The Public Sector Show by TechTables

Live from the Commodore Perry Estates Live Podcast Tour! Featuring - Cory Wilburn, CIO at the Texas General Land Office (GLO) & Rheda Moseley, CIO at Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring - Rick Blanco, CIO at Texas Health & Human Services In this episode, we chat with Rick Blanco, CIO at Texas Health & Human Services. Rick discussed the impactful efforts of hiring veterans and the importance of a mission-driven workforce. He shared his journey from a networking admin to CIO, emphasizing the value of seizing opportunities. Rick also talked about the art of storytelling in securing funding with the state legislature and building strong relationships. His passion for fly fishing and ranching added a personal touch to the conversation. Overall, Rick's leadership and dedication to mission-driven initiatives served as an inspiration for aspiring leaders in the public sector.Timestamp00:00 Grew up in military family, mission-driven.06:20 HHS making positive impact, caring for people.07:46 Embrace challenges, make a positive difference.13:26 Crafting compelling story to secure project funding.14:06 Writer mandated modernization plan publication, transparency emphasized.17:38 Supporting managed care services through technology partnerships.22:10 Career success relies on relationships and preparedness.24:35 Sharing stories about experiences over drinks later.⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Summary HighlightsMandy Crawford and Kevin Gilbertson talk about the importance of building relationships with legislators to advocate for funding and support for technology initiatives. They emphasize the need to understand legislators' interests and priorities and communicate technology's value to their constituents. They also talk about the importance of collaboration and learning from other CIOs and states to improve technology solutions and services.Connect with Mandy Crawford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-crawford-dir/Connect with Kevin Gilbertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgilbertson/Get new episodes directly in your inbox - We send updates every week and bonus content over the weekend. Join the newsletter below.TechTables is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Follow us:LinkedIn TechTables https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO - Enterprise Applications/PMO at City of Houston📬 Subscribe to the newsletter 🎙 About the episodeIn this episode, we dive into the importance of mental wellness with Summer Xiao, Deputy CIO of Enterprise Applications at the City of Houston. Summer shares valuable insights on creating a safe space for team members to share stress, recognizing signs of distress, and fostering a sense of identity outside of work. Learn how building trust, open communication, and leadership support are key to enhancing team performance and well-being. Don't miss out on this valuable conversation that goes beyond technology in the public sector.00:00 Joe Toste hosts public sector tech podcast.05:52 Recognizing signs of distress in high performers.06:36 Benching players, human complexity, tips for leaders.11:03 Public sector tech leaders share valuable insights.Key HighlightsMental Health in IT Professionalism: "I was having mental breakdowns. And that's when I realized the path we chose to be it professionals isn't going to be easy mentally."— Summer Xiao [00:01:48 → 00:01:59]Trust and Sharing Stress: "So I think the first thing is people don't share stress with others that they don't trust."— Summer Xiao [00:02:43 → 00:02:51]Workplace Stress Management: "But that's how you create the safe environment. First is establishing trust."— Summer Xiao [00:03:37 → 00:03:40]Preventing Burnout in the Workplace: "How do we recognize it earlier to say, hey, I think somebody's really going down this. They're really unwell emotionally, and mentally, how do we peel them back before they become a negative influence on everybody else?"— Summer Xiao [00:05:11 → 00:05:27]Leadership and Workforce Management: "And you have to recognize that early in the situations where we had to let people go, I think as a leader, I haven't recognized that early enough. That's the biggest learning. So I'm constantly serving right now, especially as my top performers who's going to start going down the path. Let me yank them back. Right. And some of the sure signs that somebody is under distress is if they're a high performer and they lose the ability to listen, you find yourself having to repeat something multiple times, and they still make the same mistakes."— Summer Xiao [00:05:52 → 00:06:22]Supportive Leadership in the Workplace: "When I go to my CIO saying, hey, summer is stressed. It's not a foreign concept to her. She's very accepting. And I think that's really important, is to have this awareness through all levels for the organization."— Summer Xiao [00:07:34 → 00:07:48]Leadership in Project Management: "we only need two things for the project to be successful. We don't need infighting with our business partners, and we need leadership, support. Everything else we can handle, the team can handle."— Summer Xiao [00:08:19 → 00:08:30]Work-Life Balance in Entrepreneurial Families: "I couldn't separate myself because it didn't know the concept."— Summer Xiao [00:09:04 → 00:09:28]Work-Life Balance: "When I see them getting really stressed, they're working at 10:00, 12:00 and I say, let's all say my work is not me. I'm not my work, my work is not me. I'm not my work."— Summer Xiao [00:09:52 → 00:10:03]The Cost of Disconnecting in a Connected World: "I wanted to take full economic advantage of the money I paid at Disney. Did not want to waste my money. And the first two days was uncomfortable. And then I got used to it. I was like, this is a nice feeling. I guess nothing has fallen apart yet. I think."— Summer Xiao [00:10:18 → 00:10:44]⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know who you want to see next on the podcast in your review. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetosteFollow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Join Joe in this can't-miss conversation with Mike about what it's like to be a Husband-Father-Combat Veteran-Small Business Owner... and Represent The 79th District of Florida.Connect w/ Mike: LinkedInWebsite: https://www.irisintelgroup.com/Show Notes:Mike's background & story (serving in Iraq and transitioning back to civilian life)Finding a new mission and building businessesFostering technology and innovationThe 3 major verticals in Florida, and what Mike likes about Texas business that he wants to see in FloridaFlorida's Cybersecurity CouncilHouse Bill 7055, requiring state agencies and local governments to report cybersecurity and ransomware incidents, as well as provide training The concept of legislative agility and the importance of understanding your audience, rewarding hard work, and moving quickly and efficientlyand much more! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.techtables.com Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring J.R. Sloan, CIO, State of ArizonaShow Notes:In this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, J.R. Sloan, the CIO for the state of Arizona, joins us to discuss the challenges and successes of leading digital transformation and technology initiatives within a federated state like Arizona. From managing relationships with over 120 agencies to measuring success in a human-centric way, J.R. shares key insights into his approach as a leader and the impact of his work on Arizona's digital experiences. Listen in to discover how J.R. Sloan's leadership is shaping Arizona's technology landscape and digital government program.Timestamps00:39 - Introduction to J.R. Sloan and his role as the CIO for the state of Arizona.01:37 - J.R. Sloan's journey and experiences within the public sector and the digital government program.05:32 - The parallels between serving franchisees in the private sector and serving the 120 different agencies in the public sector.06:23 - How success is measured in the public sector and the qualitative and quantitative metrics used for evaluation.08:39 - Maintaining a human-centric approach while engaging with team members and leaders across agencies.09:42 - The aspiration to deliver an Amazon-like digital experience for citizens and the efforts towards achieving this goal.11:08 - Empathy and understanding the citizen's perspective in driving digital experiences.⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring Tim Roemer, Arizona Director of Homeland Security & State CISO, State of Arizona & Nancy Rainosek, State CISO, State of TexasShow Notes:In today's landmark 100th episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, we dive deep into the forefront of state cybersecurity with Arizona's Director of Homeland Security, Tim Roemer, and Texas CISO, Nancy Rainosek, exploring how they're pioneering defenses against digital threats and ramping up cybersecurity efforts across their states. Discover the strategies behind Arizona and Texas's leading cybersecurity initiatives and understand the critical role of preparation, practice, and partnerships in safeguarding the digital frontiers of our local governments. Tune in as we unravel the rising tide of cyber resilience in the Phoenix Live Podcast Tour Series.Timestamps0:00 - Intro02:55 - Tim Roemer's pivot from college football to cybersecurity excellence07:45 - The transformative incident: Texas' 23-governments ransomware attack response10:20 - Nancy Rainosek on uniting the military and emergency services for cybersecurity12:58 - Arizona's social media strategy for cybersecurity awareness with Tim Roemer15:27 - Strengthening local government cybersecurity through collaboration and training 18:19 - Involving students in state-level cybersecurity initiatives20:15 - Making cybersecurity understandable to legislators to secure crucial funding23:40 - Using maturity ratings to showcase cybersecurity improvements to lawmakers26:35 - Gamification and positive reinforcement techniques in cybersecurity training29:12 - Steve Bell's exploration into the role of cyber insurance in risk management31:46 - The preference for prevention over ransom payments in cyber-attack strategies37:18 - The parallels between disciplined practice in sports and preparation in cybersecurity40:05 - The necessity of having a detailed playbook for cybersecurity threat scenarios43:10 - Adoption of regional security operations centers and their impact45:32 - Successful local government engagement in university-partnered cybersecurity initiatives⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring Doug Lange, VP of IT Strategy at Choice Hotels International and fmr. CSO for the State of ArizonaConnect w/ Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmlange/Show Notes:In this episode, we sit down with Doug Lange, former Chief Strategy Officer for the State of Arizona and current VP of IT Strategy at Choice Hotels, to discuss his transition from the public sector to the private sector. We dive into the differences in speed and execution, exploring how the urgency in the private sector differs from the public sector. Additionally, we examine Doug’s unique approach to fostering a culture of creativity and empowerment in the workplace.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction to Doug Lange, sharing his background and current role at Choice Hotels.01:21 - Doug's role in encouraging the host to go live and in person for the podcast.02:26 - Reflecting on the journey from episode 22 to the present, highlighting the growth and development within the public sector.03:46 - Exploring the book "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel and its influence on Doug's approach to speed and innovation in the private sector.05:20 - Comparing the complexities and motivation in government versus the private sector.06:36 - Discuss collaborative efforts and competition in the private sector compared to the community aspect of the public sector.08:10 - Exploring the urgency and speed of execution in the private sector versus the public sector's risk-averse environment.09:53 - Doug's thoughts on a potential return to the public sector and the areas that could be improved to foster growth and innovation.14:16 - Addressing the concept of the slowness of government and how it balances with Doug's experience transitioning to the private sector.18:34 - The "Speaker's Journey" career series and the impact of personal stories and vulnerabilities on team dynamics and collaboration.21:06 - Sharing Simon Sinek's video and the power of openness and vulnerability in building diversity and fostering passion within a team.⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring Justin Fair, CIO at the City of Goodyear & Bradley Pristelski, CIO at CommonSpirit (Southwest)Connect w/ Justin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-fair-537772a/ https://twitter.com/FairTime81 SummaryIn this episode, we're joined by Justin Fair, CIO of the City of Goodyear, and Bradley Pristelski, CIO at CommonSpirit (S.W.), as they dive into their experiences leading technology initiatives in public sector organizations. From discussing the challenges of managing teams in rapidly growing cities to the importance of creating buy-in and ownership among team members, this conversation offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of public sector technology leadership. Tune in to gain expert perspectives on driving digital transformation and building strong relationships in the public sector.Timestamps0:00 Intro2:14 Give ownership to create buy-in3:55 Justin's journey from healthcare to public government4:20 Goodyear Top 10 fastest-growing cities5:07 How has Justin's decade of medical IT experience influenced him as City CIO5:23 How to engage the city from a public policy, technology, and healthcare multiple set of perspectives when building out a smart city9:41 How the City CIO and City Manager are collaborating in building out their smart city master plan12:30 What is Common Spirit focusing on, and how have those points grown their company?14:52 How to Create Buy-in 1. The Why (mission) 2. The What (goals) 3: The How (implementation)16:46 How do you get your team to buy into the mission?20:00 Building Credibility & Relationship⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoy listening to the podcast, ⁠please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts⁠ and let us know in your review who you want to see next on the podcast. Thanks!You can also Tweet us on ⁠@thejoetoste⁠ and tell us what lessons you learned from the episode so we can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏🙏🔗 Connect with TechTablesLinkedIn TechTables ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thejoetoste⁠Follow us on Instagram! ⁠https://www.instagram.com/techtablespodcast/⁠Website ⁠https://www.techtables.com/ Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe

Featuring JP Dinnell, former U.S. Navy SEAL JP is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and now a Leadership Instructor, Speaker, and Strategic Advisor with Echelon Front, where he serves as Director of Experiential Leadership Training Programs.JP spent nearly a decade in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments. Sent to the violent terrorist stronghold of Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 with SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, J.P. served as point man, machine gunner, and lead sniper for Delta Platoon opposite the American Sniper, Chris Kyle, who was in Charlie Platoon.For his leadership and courage under fire, JP was awarded a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor helping Task Unit Bruiser to become the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War.He worked closely with SEAL Officers Jocko Willink, his Task Unit Commander, and Leif Babin, and was the driving force on many of the daring combat operations Jocko and Leif wrote about in Extreme Ownership.Connect: LinkedIn, Twitter, InstagramThe worst day of my life is somebody's dream. They would love to have those hardships because if they had those hardships, that meant they have all the other stuff that I have. ~ JP DinnellWorking your nine-to-five and going to the gym for an hour is not grinding it out. You're doing what humans are supposed to do. I look at people with two to three jobs, raising kids, and trying to go to school to get a degree -they're grinding ~ JP DinnellYou've been to the monster, you've read the books, you've listened to podcasts. You know this to be true. You can't fake ownership. You have to believe it. You have to truly look at the situation and find ways to make it your fault. And the problem with that is that means that you're going to have humility ~ JP DinnellIn today's episode, we cover:(02:55) JP shares his journey "From 222 to 28:" Who quits and who endures? And what kind of mindset do you need to triumph?04:30) From "Need to Know" to "Here's What I Know-" Using Truth to Build Trustworthy Teams(09:50) How changing one's perspective can be life-changing(15:49) What makes a good Navy Seal? What makes a good person in society? JP's answer may surprise you.(17:29) Real advice on how to climb out of the dark places in life(30:24) The danger of complacency, and how to fight it- every day.(33:08) Why protecting your marriage should be one of (if not the) most important priorities in your life(35:20) Have you ever thought, "I'm not a manager or a boss so therefore I'm not a leader?" JP disagrees and explains why you don't need a title to be a leader.(39:32) JP lists his top 3 pieces of advice for achieving an elite level of mastery(49:42) How to channel stress to build rather than destroyWe send out a free weekly podcast and a newsletter highlighting human-centric stories from public sector CIOs, CISOs, and technology leaders across federal, state, city, county, and higher education.Sign up for Behind the Mic by TechTables https://www.techtables.com/Listen on:🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-public-sector-show-by-techtables/id1661752549🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bFQBsDwKJkdNk2qENkhNL (timestamps, audience Q&A)Follow us:LinkedIn TechTables https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/LinkedIn - Connect with Joe! https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/Twitter https://twitter.com/thejoetoste Get full access to TechTables at techtables.substack.com/subscribe