The Public Sector Show by TechTables

What We CoveredWhat if your wearable could do more than track steps — and actually help detect cardiovascular risk before symptoms appear?In this episode, Joe talks with University of Pittsburgh's Pengfei Zhou & Matt de Lima Barbosa, along with Dell Technologies' Adrienne Garber, about how AI, edge computing, and wearable devices are shaping the future of heart monitoring.01 Why wearables are the next frontier for heart health: how real-time sensor data from everyday devices could detect cardiovascular risk before symptoms ever appear.02 What AIoT actually means in practice: how Pengfei's research combines AI and connected sensors to build deep learning models that go far beyond step counting.03The role of embedded IT in research speed: how Matt's team connects faculty to secure infrastructure and technical support so researchers can move faster and focus on the science.04 How Dell is partnering with higher ed researchers: why Adrienne's team invests in university innovation programs — and what that looks like when it reaches researchers working on real health problems.05 Why localized AI wins on speed, privacy, and personalization: the case for keeping AI processing at the edge instead of sending sensitive health data to the cloud.06 What the future of higher ed innovation actually requires: why the collaboration between researchers, IT, and technology partners like Dell is the ingredient most people overlook. FeaturingPengfei Zhou, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and InformationMatt de Lima Barbosa, Director of Information Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and InformationAdrienne 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 problemsListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

#236: How Nevada Recovered from a Statewide Cyber Attack in 28 Days (And What Every CIO & CISO Should Do Before It Happens to Them)SummaryNevada woke up to a ransomware attack that took 60+ state agencies offline. No ransom paid. Full recovery in 28 days.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.FeaturingTimothy Galluzi, CIO State of NevadaMark Hellbusch, Director, AI Security & Privacy, Info-Tech Research GroupTimestamps(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 ROIListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Mark Roman and Carlos Thomas from Info-Tech break down the enrollment cliff, AI disruption, and cultural skepticism hitting Higher Ed - and why the CIO is the one best positioned to lead through it.FeaturingMark Roman is Managing Partner for the Education Business at Info-Tech Research Group - supporting universities, colleges, and K-12 institutions around the world, and a self-described electric guitar player (results may vary).Carlos Thomas is an IT Executive Consultant at Info-Tech Research Group, entering his fifth year - a former CIO and university administrator with 21 years in Higher Ed, and who checked off his bucket list item of running a 1,600-pound-capacity barbecue operation before Info-Tech pulled him back in.Timestamps(1:45) What CIOs are excited about in Higher Ed - the question that flips the conversation(3:20) AI, Agentic AI, and Bloom's Taxonomy - why the CIO is becoming a campus leader(5:00) The CIO as technology-informed COO - Carlos on the elevation of the role(6:30) The enrollment cliff and South Africa - how demographics are reshaping institutions worldwide(9:00) CIO to COO - why the person who sees everything is the one who should run the organization(11:00) The diplomat skillset - navigating faculty politics and getting things done(13:00) The "edu-pocalypse" - DOGE, the Department of Education, and cultural skepticism toward Higher Ed(15:00) AI token data - two-thirds of all AI tokens are being consumed in education(19:00) The podcast topics they'd love to do next - students and responsible AIListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryWhat do you do when you can't stop the thing you're trying to fix?Three returning guests sit down for one of the most honest conversations about public sector modernization we've had on the show.From the latest on SF's 911 cloud migration, to what it means to modernize Harry Reid International Airport in real time while simultaneously designing the technology architecture for a second commercial airport 20 miles south, to Seguin's workforce transformation from one staff member with a degree and zero certifications in 2018 to 13 degrees and 27 certifications today - join us for this powerful conversation about leadership, community, and what it means to let others carry the message.FeaturingMichelle Geddes CIO San Francisco Department of Emergency ManagementRishma Khimji CITO Clark County Department of Aviation (Harry Reid International Airport) (now CIO Greater Orlando Aviation Authority)Shane McDaniel CIO City of Seguin, TX | TAGITM Past PresidentTimestamps(04:55) - The LinkedIn Banter Origin Story(07:20) - Michelle: SF's 911 Cloud Journey & Hybrid Architecture(09:25) - ESInet, Copper Lines Failing in LA & State Partnership(11:14) - AI for Multilingual 911 Dispatch(12:47) - Rishma: Harry Reid's Second Airport - 20 Miles South(14:31) - Using General Aviation Airports as Innovation Labs(16:40) - Computer Vision at Checkpoints & the 3-Year Rolling Stack(18:23) - Shane: Seguin's Workforce Story - 0 to 27 Certifications(23:48) - The Amazon Warehouse Hire & The Best Buy Delivery Driver(36:12) - TAGITM: The Solution Is in the Room(39:13) - Leadership, Community & Letting Others Carry the MessageListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryBoston'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.FeaturingSanti 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 ColombiaListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn this Info-Tech LIVE New Orleans episode, Tom Zehren, CEO of Info-Tech Research Group, and John Burris, CIO of Southeastern Louisiana University, break down why AI efficiency is a growth mindset - not a cost-cutting exercise - and what the CIO role actually becomes when Agentic AI is the next IT super trend.FeaturingTom Zehren is CEO at Info-Tech Research Group - a global research and advisory firm now operating across North America, Europe, and APAC.John Burris is CIO at Southeastern Louisiana University - and an associate professor of computer science focused on the theory of computation and Alan Turing's work, who went from faculty to CIO in one of the sharpest career pivots in higher ed.Timestamps(1:00) AI efficiency reframed - why it's performance over cost, not a cut mindset(5:00) How Info-Tech tools create a common language between CIOs and CEOs(8:00) The era of autonomization - Tom Zehren on Agentic AI as the next IT super trend(9:30) Agentic AI defined - autonomous decision-making vs. fancy automated workflows(11:00) Student advising - the AI use case universities can't afford to miss(15:00) What does the CIO role look like in 5–10 years?(16:00) The exponential IT leader - Info-Tech's two-path prediction for where CIOs go from here(23:00) Closing round - EQ, IQ & AQ: and what both guests want to explore nextListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn 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.FeaturingAdam 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 fixListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn 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.FeaturingCraig 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 agendasListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn 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.FeaturingDr. 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 EdListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

Episode SummaryIn 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.FeaturingDave 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 edListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, Josh Bright from UC Santa Barbara, Dwane Sterling from Virginia Tech, and JJ Mahon from Cisco ThousandEyes break down what it means to lead IT before the problems find you - from building a collaborative leadership team to monitoring the student experience before the first ticket ever lands.FeaturingJosh 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 SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, Lester Godsey from Arizona State University, Dan Kent from Cloudflare, and Matthew Leger from IDC break down why most institutions are still in the AI Wild West - and what it actually takes to govern, secure, and scale AI across a campus before agentic systems make the problem exponentially harder.FeaturingLester 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 futureListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, Ed Clark from CSU, William Huang from UT System, and Chuck Romero from Palo Alto Networks break down what it actually takes to close the AI divide across 460,000 students - and why browser security is now the front line.FeaturingEd 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 needListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, leaders from UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Ericsson break down the 5G vs WiFi campus debate and what it means for the future of higher education networking.FeaturingJoe Way is the Executive Director of Digital Spaces at UCLA and co-founder of HETMABC Hatchett is the Director of Classroom Technology at Vanderbilt University and co-founder of HETMABen Moebes is a Director of Public Sector at EricssonTimestamps(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 campusesListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, leaders from Maricopa Community Colleges, Dell, and NVIDIA break down what's actually broken in higher ed workforce pipelines — and what applied AI can do to fix it.FeaturingJess 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 MiamiListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

In this EDUCAUSE episode, Kyle Bowen from Arizona State University, Joe Sabado from UC Santa Barbara, and Doug Thompson from Tanium make the case that efficiency was never supposed to be the finish line — and break down what responsible AI adoption actually looks like when it connects to the mission.FeaturingKyle 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 premiseListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

#221: Lisa Kent, Melissa Kraft, Derek Williams - 2026 World Cup, Fusion Teams, AI Wins, Leading WellFeaturingLisa 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-inConnect

#220: From Admin to Youngest CIO — How Curiosity & Collaboration Built Two Public-Sector LeadersFeaturing:Erica Early, Chief Information Officer, Washington State Office of the State TreasurerLisa Faison, Chief Information Officer, City of Goodyear, ArizonaEpisode 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 adviceConnect

#219: How Seguin IT Built a 27-Award Culture — And What Port Houston & Flower Mound Teach About LeadershipFeaturing:Shane McDaniel, CIO, City of Seguin & 2025 TAGITM PresidentJames O'Brien, Information Security Officer, Port Houston (& 2026 TAGITM President)Jose Mendez, IT Director, Town of Flower MoundTed Gruenloh, CEO, Nomic NetworksEpisode 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 ExcellenceConnect

#218: How 3 State CIOs Cut Through AI Hype to Save Millions with Bill Kehoe, Tim Galluzi, Alan FullerFeaturingBill Kehoe, Chief Information Officer and WaTech Agency Director, State of WashingtonTim Galluzi, Chief Information Officer, State of NevadaAlan Fuller, Chief Information Officer, State of UtahEpisode HighlightsWhat 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

#217: Supercharging Cyber Resiliency — How Texas Cities Achieve Enterprise-Level Security [2025 TAGITM]Episode HighlightsWhat 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 PriceFeaturingShane McDaniel, Chief Information Officer & TAGITM President, City of SeguinTony Gonzalez, IT Director & Past TAGITM President, City of New BraunfelsEric Matthews, Chief Information Officer, City of AllenMarlin McFate, CTO & CISO for Public Sector, CohesityLinks MentionedTAGITM - Serving as the premier organization for government technology professionals in TexasCohesity - Modern data security and management for local government. Protect against ransomware and other cyber threats. Manage local government agency data securely and effectively.

#216: Purpose-Driven Leadership in Local Government with Craig Hopkins, CIO, City of San AntonioEpisode HighlightsWhat 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 ThemLinks MentionedTeam of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystalOne Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams by Chris Fussell

#215: CapMetro Built AI So Human Callers Can't Tell + How Austin Put Data Stewardship Before AI Hype + UTSA's “Humble, Hungry, Kind” Culture — All With Limited Resources [2025 TAGITM]Featuring:Tanya Acevedo, Senior Vice President and CIO, CapMetroKendra Ketchum, VP for Information Management & Technology, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)Kerrica Laake, Chief Information Officer, City of AustinChris Stewart, Chief Technology Officer, Freeit Data Solutions (former CIO, City of Austin)What You'll Learn:How Austin's CIO built career pathways from college intern to executive leadership over 33 years, creating high school Shark Tank programs and veteran transition pipelines that solve the government talent crisisWhy CapMetro's paratransit AI agent sounds so human that special needs riders can't tell the difference—and how it already knows their eligibility and service history before they finish speakingHow a simple homeless services app discovered 40% hidden capacity in existing lockers, helping vulnerable citizens store belongings safely during job interviews instead of hiding them in bushesUTSA's "hungry, humble, kind" framework that transformed 9 out of 11 frustrated leaders into collaborative innovators using Working Genius assessments and intentional failure policiesWhy Tanya's team failed twice on the same project before breakthrough success, and how transparent budget conversations about declining sales tax revenue actually strengthened team creativity and resource optimizationHow FreeIT Data partners with resource-constrained counties and cities to deliver the same technology solutions that large organizations require, but with creative collaboration that leverages vendor partnerships when budgets are tightTimestamps(03:00) From College Intern to CIO: Kerrica's 33-Year Austin Journey(05:00) Integrity and Accountability Crisis: Rebuilding Trust in Government IT(08:00) High School Shark Tank: Building Tomorrow's Government Tech Talent(11:00) Hungry, Humble, Kind: UTSA's Team Transformation Framework(16:00) 9 of 11 Leaders Frustrated: Working Genius Assessment Breakthrough(23:00) Austin's First Technology Conference: Breaking Down 30-Year Silos(26:00) Data Stewardship Before AI: Why Foundation Matters More Than Hype(33:00) Breaking "Always Done It This Way": Culture vs. Strategy Battle(36:00) AI Factory Framework: UTSA's Governance-First Automation Approach(39:00) AI So Human You Can't Tell: CapMetro's Mind-Blowing Paratransit Agent(44:00) Resource-Constrained Partners: FreeIT Data's Creative Government SolutionsListen now: YouTube x Apple x SpotifyWhenever you're ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:1.

#213: How 3 Texas Women CIOs Orchestrate Change — From TxDOT's 29% Crash-Reducing AI to CapMetro & Austin Breaking Silos [2025 TAGITM Live Podcast Tour]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 AustinAnh Selissen, Chief Information Officer, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)Tanya Acevedo, Senior Vice President and CIO, CapMetroStephanie Weber, Industry Leader, State and Local Government and Higher Ed AppianWhat 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 FunctionConnect

#212: From COBOL to Salesforce: Washington State Liquor Board's 9-Year, Multi-Million Modernization + Army Leadership LessonsBrought 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 BoardWhat 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 dieWhy 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 yearsThe critical moment George stopped outsourcing ownership to contractors and put actual agency employees in chargeHow battlefield leadership lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan shaped George's approach to managing massive licensing operationWhy “success” nearly broke the system — and how the agency handled 30,000+ phone calls in just three months post-launchHow George built a cross-division data governance team to prevent inaccurate AI answers — and what every CIO should learn from itWhy Salesforce developers are solid gold — and how George is fighting to keep them in the public sector with training budgets and team loyaltyThe one job George believes every CIO must do: take the heat round so their team can thriveTimestamps(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 TeamConnect

#211: South Florida CIO Roundtable: 1,000+ Sensor Network, Centennial Celebration, Miami Beach's AI Agents & MoreBrought 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 BeachRicardo Castillo, CIO, City of North Miami BeachRaimundo Rodulfo, CIO, City of Coral GablesKyle Patel, VP of Engineering, PolimorphicWhat You'll Learn:How Miami Beach serves millions of international tourists with 6 AI agents instead of expanding staff in their 7-square-mile destinationWhy Coral Gables found a missing child in 2 minutes during a 50,000-person event using computer vision from 1,000+ sensorsThe leadership story behind "hand the marker" - how South Florida CIOs transform interns into teachers who build better teamsHow 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 departmentsThe governance strategy that blocks shadow AI while enabling department self-service: Miami-Dade College education + centralized licensing + technology controlsTimestamps(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 PartnerConnect

#210: Maricopa County's AI Teams Save 100s of Hours (Plus AZ's Child Safety 30-Year Data Strategy & Building AI for Service-First Gov.)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 CountySteven Hintze, Chief Data and Product Officer, Arizona Department of Child SafetyKyle Patel, Lead Product and Engineering, PolimorphicWhat 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 itThe proven framework that helped one county identify 100+ AI use cases across 55+ agencies and avoid the "SQL query disguised as AI" trapHow AI can recover 100s of hours worth of staff time by eliminating repetitive tasks while improving citizen experienceThe composable architecture strategy that lets you completely rebuild your AI stack within 30 days of production release without losing momentumTimestamps(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 InnovationConnect

#209: Teena Piccione, J.R. Sloan, Mark Wittenberg, Jonathan Feldman & Joe Durante [Better Together Series]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 CarolinaJ.R. Sloan, State CIO, ArizonaMark Wittenburg, CIO, City of RaleighJonathan Feldman, CIO, Wake CountyJoe Durante, Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist, Dell TechnologiesWhat 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 seeWhy shifting from "customers" to "colleagues and partners" eliminated IT roadblocks and built trust with departments like public safetyHow 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 elsewhereArizona'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+ agenciesWhy city councils care more about AI's environmental impact than security risks, and how CIOs are building sustainability requirements into procurement policiesTimestamps(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 InnovativeConnect

#208: Texas County Women Leading 6M+ Residents: From Flooded Data Centers to AI Innovation Lab to Building Unbreakable Teams [2024 Houston Live Podcast Tour]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 CountyRobyn Doughtie, CIO, Fort Bend CountyMisty Witmer, CIO, Galveston CountyMani Nagothu, Field CISO, SentinelOneWhat You'll Learn:How Harris County's innovation lab is testing AI and emerging technologies while building nimble, resident-centric, and resilient operationsWhy Fort Bend County successfully processed 30,000 ServiceNow tickets while reducing active projects from 200 to 86 through strategic prioritizationGalveston County's approach to coastal resilience, including data center failover systems and business continuity planning for hurricane seasonsThe strategic evolution of cybersecurity leadership from technical expertise to enterprise risk management integrationHow county CIOs are building the next generation through customer experience academies, with one leader surprising her team with new leadership training objectivesTimestamps(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 StrategiesConnect

#207: Bringing Soldiers Home to Building the Digital Identity with Blake Hall, Founder & CEO, ID.meBrought 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.meWhat 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 soldiersWhy Roy, an Iraqi interpreter, became a life-changing mission that demonstrated the true meaning of bringing everyone homeHow ID.me is building the identity layer for the internet with a digital wallet that puts consumers in control of their dataThe four immutable character traits Blake screens for: optimism, kindness over niceness, fight-or-flight control, and zero tolerance for jerksStrategic fundraising lessons from raising over $100 million while maintaining company control and avoiding liquidation preference trapsTimestamps(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 InnovationConnect

#206: Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown - Navy SEAL to Extreme OwnershipBrought 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 FrontWhat You'll Learn:How JP went from being served divorce papers on his anniversary to rebuilding his marriage using extreme ownership principlesWhy Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War by putting team firstThe 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 decayThe 3 pillars of elite mastery that took JP from Delta Platoon sniper to Echelon Front leadership instructorTimestamps(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 PressureConnect

#205: From Hurricane Harvey to Beryl: Houston's "One Family" Emergency Response [2024 Houston Live Podcast Tour]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 HoustonJane Wu, Deputy Director - Data Privacy & Business Operations Management, City of HoustonBert Quarfordt, Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) - IT Infrastructure, City of HoustonWhat You'll Learn:How Houston's IT team evolved emergency response protocols through nine federally declared disasters, building bench strength after losing key expertiseWhy pre-positioned contracts and vendor partnerships are critical for rapid emergency deployment without compromising standards or securityHow Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to 350+ city locations serving 2.6 million residents and the specific recovery strategies usedThe "one family approach" that transforms team culture through initiatives like Summer's snack cart and cross-departmental collaborationWhy cloud-first infrastructure strategies provide essential resilience when local data centers fail during natural disastersTimestamps(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 CXOsConnect

#204: Why Texas DMV Chose $6M in Planning Over $150M (Plus TDLR's 25-Program Modernization) [Houston 2024]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 DMVThe strategic approach to consolidating 25+ programs and 8 legacy licensing systems at TDLR into a unified platformHow Texas DMV interfaces with 254 counties through 500+ Tax Assessor Collector offices and plans to streamline manual processes using RPAThe innovative use of regulatory authority to combat human trafficking through emergency facility closures and cross-agency data sharingWhy building relationships with vendor communities and stakeholder feedback loops drives successful transformation in governmentTimestamps(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 ModernizationConnect

#203: UHCL's 6-Week Leadership Pivot + AI Student Concierge + NASA Innovation Culture [Houston 2024]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 LakeWhat 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-solvingTimestamps00:34 - Introduction and NASA Memorabilia Space Tour01:00 - Dr. Gaskins' Journey: West Virginia to NASA's Backyard03:00 - Childhood Space Dreams Driving Technology Innovation05:00 - International Business Background and Cross-Border Tech08:00 - Texas Higher Ed Collaboration Networks and Mentorship11:00 - Collaboration as a "Magnifier and Multiplier" Strategy13:00 - NASA's Cultural Influence on STEM and Resilience17:00 - 6-Week COVID Crisis Leadership with New Team23:00 - Human-Centric Tech: Internet Access and TTY Device Stories28:00 - AI in Higher Ed: Ethics, Policy, and Student Experience34:00 - AI Concierge Vision: Enterprise Data and Student Support41:00 - Email Security Culture: 96-97% Spam Filtering Success45:00 - EDUCAUSE Takeaways and Cross-Pollination BenefitsConnect

#202: UTSA's Bold Careers 85+ Student Program + UCLA's 2028 Olympics Campus Transformation [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 contractorsWhy eSports is a multi-billion dollar industry creating new career pathways for students beyond traditional gaming rolesUCLA'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 eventsHow digital twins of campus spaces can optimize resources, improve sustainability, and transform the educational experienceTimestamps(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 LearningConnect

#201: UHCL's NASA Partnership + UT System's Enterprise AI Strategy [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 SystemWhat You'll Learn:Student-Centered Innovation in Higher EdUT 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 developmentThe 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 areasUHCL prioritizes graduate education growth through collaborative approaches with other Houston institutions, rejecting the "zero-sum game" mentality in student recruitment to create shared student successEnterprise AI Implementation StrategyUT 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 implementationsUT 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 environmentUHCL 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 opportunitiesCross-Campus Collaboration FrameworkThe UT System achieves economies of scale by site-licensing Microsoft tools for all 256,000 students, faculty, staff and clinicians across its 14 institutionsUHCL collaborates with neighboring Houston campuses to create consistent experiences for faculty who teach across multiple institutions and share licensing resourcesRegional partnerships between campuses with similar demographics (like Hispanic-serving institutions) enable targeted technology solutions for specific student populationsSpace & AI Educational InnovationUHCL was established through direct partnership with NASA, whose director requested graduate education facilities near the space center 50 years agoThe university houses NASA archives through the Space Act and maintains strong aerospace engineering and space exploration business programsUT 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 yearTimestamps01:37 - William Huang's background and DJ experience02:00 - 2024: "The Year of the Student" and Archer Center Fellows04:42 - Enterprise AI Strategy across UT System07:58 - UHCL's AI Policy and Student Success Applications10:53 - Balancing System-Wide Initiatives Across 14 UT Institutions12:00 - Regional Collaboration Between Houston Area Campuses16:24 - UHCL's NASA Connection and Aerospace Focus19:25 - How AI Will Transform Digital TransformationConnect

#200: UCSB's Data-Driven AI Pilots + ASU's Multi-LLM Innovation Platform + Google's Higher Ed Partnerships [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 GoogleWhat You'll Learn:High-Impact AI StrategiesASU'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 feedbackUCSB's data-driven approach: Five strategic AI pilots generating concrete metrics to inform new leadership's investment decisions during chancellor transition, ensuring continuity of innovationGoogle Cloud's Rapid Innovation Team delivers accelerated proof-of-concepts through enhanced user story collaboration, allowing universities to quickly transform ideas into working prototypesTechnology Infrastructure InnovationsASU'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 ecosystemGoogle's migration of Collaboratory to cloud infrastructure gives educational institutions both seamless collaboration features and enterprise-scale computing power for complex research workloadsUCSB'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 directionTransformative Leadership & Organizational DevelopmentUCSB'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 SigmaASU'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 ModelsGoogle Cloud's advanced multimodal capabilities enable universities to process diverse inputs—"video, audio, geometry assignments, you name it"—creating richer educational experiences for studentsASU'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 EdConnect

#199: Securing Decentralized IT at UT-McCombs & Tanium's 'Whole of Education' Framework [EDUCAUSE 2024]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:- Cory Wilburn, Chief Information Officer, Texas McCombs School of Business- Doug Thompson, Chief Education Architect, TaniumWhat You'll Learn:Leadership Insight: The Chief Alignment OfficerCory Wilburn redefines the CIO role as "Chief Alignment Officer," focusing on ensuring everyone understands how they contribute to the organization's mission (I love this Cory!)Creating a "culture of safety" forms the foundation for innovation - "if you're trying to move the ball forward and fall short, you're among friends, not in a 'gotcha' environment"Building trust begins with personal connections - meet team members where they are (and not where you think they should be!)The storytelling imperative - effective security leaders must communicate technical concepts to diverse audiences through compelling narrativesHigher Ed's Unique Security Challenge: Decentralized ITHigher education operates as a "coalition of the unwilling" requiring consensus-building rather than top-down directivesThe academic paradox: institutional openness creates security vulnerability - "everyone walks in with multiple devices and you add to it with classroom technology"Balancing innovation with protection - "you always have to find that right balance of risk and innovation" based on data sensitivity and organizational contextThe constant risk-reward calculation of patch management - "we're going to break this system with this patch, what's the trade-off?"Tanium's Whole of Education FrameworkProvides "AWACS-like visibility" across fragmented IT environments while respecting academic autonomyReal-time endpoint management creates a "staff multiplier" effect, freeing IT professionals from routine maintenanceSuccess story: Winston Salem State University transformed staff culture through enhanced visibility, with employees now generating innovative solutionsVisibility without control - "we're not taking over their environment, we're simply looking so you know what your risk is"The Evolving Threat LandscapeSobering statistic: 80% of breaches stem from unpatched software vulnerabilities, with 80% of those preventableCOVID accelerated digital transformation - "in three months they had done exactly what I'd been trying to get them to do for years"IoT explosion has increased endpoints by "magnitudes of hundreds over what it was just five years ago"Education remains the primary defense - "at the end of the day, your biggest risk points are your users"Timestamps(03:03) New UT-McCombs building project(03:49) The "Whole of Education" approach(05:47) Winston Salem State success story(07:02) Managing IT complexity today(09:22) Open centers of innovation vs. cyber threats(12:15) Real-time visibility for campus security(15:20) The endpoint explosion across campus(16:52) 80% of breaches from unpatched software(23:35) Building trust as a new leader(26:56) The "Chief Alignment Officer" leadership approach(28:40) Reducing IT risk in decentralized environmentsConnect

#198: Saint Mary's Student-Run Help Desk + SolarWinds' 3X ROI Higher Ed Solutions [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 CollegeTyler Horning, Senior Account Manager, Central Region, Public Sector, SolarWindsWhat You'll Learn:Saint Mary's Student-Run IT Support EvolutionDiscover 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 dayExplore their innovative two-tier support model: ResNet (student tech support) and Help Desk (faculty/staff support), both primarily staffed by studentsLearn how this IT experience creates a powerful talent pipeline, with former student workers landing positions at Google, JPMorgan Chase, and other major companiesComprehensive Student Training and Support OperationsInside 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 submissionsThe critical philosophy of teaching student staff it's "okay to say 'I don't know'" and escalate issues to supervisorsSolarWinds Partnership and Customized SolutionsHow 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 implementationThe power of automated workflows, escalations, and knowledge base development in creating efficient support operationsLooking Beyond TechnologyWhy 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 empowermentTimestamps(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

#197: LSU's $7.5M Student-Powered SOC + NJIT's Life-Saving Analytics + Illinois' Creative Data Applications Powered by Splunk [EDUCAUSE 2024]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-ChampaignEd 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 SplunkWhat You'll Learn:Student-Powered SOC: A Revolutionary Education & Security ModelHow LSU created a scalable "student-powered" SOC model that provides real-world cybersecurity experience while enhancing institutional protectionThe unique public-private partnership with Techstream that enables 24/7 security operations while students work regular business hoursState-level buy-in with $7.5 million in recurring funding that has expanded the model to over 20 institutions across LouisianaDeveloping the Next Generation of Cybersecurity ProfessionalsHow the model creates a direct pipeline to industry with the first cohort of students all receiving job offers before graduationThe critical "six-week" timeline from student hiring to SOC frontline deployment, meeting the urgent need for cyber talentWhy both LSU and NJIT open their programs to students of all backgrounds, not just IT or cybersecurity majorsExpanding Data Analytics Beyond SecurityUniversity of Illinois' creative applications of Splunk beyond security - from analyzing email marketing performance to library resource utilizationHow IT data helped locate a student in crisis at NJIT, demonstrating the life-saving potential of security analytics platformsThe power of data visualization in communicating cybersecurity threats to government officials and securing institutional buy-inBuilding Consensus in Decentralized UniversitiesThe patient, collaborative approach to cybersecurity policy development with faculty at LSU through regular committee meetingsUniversity of Illinois' strategy of absorbing security costs centrally rather than charging departments to ensure wider adoptionHow cross-institutional partnerships amplify security capabilities through shared threat intelligenceTimestamps(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 securityConnect

#196: Building Cyber Warriors: UTSA's SOC & Elastic's AI Secret Sauce [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 AntonioJared Pane, Director of Solutions Architecture at ElasticWhat You'll Learn:Leadership Philosophy & Team BuildingDiscover Kendra's transformative "humble, hungry, and kind" leadership philosophy that's reshaping technical teams at UTSAWhy Kendra actively avoids hiring "brilliant jerks" who might be technically strong but ultimately damage team culture and prevent successHow embracing failure as a pathway to growth creates resilient, innovative teams: "Fail fast, pivot faster"UTSA's Student-Empowered Security Operations CenterThe 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 economyInside 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 RevolutionThe "secret sauce" behind Elastic's vector database and AI search capabilities that detect vulnerabilities competitors miss entirelyHow Elastic's attack discovery transforms SOC operations by using AI to analyze thousands of alerts in minutes, not daysTexas A&M's rapid response to a devastating 2019 ransomware attack and why they made Elastic Agent mandatory across their technology infrastructureBreaking the Status QuoStrategies for challenging the dangerous "that's how we've always done it" mentality in higher educationHow cross-sector collaboration between universities, government agencies, and industry partners is solving complex cybersecurity challengesThe 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

#195: Purdue's Enterprise AI Challenge + Montana's State-Wide Cyber Hub [EDUCAUSE 2024]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 UniversityZach Rossmiller, CIO, University of MontanaMani Nagothu, Americas Field CISO & Associate Director at SentinelOneWhat You'll Learn:How Purdue navigates the unprecedented challenge of scaling AI access across their university system - balancing million-dollar licensing costs against student equityInside the University of Montana's innovative state-wide cybersecurity hub that transforms students into SOC analysts through real-world experienceHow AI is reshaping both sides of cybersecurity - from sophisticated threat actors leveraging LLMs to defenders using AI-powered SOC automationPractical strategies for integrating AI into higher education operations, from custom GPTs for student government to AI-enhanced writing supportWhy getting diverse student perspectives on AI tools is crucial for successful implementation in higher educationTimestamps(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 RecommendationsConnect

#194: How Clackamas CC Protected 10,000 Students + [Case Study] Texas A&M's Digital Transformation with Omnissa [EDUCAUSE 2024]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:Saby Waraich, CIO/CISO, Clackamas Community CollegeWayne Bridges, Senior Solutions Engineer, OmnissaWhat You'll Learn:How Clackamas CC executed a 72-hour ransomware response protecting 10,000 students using out-of-band communication and multi-agency coordinationHow Texas A&M transformed their digital experience from 15+ logins to a unified portal while preserving school-specific brandingThe CARES framework (Communication, Adapt, Relationships, Empowerment, Stay Calm) for leading through complex transformations and crisesStrategies for using AI to enhance IT support through automated ticket analysis and phishing detectionThe Purple Cow leadership approach for building positive team culture in higher education ITTimestamps(01:00) Guest Introductions: Saby Waraich & Wayne Bridges(03:00) The CARES Framework Origins(05:00) Ransomware Response at Clackamas CC(08:00) Texas A&M's Digital Experience Transformation(12:00) Purple Cow Leadership Framework(16:00) Digital Branding in Higher Education(21:00) AI Initiatives in Higher Ed IT(26:32) "Big Fan of Andrea Bollinger, Vice Provost and CIO, Oregon State University"Connect

#193: Strategic HR Evolution: Building Culture-Driven IT OrganizationsFeaturing:Will Smith, Chief of Staff at City of Seattle ITIn this episode, you'll learn:How Seattle IT revolutionized HR by embedding dedicated business partners within each department, transforming traditional personnel management into strategic partnerships that understand both technical operations and business goalsThe critical intersection of organizational psychology and tech leadership, through Smith's doctoral research on how growth mindset principles drive successful cultural transformation in IT organizationsSeattle IT's innovative "from-to state" framework for cultural change, creating systematic pathways from fixed to growth mindset and empowering teams with clear decision-making abilitiesThe power of intentional culture-building in IT organizations, demonstrated through Seattle IT's focus on psychological safety and creating spaces where all perspectives are valuedHow modern HR leadership drives organizational success by understanding both human capital and technical operations, illustrated through Seattle IT's transformation from a traditional personnel office to a strategic business partnerTimestamps(00:00) Introduction and Welcome (01:00) Will Smith: From HR Expert to Chief of Staff at Seattle IT (03:00) Personal Background and Family Values (04:00) Educational Journey: Bridging IT, Law, and Organizational Psychology (07:00) Understanding the 'Why' in Organizations (09:00) Growth Mindset: Foundation for Organizational Change (11:00) Revolutionizing HR: The Business Partner Model (14:00) Creating Intentional Culture and Psychological Safety (17:00) Managing Conflict Through Relationship Building (19:00) Leading Change: Hybrid Work Transformation (21:00) Seattle IT Learning Conference: Culture in Action (23:00) Closing Thoughts and Show InformationLinks Mentioned:2024 Seattle Learning Conference PlaylistMindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Stanford University To hear more, visit www.techtables.com

#193: Strategic HR Evolution: Building Culture-Driven IT OrganizationsFeaturing:Will Smith, Chief of Staff at City of Seattle ITIn this episode, you'll learn:How Seattle IT revolutionized HR by embedding dedicated business partners within each department, transforming traditional personnel management into strategic partnerships that understand both technical operations and business goalsThe critical intersection of organizational psychology and tech leadership, through Smith's doctoral research on how growth mindset principles drive successful cultural transformation in IT organizationsSeattle IT's innovative "from-to state" framework for cultural change, creating systematic pathways from fixed to growth mindset and empowering teams with clear decision-making abilitiesThe power of intentional culture-building in IT organizations, demonstrated through Seattle IT's focus on psychological safety and creating spaces where all perspectives are valuedHow modern HR leadership drives organizational success by understanding both human capital and technical operations, illustrated through Seattle IT's transformation from a traditional personnel office to a strategic business partnerTimestamps(00:00) Introduction and Welcome (01:00) Will Smith: From HR Expert to Chief of Staff at Seattle IT (03:00) Personal Background and Family Values (04:00) Educational Journey: Bridging IT, Law, and Organizational Psychology (07:00) Understanding the 'Why' in Organizations (09:00) Growth Mindset: Foundation for Organizational Change (11:00) Revolutionizing HR: The Business Partner Model (14:00) Creating Intentional Culture and Psychological Safety (17:00) Managing Conflict Through Relationship Building (19:00) Leading Change: Hybrid Work Transformation (21:00) Seattle IT Learning Conference: Culture in Action (23:00) Closing Thoughts and Show InformationLinks Mentioned:2024 Seattle Learning Conference PlaylistMindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Stanford University This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com

#192: From Forms to Freedom: Building Digital Services That Citizens Actually WantFeaturing:- Soumam Debgupta, CTO, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services- Rob Lloyd, CTO, City of Seattle- Chris Chirgwin, CIO, County of Santa BarbaraIn this episode, you'll learn:How Washington State DSHS reduced benefit application times from 50 minutes to 25 minutes by reimagining service delivery through a customer-first lensWhy setting an ambitious 85% customer satisfaction goal is driving cultural transformation and transparency in government servicesThe impact of challenge-based procurement in Seattle, where defining problems instead of solutions is attracting innovative technology partnershipsHow Santa Barbara County achieved over 400 strategic goals in one year by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)Why tracking metrics like cost-to-serve and benefit penetration rates helps Washington State DSHS maximize the reach and efficiency of social servicesLinks Mentioned:Traction by Gino WickmanCustomer First Thinking Newsletter by Soumam DebguptaOne Seattle Plan To hear more, visit www.techtables.com

#192: From Forms to Freedom: Building Digital Services That Citizens Actually WantFeaturing:- Soumam Debgupta, CTO, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services- Rob Lloyd, CTO, City of Seattle- Chris Chirgwin, CIO, County of Santa BarbaraIn this episode, you'll learn:How Washington State DSHS reduced benefit application times from 50 minutes to 25 minutes by reimagining service delivery through a customer-first lensWhy setting an ambitious 85% customer satisfaction goal is driving cultural transformation and transparency in government servicesThe impact of challenge-based procurement in Seattle, where defining problems instead of solutions is attracting innovative technology partnershipsHow Santa Barbara County achieved over 400 strategic goals in one year by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)Why tracking metrics like cost-to-serve and benefit penetration rates helps Washington State DSHS maximize the reach and efficiency of social servicesLinks Mentioned:Traction by Gino WickmanCustomer First Thinking Newsletter by Soumam DebguptaOne Seattle Plan This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com

#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming CybersecurityFrom Asset Management to AI: Building Modern Security for Vulnerable CommunitiesFeaturing:Greg Smith, Chief Information Security Officer and Director of Security & Infrastructure, City of Seattle ITAllen Ohanian, Chief Information Security Officer, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family ServicesBrent Byrnes, Account Executive SLED, WizIn this episode, you'll learn:How Seattle's risk-based approach is transforming traditional government cybersecurityLA County DCFS's strategy for securing the nation's largest welfare agency's sensitive data in the cloudWhy emerging IoT devices and cloud assets are creating new visibility challenges for government infrastructureThe role of cloud visibility and democratized security in modern government environmentsReal-world lessons from Seattle's cross-agency incident response and recovery strategiesTimestamps(00:00) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds (03:14) Seattle's Evolution to Risk-Based Security (04:52) Securing LA County DCFS's Cloud Environment (07:38) Cloud Visibility in Government (09:22) Asset Management Challenges in Modern Infrastructure (12:45) Cross-Agency Incident Response: Seattle Library Case Study (16:33) Crisis Communication Strategies (22:18) AI Implementation and Security Threats (27:42) Managing Modern Security Vendors (31:15) Future of Government Cloud Security To hear more, visit www.techtables.com

#191: Securing the Public Cloud: How Seattle & LA County DCFS Are Transforming CybersecurityFrom Asset Management to AI: Building Modern Security for Vulnerable CommunitiesFeaturing:Greg Smith, Chief Information Security Officer and Director of Security & Infrastructure, City of Seattle ITAllen Ohanian, Chief Information Security Officer, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family ServicesBrent Byrnes, Account Executive SLED, WizIn this episode, you'll learn:How Seattle's risk-based approach is transforming traditional government cybersecurityLA County DCFS's strategy for securing the nation's largest welfare agency's sensitive data in the cloudWhy emerging IoT devices and cloud assets are creating new visibility challenges for government infrastructureThe role of cloud visibility and democratized security in modern government environmentsReal-world lessons from Seattle's cross-agency incident response and recovery strategiesTimestamps(00:00) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds (03:14) Seattle's Evolution to Risk-Based Security (04:52) Securing LA County DCFS's Cloud Environment (07:38) Cloud Visibility in Government (09:22) Asset Management Challenges in Modern Infrastructure (12:45) Cross-Agency Incident Response: Seattle Library Case Study (16:33) Crisis Communication Strategies (22:18) AI Implementation and Security Threats (27:42) Managing Modern Security Vendors (31:15) Future of Government Cloud Security This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com

FEATURING:- Ralph Johnson, CISO, State of Washington- Mary Craig, CIO, Washington State Department of Services for the Blind- Erik Sandie, Strategic Account Manager, IslandIN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How DSB's Orientation and Training Center helps individuals who lose vision learn essential skills - from computer literacy to independent living and employment skillsThe impact of Title II ADA changes on state and local government websites and mobile appsHow enterprise browsers are evolving, with Gartner predicting universal adoption by 2032Why human-centered design is crucial for accessibility and the importance of proper website assessments over overlay solutionsReal-world demonstrations of assistive technologies like Seeing AI and the transformative potential of services like AiraWhy accessibility should be built into initial design and why it's often less expensive than organizations assumeWashington State CISO & DSB CIO showcase digital accessibility tech and share guidance on ADA Title II compliance for state government websites.The TechTables Newsletter is proudly brought to you by our national partner, SentinelOneWant 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. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com