Topic: Culture

Seminar Topics

[1 CPE] Digital Transformation at Presbyterian & The Practical Use of AI

  Presented by Brian Beardmore • Chief Digital Officer, Presbyterian Healthcare

Today’s insightful talk will be on two groundbreaking aspects reshaping the landscape of healthcare: “Presbyterian Healthcare Services Journey in Digital Transformation in Healthcare” and the “Potential Benefits of AI in Healthcare.” As the world increasingly embraces technology and innovation, the healthcare industry stands at the forefront of this transformative journey. In the era of digital transformation, traditional healthcare models are evolving into interconnected and data-driven ecosystems. This revolution is driven by the integration of advanced technologies, digital front doors, and omnichannel technologies enabling seamless communication, data sharing, and improved patient outcomes. Embracing this digital shift opens the door to enhanced patient experiences, personalized care, streamlined operations, and greater accessibility to healthcare services.

Simultaneously, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a pivotal force that can propel healthcare to new heights. With its ability to analyze vast amounts of medical data, AI offers invaluable insights, aids in accurate diagnoses, and empowers clinicians to make informed decisions. AI-driven applications, such as machine learning algorithms and natural language processing, promise to revolutionize drug discovery, personalized medicine, disease prevention, and overall healthcare delivery.

Join us as we delve into the potential synergies between digital transformation and AI in healthcare, unearthing the unprecedented opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Together, we shall uncover a future where technology and healthcare intertwine to revolutionize the way we live and heal.

Brian Beardmore serves as the Chief Digital Officer for Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Brian brings over 28 years of healthcare technology experience in digital optimization and transformation, leading and executing Presbyterian’s digital strategy to improve access to care, enhance the customer experience, increase efficiency and cost savings, and increase revenue.

Before Presbyterian, Brian served as Administrative Director of Technical Services for Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, Texas. Brian earned his MBA from Texas A&M University, Mays Business School in College Station, Texas, and a BS in Industrial Technology Information Systems from Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas.

[1 CPE] Panel: Retaining Your IT Staff in New Mexico, Can it Be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want and get a four-day workweek. Sorry, but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, some methods can help.

New Mexico has unique challenges in retaining IT staff. Join the INTERFACE Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your local IT staff intact. This panel features local IT hiring managers and leaders dealing with these challenges in their shops. We also will have the input of non-managerial employees who will speak to what they look for in a company. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on your specific needs.

Panelists:

  • Steve Cox, Director, Information Technology, The Downs Casino and Racetrack
  • Matt Hesley, IT Security Manager, TriCore Reference Laboratories
  • Jessica Johnson, Sr IT Security & Program Operations Manager, Westrock
  • Kristen Lucero, Information Security Risk Lead, PNM Resources, Inc.
  • Anthony Weaver, Lead Solutions Architect, Cloud Engineer, PNM Resources, Inc.

[1 CPE] Panel: Retaining Your IT Staff in Idaho, Can it Be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want and get a four-day workweek. Sorry, but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, some methods can help.

Idaho has unique challenges in retaining IT staff. Join the INTERFACE Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your local IT staff intact. This panel features local IT hiring managers and leaders dealing with these challenges in their shops. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on your specific needs.

Panelists:

  • Russ Cunningham, Manager, IT Security, ON Semiconductor
  • Cody Kreps, Director, Information Services, Nampa School District
  • Jason Mertz, Director, Information Technology, TruGrocer Federal Credit Union

[1 CPE] Panel: Retaining Your IT Staff in Montana, Can it Be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want, and I am getting a four-day workweek. Sorry, but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, some methods can help.

Montana has some of the most unique challenges in the country for retaining staff. Join the INTERFACE Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your Montana IT staff intact. This panel features local area IT hiring managers and leaders that deal with these challenges in their shops. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on the needs you have.

Panelists

  • Jerry Rapp, Chief Information Officer, Town Pump
  • Kyle Rholl, Vice President, Information Technology, Clearwater Credit Union
  • Ryan Schoppe, Director, Information Technology One Health
  • Fred Wiegand, Director, Information Security, Stockman Bank of Montana

[1 CPE] KC Tech Specs

  Presented by KC Tech Council

Since 2017, the KC Tech Council has released KC Tech Specs, a report capturing data and analysis around Kansas City’s tech industry. The report is designed to give the tech community, businesses, educators, lawmakers, civic leaders, and students a consolidated, data-driven resource to find information about our region’s tech landscape. Data sources are cited on every page and feature a compilation of relevant statistics from KC Tech Council’s partners such as CompTIA and JobsEQ.

Tech enterprises rely on data to inform and drive business decisions every day. As the voice of Kansas City’s tech industry, we are proud to elevate the data within KC Tech Specs to help us collectively find the opportunities to leverage our strengths, improve our deficiencies and grow together as a tech hub of the future.

Bio: Erin Christensen serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the KC Tech Council, a membership-based association serving as the regional advocate for Kansas City’s tech industry. Prior to her appointment to COO in May 2022, Erin lead workforce initiatives for the Tech Council which included the implementation of a leading tech apprenticeship program. Her role currently focuses on member and sponsor engagement, supporting workforce development, and member program development. Before joining the Tech Council in October 2020, Erin had a long tenure working in higher education with a recent focus on corporate engagement.

She currently serves on the BSIT Advisory Board for The University of Kansas Edwards Campus and on the Industry Executive Council for the North Kansas City School District. Erin is in her second year of the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Centurions Leadership Program. Receiving both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwest Missouri State University, Erin is originally from Rolla, MO but landed in Kansas City in 2014. She currently resides in Lees Summit, MO with her husband and daughter.

[1 CPE] Panel: Retaining Your IT Staff in a Post-Pandemic Workforce, Can it Be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want, and I am getting a four-day workweek. Sorry, but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, some methods can help.

Over the last three years, IT leaders have had unique challenges develop for retaining staff. Join the INTERFACE Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your IT staff intact. This panel features local area IT hiring managers and leaders that deal with these challenges in their shops. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on your needs.

Panelists:

  • Pamela Davis, Cyber Security Threat Intelligence, Southwest Airlines
  • George Gerardo, Director, Information Technology, West-MEC
  • Stephanie Inners, Manager, IT & Systems, R. E. Darling Co., Inc.
  • John Kullman, Sr Manager, Network, Yuma County

[1 CPE] Evening the Odds of Cyber Warfare

  Presented by Michael Lettman • Cyber Security Advisor, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Protecting your network and data is always a challenge. Threats can come from hackers looking to cause trouble, disgruntled employees, or users that don’t realize they are being targeted. Possibly the biggest threat now is cyber warfare. Nation States are sponsoring campaigns of disinformation and are constantly looking to disrupt any systems they can. Technology professionals have a great ally in this battle and help is available now.

In this session, you will learn about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) youngest agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and resources available at “no cost” to State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial governments and organizations with critical infrastructure. Your enemies will use any tools they have, even drones, to attack your systems. Come get the information you need to stay on top of the current threat landscape.

Mike Lettman is the Cyber Security Advisor for Region 9 with the Department of Homeland Security. The mission of cyber security advisors is to provide direct coordination, outreach, and regional support to protect cyber components essential to the sustainability, preparedness, and protection of the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) and State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) governments. This is primarily accomplished with tools and assessments to test an organization’s resilience and cyber maturity. Mike has served in several capacities on many cyber and security teams, task forces, and committees over his career. He is currently sitting on the Governor’s Arizona Cyber Team (ACT), a member of the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC), and a member of the State of Arizona’s Cyber Disruption Planning Group.

Prior to becoming the Arizona CSA, Mike was the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the State of Arizona for 6 years and the CISO for the State of Wisconsin for 8 years. Mike is currently only one of three people in the country that has worked as a CISO for two different state governments. During this time Mike has briefed four Governors offices, many Adjutants Generals, and policy advisors on cyber issues, adversaries, and threats, creating strategies and recommendations to improve the cyber resilience and maturity of those entities. He supported many high-level events such as the Super Bowl, state elections, inaugurations, and government officials lying in state. In addition to high-level events, Mike has organized, participated in, and successfully completed multiple cyber exercises in both states involving government entities, critical infrastructure private sector companies, and the National Guard.

[1 CPE] How to Dramatically Transform Employee Satisfaction with Your IT Team

  Presented by Beau Sorensen • Chief Operating Officer, First Choice Home Health & Hospice

One of the most challenging aspects of Information Technology is creating loyalty in your department. IT staff are incredibly smart and can solve almost every problem that comes at them, whether it is a broken computer, a bad connection, or software that isn’t working. Even though they are great at solving problems, IT is often looked at as the department of last resort because people don’t leave a discussion with IT feeling great about the solution. This session will turbocharge your ability to create an IT team that is not just great at problem-solving but is great at both things customers want. You will discover the two things that your customers want and how you and your department can successfully win friends and influence your reputation throughout the organization.

Beau Sorensen is currently the Chief Operating Officer of First Choice Home Health. Beau has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and has extensive experience in leading teams, developing software, and training. He has worked with companies around the country, helping them improve results, increase loyalty, and enhance job satisfaction.

[1 CPE] Panel Discussion: Retaining Your IT Staff in Alaska, Can it be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want, and I am getting a four-day workweek. Sorry but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, there are methods that can help.

Alaska has some of the most unique challenges in the country for retaining staff. Join the INTERFACE Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your Alaska IT staff intact. This panel features local area IT hiring managers and leaders that deal with these challenges in their own shops. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on the needs you have.

Panelists:

  • Ulf Asplund, Technical Services Manager, Alaska Court System
  • Jeremy Bloomstrom, Senior Programmer Analyst, Matanuska-Susitna Borough
  • Justin Michaud, Senior Program Manager, Mat-Su Borough School District
  • Janelle Mullen, Chief of Operations for IT Customer Services, AK Dept of Health & Social Services

[1 CPE] Panel: Retaining Your IT Staff in 2023, Can it be Done?

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

“The other company is offering higher wages. I get to work remotely as much as I want, and I am getting a four-day workweek. Sorry but I must take it.” Have you heard this just a few times? So many IT hiring managers are having to find creative ways to keep staff members in-house. While budgets and major company overhauls can’t always be achieved, there are methods that can help.

Join the INTERFACE Portland Advisory Council for an open conversation on how to keep your staff intact. This panel features local area IT hiring managers and leaders that deal with these challenges in their own shops. Bring your questions as there will be an opportunity to get advice on the needs you have.

  • Steve Hankel, Vice President, Information Technology, Johanson Transportation Service
  • Don Hornschuch, Information Technology Manager, OnPoint Community Credit Union
  • Ian Raloff, Sr Applications Systems Engineer, Moda Health
  • Saby Waraich, Chief Information Officer, Clackamas Community College