IN-PERSON

Boston CIO Executive Summit

December 11, 2024 | Westin Copley Place

December 11, 2024
Westin Copley Place

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Boston's top CIOs 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 CIOs today:

Driving Digital Business Transformation with Advanced Technologies

Strengthening IT Governance and Cybersecurity for a Secure Digital Future

Optimizing Applications and IT Strategy for Business Agility

Boston CIO Governing Body


The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven by CIOs, for CIOs.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Abha Dogra

CAE Inc
Chief Technology and Product Officer

Katrina Jagroop-Gomes

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
CIO - Gaming Commission

Chuck LoCurto

Bryant University
VP & CIO

Nathan Rogers

SAIC
CIO

Mike Tirozzi

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Chief Information and Data Officer

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CIO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.

Community Networking

Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Boston CIO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, 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.

Agenda


December 11, 2024

7:45am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Analyst Keynote

Sustainable IT – Follow the Money

Kristin Moyer headshot

Kristin Moyer

Distinguished VP Analyst

Gartner

Gartner research indicates that 46% of executive leaders report funding as one of their top barriers for sustainable IT. However, additional research reveals that some of the most cost-effective sustainable IT initiatives have less than a 30% adoption rate.

Join Distinguished VP Gartner Analyst, Kristin Moyer, to learn about:

  • Long-term strategic roadmap to mitigate IT-related energy costs
  • Can’t-miss double wins that reduce costs and GHG emissions at the same time
  • Strategies to get credit for sustainable IT progress already made

9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Intelligent Content Management ― Building an Unstructured Data Strategy for AI

Ravi Malick headshot

Ravi Malick

SVP & Global CIO

Box

Unstructured data is the essence of your business — files like product roadmaps, financial spreadsheets, customer surveys and employee records. Fragmented content across the business leads to security risks and high costs, making AI integration seem impossible. However, intelligent content management makes an AI-powered content strategy feasible.

Join this session to learn about:

  • Identifying unstructured data sources and tools
  • Developing robust security measures for internal and external data use
  • Balancing AI with existing architecture to optimize unstructured data technology

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Board(ering) on Panic – Communicating Emerging Tech to the Board

Nathan Rogers headshot

Nathan Rogers

CIO

SAIC

Ryan Scott headshot

Ryan Scott

SVP, Chief Information Officer

Bright Horizons

Executives are under growing pressure from their boards to adopt the latest technology trends, regardless of their suitability for the business. This session provides insights into fostering informed decision-making and securing board support for essential technology investments, while also managing enthusiasm for initiatives that may be unsuitable or untested.

Join your CIO peers for a roundtable discussion covering:

  • Effectively communicating to manage expectations
  • Presenting complex technical concepts in a clear, impactful manner
  • Addressing board-level concerns about risks and opportunities


Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives).

To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Modern Workforce, Modern Security Strategy

Daniel Gortze headshot

Daniel Gortze

CISO

MIB Group

Renee Fosberg headshot

Renee Fosberg

CIO

Emerson Hospital

In the age of remote and hybrid work, employees now spend the majority of their time in the browser or in virtual meetings. The workforce is more mobile and distributed than ever before. At the same time, we are seeing an increase in cyber attacks and a higher average cost of data breaches. We must think more about protecting users right where they interface with web threats, the browser, without disrupting productivity.

Join this conversation with your peers to discuss:

  • The browser's role in a business's security strategy
  • Zero trust architecture
  • Managing resources for cybersecurity in a time of economic uncertainty

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  Executive Boardroom

Futureproofing Skillsets with Strategic Planning

Craig Beckman headshot

Craig Beckman

Chief Information Officer

Keolis North America

A Gartner study found 33% of the skills needed in an average job posting from 2019 are no longer necessary in 2024. As job responsibilities continue to evolve, leaders must anticipate the versatility of future skillsets. Shifting from a tactical short-term approach to a strategic long-term plan can set the workforce up for success.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Planning for challenges that result in talent gaps
  • Anticipating evolving job responsibilities
  • Implementing a formal development program aimed at future skills


Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives).

To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Strengthening Business Continuity Through Rapid IT Recovery

Jason Ostroski headshot

Jason Ostroski

Field CTO, North America

Dynatrace

David Vidoni headshot

David Vidoni

Chief Information Officer

Pegasystems

Frank Wiggins headshot

Frank Wiggins

CIO

HP Hood

Recovering quickly from system disruptions is crucial for business resilience and the bottom line. Recent incidents have further highlighted the need for robust recovery strategies. CIOs can leverage best practices, advanced technologies and communication across the organization to maintain stability during crises.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Implementing capabilities for immediate situational awareness
  • Building resilient IT infrastructure to withstand future challenges
  • Safeguarding operations through application reliability and early issue detection


To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

11:05am - 11:50am  Breakout Session

Thriving in Tech – The Power of Self-Care for Executives

Jean Olive headshot

Jean Olive

Chief Information Officer

John Hancock


Technology executives play a vital role in driving innovation, delivering solutions and ensuring smooth operations. However, the immense pressure and responsibilities can impact their ability to take care of themselves, which can impact their performance, team health and relationships. Prioritizing self-care is essential for maintaining effectiveness and longevity in their roles and life.


In this session, Jean Olive, CIO, John Hancock offers insights and peers will:

  • Discuss self-care experiences, successes, and lessons learned
  • Share favorite innovative technology solutions for insight into health and well-being
  • Offer best practices for prioritizing self-care on the executive schedule


11:50am - 12:35pm  Lunch Service

12:35pm - 1:10pm  Keynote

Rethinking the Relationship Between Cybersecurity Teams and the People They Protect

Brian Reed headshot

Brian Reed

Senior Director, Cybersecurity Strategy

Proofpoint

You’ve heard it all before: the DBIR tells you people are your biggest risk, phishing simulations tell you your users fall for social engineering, and simple security measures you deploy are sometimes met with howls of protest. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?

Join this session for a fresh perspective on:

  • Moving security alerts from the SOC to where users work
  • Protecting end users perception of security controls
  • Transforming security teams’ interactions with end users

1:10pm - 1:35pm  Break

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Breakout Session

Transforming Application and Service Delivery for the Modern IT Environment

Michael Leland headshot

Michael Leland

VP, Field CTO

Island

Delivering business critical applications safely is a delicate balancing act. The user experience is frequently compromised as application, infrastructure, and security teams negotiate the adoption of new services. Unfortunate trade-offs are sometimes necessary to address operational needs for the sake of maintaining security, but these trade-offs can make certain use cases unfeasible or diminish their value to the organization.

In this session, we will discuss: 

  • Revolutionizing workspaces by balancing productivity, security, availability, and user experience.
  • How quickly new technologies like the enterprise browser can be adopted to provide a competitive advantage
  • Strategies for reducing the effort required to deliver applications and enhance organizational operations

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Charting Your Multi-Year Roadmap

Jeannette Currie headshot

Jeannette Currie

CIO

Cambridge Health Alliance

Mark Letendre headshot

Mark Letendre

CIO

Ethos Group

Developing a multi-year plan is essential for aligning technology initiatives with business goals. In this session, peers will discuss best practices for creation of a forward-looking roadmap that ensures sustainable growth and resilience in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Join this peer roundtable to discuss:

  • Strategies behind effective strategic planning
  • Considerations for the workforce; growth, development, retention, and satisfaction
  • Adaptations in real-time as focus shifts and investment prioritization


Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives).

To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

The Evolving Role of the CIO

Colin Joynt headshot

Colin Joynt

CIO

BXP

Kim Weatherbee headshot

Kim Weatherbee

Chief Information and Digital Officer

Sensata Technologies

Today’s CIO must be an innovation, strategy, and business leader that can implement technology to advance the business while effectively communicating value to stakeholders. A small peer group will discuss where the role of the CIO is today and where it is headed in the future.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Being a business technologist in an ever-changing landscape
  • Communicating the value of IT by simplifying technology
  • Balancing innovation amid economic uncertainty


Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives).

To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

2:20pm - 3:00pm  Networking Break

2:25pm - 2:50pm  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.

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

IT as a Business Driver — Driving a Digital Mindset with Better Employee Experiences

Paul Gentile headshot

Paul Gentile

VP, Product Marketing

Nexthink

Today’s CIOs face lofty expectations and a changing set of skills necessary to be successful. They are expected to build healthy team cultures remotely, drive the adoption of emerging technologies, align with corporate objectives and the list goes on. To meet this moment, how can CIOs support employees to better enable digital business in complex organizations?

Join this session to discuss:

  • How CIOs should focus on delighting employees through superior IT and unrestrained productivity
  • Proactive identification of employee experience issues before they become IT problems
  • Effective automation to powerfully remediate problems in seconds

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Built on the Rock – Hard Data as a Solid AI Foundation

Murtaza Cherawala headshot

Murtaza Cherawala

Head of AI & Digital

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Brad Whitehall headshot

Brad Whitehall

SVP IT & CIO

UniFirst

The rise of mainstream AI has revealed the often-overlooked art of effective data management. The pressure CIOs face to quickly adopt AI applications only further highlights any data shortcomings. In this session, peers can learn share insights to enhance their AI-adoption efforts.

Join this peer roundtable to discuss:

  • Robust data management practices
  • Challenges of, and effective strategies to ensure, a solid data foundation
  • Sustainable success at scale


Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives).

To reserve your seat, please contact: 

Taylor Mattern at taylor.mattern@evanta.com or (214) 797-6938

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Chaos of Connectivity ― Strategies for Agility, Productivity, and Compliance

Mike Durham headshot

Mike Durham

Sr. Director, Solutions Architects

IBM

Dean Lebron headshot

Dean Lebron

SVP, IT

Ameresco

In today's digital landscape, enterprises manage an ever-growing array of technologies across multiple clouds, with the average organization using 1,000 applications and thousands of physical assets. Generative AI is set to boost developer productivity by nearly 40%, leading to a surge in AI-embedded applications. This complexity can cause inefficiencies and vulnerabilities.

Join this session to learn how to:

  • Create visibility across disparate systems for informed decision-making
  • Streamlining integrations to increase productivity and accelerate delivery
  • Maintain compliance by managing integrations centrally to prevent shadow IT

3:45pm - 4:10pm  Break

4:10pm - 4:45pm  Keynote

Law & Order — Cross Examining AI's Legal Boundaries

Eran Kahana headshot

Eran Kahana

AI, Cybersecurity, and Intellectual Property Attorney

Maslon LLP

As AI technologies rapidly evolve, the laws and ethical standards designed to govern them lag behind, creating a mismatch in the pace of innovation and regulation. This misalignment often leads to inadequate alignment with core principles such as trustworthiness, safety, and ethics. For AI leaders, mastering governance strategies that drive alignment with these core principles is key to ensuring the organization's risk profile is effectively managed.

Join AI, cybersecurity, and IP law expert Eran Kahana as he offers actionable insights on:

  • Navigating the ethics of cutting-edge AI
  • Deciphering global AI legislation dynamics
  • Mastering AI governance and risk mitigation


4:45pm - 5:00pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

4:45pm - 5:15pm  Networking

Women in Leadership Networking

Erica Deacon headshot

Erica Deacon

VP, Head of IT & Digital

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

An informal gathering of women leaders and allies for networking and discussion.

5:00pm - 6:30pm  Governing Body Reception

Governing Body Reception

Governing Body members host this reception for executives to close out the event with an evening of peer networking, food and drinks.

December 11, 2024

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming in-person gathering


Evanta cares about the health and safety of our community. Please review the following recommendations prior to attending the gathering.

Location


Venue & Accommodation

Westin Copley Place
MORE INFORMATION

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. Please mention Boston Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.

Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $259 USD (plus tax) is November 18, 2024.

Your Community Partners


Global Thought Leaders
CIO Thought Leader
Key Partners
Program Partners

Community Program Manager


For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Taylor Mattern

Community Program Manager

taylor.mattern@evanta.com