Speakers Set for Inaugural Central Florida Digital Government Summit

The inaugural Central Florida Digital Government Summit, which will bring together public-sector technologists and industry representatives to connect on innovative approaches, is scheduled for April 25, and the agenda has been finalized.

The conference is presented by Government Technology magazine, sister publication to Industry Insider — Florida, and is open to those working in the public sector. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown in Orlando. More information and a registration link are available online.

In addition to a keynote address by motivational leadership expert and former FBI Special Agent Assistant Director Cassi Chandler, several of Orlando’s top technology leaders will speak, including Rosa Akhtarkhavari, chief information officer (CIO) for the city of Orlando, and Rafael Mena, CIO of Orange County.

Numerous breakout sessions are scheduled throughout the day, featuring speakers and panelists from the cities of Cocoa and Lakeland and Orange County government, among other entities. A few breakouts include:

• “Readiness, Responsiveness and Resilience” with Rosa Akhtarkhavari, CIO for the city of Orlando; Kevin Burns, CIO and director of IT for the city of Melbourne; and Ben Moebes, sales director of the southeast public sector for Cradlepoint Inc.
• “Bridging the Divide: Advancing Digital Equity and Accessibility for All!” with David Palmer, director of Polk County’s IT Division, and Joe Arena, broadband development manager for Ciena
• “Bits and Bytes — Show Me the Money!” with Amy Kessel, fiscal manager and vendor relations and contract manager for the city of Orlando’s IT Department
• “Emerging Technology in Government” with Todd Bayley, CIO of Pasco County; Oscar Torres, CIO of the city of Lakeland; and Bruce Malyon, vice president and a technology evangelist for Vasion
• “Securing the Future by Staying Ahead of the Cybersecurity Curve!” with Robert Beach, chief technology officer for the city of Cocoa; Justin Clark, information systems security officer for the city of Orlando; Jeremey Benedict, senior solutions engineer for Okta; and Josh Pearl, regional director of systems engineering and the public sector for Fortinet. 

Also participating in the event will be representatives from various sponsoring companies and moderators from the public and private sectors. Networking opportunities and lunch are included in the day’s agenda.