Davood for Thought

On this episode, Davood talks with Lloyd Levine, a former member of the California State Legislature who served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce. Currently, Mr. Levine serves as T-Mobile for Government's National Senior Executive for State Government Strategy and is a Senior Policy Fellow at the University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy. Lloyd is also working on an edited book volume on the intersection of technology and government titled Technology vs. Government: The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object, due out in 2023. Davood and Lloyd touch on several digital transformation topics relevant to government entities, including cloud migration, how connectivity is integral to delivery of government services to the people who need them most, and how governments need to adapt to technology in order to better serve a generation that has always had technology at its fingertips. They discuss how bold leaders recognize risks, but don't let those risks keep them from moving forward — highlighting bold leadership from key figures such as JFK and Toomas Ilves, the former president of Estonia. Follow Lloyd at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloydlevine/.Follow Davood at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davood-ghods-17770bb/.The Davood for Thought podcast is brought to you by Launch Consulting.www.launchconsulting.com

On this episode of Davood for Thought, our host Davood Ghods talks with Vitaliy Panych, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the California Department of Technology. Appointed in January of 2022, Vitaliy is responsible for the security of one of the largest collections of digital information assets in the country, identifying and mitigating more than 200 malicious activities daily. In recognition of his work, he was recently honored with the 2022 Thomas M. Jarrett State Cybersecurity Leadership Award by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.  Tune in to hear Vitaliy share about how learning to code as a teen inspired a lifelong career in cybersecurity, what's next in the security industry in the public sector, and how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu makes him a better technologist.The Davood For Thought podcast is brought to you by Launch Consulting.www.launchconsulting.com

Check out part 2 of our Davood for Thought season highlights!In this roundup, bold thought leaders in Government tech share thoughts on digital transformation, leadership, and the benefits of automation within Government.Part 2 highlights cover episodes with:1.       Mike Anderson, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Netscope.2.       Drew Hinkle, CIO at the California Department of State Hospitals.3.       Bratton Riley, CEO at Citibot.4.       Jag Nagendra, Office Chief at the California Department of Water Resources.5.       Rishma Khimji,  CIO at theCity & County of San Fransisco

Didn't get a chance to catch the full season of Davood for Thought? Check out part 1 of our season highlights here with host and Government Sector Lead Davood Ghods!In this special roundup, leaders within the Government tech space share insights on digital transformation in the public and private sectors. Part 1 covers episodes with guests:  1. Steve Monighan, CIO and Director of General Services Agencies for Nevada County, CA2. Kyle Katt, Chief Experience Officer at Launch Consulting3. Michael J Hingson, Chief Vision Officer at accessiBe4. Joe Panora, CEO and Owner of Panora Associates5. Jeff Frazier, VP and Head of Global Public Sector at SnowflakeStay tuned for part 2!

On this episode of Davood For Thought, host Davood Ghods interviews New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for Accessibe, Michael Hingson.Michael, who has been blind since birth, survived the September 11th attacks with the help of his guide dog, Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book Thunder Dog. Michael, a longtime social advocate for change concerning disabilities, shares his wisdom and insight what advocacy, accessibility and inclusion should look like, and the importance of engaging in conversation and education in order to create meaningful change.www.Accessibe.comwww.MichaelHingson.comThe Davood For Thought podcast is brought to you by Launch Consulting. www.LaunchConsulting.com

On this episode, host Davood Ghods talks to Joe Panora, CEO and owner of Panora Associates, who utilizes his extensive background in correctional and public safety law enforcement and information technology to serve the California public sector. Joe's experience includes 35 years of public service, with 14 years serving in correctional safety and public safety law enforcement as Director of the Enterprise Information Services, and IT Director and Chief Information Officer for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.Joe shares about his success in leveraging technology to modernize the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, setting the stage for the next generation of public servants to make data-informed decisions for the future, and putting the right people in place to get the job done.The Davood For Thought podcast is brought to you by Launch Consulting. www.launchconsulting.comwww.JoePanora.com

On this episode of Davood For Thought,  VP and Head of Global Public Sector at Snowflake Jeff Frazier discusses his unique background and experience with host Davood Ghods, sharing about purpose in leadership to create impact, the role of data and public service, and his mission to improve the lives of others. Jeff is a respected leader with a rich and varied background in sales, digital transformation, government consulting, advising international business, emerging markets, public policy, and government affairs. Together with his teams at Snowflake, Jeff enables organizations to mobilize data with Snowflake's Data Cloud. Customers use the Data Cloud to unite siloed data, discover and securely share data, and execute diverse analytic workloads. Jeff Frazier is also a Non-Resident Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Operating Partner at Digital Alpha. His prior roles include Managing Director at Cisco, General Manager and Corporate Partner at Microsoft, and Distinguished Public Service with Risk with the FBI. 

On this episode of Davood For Thought, host Davood Ghods welcomes Kyle Katt, Chief Experience Officer at Launch Consulting. Kyle started his career as a data engineer, however, due to vision challenges related to a genetic eye condition, he began to spend more time in data analytics, architecture, and technology leadership roles, focusing on developing and empowering teams across the organization. Kyle brings 25 years of solution development and technology leadership to Launch, and drives a seamless connection of core capabilities, innovation and human impact across all launch engagements. Davood and Kyle discuss collaboration between people, data and technology disciplines in the digital transformation space, and the value of focus on customer experiences related to Launch's services, offerings, and solutions. 

Steve Monaghan is the CIO and Director of General Services Agencies for Nevada County in California. In addition to being the CIO, he is responsible for the county public library system, the county airport facility management office of emergency services, central services, and centralized purchasing to name a few. Tune in as Steve dives into daily operations at the county, business continuity, and being a change agent for county agencies at the CIO level. Don't miss his story of Nevada County's most recent severe weather incident that left many citizens without power for days,  and how they were able to bounce back. 

Jag Nagendra is a multi-skilled business and engineering professional with over 30 years of experience in organizational leadership management and entrepreneurship in both the private and public sectors. For the past decade, Jag has been working for the California Department of Water Resources as Office Chief leading three branches of 80 plus engineers. He has held various leadership roles with the PMI Sacramento valley chapter board. And earlier this year, he is started a two year term as president and CEO of the PMI Sacramento valley chapter. Tune into this episode as Jag dives into his thoughts on planning and prepping in a time of disruption, embracing change for growth and innovation, and getting back to fundamental roots in leadership. 

Mike serves as Chief Digital and Information officer for Netskope. Over the past 25 years, he has built and led high performing teams across various disciplines, including sales, operations, business development, and information technology. He joined Netskope from Schneider electric, a global fortune 500 company serving as senior vice president CIO and digital leader for north America in 2020. Constellation research named him a member of the business transformation, 150 an elite list that recognizes the top global executives leading business transformation efforts in their organizations. The national diversity council also recognized him as a 50 CIO for diversity and inclusion in 2020 and 2021. Before Schneider electric, Mike served a CIO for Crossmark, where he digitally transformed the business capabilities for the 40,000 employee service provider to the retail and consumer goods industry. Also, he has held executive leadership roles at enterprise mobile, a Microsoft joint venture that is now part of Honeywell insight, software spectrum, and Inver a web services pioneer co-founded in 1999. Mike serves on numerous technology and industry advisory boards. He also volunteers his time working with nonprofit nonprofits focused on mental health and suicide prevention, and those that benefit the development of our future, a workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Drew Hinkle is the Chief Information Officer for the California Department of State Hospitals. Before his time with CDSH, Drew was the CIO at DSH for four years where he managed the enterprise server and networking team, as well as the client and field services team.  And prior to that, he held technology positions at the California Highway Patrol and the California Secretary of State. With his extensive background with California State departments, Drew shares stories of data, remote work, and state hospitals adjusting to the pandemic. 

Being the son of a mayor, Bratton Riley grew up around the government scene. Watching his father help build up his community in Charleston, NC, Bratton saw the importance of equity and technology in order to strengthen the connection between local government and its citizens.  Fast forward to the present, he is now the the CEO of Citibot, a customer service and data management software company providing solutions for cities, governments, and corporate clients.  Tune in as Bratton shares stories of digital resilience in the face of natural disasters and the pandemic. He also shares about his support for his community and how that fuels his day to day WHY. 

On this episode of Davood for Thought, our guest is Rishma Khimji. Rishma is the CIO for the City & County of San Fransisco - Police Department. Listen in as she chats with us about current projects in her police department involving  open data, transparency, and digital transformation. Don't miss her take on a common topic that we cover in our podcast -  resilience. You can support Rishma and her work on LinkedIn and Twitter!

On this episode of Davood For Thought, Kathleen Webb joins us to share her input on emerging trends, adapting and adopting, and the importance of “why”. Kathleen is an experienced public sector leader with a demonstrated history of working in the California State Government. She highlights how leadership styles may change throughout your career along with tips to forming a committed and driven team. Listen closely as she dives into what helps recharge her battery, and where to keep up what she's working on currently.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

On this episode of Davood For Thought, we sit down with Dr. Jonathan Reichental to discuss the importance of having a plan for resiliency, technology advancements in the future, and highlight the areas organizations typically overlook. Dr. Reichental grew up with a peculiar interest in technology due to the creativity that comes along with coding. As his career developed, he worked within a variety of companies including roles as CIO and founder of Human Future. Most recently Dr. Reichental has devoted his time to education and the writing of his new book regarding the future of money. Stay tuned for his opinion on the 4th industrial revolution along with tips and tricks to make your work feel like leisure.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

On this episode of Davood For Thought, we sit down with Rob Peterson. Rob is an Agency Information Officer at California Department of Food and Agriculture. He joined the state of California as a consultant to assist in resolving “dirty dozen” problems experienced by challenged IT projects. Rob speaks about the process of resolving these issues and how important utilizing today's technology in the food and agriculture system really is. In addition, Rob shares his input on emerging trends in the IT and Business fields. Stay tuned, as we ask Rob what motivates him throughout his career.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

On this episode, guest Paul LaValley, Chief Information Officer at Yuba County, shares how his wide variety of work experience helps him and his team excel. Paul worked with several startups in the Silicon Valley and with his leadership, was able take 4 of them to the public stock market. As a CIO now, security is always on his mind. Listen for some tips and tricks to prevent future ransomware attacks and stay tuned for a chance to hear how his teams use resilience and motivation to push each other to overcome their goals.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

Dr. Peter Pirnejad is an award-winning government professional specializing in modernizing government operations, citizen engagement, operational efficiency, civic technology, and collaborative governance. Dr. Pirnejad shares how his experience at Foster City, City of Palo Alto, and Oracle have all helped form his resilient mindset while navigating the hardships of COVID-19. He later dives into what motivates him, and the importance of finding a “Why”. Stick around for an even deeper look into Peters life as he shares personal stories and tips to overcome sudden change.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

Air Force Veteran and longtime business leader Rick Nelson joins this special supplementary episode of Davood for Thought. Rick has over 20 years of experience in process improvement, workflow methodology, and organizational management. He's spent the last 15 years of his career in the tech arena, leading the growth of two privately held firms to sustainable profitability. Rick's energetic and passionate leadership are the hallmarks of his professional career - this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Bill Maile is the Founder and Former Editor of Techwire where he continues to publish about the public sector tech industry which he has over 15 years working in. Maile has worked in executive offices of state government including the State Senate, the California Attorney General and Department of Justice, and more.He graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A in English in 1995 before becoming the chief deputy of press secretary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition to founding Techwire.net, Maile recently started another company, Maile Media which specializes in content strategy, media production, and publishing.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technology https://directtechnology.com/

Keith Tresh is a retired Army Colonel and strategic executive with C-level success in strategic planning, capacity/cost projections, IT governance, and BI solutions. He is a logical thinker and strong communicator noted for transforming IT organizations and building cohesive/productive teams to support enterprise-wide infrastructures. He is also quality-focused leader with both Federal and State Government expertise.Keith is a builder of productive and responsive IT organizations that enhance customer/user experiences with a strategic vision in mind. He has vast experience as an Information Technology and Information Security professional in all aspects of IT management, including Strategic Planning. Finally,  Keith has direct experience in information management/security including cybercrime and cyberwarfare, project management, infrastructure engineering, application development, and budget management.

Joe Patterson was elected to the Rocklin City Council for the first time in November 2016, and served as Mayor in 2019. Joe serves as the Treasurer for the Rocklin Public Safety Foundation which is dedicated to enhancing public safety, serves on multiple charity and non-profits boards, is a member of the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce and coaches T-Ball for Rocklin Little League.He graduated with a BA in Government from Sacramento State and was admitted to the post-graduate Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship where he began his career working in the state Legislature.  After several years as a legislative staffer, Joe left the state Capitol for the private sector.  Joe recently launched his small business, Provident Strategies, where he works with associations, non-profits and businesses on regulatory compliance, legislative policy and public affairs.

Christian Farland was named CalPERS' chief information officer in February 2018. He manages the administration and direction of CalPERS' information technology (IT) services and strategy, and provides leadership and counsel to the board and executive team. Christian's duties include overseeing the 600-member information technology team, as well as the technology portfolio that makes up CalPERS' $100 million IT budget.He previously served in a number of leadership roles at CalPERS, including chief technology business officer; interim chief for the Technology & Strategic Services Division; chief of IT Performance and Accountability; and enterprise transition management project manager for CalPERS' transformation initiative for five years.Before joining CalPERS, he held positions as senior consultant as well as senior project manager at the Money Store in Sacramento.

In February 2021, Liana Bailey-Crimmins was appointed State Chief Technology Officer for the California Department of Technology. Leading up to this career achievement, Liana has had a successful career spanning multiple positions with CalPERS. These positions include: Chief Information Officer, Chief Health Director, and Chief Information Security Officer. Previously, she was CIO and CIS for the California Correction Health Care Services, California Prison Healthcare Services, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.  

Marcie Kahbody is currently the Agency Chief Information Officer for California Transportation Agency (CalSTA). In this capacity, Marcie oversees IT responsibilities for all of CalSTA's Boards, Offices, Commissions, and Departments.Marcie has held various positions in the field of information technology with the State of California for the past 27 years. Most recently, she was the Information Technology Chief for the Department of Health Care Services. She worked in a similar position for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and spent three years with the then-California Technology Agency. Marcie also worked at the Department of General Services as an Information Technology manager.ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

DennisNoone knew he wanted to be a journalist since he was a young boy. Now Managing Editor of Techwire, Dennis is a veteran journalist with a background in writing and editing local, state, national and political news from California to Washington, D.C.. Tune in as we interview the interviewer! We chat with Dennis about his career as a journalist and his journey into the tech space.  https://www.techwire.net/ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technologyhttps://directtechnology.com/

Dr. Lea is passionate about operationalizing organizational health. Her recent dissertation work fueled her desire to help organizations to apply a human-centered approach to managing organizations, enabling both individuals and the organization to thrive. She also heads her own firm, Kris Lea Consulting, where they specialize in Organizational Change Management, Organization Development, and Training and Development. ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technology https://directtechnology.com/

Working for the State for the past thirty years, Andrew has been involved in every aspect of the State IT business such as budgeting, dealing with the legislators, working with all levels of executive branch (including the Governor's office and other constitutional offices), leading complex environments and organizations, and addressing employee issues. In fourteen of the twenty years of service with the State, he's served in various management positions. To be an effective manager, Andrew familiarized myself with the various procedures and processes for the state government. ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technology https://directtechnology.com/

Jennifer Saha founded Golden Bridge Strategies in September of 2019.  Prior to starting the company, she oversaw the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)'s Public Sector Councils which aimed at assisting member technology companies and their efforts to do business with governments. Prior to joining CompTIA, Jennifer served ten years as an appointee under both Governors Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the State of California. She most recently served as Deputy Director of Planning, Policy & Research for the California Department of General Services where she oversaw all strategic planning and policy development for the State of California's procurement and business management department.Prior to her time at DGS, Jennifer was also a Governor's Appointee as Chief of Staff for the California Recovery Task Force, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, and Assistant Cabinet Secretary in Governor Schwarzenegger's Office. ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  Direct Technology  https://directtechnology.com/

Chris Cruz is a progressive, dynamic, and visionary leader with over 18 years of experience as a Level C Executive in IT Leadership positions and 29 years of overall IT and business experience with a primary focus in the government sector managing half billion dollar organizations. He's had an extensive experience as a high visibility leader influencing and driving organizational and Cybersecurity change in fast paced driven environments through innovation and transformation across the largest and most complex IT organizations. He has strong Cybersecurity, systems integration and vendor management experience including negotiating large contracts. Chris is progressive in moving an IT organization through transformational change, developing the right strategic vision and cyber security strategy and roadmap to protect the organizations most critical data assets, enabling continuity building collaborative and sustainable relationships at the Executive level. Furthermore, he understands the importance of instilling a positive work culture at all levels of an organization to facilitate the successful implementation of IT initiatives that bring business value to customers and constituents served. He has been recognized by StateScoop as the 2020 County Executive of the Year, by NASCIO as the 2018 State Technology Innovator of the Year, (NASCIO.ORG), the 2016 State Scoop Top Government IT Leader, 2015 Top 25 Government Doers, Dreamers and Drivers by Government Technology (www.govtech.com), a recipient of the 2013 Best of California Demonstrated Leadership in Management of Information Technology Award, 2011 Outstanding CIO Leader Award, 2010 Innovation and Vision Award and the 2009 Outstanding CIO Leader Award given by the Center for Digital Government. ABOUT THE PODCASTWe're in an era of rapid change, where resilience is vital. The Davood for Thought podcast dives into the most important topics in government and technology, today. Our host, Davood Ghods, sits down with his vast network of colleagues to dish on the tech challenges that affect us all.Follow this podcast on your favorite platform and join the conversation by sharing it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.