The TechCA Forum included a full-day program focused on innovation and emerging technologies in government, including lightning talks, panel discussions, and keynote speeches by California technology professionals. Current and former state executives discussed the state’s IT landscape and progress on developing digital services for all Californians.
Public and private sector professionals participated in a lively discussion about the fast-changing world of government technology, including important topics related to artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, user-centered design, iterative and continuous improvements, procurement modernization, and more.
Speakers:
Dorothy Amaro
Google Public Sector – California
Amanda Baker
Specialist Solutions Architect
Databricks
Liana Bailey-Crimmins
State Chief Information Officer and CDT Director
California Department of Technology
Mary Ann Bates
Executive Director
California Cradle-to-Career Data System
Marybel Batjer
Partner, California Strategies
Former Secretary, Government Operations Agency
Keely Bosler
Founder and Principal,
Keely MB Strategies
Former Director, California Department of Finance
Ralph Cesena
Chief Information Officer
California Department of Managed Health Care
Nick Curia
VP, Technology Strategy and Architecture
Launch Consulting
Chris Cruz
Chief Information Officer, Public Sector
Tanium
Adam Dondro
Director, Office of Technology and Solutions Integration
Agency Information Officer, CalHHS
Carl Engel
CEO
Elyon Strategies
Chaeny Emanavin
Deputy State Chief Technology Officer
California Department of Technology
Fredrick Gomez
Agency Chief Information Officer, Director of Information Technology
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Ben Hafer
President and Founder
The Digital Services Group
Anthony Harvey
Sr. Security Specialist Solutions Architect
Amazon Web Services
Kim Hicks
Deputy Director, Advanced Analytics & Evaluation
California Office of Data and Innovation
Marcie Kahbody
Deputy Secretary, Agency Chief Information Officer
California State Transportation Agency
Dave Krause
Deputy Chief Information Officer
Covered California
Jason Lally
State Chief Data Officer
California Office of Data and Innovation
Bill Maile
Chief Executive Officer
TechCA
Jeffery Marino
Director
California Office of Data and Innovation
Sanjib Nayak
CEO/Founder
xAQUA
Renoir Pope
Chief Architect
California Department of Technology
Jonathan Porat
State Chief Technology Officer
California Department of Technology
Katie Regan
State Data Services Manager
California Department of Technology
Ian Rose
Principal Data Engineer
California Office of Data and Innovation
Ron Robinette
Deputy Secretary, Technology and Innovation, Agency Information Officer
California Government Operations Agency
Anirban Sen
Product Manager
California Department of Technology
Agnieszka Rykaczewska, PhD
Deputy Director of Insights Lab
CalHHS Center for Data Insights and Innovation
Amy Tong
Secretary
California Government Operations Agency
Michael Wilkening
Founder, Wilkening Strategies, Former Secretary, CA Health & Human Services Agency
Brian Wong
Deputy Secretary of Innovation and Technology
California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
Welcome – TechCA
Adam Dondro, Director, Office of Technology and Solutions Integration – Welcome and Opening Remarks 8:30 am
Keynote Address: State Chief Information Officer and CDT Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins – CDT Vision: Look at 2025 and Beyond
Panel Discussion: Executive Perspectives on Government Innovation: Looking Forward and Learning from the Past. 9:00 am
Government Operations Agency Secretary Amy Tong, California’s first Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer, and former Gubernatorial Advisor and CalHHS Secretary Mike Wilkening, moderated by former Department of Finance Director Keely Bosler.
This panel will look at the past, present and future of government digital services in California, and the exciting path forward using GenAI and other emerging technologies, discussing both the challenges and opportunities of integrating these advancements into state operations.
Amanda Baker, Specialist Solutions Architect, Databricks – No data, no meaningful GenAI. Why the focus of GenAI needs to be on the data 9:50
BREAK 10:05 am
Covered California Deputy CIO David Krause – Success Story: Covered California and the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS) 10:20
Panel Discussion: Opportunities and Challenges in Data Governance 10:35 am
Mary Ann Bates, Executive Director, California Cradle-to-Career Data System, Jason Lally, State Chief Data Officer, California Office of Data and Innovation, Katie Regan, State Data Services Manager, California Department of Technology and Agnieszka Rykaczewska, Deputy Director, Insights Lab at CalHHS Center for Data Insights and Innovation (CDII), moderated by Michael Wilkening, former Special Advisor on Innovation and Digital Services to Governor Gavin Newsom.
This panel discussion will explore the evolving role of the chief data officer as state programs increasingly rely on enterprise data to enhance digital services while safeguarding privacy and navigating complex data-sharing regulations. Focused on the opportunities and challenges in data management and governance, panelists will include top California state government executives.
Chaeny Emanavin, Deputy State CTO – Standards-Based Service Delivery 11:25
Ben Hafer, President & Founder, The Digital Services Group, Former Director of Technology, CWDS and Carl Engel, CEO, Elyon Strategies – Transforming California’s Project Approval with Speed, Precision, and Innovation 11:40
LUNCH 11:50 am
Keynote Address: Jonathan Porat, State Chief Technology Officer, California Department of Technology – State of Emerging Technologies in California 12:35 pm
Nick Curia, VP, Technology Strategy and Architecture, Launch Consulting – Harnessing the Next AI Wave: Copilots and Agents for Transforming Government Operations 1:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Leadership and Collaboration: Advancing California’s Technology Governance 1:15 pm
Agency Information Officers Ron Robinette (Government Operations Agency), Brian Wong (Labor and Workforce Development Agency), Adam Dondro (California Health and Human Services Agency), and Marcie Kahbody (State Transportation Agency), moderated by State Chief Information Officer and CDT Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins.
Join California’s top technology leaders for an engaging discussion on governance and innovation across state agencies. Explore how the State Technology Council drives strategic initiatives, shapes technology decisions, and advances collaboration to deliver a unified vision for California’s digital transformation.
Anthony Harvey, Sr. Security Specialist Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services – Answering your 4 biggest questions about generative AI security 2:05 pm
Jason Lally, Ian Rose and Kim Hicks, Office of Data and Innovation – Unlocking State Departments’ Potential with Data Accelerators 2:20 pm
Dorothy Amaro, Google Public Sector – California and Chris Cruz, CIO, Public Sector, Tanium – Industry Collaboration with Public Sector Partners 2:35 pm
BREAK 2:40 pm
Keynote Address: Jeffery Marino, Director, Office of Data and Innovation – From problem to solution: Harnessing emerging technology with a product mindset. 2:55 pm
Sanjib Nayak, CEO/Co-founder, xAQUA – From Complex and Chaos to Simplicity and Cohesion: Transforming Enterprise Data & Analytics with AI-Powered No-Code Smart Data Solutions (SDS) 3:20 pm
Anirban Sen, Product Manager, California Department of Technology – Digital Identification in California Government 3:35 pm
Kyle Green, Co-Founder & CTO, Prodigy Consulting LLC – Fueling Innovation: How Small Businesses Propel Government IT Transformation 3:50 pm
Ralph Cesena, CIO, Department of Managed Health Care – Government Digital Transformation Success Story – how California Department of Technology’s Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), and cutting-edge low-code custom software development technology, improved user experience and scheduling efficiencies. 4:05 pm
Keynote Address: Government Operations Agency Secretary Amy Tong – California Vision 4:20 pm
Adam Dondro Closing remarks, 4:35 pm
Note: This year’s venue is SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento (pictured below).
Thank you to our sponsors!
