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Chris Given
CIO
State of CA
Speaker Topics
- Strategic Planning and Execution
Speaker Bio
Chris Given was appointed California State Chief Information Officer and Director of the California Department of Technology in April 2026 after serving as the Deputy Secretary for Technology and Innovation at the California Government Operations Agency. He previously led the team that designed and built IRS Direct File, making it possible to file taxes online directly with the IRS for the first time. A seasoned civil servant, he’s worked across ten federal agencies—including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Administration for Children and Families—as well as the states of Connecticut, Illinois, and the District of Columbia.
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Session
Monday, October 19, 2026 07:30 AM - 09:00 AM EDT
State and Local Government Networking Breakfast & CIO Panel: No Spin: A Candid Conversation About Government AI Challenges and Successes
Annette Dunn,
Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
Jim Finwick,
Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
Chris Given,
CIO, State of CA
Rafael Mena,
Chief Information Officer, Orange County Government
Elyse Rosenberg,
CIO, City of Portland, OR
Janet Joyce,
VP Service Delivery, Gartner
Charlan Poirson,
VP, Team Manager, Gartner
Steve Tedder,
Executive Partner, Gartner
Cindy Kelly,
VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
Mi Sou Gray,
Executive Partner, Gartner
Trevor Miller,
Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
Carie Zoellner,
Executive Partner, Gartner
Renee Tolliver,
Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
Christian Farland,
Executive Partner, Gartner
Alan Fuller,
CIO, State of Utah
Join technology leaders from the State of California, State of Utah, City of Portland, City of Raleigh, and Orange County for an honest discussion on the realities of AI in government. Panelists will share lessons learned, successful and unsuccessful initiatives, approaches to governance and risk, workforce impacts, and their outlook on the future of AI across the public sector. Expect practical insights, candid perspectives, and real-world advice from peers leading AI transformation in their organizations.
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