11:00) A day in the life of a UCLA student — mapping every digital interaction on campus

(13:40) Faculty as catalysts, not content deliverers — the future of teaching

(17:05) One cable, one button — simplifying classroom technology

(19:10) The blue-light safety problem — why 20–60% of campus emergency phones may fail

(21:45) AI-powered campus safety — why humans can’t watch every camera

(27:00) Connectivity everywhere — UCLA, Olympic Village planning, and the future of smart campuses

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Kyle Bowen is the Deputy Chief Information Officer at Arizona State University leading AI strategy across one of America’s largest and most digitally active universities — overseeing the Create AI platform, an AI Innovation Challenge that has funded 700 projects, and ASU’s first Agentic AI and Student Experience conference drawing 600 attendees from around the world.

Joe Sabado is the Deputy CIO at UC Santa Barbara leading a team of 65 across student and financial information systems, data governance, and an AI community of practice he co-founded — and outside of UCSB he runs Campus AI Exchange and has built an eight-pillar responsible AI framework that higher ed institutions are already using as a practical guide.

Doug Thompson is the Chief Education Architect at Tanium bringing 15+ years of higher ed experience to help institutions get real-time visibility into the endpoint complexity that underpins both cybersecurity and AI readiness — with a front-row view of how higher ed IT is slowly but genuinely shifting toward enterprise-scale thinking.

Timestamps

(2:00) AI efficiency isn't the end goal — Joe Sabado on evidence-based adoption

(5:00) Campus AI Framework — UCSB's eight-pillar responsible AI adoption model

(7:00) ASU's Agentic AI & Student Experience Conference — 600 attendees, global reach

(10:00) Endpoint explosion in higher ed — how Tanium gives CISOs real-time visibility

(17:00) ASU's Create AI platform — 50+ LLMs, built for secure enterprise AI

(23:00) UT Arlington transformation — Tanium case study on visibility and scale

(26:00) Beyond efficiency — Joe Sabado on AI and human flourishing

(30:00) AI Innovation Challenge — how ASU funded 700 projects in 18 months

(38:00) What higher ed leaders are getting wrong about their first AI move

(42:00) Innovation IS keeping the lights on — Kyle Bowen challenges the premise

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Ed Clark is CIO at the California State University System - overseeing technology for 22 universities and 460,000 students, teaching Information Systems at Cal State Fullerton, and co-leading California's AI Workforce Acceleration Board alongside Governor Newsom's office and top AI companies.

William Huang is Deputy Chief Information Officer at the University of Texas System - leading IT strategy across 13 campuses serving 260,000 students and 160,000 clinicians, faculty, and staff, including a landmark merger of UT San Antonio's academic and health institutions.

Chuck Romero is Solutions Consultant Leader at Palo Alto Networks - focused exclusively on education systems in California, with a team of former higher ed practitioners helping institutions secure AI access at scale through browser-level security.

Timestamps

(1:00) AI and the digital divide - why CSU gave ChatGPT to all 460,000 students

(3:00) Scaling cybersecurity across 500,000+ endpoints - why browser-level security is the new front line

(6:00) AI data risk and prompt injection - what happens to data once it's inside the model

(8:00) UT System's footprint - 13 campuses, 260,000 students, and the UT San Antonio merger

(12:00) Governance, risk & compliance during campus consolidations - cybersecurity as a foundation, not an afterthought

(13:00) Inside the AI Workforce Acceleration Board - how CSU brought together OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA & faculty

(18:00) Micro internships and the CSU Promise - a career path for all 460,000 students, not just the top 1%

(25:00) Leadership lessons - clarity of mission, collaboration across 22 universities, and growing the next generation

(33:00) Teaching while being CIO - Ed Clark on faculty resistance, Cal State Fullerton, and what students actually need

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Lisa Kent is the CIO & Director, City of Houston leading IT for America’s fourth-largest city as she prepares for the World Cup, consolidates Houston Police Department IT, and navigates the delicate balance between innovation and risk.

Melissa Kraft is the CIO, City of Frisco managing IT for one of America’s fastest-growing cities (30% population growth) while experimenting with AI deployments on a municipal budget and timeline.

Derek Williams is the Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist at Dell & former Louisiana State CIO who spent two decades in Louisiana state government culminating as State CIO, now bringing his battle tested public sector insights to help State & Local Governments navigate technology decisions—with real empathy for the scrutiny CIOs face daily.

Timestamps

(04:00) How Houston’s network transformation is preparing for the World Cup

(10:15) Fusion teams in action — how Lisa’s approach to embedding IT with business units delivers measurable wins

(12:00) Building systems that last — Derek’s cost allocation model Louisiana still uses a decade later

(14:00) 40% efficiency gains with AI — Frisco’s wins in 911 training and traffic processing

(18:00) The CIO role is transforming — all three guests discuss the shift from control to consultation and what it means for the next decade

(24:00) Why 95% of AI projects fail — and the three critical stumbling blocks Derek sees everywhere

(27:45) What NASA’s 23-year-old moon landing engineer teaches us about trusting younger technologists

(38:45) What public sector teams deserve credit for — Derek’s defense of the hardest working people few appreciate

(41:30) Small bets, big trust — Melissa shares her playbook for incremental innovation that wins department buy-in

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 TechTables CIO Communities for Local Government

Join us at our next retreat April 1st-3rd in San Antonio, TX

The Exclusive Peer Group for Local Government CIOs. A peer group for 15 city and county CIOs navigating council politics, budget battles, security theater, legacy disasters.

Our local government customer advisory board is led by following CIOs:

Craig Hopkins, CIO, City of San Antonio & Retreat Chair

Chris Chirgwin, CIO, Santa Barbara County

Justin Fair, CIO, City of Garland

>>> Facilitated by: Executive Partners at Info-Tech & Gartner

Learn more: https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline -The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring

Jess Evans is the Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer at Maricopa Community Colleges — founding member of the National AI Consortium alongside Miami-Dade and Houston Community Colleges, leading AI strategy across 10 colleges and 185,000+ students with one metric driving everything: student employability.

Adrienne Garber is the Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist at Dell Technologies for Higher Education — covering 17 states with a decade at Columbia University spanning roles as researcher, faculty member, student, and now strategic vendor partner.

Marie Breedlove is a Segment Sales leader at NVIDIA — working across all OEM partners and industries with a front-row view of where agentic AI, physical AI, and robotics are heading and what community colleges can uniquely do with NVIDIA's full-stack platform.

Timestamps

(1:00) Introductions — Maricopa, Dell & NVIDIA live at EDUCAUSE

(2:00) The student who almost skipped Python — and why it matters

(7:00) Students in shelters calling into Zoom — the real digital equity problem

(13:00) People think AI just happened — NVIDIA's 30-year history in higher ed

(17:00) Agentic AI, physical AI, and robotics — what community colleges must prepare for

(24:00) Reducing FUD across 10 colleges — Maricopa's AI Resource Center

(33:00) Under $100 a credit hour, zero debt, job-ready — the community college case

(38:00) Maricopa students running a real SOC for Homeland Security

(40:00) Empathy across the aisle — researcher, vendor, teacher, and student in one person

(45:00) The National AI Consortium February conference — come to Miami

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

---

Candace Wynn is the Cyber Community Ops Manager and Warren Sponholtz is the Deputy State CISO at Florida Digital Service. They discuss how Florida is taking steps to improve cybersecurity through grants, incident response, and community building.

Connect with Candace: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacemwynn/
Connect with Warren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-sponholtz/

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• About the $30 million Cybersecurity Grant Program to help local communities improve cyber resilience 
• How Florida Digital Service acts as a security operations center to help agencies respond faster to cyber incidents
• Why cybersecurity works best as a team sport 
• How Candace is connecting Florida’s cyber community through working groups and events
• The key role empathy and relationship-building play in statewide collaboration
• Warren’s perspective on Candace’s strengths in organizing the Cyber Advisory Council
• Advice for CIOs and CISOs looking to develop stronger cyber communities

Timestamps

00:00​ - Introducing Warren & Candace
02:30​ - Florida’s $30 million cyber grant program
05:00​ - Warren on the importance of cyber collaboration 
07:26​ - Candace’s background before community building
10:35​ - Warren highlights Candace's strengths
13:15​ - Candace discusses the Cyber Advisory Council
18:00​ - Connecting agencies through working groups 
22:28​ - Building empathy and trust with stakeholders
25:17​ - Candace’s statewide outreach to locals

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

In this episode, we speak with Jen Cooke, the Partnership and Outreach Administrator at Florida Digital Services, who spearheaded the CoLab for cross-agency collaboration and bringing world-class thought leadership to state government and beyond.

Connect with Jen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-cooke-pmp-fccm-6b7683a7/

In this episode, you’ll learn:

00:26 - How a love for basketball took Jen from managing restaurants to managing teams in state government
02:49 - The bold vision to pack out the Colab and make it the place for national thought leadership
03:53 - The creative tactic Jen used to launch the CoLab with zero budget
05:02 - How the CoLab email list blew up from 50 to 750+
06:32 - The key to retaining talented tech workers
07:20 - Why every agency needs a CoLab and podcast to recruit top talent
08:15 - How Jen designed the CoLab's furniture for large-scale collaboration
09:19 - Plans to launch fireside chats to share more stories from the CoLab
10:41 - The inspiring moment Jen knew her team could run the CoLab without her
15:53 - Jen recalls the dramatic moment Florida agencies united after Hurricane Ian
19:20 - The first sold-out CoLab event and more!

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

📚 Check out the full agenda:

Public Sector Employees

Please register here for free: https://7w4m76wajkb.typeform.com/to/QFmGpjnQ

Vendor Partners

Please apply here: https://7w4m76wajkb.typeform.com/to/I5bQo0dZ

Thanks for reading TechTables! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

🔗 Connect with Jane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-w-3670b325/

🎙 About the Episode

On this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables with Jane Wu, Deputy Director for Data Privacy and Business Operations at the City of Houston, we learn how to walk the tightrope of balancing convenience and privacy concerns with the latest trends in technology.

Jane takes us along her journey from computer science major to biomedical science to law before deep diving into the world of data privacy and the delicate yet important balance between innovation and safeguarding data. How does generative AI, such as GPT-3, present both convenience and privacy concerns? How can we best manage personal data in an era of rapid technological progress?

Listen in for Jane’s thoughts on: 

* Privacy concerns with generative AI

* Looking beyond jurisdictions for best practices

* Crafting language and contracts

* Top do’s and don’ts for vendor partners

* How to balance privacy and innovation

* Best advice for future IT professionals and more!

🤝 And a big thank you to our brand partners who keep this podcast free to the listener:

⁠Nagarro⁠ is a leading provider of digital government services, partnering with state, local, and federal clients on their most strategic technology projects across Digital Services, Legacy Modernization, Case Management, Data & AI, Service Desk, Cyber Security, and more.

If you want to meet with Nagarro, one of our preferred, trusted brand partners, email me at ⁠joe@techtables.com⁠.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Thanks for reading TechTables! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Chris Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-p-m-b4130b168/

🔗 Connect with Ryan Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-murray-az/

🔗 Connect with Jeremy Deckert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydeckert/

🎙 About the episode

You have to start with a risk assessment and oh, we're not defending against ghosts, right? - Dr. Chris Mitchell

"We don't necessarily need all of this fancy machine learning stuff. It helps us respond to machine-based threats at machine-based time. But when you're not patching those Windows XP machines that still live on your network, when you're not teaching your users and your people about what the threats are that exist out there and how not to click on a phishing email and how to report these things to someone that can do something with them… All that fancy machine learning goes out the window, right? It just doesn't really help." - Ryan Murray

In this episode, we dive into themes such as leveraging technology to address skill shortages, effective collaboration, intelligence-driven cybersecurity, the importance of investing in cybersecurity, and more, including:

* Leveraging AI and ML to Address Cyber Skill Shortages

* Effective Collaboration for Strong Cybersecurity

* Cybersecurity Intelligence and Threat Analysis

* Human-Centric Approach to Cybersecurity

* Importance of Collaboration and Support between the Bigs and the Littles: From State to City to Community

* Diverse Paths to Enter the Cybersecurity Field: Fostering Creativity and Adaptive Thinking in Cybersecurity

* Addressing Misunderstandings and Imposter Syndrome in Cybersecurity

* and more!

🎙 Q&A Highlights

* 22:30 - Lisa Kent, CIO, City of Houston

* 23:25 - Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO, City of Houston

* 29:13 - Brady Haarmeyer, Nagarro

* 31:08 - Todd Lever, Qualtrics

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

• Lisa Kent, CIO, City of Houston


• Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO for Enterprise Applications and PMO, City of Houston

Summary: Join Lisa Kent and Summer Xiao as they share their journey of transforming public sector technology in America's fourth-largest city, revealing how they tackle challenges from digital equity to emergency preparedness. Through their candid discussion, they demonstrate how effective leadership, strategic communication, and a mission-driven approach are revolutionizing government technology services while building resilient, high-performing teams.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How the City of Houston breaks down departmental silos to deliver better customer experiences


• The critical role of "one team" meetings in aligning business users, IT teams, and vendors


• Strategies for managing technology transformation during crisis events like COVID-19


• Innovative approaches to solving digital equity challenges in urban environments


• How to build and retain talent in public sector technology roles

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Welcome and introductions

(01:30) Lisa Kent's journey from electrical engineering to city CIO

(05:02) Breaking down silos in large organizations

(09:31) Summer Xiao's background and leadership philosophy

(13:40) HR One project: Leadership lessons and team alignment

(21:54) The "one team" approach to project management

(25:20) Recruiting talent and sharing mission impact

(30:08) Emergency preparedness and continuity planning

(34:13) Collaboration with peer cities and best practices

(37:43) Smart Cities initiatives and digital transformation

(39:10) Digital equity and broadband access challenges

(41:39) Resource management and internship programs

(44:07) Legacy impact and future aspirations

→ #180: J.R. Sloan, Ryan Murray & Doug Lange – Arizona State CIO, CISO & Former CSO Talk AI

1. The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

2. The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

3. Live Events: Join us at TechTables live events—whether hosted by us or in partnership with industry leaders—where we bring together senior technology leaders. Experience exclusive networking, collaborative sessions, and inspiring discussions that spotlight and elevate public sector leadership.

CONNECT

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

SAY THANKS

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

🔗 Connect with Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjetthall/

🎙 About the episode

On this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, we follow Matthew's journey from investment banking to HigherEd IT as he guides us through the twisty-curvy roads of driving innovation and spearheading transformation strategies in the digital landscape of universities, including: 

* Matthew's background from Investment Banking to HigherEd 

* Count Your Costs: The importance of knowing your assets and their costs 

* Compensation Matters: Creative ways to engage your workforce 

* Embracing AI: Narrative, Generative, and other AI-driven tools that are reshaping various industries, including education and content creation 

* The Power of Good People: How to build a capable team that understands their roles to better navigate complex technology landscapes 

* Assessing Risk: How UCF approaches security by utilizing frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 31000 to prioritize protection and response strategies, and more! 

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

🔗 Connect with Shauna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunarogers2/

🔗 Connect with Celerino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celerino/

🎙 About the episode

A favorite part of this Live Podcast Tour in Houston was bringing on someone unplanned who turned out to be a major contributor to the conversations of the day. It’s the beauty of these more intimate events, having the ability to pivot the conversation to what is relevant not two years ago, but that day, in that moment. Listening back to Shauna and Celerino was not unlike catching up with the latest Ahsoka series- between the ebb and flow of one moment as mentor, the next as student- and the importance of being able to stand in either position.

So for all the Star Wars fans out there- Celerino we are looking at you- this episode hyperjumps from our sports themes of late into galaxies not-so-far away, of CISO/CDO topics including:

• World Between Worlds: Prioritizing the spirit of the law over the word of the law, with security integrated into every aspect of solution architecture
• “These are not the droids you’re looking for:” The importance of educating employees about safe technology use
• Addressing data governance in the era of AI and chat platforms through legislative mandates and data classification
• “Hey, Snips:” The significance of leadership in pushing individuals to achieve their potential
• Using gamification as a tool to engage and build culture
• “Help Me…You’re My Only Hope:” The challenge of updating security control policies and staying ahead in the evolving technology and governance landscape
• And more!

🎙 Q&A Highlights

• 33:28 Meg Hare, Accenture
• 35:06 Darrell Tompkins, CIO, Texas Water Development Board
• 37:55 Mark Kochanski, Snowflake
• 40:10 Chris Humphreys, Anfield Group

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

"This is NOT the new normal to have people stealing your data and using it. We have to fight against that." - Chris Winnek

🔗 Connect with Chris W: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-winnek-a1388167/

🔗 Connect with Chris H: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-humphreys-5a563019/

🎙 About the episode

Cybersecurity is no game. Running drills for attacks can mean the difference between failure and success when the time clock buzzes and it’s game on. Chris and Chris coach us through some complicated cybersecurity plays, and the resources available to build a strong defense against potential threats, including:

• Their experiences in the military and how it has influenced their work in cybersecurity
• How prioritizing cybersecurity helps maintain public trust in a world where data is the most valuable commodity
• The need for relationship-building in the sector, especially in the face of natural disasters or other crises
• How to go beyond regulatory compliance to implement robust cybersecurity practices that work
• What is next for protecting the ever-evolving digital landscape
• And more!

🎙 Q&A Highlights

• 32:10 Steve Bell, SentinelOne

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

🔗 Connect with Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-hopkins/

🎙 About the episode

Leadership Eclipsers: Leaders who put themselves in the path of their teams, eclipsing their efforts and blocking credit for their input. 

If you have ever worked with a team leader like this, you know firsthand the void felt by everyone else standing “behind.”

As the 2023 “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse makes its way across a good portion of the US in October, we discovered that the moon is less than 1/400th of the size of the sun, and yet for a brief few minutes, appears to cover the sun in its entirety. 

Likewise, a “leadership eclipser” is one person taking credit for, and blocking out, an entire team of dozens, hundreds, or even more team members. So how can you be less of a solar-eclipse leader and become more effective at building up a team culture that is known for reflecting the efforts of one another?

As the solar eclipse gives us a moment to pause, we were reminded about our fantastic talk with Craig Hopkins on his reflections and experiences with both the good and the “needs-improvement” styles of leadership. And how, as an individual, your behavior shapes your character, but within a group, such as a team, the collection of individual characters forms the team's culture. This culture, in turn, becomes the foundation for the larger organization's culture. 

So good was our talk, in fact, that we had to come back to record a part two just to get all of Craig’s sage learnings in, including:

* Begin by modeling a heart of Servant Leadership

* The concept of humility and bringing others up is a fundamental aspect of leadership

* How serving in the Coast Guard helped Craig learn how to transition from valuing individual accolades to being part of something greater

* Leveraging the principles from "Team of Teams" to create a collaborative spiderweb structure for effective communication and collaboration

* The role of accountability in building a culture of trust and collaboration

* Why Craig dislikes the term “digital workforce”

* and more!

We can’t wait to hear from Craig again at our upcoming GovTech IT & Leadership Summit in San Antonio! Check out the links above if you haven’t already, as we have some “Ring of Fire”- worthy roundtable discussions lined up that you can only get if you’re there. 

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Episode originally recorded, April 2021

* Melanie Griffin - ⁠https://twitter.com/melaniesgriffin⁠ & ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-s-griffin-esq-93393044/⁠

* Laura DiBella - ⁠https://twitter.com/FollowMeToFL⁠ & ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauradibella/⁠

🎙 About The Episode

* The Power of Prioritizing Employee Morale

* How to Understand the Needs of the Business

* The Pros and Cons of AI in the Workplace

* Revolutionizing Real Estate AI: Trimming Down Processing Time on 175,000+ Applications

* Economic Growth: Striking a balance between business friendliness and effective leadership

* Promoting Economic Growth with the 3Ps

💎 Diamond Sponsor: SentinelOne

SentinelOne redefines cybersecurity by pushing the boundaries of autonomous technology —with its singularity XDR platform— SentinelOne is the leader in endpoint protection and beyond. Simply put, they stop the bad guys.

To learn more about SentinelOne, check out ⁠⁠https://www.sentinelone.com/⁠⁠

🤝 And a big thank you to our brand partners who keep this podcast free to the listener:

⁠Nagarro⁠ is a leading provider of digital government services, partnering with state, local, and federal clients on their most strategic technology projects across Digital Services, Legacy Modernization, Case Management, Data & AI, Service Desk, Cyber Security, and more.

If you would like to take a meeting with Nagarro, one of our preferred, trusted brand partners, email me at ⁠joe@techtables.com⁠.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please do leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

🔗 Connect with TechTables

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste

In this episode from the Orlando Live Podcast Tour with Jamie Grant, CIO, State of Florida, and Jeremy Rodgers, CISO, State of Florida from Florida Digital Services, discuss the challenges of applying private sector practices in government and the importance of understanding government culture and motivation.

They emphasize the need to create a culture that encourages innovation and excellence and to invest in and value talented individuals who make products happen.

The podcast also covers the importance of setting high standards and knowing what success looks like. Overall, the conversation provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of working in government and the importance of creating a culture focused on innovation and excellence. 

Diamond Sponsor: SentinelOne

SentinelOne redefines cybersecurity by pushing the boundaries of autonomous technology —with its singularity XDR platform— SentinelOne is the leader in endpoint protection and beyond. Simply put, they stop the bad guys.

To learn more about SentinelOne, check out ⁠⁠https://www.sentinelone.com/⁠⁠

🤝 And a big thank you to our brand partners who keep this podcast free to the listener:

⁠Nagarro⁠ is a leading provider of digital government services, partnering with state, local, and federal clients on their most strategic technology projects across Digital Services, Legacy Modernization, Case Management, Data & AI, Service Desk, Cyber Security, and more.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please do leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables 

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/

Jim and Rob discuss the need to improve the talent pipeline to boost North Carolina's cybersecurity. They talk about the Cyber Pathways program, which provides internships and apprenticeship opportunities to North Carolinians, including high school students and transitioning military members.

They also emphasize the importance of building relationships and partnerships to achieve success in cybersecurity and the need to bridge the gap between high school and college students to provide a more inclusive program. They discuss the CyberStart America program, which aims to introduce high school students to cybersecurity and increase the number of participants in North Carolina.

They also highlight the importance of sustainability in cybersecurity programs and warn against relying on one-time funding sources. They suggest focusing on long-term, recurring funding to ensure the stability and continuity of cybersecurity efforts.

Overall, this podcast provides valuable insights into the critical role of cybersecurity in our increasingly digital world and the importance of investing in talent and resources to address cyber threats effectively.

Timestamps

* (0:27) - The Cyber Pathways program offers internships and apprenticeship opportunities to North Carolinians, including high school students and transitioning military members.

* (2:02) - Building relationships and partnerships is crucial for achieving success in cybersecurity.

* (4:19) - The program aims to bridge the gap between high school and college students to provide a more inclusive experience.

* (6:07) - It's important to have long-term, recurring funding to ensure the stability and continuity of cybersecurity efforts.

* (7:52) - Sustainability in cybersecurity programs is essential, and relying on one-time funding sources is not recommended.

Diamond Sponsor: SentinelOne

SentinelOne redefines cybersecurity by pushing the boundaries of autonomous technology —with its singularity XDR platform— SentinelOne is the leader in endpoint protection and beyond. Simply put, they stop the bad guys.

To learn more about SentinelOne, check out ⁠https://www.sentinelone.com/⁠

🤝 And a big thank you to our brand partners who keep this podcast free to the listener:

⁠Nagarro⁠ is a leading provider of digital government services, partnering with state, local, and federal clients on their most strategic technology projects across Digital Services, Legacy Modernization, Case Management, Data & AI, Service Desk, Cyber Security, and more.

If you want to meet with Nagarro, one of our preferred, trusted brand partners, email me at ⁠joe@techtables.com⁠.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please do leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables 

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/

In this episode, we explore how Jim's military background shapes his leadership in the IT sector, the pursuit of diversity in the workforce, and innovative strategies to tackle digital transformation, connectivity, and cybersecurity in their respective states.

Timestamps

00:00 Leaders & managers must prioritize self-care. Social interaction is crucial for mental well-being.

06:37 Encourage breaks, limit meetings, and set boundaries.

12:57 Emphasizes diversity, teamwork, and cyber security importance.

13:43 Military and state government collaboration benefits all.

18:13 Opportunities for veterans, returnships in the workforce.

20:31 Translating military skills for civilian jobs is important.

24:01 Importance of agency culture in the public sector.

28:57 911 operators face challenges and need better support.

30:10 Interacting, listening, and making a real impact.

36:05 Improving government interaction and connectivity in North Carolina.

37:25 Colleague explores self-sovereign identity and privacy.

40:27 Challenges in transitioning to public cloud services.

Powered by: SentinelOne

SentinelOne redefines cybersecurity by pushing the boundaries of autonomous technology —with its singularity XDR platform— SentinelOne is the leader in endpoint protection and beyond. Simply put, they stop the bad guys.

To learn more about SentinelOne, check out ⁠https://www.sentinelone.com/⁠

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please do leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables 

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/

In this Secure Miami panel at Florida International University, Helvetiella Longoria (CISO, FIU), Andrew Phillips (Senior Director of Engineering, Sharefile), Michelle Jackman (Cloud Security Leader, Palo Alto Networks), and Julie O'Brien (CMO, Dazz) break down why securing a multi-cloud environment comes down to visibility, people, and the remediation gap that automation hasn't caught up to yet.

Featuring

Helvetiella Longoria is Chief Information Security Officer at Florida International University — 20+ years in security, all at FIU, where she’s watched higher ed security evolve from perimeter-based models to multi-cloud identity crises.

Andrew Phillips is Senior Director of Engineering at Sharefile (Cloud Software Group) — led cloud engineering and security architecture at Deutsche Bank for their GCP environment before moving to the SaaS side.

Michelle Jackman is Cloud Security Leader at Palo Alto Networks, leading Prisma Cloud Solution Architects for the entire East Coast — previously one of only three Advanced Security Azure Principal Architects globally at Microsoft.

Julie O’Brien is Chief Marketing Officer at Dazz — prior stops include Cisco, Nutanix, Box, and AttackIQ, with deep roots in multi-cloud and hyper-converged infrastructure.

Timestamps

(0:00) Intro — live panel from Secure Miami at FIU, hosted with Digital Era Group

(1:55) Helvi Longoria on securing multi-cloud — losing the perimeter and the identity crisis in higher ed

(5:30) Andrew Phillips on multi-cloud engineering — protecting engineers from themselves with guardrails

(6:49) Michelle Jackman on Prisma Cloud — why visibility across your entire cloud estate is the first step

(10:01) AI and ML in cloud security — opportunity and threat, and securing the training sets

(15:41) Andrew Phillips on FinOps as a security signal — a spike in your AWS bill in Australia is your breach alert

(18:00) Julie O’Brien on remediation — why cloud security fixing is broken and what automation can change

(20:24) People, process, technology — FIU’s CISO on building relationships across DevOps, research, and compliance

(27:38) Skills gap and workforce challenges — internships, pipelines, and tapping into diverse talent

(34:01) Audience Q&A — is it a people problem or a technology problem?

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader — our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Apply to Join → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline -The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

In this episode, we chat with Rick Blanco, CIO at Texas Health & Human Services. Rick discussed the impactful efforts of hiring veterans and the importance of a mission-driven workforce. He shared his journey from a networking admin to CIO, emphasizing the value of seizing opportunities. Rick also talked about the art of storytelling in securing funding with the state legislature and building strong relationships. His passion for fly fishing and ranching added a personal touch to the conversation. Overall, Rick's leadership and dedication to mission-driven initiatives served as an inspiration for aspiring leaders in the public sector.

Timestamp

00:00 Grew up in military family, mission-driven.

06:20 HHS making positive impact, caring for people.

07:46 Embrace challenges, make a positive difference.

13:26 Crafting compelling story to secure project funding.

14:06 Writer mandated modernization plan publication, transparency emphasized.

17:38 Supporting managed care services through technology partnerships.

22:10 Career success relies on relationships and preparedness.

24:35 Sharing stories about experiences over drinks later.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

They just passed a $46 billion budget. And their CIO, Peter Loo, has to coordinate with 40 other CIOs to get anything done.

That’s not a technology problem. That’s one of the hardest leadership and governance challenges in all of public sector — and Peter has been doing it for over 30 years because, as he put it, “You can see the impact you make directly in the services being delivered.” That stayed with me. I coach high school basketball for the same reason.

I sat down with Peter and Hannes Scheidegger, Chief Global Services Officer at Info-Tech Research Group, on-site at the 36th floor of The Gas Company Tower in downtown Los Angeles.

Peter and Hannes have been working together since around 2010 — across an EHR implementation at five hospitals, a data center consolidation from 42 facilities down to one T5, a countywide voting system, and more. This is one of the longest, most tested partnerships I’ve seen in public sector. And the lessons transfer far beyond LA.

Guests

Peter Loo, Chief Information Officer, Los Angeles County, CA

Hannes Scheidegger, Chief Global Services Officer, Info-Tech Research Group

Timestamps

(0:00) Peter Loo introduces LA County — 40 departments, 40 CIOs, and a $46 billion budget

(2:00) The EHR origin story — five hospitals, one system, five different implementations

(4:00) What made it succeed — executive commitment, empowered steering committees, and a “not if but how” mindset

(8:00) AI governance lessons — why principles beat prescriptive guidelines, and how LA County worked with GovAI Coalition

(12:00) How Info-Tech engages — blueprints, guided implementations, workshops, and full consulting

(16:00) The data center consolidation — 42 data centers, some were closets, some next to refrigerators

(18:00) How to communicate with executives — the language of value, risk, and constituent services

(22:00) The most contentious meeting of Hannes’ career — CIOs in one room who thought they’d agreed. They hadn’t.

(28:30) “We want you to do what you did for DHS” — the moment that defined the partnership

(33:00) Closing advice — commit to the mission, be patient and persistent, always do it as a “we”

State CIO Timothy Galluzi and Info-Tech's Mark Hellbusch break down the largest ransomware attack in Nevada state history - how the network came back in 48 hours, how they kept citizen trust through radical transparency, and what every state CIO, CISO, and public sector IT leader needs to know about incident response, Zero Trust Architecture, and building the partnerships that actually show up when it matters.

Featuring

Timothy Galluzi, CIO State of Nevada

Mark Hellbusch, Director, AI Security & Privacy, Info-Tech Research Group

Timestamps

(00:00) Every 39 seconds - ransomware by the numbers

(01:00) The call Tim never wanted to get

(05:50) 18-20 hour days and kicking people out of the office

(08:00) Managing public comms with an active adversary watching

(14:30) NASCIO community: peer intel sharing in a crisis

(16:00) When Info-Tech showed up vs. the cold call vendors

(17:30) "28 days of success" - building the after action report

(24:00) Assembly Bill One: unanimous vote, statewide SOC

(30:00) Trusted partner vs. vendor - the real difference

(34:00) Zero Trust: 80% risk reduction and $1.5M ROI

Connect w/ Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmlange/

Show Notes:

In today's episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, we're joined by Doug Lange, former Chief Strategy Officer at the State of Arizona, to dive into the transformative powers of leadership in IT. We'll explore how Doug led a team managing a vast portfolio of tech projects, achieving remarkable cost avoidance, and championing a customer-centric approach in the public sector. Tune in to learn from Doug's journey of inspiring and empowering IT teams with vision and passion, and gather insights on scaling operations and nurturing a high-engagement organizational culture.

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction
05:25 - The value of time in career and personal achievement
07:02 - The making of a tech-focused podcast and the quest for efficiency
14:03 - Celebrating public sector to national role career transformations
17:18 - Doug's distinctive approach to interviewing and team-building
19:30 - Embracing a culture of sharing career journeys and learning through failure
21:12 - Joe Toste on motivational speaking and measuring employee engagement in the public sector
23:09 - Bridging customer experiences between the public and private sectors
25:38 - Transitioning public sector IT from utility to customer-centric services
29:24 - Doug shares insights on empowering state agencies through cloud strategies and cybersecurity
31:52 - Google Workspace adoption's impact on Arizona's leap to remote work amidst the pandemic
34:59 - Investing in people as the cornerstone of technology transition and project oversight

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

He transitioned from owning a successful small IT services business to becoming Santa Barbara County's CIO in 2022. Despite the challenges of navigating the public sector, Chris hit the ground running. He implemented EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) principles to set core values, build a strong culture, and establish accountability through goal setting.

Chris has now built a transformational IT department. With a team of 70 IT staff (out of 5,000+ employees and $1.5 billion dollar budget) and a focus on collaboration and empowerment, Chris has really nailed the importance of a positive work culture in attracting top talent. His leadership has led to key modernization initiatives, including a Workday ERP implementation, GIS consolidation, and a public safety radio upgrade.

His entrepreneurial background brings a fresh perspective to Santa Barbara County and the public sector.

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 1st-3rd, 2024. Chris will be joining us live on the podcast tour!

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now or click here: https://www.sap.com/documents/2021/02/10c410bc-cc7d-0010-87a3-c30de2ffd8ff.html

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter 

In this episode, we explore how Santa Barbara County is pioneering new approaches to culture, accountability, and technology modernization under the leadership of its first CIO, Chris Chirgwin.

Coming from the private sector as a small business owner, Chris shares his journey of implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) principles to transform the county's first-ever centralized IT department. 

We dive into the importance of setting core values, creating a culture of achievement, and establishing visibility and accountability through goal setting. Chris also discusses key modernization initiatives like a new ERP system, consolidating GIS resources, and exploring AI use cases. 

Tune in to hear how Chris drives collaboration, empowers his team, and leverages his entrepreneurial background to bring positive change in the public sector.

🔖 Timestamps

(0:00) Chris's transition from owning a small IT services business to becoming Santa Barbara County's first CIO

(4:31) Navigating the differences between private and public sector leadership

(8:38) Implementing EOS principles to set core values and build a strong culture

(12:48) Using a Smartsheet to drive accountability and track quarterly goals

(15:16) Attracting top talent through a positive work culture

(18:31) Key modernization initiatives: ERP implementation, GIS consolidation, public safety radio upgrade

(21:10) The importance of IT governance and establishing standards and policies

(26:19) Building trust and collaboration with county departments through active listening and follow-through

(27:59) Learning to be an effective listener and empowering the team's ideas

(30:35) The challenges of procurement in the public sector

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour, where Chris will share more insights on driving innovation and culture change in county government.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

• LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
• LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
• Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

• Kevin Gilbertson, CIO, State of Montana
• Carrie Albro, CIO, Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services
• Adam Carpenter, Chief Data Officer, State of Montana

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

--------

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

🏕️ Intro 

In this episode, we explore how the State of Montana is pioneering new approaches to AI, data sharing, and analytics to reduce friction for citizens and enable data-driven decisions.

Featuring Kevin Gilbertson, CIO of Montana, Carrie Albro, CIO of Montana Health and Human Services, and Adam Carpenter, Montana's Chief Data Officer. We dive into success stories like fixing a decade-long sewer permitting issue, building a statewide justice data warehouse, and developing a resource referral engine to connect citizens to support services. Tune in to hear how Montana is improving cross-agency collaboration, empowering leaders with actionable insights, and leveraging technology for public good.

📚 Timestamps

00:00 How an unexpected phone call led Adam to become Montana's first Chief Data Officer

04:31 Discovering data silos that prevented effective policy decisions

08:38 Responding to legislature's demands for proof of IT strategy execution

12:48 Carrie advocates for other agencies by asking the "tough questions"

15:16 Pursuing constant improvement with "better is possible" mindset

18:31 Applying Netflix culture principles to build a dream team

21:10 Harnessing AI's potential to create major efficiency gains

26:19 Empowering businesses by unlocking the state's data assets

27:59 Overcoming 99-year record retention rules through master data

30:35 Establishing reciprocal data relationships with local counties

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour, where we will dive deeper into these insights and explore the cutting-edge solutions driving innovation in the public and private sectors.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

--------

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

Show Notes:

In this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, J.R. Sloan, the CIO for the state of Arizona, joins us to discuss the challenges and successes of leading digital transformation and technology initiatives within a federated state like Arizona. From managing relationships with over 120 agencies to measuring success in a human-centric way, J.R. shares key insights into his approach as a leader and the impact of his work on Arizona's digital experiences. Listen in to discover how J.R. Sloan's leadership is shaping Arizona's technology landscape and digital government program.

Timestamps

00:39 - Introduction to J.R. Sloan and his role as the CIO for the state of Arizona.
01:37 - J.R. Sloan's journey and experiences within the public sector and the digital government program.
05:32 - The parallels between serving franchisees in the private sector and serving the 120 different agencies in the public sector.
06:23 - How success is measured in the public sector and the qualitative and quantitative metrics used for evaluation.
08:39 - Maintaining a human-centric approach while engaging with team members and leaders across agencies.
09:42 - The aspiration to deliver an Amazon-like digital experience for citizens and the efforts towards achieving this goal.
11:08 - Empathy and understanding the citizen's perspective in driving digital experiences.

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

🔗 Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-fowler-1182926b/

🔗 Connect with Kenny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenny-wright-a50990a3/

🔗 Connect with Darrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrell-tompkins-0992132/

🎙 About the episode

In honor of our Live Podcast Tour taking place during the NCAA Final Four Tournament in Houston, we were curious about whether, like Tournament-winning coaches, CIOs also have go-to plays and strategies to help them win in the technology end-user service game. John, Kenny, and Darrell opened up their playbooks to share with our listeners a bit about how they coach their teams to best serve their communities of reach, including:

• The tip-off: Customer-Centric Approach
• Under-the-basket inbound play: Anticipating Customer Needs
• “Sub!”: The importance of change management
• Half-time locker room talk: Long-Term Vision to win
• Full-court press: Vendor Partnership Qualities
• And more!

🎙 Q&A Highlights

• 19:07 Meg Hare, Accenture
• 22:50 Joe Toste, TechTables
• 27:59 Kindra Allen, Deloitte

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠

Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠

Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

Heart disease is the deadliest disease on the planet. In the U.S. alone it killed close to 300,000 - more than cancer. And it’s a quiet killer: by the time you feel a symptom, the damage is usually already done.

Pengfei Zhou, Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Computing and Information, is trying to catch it earlier - building AI-powered wearables that read your heart continuously instead of waiting for a checkup.

That tracks with something deeper for me: my brother-in-law is a spinal surgeon, and a book called Outlive got him thinking about the “four horsemen” of disease. Heart disease topped the list. He’s been mostly plant-based ever since.

I sat down virtually with Pengfei, Matt de Lima Barbosa (Director of IT, Pitt’s School of Computing and Information), and Adrienne Garber, Chief Technology & Innovation Strategist for Higher Education at Dell Technologies, to talk about their partnership. What emerged is a live case study in what happens when a researcher, an embedded IT team, and a technology partner actually commit to the same problem instead of working around each other.

Guests

Pengfei Zhou, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information

Matt de Lima Barbosa, Director of Information Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information

Adrienne Garber, Chief Technology & Innovation Strategist, Higher Ed, Dell Technologies

Timestamps

(01:00) Inside Pitt’s School of Computing and Information

(02:45) Pengfei Zhou’s teaching and research focus

(03:53) AIoT, wearables, and heart monitoring

(07:04) How Dell’s higher ed innovation pilot reached Pitt

(10:41) Why localized AI matters for health data

(12:18) How embedded IT helps researchers move faster

(13:41) Dell’s role as connective tissue between researchers and IT

(18:18) Combining PPG and ECG signals for better blood pressure monitoring

(21:00) The “Who Not How” Moment: Helping researchers move faster

(25:12) AI, deep learning, and solving real problems

Boston's CIO thinks "modernization" is what you say when you've stopped investing. Clark County thinks AI should handle your entire move to a new city. Dell thinks you can't do any of it without clean data. Three takes. One conversation about what government services actually look like when they work.

Featuring

Santi Garces is Chief Information Officer at the City of Boston - leading a team that spans user researchers, designers, economists, and policy analysts, and currently building open-source MCP infrastructure to connect AI tools with city services at scale.

Bob Leek is Chief Information Officer at Clark County, Nevada - overseeing technology for the 11th largest county in the country, home to Las Vegas, with a strategy centered on helping large diverse communities thrive through people, process, and technology solutions such as AI governance, and drone-assisted emergency response.

Carrie Smith is Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist at Dell Technologies - covering the East and tracking modernization trends across state and local government nationwide, with a focus on helping cities start with the right problem instead of the right product.

Timestamps

(2:00) Boston's AI-powered website search - 400% improvement in positive feedback, built in-house

(7:00) Clark County's AI framework - AI as a "how," not a "what," built around four constituent personas

(12:00) Dell's field view - why clean data has to come before any AI solution(17:00) Santi's beef with "modernization" - why small, continuous investment beats the big bang approach

(20:00) Philadelphia's illegal dumping problem - how a vendor conversation became a drones-as-first-responders pitch

(25:00) Clark County drones - 30 to 60 second emergency response combined with ShotSpotter

(31:00) Boston's MCP server - building open source infrastructure so AI tools can talk to city services reliably

(35:00) The pace problem - Bob on why the universe shifting every 17 days is the CIO's real challenge

(39:00) Leadership and resilience - Carrie on stage three breast cancer, Bob on internal promotions, Santi on growing up in Colombia

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader — our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Apply to Join → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline -The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Erica Early, Chief Information Officer, Washington State Office of the State Treasurer

Lisa Faison, Chief Information Officer, City of Goodyear, Arizona

Episode Highlights:

What if the fastest route to becoming a CIO wasn’t a degree or a title — but saying yes to the “one more project” everyone else avoided?

In this episode, two women reveal how curiosity and collaboration turned overtime testing gigs into executive leadership — and what it really takes to modernize 40-year systems, lead six generations of staff, and build careers that outlast every technology trend.

Timestamps

(02:00) Overtime testing that launched a CIO career

(05:00) “Don’t tell me your problems” — building trust through business empathy

(11:00) Six generations, zero left behind — protecting institutional knowledge

(16:00) From low response to 78% engagement — redefining IT as a strategic partner

(22:00) Mom & Pop to Strategic Partner — Goodyear’s IT transformation

(24:00) The 17-year-old intern reviving legacy teams

(29:00) Slowing down to speed up — the 40-year system replacement story

(31:00) Be someone people want to work with — final career advice

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Episode Highlights

What if the secret to transformational leadership isn’t being the smartest person in the room, but being the “humble gardener” who grows others? In this episode, San Antonio CIO Craig Hopkins shares why “we’re not IT professionals, we’re operational leaders,” how small behaviors compound into culture, and what it really means to build teams with purpose. From Team of Teams to One Mission, this episode is packed with practical frameworks — a true masterclass in purpose-driven leadership.

(02:00) From Coast Guard to CIO: Finding Purpose in Service

(04:00) USAA’s 20-Year Leadership Lab: Five Careers, One Company

(08:00) A Costly Lesson at Sea: How Tragedy Shaped Craig’s View of Leadership

(14:00) Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World

(16:00) One Mission: How Leaders Unite a Team of Teams

(19:00) Behaviors → Character → Culture: How Small Actions Shape Organizations (for Better or Worse)

(25:00) The Humble Gardener: Why Great CIOs Cultivate People, Not Control Them

Links Mentioned

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal

One Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams by Chris Fussell

🔥 Want more from the 2024 Houston Podcast Tour? Check out four binge-worthy episodes you can’t miss.

#208: Texas County Women Leading 6M+ Residents: From Flooded Data Centers to AI Innovation Lab to Building Unbreakable Teams

#205: From Hurricane Harvey to Beryl: Houston's "One Family" Emergency Response

#204: Why Texas DMV Chose $6M in Planning Over $150M (Plus TDLR's 25-Program Modernization)

#203: UHCL's 6-Week Leadership Pivot + AI Student Concierge + NASA Innovation Culture

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Get early access to new episodes, insights, and event updates — straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

Learn more: https://techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series: Where CXOs and partners solve real challenges, share lessons learned, and spark innovation — together.

Join companies like Dell, SentinelOne, Polimorphic, and more that are joining the conversation.

📧 Interested? Email Joe at ⁠joe@techtables.com

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

A backup can be healthy.

A recovery can still fail.

Boise's infrastructure team brought in Info-Tech to build a real disaster recovery plan — not because anything had gone wrong, but because "we know what to do" was living in people's heads instead of on paper. 3.5 days in a room with IT staff only, no business units. They worked through 15 applications. The city has more than 200. What Nick took away wasn't about storage. It was watching application owners and managers realize that the thing they'd been calling a playbook couldn't be handed to someone else and executed.

Chuck has a phrase for why the necessary changes stall out anyway: organizational will. Scott's version of the same idea, applied to AI, is that you have to name the problem before you name the tool.

We also talked about:

• Why every ERP conversation turns into "while we're in here, let's redo the chart of accounts"
• Business relationship managers (BRMs), and getting to a department before they've already bought the product
• Public works asked the cyber team to come teach. So did the library. Lessons Learned.

Timestamps

 01:48 "Hire for fit, train for skill"
 04:58 Culture change dies the moment a leader asks the team to go first
 10:22 Why Boise brought in Info-Tech to build a real disaster recovery plan anyway
 12:25 200+ server-based apps. They got through 15.
 13:04 "We thought we had playbooks. I don't think we truly did."
 16:16 Technical debt, aging servers, and the organizational will it takes to touch them
 20:24 "We can't do AI for the sake of AI"
 22:46 The messy, ugly side of AI nobody's posting about on LinkedIn
 25:44 Phoenix's plan: council meetings, agendas, minutes and resolutions, all in an LLM
 30:05 Boise's BRMs
 32:46 Public works asked the cyber team to come teach. So did the library. Lessons Learned.
 36:21 A Colorado city sent over a million dollars to an attacker after a contractor's email was compromised
 40:24 "You're not competing with your neighbor"

In this episode, Adam Mikeal, CISO at Texas A&M University, and Tim Paikoff from Axonius break down how consolidating fragmented security data into a single view changed the way A&M tracks assets, validates policy, and tells cybersecurity's ROI story to leadership — and why AI's data access model is now keeping CISOs up at night.

Featuring

Adam Mikeal is Chief Information Security Officer at Texas A&M University - responsible for securing the university's full asset environment, with an unconventional path through history, classics, and computer-human interaction before landing in cybersecurity leadership.

Tim Paikoff runs the SLED team at Axonius - building the State, Local, and Education practice from a two-person team to a full sales, SC, BDR, and marketing operation over four years.

Timestamps

(1:38) Adam's unconventional path - from history and classics to Chief Information Security Officer

(4:00) The data problem - why the right question can't be answered from inside a single security tool

(5:00) The spaces between - why Axonius can see what individual tools never could

(7:00) Higher ed's unique exposure - student device sprawl and the identity lifecycle nightmare

(10:00) Texas A&M's four core security metrics - patching, vulnerability remediation, inventory accuracy, agent health

(14:00) Intel chip vulnerability response - how having data at your fingertips changes incident speed

(15:00) Active directory migrations in real time - watching two lines cross on a chart

(17:00) The Log4j gap - 194 instances still in production seven months after "cleanup"

(22:00) AI and the new front line - why prompt injection is the threat no contract can fix

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more - straight to your inbox.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 Are you a local government CIO who wants to become a better leader?

Check out our high-trust, vendor-free peer group built for local government CIOs tackling real challenges, honest conversations, and an authentic desire to become a better leader - our next retreat is September 23rd-25th in Denver!

Learn more → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Virtual Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.

Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:

Info-Tech Research Group - Missed out on Info-Tech LIVE in New Orleans? No worries, you can join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!

Gold Newsletter Sponsor:

SentinelOne - Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline - The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft - The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Jeff's answer to what he'd put in front of a room of local government CIOs isn't a success story.

It's the horror stories — the scary stuff nobody puts in the press release.

Most of this episode is the unglamorous work that prevents it. Zach walked through what Polimorphic does before an agent ever answers a resident: a Knowledge Base Health Check that seeds up to 500 questions against a city's own content, then reruns them weekly or monthly to confirm what the agent answers and which sources it pulled from.

We also talked about:

• Why pilots de-risk AI and then stall before they scale across departments
• Single sign-on inside the city, four or five logins outside it
• Jeff's next 18 months: consolidate, standardize, clean up after the growth

Timestamps
01:55 "I just got a new dog. How do I register him?" — the AI answers, then files the form
03:43 "We're not selling services. There's no checkout cart." So what is a city website for?
04:55 The caller doesn't know the address. They know the coffee shop. The map does the rest.
07:24 A water outage in Utah, live on the phone line the moment staff post it
09:14 Single sign-on inside the city. 4-5 logins outside it. Nobody's solved this.
10:22 30-40 departments, each with its own process — and the war against too many toggles
11:47 19 years in: how much security pain can you inflict before staff route around you?
12:56 "We had to move very quickly for years. Now we finally get to go clean it up."
14:14 Your chatbot is quoting agenda minutes from a decade ago — the check that catches it first
16:30 A 20-year employee retires. Where does the knowledge go, and can AI hold it?
18:18 Pilots de-risk AI. They don't scale it. Why Zach wants it treated as infrastructure.
19:28 Jeff's ask for the roundtable: not the AI wins, the horror stories

Together with Hillory, the three share about how trust shapes every call they make, from DMV changing course on its modernization, to CalSTRS keeping AI out of decisions, to how Info-Tech helped them both turn ideas into action.

Guests:

Ashish Jain, Chief Technology Officer, CalSTRS

Prashant Mittal, Chief Information Officer, California Department of Motor Vehicles

Hillory Courtney, Managing Partner, Info-Tech Research Group

Timestamps:

0:00 Back at CalSTRS: the trust Prashant says bonded IT and business

2:25 Friends since 1999, and why that trust mattered when Prashant joined CalSTRS

9:09 "Your issues and your risk are my issue and my risk"

16:01 Wait for the business to ask, or act first? Prashant's five-minute pitch

26:03 Six weeks, 200-plus new hires, and the moment Prashant changed course

30:00 "I can't buy a tool and drop it on the table"

33:00 "AI is not making a decision for us"

51:20 Trust took years to build: why CalSTRS won't go all-AI with members

55:17 Different missions, 60 to 70% of the same problems: why agencies compare notes

57:09 "The idea is great, but now you have to operationalize it"

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

Featuring:

Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO - EAS/PMO, City of Houston

Jane Wu, Deputy Director - Data Privacy & Business Operations Management, City of Houston

Bert Quarfordt, Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) - IT Infrastructure, City of Houston

What You’ll Learn:

How Houston's IT team evolved emergency response protocols through nine federally declared disasters, building bench strength after losing key expertise

Why pre-positioned contracts and vendor partnerships are critical for rapid emergency deployment without compromising standards or security

How Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to 350+ city locations serving 2.6 million residents and the specific recovery strategies used

The "one family approach" that transforms team culture through initiatives like Summer's snack cart and cross-departmental collaboration

Why cloud-first infrastructure strategies provide essential resilience when local data centers fail during natural disasters

Timestamps

(03:00) 9 Federal Disasters: Building Emergency Response Bench Strength

(08:00) Hurricane Beryl: 350+ Locations Lost Power, 2.6M Residents Affected

(12:00) Tier One Response: From Prep to Recovery Operations

(17:00) 311 Crisis: Data Center Meltdown During Emergency Response

(25:00) Keeping 911 Systems Operational When Infrastructure Fails

(31:00) The "One Family Approach": Crisis Collaboration That Actually Works

(34:00) Summer Snacks: Building Team Culture Through Food and Connection

(40:00) AI and Cloud-First: Future-Proofing Against Climate Disasters

(45:00) Crisis Leadership Lessons for Public Sector CXOs

Connect

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/

🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/

📽️ Subscribe here: ‪ https://www.youtube.com/@techtables

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

CXOs Only Join Now: The Collaboratory: https://www.techtables.com/collaboratory

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action. Email me at joe@techtables.com

Guests

• Scott Conn, Chief Information Officer, City of Mesa, Arizona; Founder, WRITA
• Mary Wynne CEO, Fusion Learning Partners (Public Technology Institute)
• Chris Stewart Chief Revenue Officer, Freeit Data Solutions (former CIO, City of Austin)

Timestamps

(05:45) Scott’s problem with “CIOs-only clubs”—and the idea that became WRITA

(09:17) Four sponsors, one rule: bring an implementation—not a sales pitch

(15:36) Flat budgets, higher quotes—and why doing the same with less is now hard

(17:05) Tools first, people second: Mesa’s strategy for keeping services moving

(18:00) Two sentences. Fifteen minutes. Why only two vendors in ten earn the full meeting

(19:24) Before you buy another tool, are you using the one you already own?

(26:23) The rumor mill starts before the decision does

(27:00) Mesa’s budget glide path: 2% now instead of a drastic 15% later

(35:00) Accountability overcorrected—and then trust caught up

(37:23) “The best leaders are the best learners”

(42:07) The budget line Mary says leaders should think twice before cutting

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

Before we get into this week’s podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.

SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies.

Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It’s your mission. It’s your Verizon.

More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions.

Check out the solutions built for first responders.

Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.

Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.

Download the Case Study Now

--------

📬 Subscribe to the newsletter

In this episode, we speak with Tim Roemer, Chief Security Officer for GMI, and former Arizona Director of Homeland Security, CIA, and White House Situation Room. Tim shared valuable insights on his dynamic career, the transition from the public to the private sector, and the importance of collaboration in cybersecurity.

Connect with Tim here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-roemer-590279192/

Highlights from the interview:

1. Transition from Public to Private Sector: Tim discussed the challenges and perspectives gained from working in the public sector and the agility and focus on solutions in the private sector. He emphasized the importance of building partnerships and open communication with private sector companies.

2. Collaboration in Cybersecurity: Drawing parallels between basketball and cybersecurity, Tim emphasized the significance of effective teamwork and communication in both domains. He highlighted the need for diverse tools and proactive measures while underlining the importance of focusing on fundamental cybersecurity practices.

3. TechTables Live Podcast Event: Tim and host Joe Toste also previewed the upcoming live podcast event in Arizona, emphasizing the value of in-person collaboration, diverse thought, and trust-building within the cybersecurity community.

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour, where we will dive deeper into these insights and explore the cutting-edge solutions driving innovation in the public and private sectors.

Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tour

⭐️ Leave a Review

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!

You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏

🔗 Connect with TechTables

LinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste
Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/
Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/

* The "Remix" approach to blending traditional and modern workplace practices - from an architect combining pencil sketches with CAD software to startups implementing "Fancy Fridays"

* Why the one-size-fits-all approach is failing today's workforce and how organizations can implement successful "and/or" solutions for benefits, team activities, and work arrangements

* How generational perspectives on loyalty have evolved - from baby boomers' company-focused loyalty to millennials' and Gen Z's emphasis on individual relationships and mutual value

* Google's groundbreaking research on effective leadership, revealing why being a good coach surpasses technical expertise as the #1 quality of high-performing managers

* Practical strategies for addressing post-COVID workplace trauma and setting clear boundaries around remote work, mental health, and work-life balance

TIMESTAMPS:

* (00:00) Introduction and Show Overview

* (01:45) From College Career Expert to Generational Translator: Lindsey's Journey

* (04:45) The Remix Framework: Modernizing Traditional Workplace Practices

* (06:30) Case Studies in Successful Multi-generational Integration

* (08:45) Breaking Down Generational Assumptions and Individual "Onlyness"

* (13:45) Rethinking Career Development and Employee Recognition

* (16:15) Redefining Workplace Loyalty Across Generations

* (19:30) Google's Research on Coaching Leadership

* (24:45) Navigating Post-COVID Return-to-Office Challenges

* (31:45) Multi-generational Mentorship Success Stories

LINKS MENTIONED:

* "The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multi-Generational Workplace" by Lindsey Pollak

* Google's Project Oxygen Research (2008, 2018)

* "The Trillion Dollar Coach" (Referenced when discussing Bill Campbell)

* https://lindseypollak.com/

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

3. 🎥 Live Events: Join us at TechTables live events—whether hosted by us or in partnership with industry leaders—where we bring together senior technology leaders. Experience exclusive networking, collaborative sessions, and inspiring discussions that spotlight and elevate public sector leadership.

See the past events here: https://www.techtables.com/s/past-events

4. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action.

📧 Interested? Email Joe at joe@techtables.com.

PARTNERS

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

Want to see AI-powered security in action? Check out how the State of Montana revolutionized their cybersecurity using SentinelOne - they're now protecting over 15,000 endpoints across 25 state agencies. See their success story below.

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

CXOs Only: Exclusive Collaboratory CXO Resource

Leader Guide for Episode #187

Gain actionable insights, strategic frameworks, and engaging discussion points on critical topics like AI implementation, privacy, and cybersecurity—crafted specifically for public sector CXOs.

Why Join the TechTables Collaboratory?

Join a National Network of CXOs

Connect with leaders across the country—from California, Nevada, and Texas to Florida and beyond. Representing over $500M in IT spend, this growing community spans state agencies, cities, counties, K-12, and HigherEd.

Monthly Group Calls (90 minutes)

Engage in deep discussions with public sector peers and stay ahead of the curve on emerging trends.

Exclusive Benefits

• Free Hotel Stay at TechTables live events.

• Vendor-Free Private Community governed by Chatham House Rules—open only to public sector CXOs and their leadership teams.

Access the Episode #187 Leader Guide Below 👇

Featuring:

• Dr. Bianca Lochner, CIO, City of Scottsdale


• Feroz Merchhiya, CIO, City of Glendale


• Dr. Muriel Reid, CIO, City of Jackson, MS


• Ken Williams, National Sr Manager, Partner Solutions Engineering at T-Mobile 

Note: At the time of recording, Feroz Merchhiya was serving as CIO for the City of Glendale. He is currently the CIO for the City of Santa Monica, as of release date on November 1st, 2024.

Summary

Guests share their expertise on smart city initiatives and digital transformation in local government. This dynamic conversation explores how cities are leveraging emerging technologies, from 5G infrastructure to artificial intelligence, while fostering collaboration between public and private sectors to enhance community services and resident experiences.

 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How cities like Scottsdale and Glendale are implementing smart city initiatives through strategic roadmaps and innovative technologies


• The role of GIS and data analytics in improving public safety and city operations during major events


• Approaches to implementing AI solutions safely and effectively in government settings


• How public-private partnerships and inter-city collaboration drive innovation in municipal services


• Strategies for balancing competition and cooperation between neighboring cities to improve resident services

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intros

(03:55) Scottsdale's Smart City Journey and Digital Transformation

(07:32) Fiber Network Infrastructure and IoT Implementation

(11:00) Glendale's GIS Center of Excellence and Major Event Management

(16:44) City of Jackson's Approach to Technology Partnerships and Challenges

(20:27) T-Mobile's Role in 5G Smart City Infrastructure

(21:29) Glendale's Implementation of Generative AI Solutions

(27:59) Scottsdale's Strategic Approach to AI Implementation

(32:41) Public Safety Communications Future with T-Mobile

(36:05) Regional Collaboration and Competition in the Phoenix Metro Area

(43:53) Cross-City Technology Sharing and Innovation

(47:04) Closing Thoughts on Public-Private Collaboration

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

→ #180: J.R. Sloan, Ryan Murray & Doug Lange – Arizona State CIO, CISO & Former CSO Talk AI

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

2. The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

3. Live Events: Join us at TechTables live events—whether hosted by us or in partnership with industry leaders—where we bring together senior technology leaders. Experience exclusive networking, collaborative sessions, and inspiring discussions that spotlight and elevate public sector leadership.

CONNECT

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

POWERED BY:

Thanks to our friends at SentinelOne for being our 2024 Podcast & Newsletter Partner

SentinelOne: Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure or click here: https://assets.sentinelone.com/ghe/sentinelone-empowers

Verizon Frontline: The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Check out the solutions built for first responders or click here: https://www.verizon.com/business/solutions/public-sector/public-safety/

SAY THANKS

💜 

The TechTables Newsletter is proudly brought to you by our national partner, SentinelOne

Want to see AI-powered security in action? Check out how the State of Montana revolutionized their cybersecurity using SentinelOne - they're now protecting over 15,000 endpoints across 25 state agencies. Click here to see their success story.

FEATURING:

* Saby Waraich, CIO/CISO, Clackamas Community College

* Ed Odom, Race and Social Justice Lead, City of Seattle IT

* Melanie Vogt, Human Resources, City of Seattle IT

* Curtis Nimmons, HR Director, City of Seattle IT

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

* How the SCARE to CARES framework addresses digital transformations, noting that 84% fail, with 52% due to communication issues

* Practical strategies for managing Seattle IT's transition to 3-day office mandates, including listening sessions, drop-in hours, and employee assistance programs

* How military-style "mission over self" leadership principles can foster employee buy-in while maintaining empathy

* Why shifting from negative mindsets (with 80-85% of daily 70,000 thoughts being negative) is crucial for effective leadership

* The importance of developing "power skills" (formerly called "soft skills") in the workplace

LINKS MENTIONED:

* "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin

* "Positive Intelligence" by Shirzad

* City of Seattle IT Employee Assistance Program

* Clackamas Community College