
Boston CDAO Community
Executive Summit
May 29, 2024 | Westin Copley Place
May 29, 2024
Westin Copley Place
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Boston's top CDAOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CDAOs today:
Enabling and Ensuring Data Quality in the Generation of AI
Streamlined Analytics: Unifying Insights Across the Business
Navigating the Landscape of Modern Data Architecture
Boston CDAO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CDAOs, For CDAOs™.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Adam Fox
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co
Head of Data

Matt Griffiths
Stanley Black & Decker
Vice President, CDO

Shahidul Mannan
Bon Secours Mercy Health
CDO
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Remarkable Resilience - Tools for Combating Toxic Stress & Burnout
Hosted by Starburst

Sheila Hamilton
Mental Health Thought Leader and Author of "All the Things We Never Knew"
Guest Speaker
Today’s CDAOs face daunting challenges. As the business leader in charge of adding value to the company, finding the right talent and inspiring technology innovation, there’s an incredible amount of pressure. It’s no surprise that CDAOs are experiencing burnout at unprecedented rates. While taking care of employees is important, how can CDAOs make sure they are taking care of themselves to help make their careers sustainable while maintaining a sense of well-being?
Join this keynote to explore:
- Evidence-based strategies that can help alleviate burnout
- How to recognize the signs and symptoms of toxic stress and burnout
- How to remain engaged, energized, and focused during turbulent times
9:15am - 9:35am Networking
Rising Together — Empowered Women, Empower Women
Grab a coffee then head over to an intimate, informal space for women in leadership roles and their allies to freely discuss best practices, key challenges, and mission-critical priorities. Come prepared to share ideas and forge new connections that can help empower each other to make an impact in your organizations and the wider Boston area community.
This session is aimed at, but not limited to, women who are head of function at their organizations (CDAO or equivalent) and those reporting directly to the CDAO/equivalent. Priority access will be reserved to these groups.
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
CDAO Evolution — Branding, Trends and Adaptability
Hosted by Monte Carlo Data

Andrea Pezzetta
VP, Chief Data Officer
Ipsen

Gurprit Singh
Global Head of Data & Analytics
Partners Capital

Shahidul Mannan
CDO
Bon Secours Mercy Health
A Gartner study reveals the average CDAO tenure is 2.4 years, highlighting the critical evolutionary journey of seasoned CDAOs as they navigate executive inclusion, adapt to rapid technological advancements, assert thought leadership, master essential skills and envision the role's trajectory. This highlights the need for CDAOs to quickly adapt and shape the future of data leadership, emphasizing their growing strategic importance.
Join this session as tenured CDAO's discuss:
- Branding as enterprise data and analytics leaders
- Anticipating strategic CDAO positioning with future trends
- Emphasizing adaptability and continuous learning
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Adopting Self-Service — Empowering Democratization

Jackie Caraballo
VP, Data and Analytics
Commonwealth Financial Network

Nava Cretu-Kessel
Head of Chief Customer Data Office / Data Strategy & Transformation
National Grid
An overreliance on IT teams to address data and analytics inquiries often results in bottlenecks and delays. Enabling self-service reports is one way to cut time and propel democratization. But without proper data literacy and understanding of data, this solution remains a challenge for data and analytics leaders.
Join this session to discuss:
- Determining data privileges for users across the enterprise
- Enhancing use and understanding of data within the workforce
- Enabling self-service, reducing IT sourcing time
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Evolving Data Strategies in the Age of AI
Hosted by Dataiku

Catalina Herrera
Field CDO
Dataiku

Prasad Gunda
AVP, Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics
Travelers

Suresh Martha
Head of Data Driven Innovations & Analytics
EMD Serono
As organizations move into the era of data-driven decision-making, AI and machine learning carry huge potential benefits. As seen with other data capabilities, organizations still face challenges around data quality, scalability, and accessibility. D&A leaders must adapt data strategies to leverage AI and machine learning, enhancing innovation and governance standards.
Join this roundtable discussion to learn how to:
- Integrate AI Capabilities within your Data Strategy
- Implement Trustworthy Standards in AI and Analytics
- Foster organizational agility through scalable and accessible data products
10:25am - 11:05am Networking Break
10:30am - 10:55am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:05am - 11:50am Breakout Session
Split Decision — Where Do You Stand on Controversial Topics?

Genevy Dimitrion
VP, Data Strategy & Governance
Humana
CDAO’s have a lot of thoughts on a wide range of topics. Have you ever wondered where your peers stand of the “buzzy” issues of the day? In this collaborative session, you’ll give a thumbs up or thumbs down to various topics and then discuss your peer’s choices.
Join this interactive session to:
- Share your stance on a variety of controversial topics
- Hear what your peers think about today’s debated issues
- Enjoy friendly debate with your peer leaders
11:05am - 11:50am Breakout Session
Everyday Risk Management in the Digital Age
Hosted by Immuta

Matt Vogt
VP, Global Solutions Architecture
Immuta
Everyday tasks, no matter how mundane or difficult, come with risks. In the digital space – and data management in particular – the swift pace of evolution amplifies these risks. For data and analytics leaders, mastering adaptable policies and responsible data stewardship is the key to turning these challenges into opportunities for innovation and security.
Join this session to learn how to:
- Identify the omnipresent risks in digital data management
- Navigate risk management complexities in continuously evolving digital ecosystems
- Leverage a data security platforms for strategic policy enforcement and enhanced data security
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
AI Readiness — Going from Big Data to Better Data
Hosted by Qlik

Kyle Jourdan
Head of AI/ML Practice
Qlik

Julie Greenway
Sr. Director IT Data Analytics
Hasbro

Joshua Glastein
Chief Technology Officer
Berkshire Residential Investments
There is so much potential with AI, but also so many new risks. Setting the correct foundation by designing with purpose and value will lead to trusted, better data. But how do you get to this point?
Join this interactive roundtable as CDAOs discuss:
- Building a robust, trusted foundation for AI
- Responsibly exposing data to AI
- Pinpointing the source of troubles within the tech stack
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Trust in Data — Paving the Way to Success

Edward Longo
Director of Enterprise Data Solutions
Ropes & Gray

Isa Terzi
Senior Vice President, Head of Data and Analytics
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

Kate Kroeger
Head of Global Analytics Community
Fresenius Medical Care
In the digital economy, CDAOs face the critical task of ensuring data's trust and reliability, essential for informed decision-making and strategic advantage. CDAOs are challenged with implementing rigorous governance, adopting advanced technology for data quality and cultivating a data-literate culture. Aligning data strategies with business objectives not only ensures compliance, but also positions data as a pivotal force for competitive differentiation.
Join this session to discuss:
- Establishing robust governance for data trust-building
- Adopting technology to ensure data quality
- Fostering organizational culture for data literacy
11:50am - 12:35pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Boston CDAO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Westin Copley PlaceWestin Copley Place Boston - Room Block Cancellation Policy:
- Any cancellations made after the Cut Off (May 6, 2024) are subject to a cancellation fee of one (1) night room charge plus tax.
Parking
- Valet Parking service available at $45 per day. Not eligible for overnight parking.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Westin Copley Place at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 617- 262-9600.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $339 USD (plus tax) is April 8, 2024.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.