CIO & Executive Leadership Summit

Join leadership from the National Institutes of Health's Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response (OEPR) for a fireside conversation exploring the intersection of technology, organizational readiness, and mission priorities. The discussion will offer perspectives on navigating evolving operational demands, strengthening capabilities, and supporting mission continuity across a complex federal environment.

With 2026 coming to a close, government technology leaders have a valuable opportunity to reflect on the year’s biggest successes, lessons learned, and unresolved challenges across modernization, cybersecurity, AI, and digital service delivery. This panel will look back at the progress agencies have made, the barriers that continue to slow transformation, and the strategies that proved most effective in a demanding and fast-changing environment. Speakers will share where agencies gained momentum, where expectations outpaced execution, and what those experiences reveal about the road ahead. Attendees will gain a forward-looking perspective on the priorities, risks, and opportunities likely to shape public sector IT in 2027.

Join leadership from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) for an executive conversation on evolving technology priorities, organizational challenges, and the role of innovation in supporting national security missions. The discussion will explore perspectives on balancing modernization, security, and operational effectiveness in an increasingly complex environment.

As federal agencies continue to advance their data strategies, strong leadership, governance, and analytics remain critical to supporting mission priorities and informed decision-making. This leadership address will explore the evolving role of data across government, highlighting opportunities, challenges, and considerations for the future of federal data management and modernization.

Today’s threat environment is making cybersecurity one of the most urgent and complex priorities facing public sector leaders as agencies modernize systems, expand digital services, and manage growing volumes of sensitive data. This panel will examine how executive leaders are approaching cyber resilience, risk management, and secure modernization in the face of increasingly sophisticated threats. Speakers will discuss governance, incident preparedness, workforce considerations, and the role of security in supporting mission continuity. Attendees will gain practical perspectives on how agencies are strengthening defenses while enabling innovation across government environments.

Continuous authorization and automated RMF practices are transforming how federal agencies deliver software, strengthen security, and manage risk in real time.

In this fireside chat, government leaders and StormBreaker partners will explore the ongoing work to advance these modern authorization approaches—highlighting lessons learned from StormBreaker, opportunities to streamline traditional review processes, and the cultural and technical shifts required to enable true continuous delivery. The discussion will also examine how cross-government collaboration can accelerate the adoption of continuous authorization models, helping agencies turn emerging practices into scalable, repeatable approaches that enhance both mission speed and security outcomes.

Federal technology leaders face the ongoing challenge of balancing modernization efforts with evolving mission requirements, operational constraints, and long-term strategic goals. This fireside conversation will explore leadership perspectives on managing competing priorities, advancing innovation, and positioning agencies to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges.

As federal agencies navigate changing priorities and increasing operational demands, strategic leadership plays a critical role in aligning technology investments with mission outcomes. This leadership address will explore approaches to organizational modernization, improving operational efficiency, and addressing emerging challenges while maintaining public trust and accountability.

With artificial intelligence moving from experimentation to implementation, government leaders are under growing pressure to ensure AI adoption delivers real value while remaining secure, transparent, and mission-aligned. This panel will explore how agencies are approaching AI strategy, governance, and practical deployment across a range of public sector use cases. Speakers will discuss lessons learned, organizational readiness, data and policy considerations, and how to balance innovation with accountability. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of what it takes to scale AI responsibly in support of government operations and outcomes.

Across government, the push to modernize aging systems while preparing for future demands is driving leaders to create technology environments that are more agile, interoperable, resilient, and efficient. This panel will explore how government organizations are updating legacy infrastructure, adopting emerging technologies, improving interoperability, and aligning modernization efforts with long-term mission needs. Speakers will discuss leadership priorities, implementation challenges, and strategies for building scalable environments that can adapt to evolving operational and security requirements. Attendees will gain insight into how agencies are balancing near-term modernization goals with the broader need to build future-ready technology ecosystems across government.

As we enter the final stretch of the CIO & Executive Leadership Summit, join us for brief remarks reflecting on the day's conversations and setting the stage for our concluding executive fireside chats.

Enjoy a quick break to grab a drink, enjoy light refreshments, and reconnect with colleagues before returning for the final fireside chats of the day.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, federal agencies are examining how emerging capabilities may support their missions, operations, and long-term technology strategies. This fireside conversation will explore leadership perspectives on AI adoption, practical considerations for implementation, and the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating new technologies into federal environments.

As federal agencies look toward 2027, technology leaders are navigating evolving priorities, modernization demands, and new opportunities to strengthen mission delivery. This fireside chat will explore leadership perspectives on the current federal IT landscape, lessons learned from the past year, and the strategies shaping what comes next. The conversation will highlight how agencies are balancing innovation, operational needs, and long-term transformation to prepare for the year ahead.

As we wrap up the CIO & Executive Leadership Summit, join us for closing reflections and a chance to connect with fellow attendees before the year comes to an end. Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and conversation with federal technology leaders and industry peers as we celebrate the accomplishments of 2026 and look ahead to the opportunities of 2027.