9:00–9:10 am — Welcome & Housekeeping Items
9:15–10:00 am — Tanmay Aul (Check Point Software Technologies) - Building a Resilient Cybersecurity Lifecycle in Local Government
Description:
Cyberattacks are no longer unexpected disruptions—they are pressure tests on leadership, communication, and public trust. For local government IT leaders, the real challenge isn’t just stopping incidents, but knowing how to lead before, during, and after they occur.
This session introduces the “Boom Cycle,” a practical leadership model that reframes cybersecurity incidents as moments of organizational stress—and opportunity. Rather than treating attacks as isolated technical failures, the Boom Cycle helps leaders anticipate the human, operational, and political dynamics that emerge across three critical phases: pre-incident readiness, in-incident response, and post-incident recovery.
Participants will learn how to move beyond a narrow focus on prevention and toward operationalized resilience—the ability to absorb disruption, maintain trust, and emerge stronger. Through real-world scenarios and actionable frameworks, this session equips IT and public-sector leaders to:
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Clarify decision-making roles before crisis hits
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Communicate with confidence under pressure
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Coordinate across departments during high-stakes incidents
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Rebuild credibility and momentum after an attack
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Turn disruption into long-term organizational strength
Attendees will leave with a repeatable leadership playbook for navigating cyber incidents—not just as technical emergencies, but as defining moments for their teams and their communities.
10:00–10:15 am — Break
10:15–11:00 am — IT Tools Panel Discussion: Modern IT Tools: What Actually Works in 2026.
Description:
Join a panel of government members for a fast-paced, insight-packed 45-minute discussion on the IT tools that are truly delivering results in 2026. From AI-powered automation and modern cloud platforms to cybersecurity solutions and collaboration technologies, this session cuts through marketing hype to focus on what’s working in the field.
Panelists will share candid perspectives on:
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Tools that have produced measurable impact—not just good demos
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Common pitfalls in adoption, integration, and change management
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Where AI is driving real efficiency versus where it’s still experimental
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How security, usability, and cost are being balanced in today’s tech stacks
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Trends that will shape IT strategy over the next 12–24 months
Designed for busy leaders who need practical insight, not theory, this session delivers a rapid-fire look at the tools shaping productivity, resilience, and innovation today—so you can make smarter decisions about where to invest your time, budget, and attention tomorrow.
11:00–11:15 am — Break
11:15 am–12:00 pm — Anthony Mini (Pearl Technology) - Be Sure to Assure & Insure: Making Cyber Insurance Work When It Matters
Description:
Cyber risk can’t be eliminated—only managed. This session focuses on aligning cyber protection, compliance, and cyber insurance so coverage responds when it matters. We’ll clarify what cyber policies cover—and don’t cover—and how gaps between security controls and insurance language can turn incidents into denied claims.
Mandatory annual cybersecurity training can be leveraged to reduce incidents, strengthen underwriting confidence, and lower premiums.
Typical carrier requirements include:
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MFA for remote access and email
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Offline or immutable backups
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EDR and advanced email security
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Privileged access controls
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Incident response plans with insurer notification built in
Attendees will leave with practical guidance to bridge the gap between compliance and insurability—so a bad day doesn’t become an uninsured one.
12:00–1:15 pm — Lunch
1:15–2:45 pm — Tera Spahr (Google) - From Theory to Tool - Leveraging Generative AI to Streamline Local Government Operations
Public sector IT leaders are increasingly tasked with "doing more with less" while navigating the complexities of data security and aging manual processes. This session moves beyond the AI hype to provide a hands-on look at how Illinois government agencies are currently using Generative AI to solve real-world problems.
Attendees will learn how to move from basic prompts to sophisticated workflows using Google Gemini and NotebookLM. We will demonstrate how these tools can be applied to specific government use cases, such as:
● Operational Efficiency: Using AI to analyze complex policy documents, summarize long-form council meetings, and automate repetitive administrative tasks.
● Knowledge Management: Utilizing NotebookLM to create "grounded" AI environments where staff can interact with their own department’s data (SOPs, budget documents, and strategic plans) without compromising security.
● Citizen Services: Enhancing communication by using AI to translate complex technical jargon into accessible, multi-lingual public information.
This training is designed to be a practical roadmap for IT directors and managers looking to implement AI tools that are secure, ethical, and immediately impactful for their constituents.
