Windy Aphayrath, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Utah and Director of its Division of Purchasing and General Services, leads transformative initiatives to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in government procurement. She oversees operations significantly impacting the State's finances and public services, leveraging her strong background in program and project management.  

Previously, Windy held multiple leadership roles within the Division, notably managing the State's Cooperative Contracts Program, overseeing $1 billion in public entity spend. Her achievements include implementing a statewide eProcurement system for over 100 public entities, rolling out a solutions-based procurement method, and streamlining contractor reporting processes. She also spearheaded procurement for critical projects like state-standardized voting equipment and Utah's first learning management system. 

Prior to state service, Windy gained extensive private sector experience in strategic sourcing, global program management, regulatory compliance, and sustainability. This diverse background provides a holistic understanding of procurement dynamics, enabling innovative strategies that deliver value while ensuring compliance. 

Petar Besalev is the Executive Vice President of Cybersecurity and Compliance Services at A-LIGN. Petar has provided IT audit, cybersecurity, privacy and compliance services for organizations varying from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups in multiple industries including manufacturing, technology, financial, healthcare, government, and more. Petar oversees the Federal and Pen Test service delivery teams and also leads the organization’s international delivery operations. Prior to joining A-LIGN, Petar held a leadership position in the advisory practice of one of the “Big Four” accounting and audit firms. In addition to his work at A-LIGN, Petar is a frequent guest speaker at various conferences and industry events, as well as a member of multiple advisory boards across non-profit and industry-specific organizations.

Joe has served as President of Knowledge Services since 1995 and has led the innovation of dotStaff technologies since 2003. Joe founded StateRAMP dba GovAMP as a model for bringing together government leaders, CSPs, and cyber security experts to simplify the verification of cloud services for state government.

Victoriano Casas III, a 6th generation Texan, is an Executive Strategist at CrowdStrike. He holds a BBA in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and an MPA from Texas State University, where he authored "An Information Security Risk Assessment Model for Public and University Administrators."

His diverse career spans public and private sectors. Victoriano served as CISO for several Texas state agencies, including the Departments of Licensing and Regulation, Aging and Disabilities Services, and the Employees Retirement System. In the private sector, he was a cybersecurity specialist master at Deloitte and Touche and global cybersecurity operations manager for SunPower, Inc.

As TAMUCC's student body president, Victoriano served on the Texas A&M System chancellor's student advisory board. He later founded the Texas Government CISO Roundtables and became a sought-after speaker at cybersecurity conferences nationwide.

Victoriano's blend of academic research, public service, and industry experience has established him as a respected cybersecurity leader.

Dr. Amit Elazari is Co-Founder and CEO of OpenPolicy, an AI policy platform working with the world's leading technology companies and the public sector to scale access to policy. Prior to OpenPolicy, she served as Head of Cybersecurity Policy for Intel Corp and chaired the Cybersecurity Committee for the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) among others. She holds a Doctoral Degree in the Law (JSD) from Berkeley Law, and graduated summa cum laude with three prior degrees in law and business. Her research appeared in leading academic journals, key conferences such as RSAC, Black Hat, DEFCON, Bsides, and USENIX, and was featured at the WSJ and NYT.

Jennifer Fix joined the N.C. Department of Information Technology as deputy state chief information security officer in July 2025.

A cybersecurity and risk management leader with more than 20 years of IT experience, Fix has a proven ability to drive security innovation and lead high-impact teams. She has held leadership roles focused on enterprise security strategy, governance, risk and compliance.

Fix believes in fostering a culture of security awareness and an environment of effective communication and collaboration to identify and mitigate risk. She is passionate about mentoring, coaching and fostering professional growth.

She previously served as director of security and compliance at RTI International, among various other roles delivering complex enterprise-wide technology solutions over 20 years at the organization.

Fix is certified in risk and information systems control and business relationship management.

Timothy Galluzi was appointed administrator of the Enterprise Information Technology Services Division (EITS) in February 2021 and designated as the State Chief Information Officer in June 2022. Following the agency's transition from EITS to the Office of the Chief Information Officer in the Governor's Office, Timothy was reappointed State Chief Information Officer.

Timothy has been serving the State of Nevada since 2013 in various roles in information technology (IT) and leadership. He began with EITS in 2018 and has served as the project manager for the statewide Microsoft Office 365 implementation as well as the technology investment administrator in EITS Office of the Chief Information Officer. Prior to his tenure at EITS, Timothy held IT professional and programmer/analyst roles at the State Public Works Division and Western Nevada College, respectively. Timothy started his IT career by serving eight years in the United State Marine Corps filling roles as a telecommunications chief and Formal Schools instructor.

Timothy earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in IT Management from Western Governors University. Timothy is a proud Marine Corps veteran and has worked to give back to his fellow veterans, volunteering to serve on former Governor Sandoval's Student Veterans Advisory Council, the Western Nevada College Veterans Resource Center, and the Disabled American Veterans, Carson City Chapter.

Glenn Herdrich is an accomplished leader in the field of information security, currently serving as the head of the Information Security Office at Sacramento County. He is passionate about providing top-tier information security services that safeguard County systems and protect constituent data. Glenn's approach to information security is grounded in the belief that simplicity and collaboration are key to success. By fostering coordination and synergy between people, processes, and technology, he has been able to significantly improve information security awareness and controls at the County. In addition to his role at the County, Glenn serves on the board of directors for GovRAMP where he leverages his expertise and leadership to promote cybersecurity best practices through education and policy development to improve the cyber posture of public institutions and the citizens they serve.

Josh is a Governance, Risk, and Compliance Sr. Manager at North Dakota Information Technology and has been with the State of North Dakota for 19 years.  He leads a team of security experts that drive the approach to deliver whole-of-state cybersecurity support.  Josh previously served as an information security officer for Health and Human Services and Bank of North Dakota.

Josh is a member of the Executive Leadership Team Advisory Group, GovRAMP service provider approvals committee, and holds certifications in: CRISC, CISM, and CGRC.  In his free time, Josh enjoys the expansive North Dakota outdoors with his wife and two children, along with fishing, golfing, traveling, and storm chasing.

Leah McGrath serves as Executive Director of GovRAMP, the organization formerly known as StateRAMP.  McGrath was instrumental in launching the initiative in 2020, working in close collaboration with government and industry leaders to establish its original governance structure and cybersecurity policy framework. She oversaw the organization as it evolved into GovRAMP—a nationally recognized, public-private partnership advancing standardized cybersecurity verification for cloud solutions across the broader government ecosystem.

In recognition of her vision and leadership in strengthening cyber resilience across both the public and private sectors, McGrath was named to NextGov’s 2025 Federal 100 and to Government Technology’s 2023 Top Doers, Dreamers and Drivers list, honoring the individuals driving real impact in the modernization of government technology. 

With over two decades of experience at the intersection of government, policy, and innovation, McGrath brings a proven track record in strategic planning, cross-sector collaboration, and digital transformation. Prior to her role with GovRAMP, she served as the first Deputy Mayor of the City of Fishers, Indiana, where she helped lead the city's transformation into a nationally ranked smart city. Her efforts included spearheading Fishers’ first long-range comprehensive plan and launching city-wide modernization initiatives—efforts that contributed to the city being named Money magazine’s #1 Best Place to Live in America in 2017.

Throughout her career, McGrath has remained committed to improving outcomes for citizens through secure, scalable, and forward-thinking technology solutions. Today, she continues to serve as a national voice for supplier assurance, cyber policy alignment, and innovation in the public sector.

Anthony is the CISO and Chief Risk Officer at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Technology Services & Security. As the State’s lead IT agency, the executive team is responsible for planning, development, communications and implementation of the Commonwealth’s digital transformation, including enhancing data security, safeguarding privacy, and improving service delivery to the end user. 

Anthony is an accomplished attorney having represented Fortune 500 companies from the technology sector in pursuing claims in global antitrust litigation. He focuses his practice on complex disputes, antitrust, information security, data privacy and eDiscovery strategy. During his time at the Commonwealth, Anthony has helped organize the agency’s legal department and build the Commonwealth’s first enterprise eDiscovery program, which provides eDiscovery professional services to all executive branch agencies and independent government agencies in Massachusetts. 

In his current role, he is charged with developing, refining, scaling and running the enterprise risk management and security programs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and ensures their operational efficiency. On an ongoing basis, he provides operational risk management for value creation and protection, and serves as an internal advisor to organizational governance and leadership. 

Zach Oxman is the Vice President for US SLED at Abnormal AI, where he focuses on enabling State, Local Government, and Education customers to defend against bad actors. Prior to joining Abnormal, Zach led the Western US SLED Practice at Snowflake where he originated the SLED team and eventually built a practice of successful customers and partners across the West. In his free time, Zach is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his family outdoors.

Dugan Petty - a former State CIO in Oregon - currently serves on the GovRAMP Board Directors and is a Fellow at the National Academy of Public Administrators and the Center for Digital Government.

Since retiring from state government in 2012, he continues to foster improvements in both public procurements and technology including.

• State Procurement Practices Study and Ranking, Governing Magazine 2013 and 2018.

• Best Practice Guide for Cloud and As-A-Service Procurement, Center for Digital Government 2014 and 2022.

• NASPO ValuePoint’s groundbreaking 2016 Utah Cloud Solutions cooperative procurement and other IT&C contracts.

In addition to servicing six years as the Oregon CIO, he served as the Chief Procurement Official in both Alaska and Oregon and the State Risk Manager in Oregon.

Petty is a past president of both NASCIO and NASPO, and a founding member and past Chair of the Western States Contracting Alliance, now NASPO ValuePoint. 

Jennifer Pittman-Leeper (JPL) is a respected public-sector technology and cybersecurity leader with more than two decades of experience helping government organizations strengthen security, modernize operations, and align technology investments with mission outcomes. As Field Chief Information Security Officer at GovRAMP, she serves as a strategic advisor to government and industry stakeholders, helping organizations navigate cloud security, risk management, and cybersecurity governance.  

Known for her collaborative leadership style, JPL has built and led enterprise cybersecurity programs, advised executive leaders on technology strategy, and championed cross-sector partnerships that improve resilience across state and local government. Her expertise spans cybersecurity, strategic planning, program management, IT governance, data analytics, and organizational transformation. 

Throughout her career, JPL has been a trusted voice within the government technology community, frequently moderating and participating in industry panels, tabletop exercises, and leadership forums focused on cyber resilience, cloud security, and public-sector innovation. She is passionate about helping organizations balance security, operational effectiveness, and citizen service while fostering stronger collaboration between government and industry partners.  

David Resler serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of GovRAMP, where he leads organizational operations, technical strategy, and internal systems to support GovRAMP’s mission of advancing secure, standardized cybersecurity verification across the government ecosystem. 

Resler brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across information security, infrastructure modernization, risk management, and large‑scale compliance operations in both federal and enterprise environments. Prior to joining GovRAMP, he served as Senior Director of Information Security at Knowledge Services and held senior security leadership roles across the public and private sectors, including Vice President of Global IT Security, Data Centers, and Networks at PSI Services. Earlier in his career, Resler held multiple leadership positions at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he led large-scale technology, risk, and operational initiatives within highly regulated financial services environments. 

Throughout his career, Resler has led complex, mission‑critical initiatives aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800‑53 and related federal frameworks. He brings deep expertise in FedRAMP‑ and GovRAMP‑aligned controls, continuous monitoring programs, certification and accreditation (Authority to Operate, or ATO) efforts, and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) operations. His work includes modernizing and securing large‑scale infrastructure environments, overseeing enterprise security audits, strengthening disaster recovery and incident response programs, and guiding organizations through significant technical transformation and growth. 

Resler also offers extensive operational leadership, having managed geographically distributed technical teams, overseen data center consolidation and modernization initiatives, and supported mergers, acquisitions, and enterprise integrations. His background includes long‑standing work with federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the United States Postal Service (USPS), where he supported highly regulated environments requiring rigorous assurance and oversight and maintained several security designations. 

Before joining GovRAMP, Resler served as Senior Director at RAMPQuest, GovRAMP’s contracted NIST Program Management Office (PMO). In that role, he developed a deep, hands‑on understanding of the GovRAMP framework, operating model, and stakeholder community, positioning him to seamlessly guide the organization through its next phase of operational maturity, scalability, and innovation. 

As COO and CTO, Resler focuses on strengthening GovRAMP’s internal capabilities, advancing its technical foundation, and ensuring the organization continues to deliver trusted, transparent, and scalable assurance programs that meet the evolving needs of government and industry alike. 

Randy Rose has 22+ years of experience across local, state, and federal government. He leads Security Operations & Intelligence at the Center for Internet Security. He oversees the execution of CIS' Security Operations Center, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Cyber Incident Response, and Cyber Red Team missions. Previously, he led the largest Joint DoD Security Operations Center in Europe and headed the Intelligence Department for the Navy's Defensive Cyber Operations Task Force. After serving as an active duty airman in the US Air Force, he became New York State’s first local government-focused penetration tester. With an academic foundation in anthropology, political science, and cybersecurity, Randy focuses on the human side of security, strategic partnerships, and leadership that empowers.

Nikki is the Manager of Information Security and Compliance/Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Arapahoe County, Colorado—one of the most populous counties in the state’s north central region. Since joining in 2022, she has authored the County’s first Information Security Policy, co-authored the Cyber Incident Response Plan, and launched its inaugural vulnerability management program. Nikki also leads the County’s application rationalization project and serves as the Local Agency Security Officer (LASO), HIPAA Security Officer, and Digital Accessibility Program Manager where she has led the Counties Digital Accessibility Program. Her diverse background spans law enforcement support, emergency management, and peer support, equipping her with a unique, mission-driven perspective on cybersecurity and public service. Nikki holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in Strategic Communications and a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity (CISO) Leadership from Carnegie Mellon University. Nikki currently serves as Vice President of CGAIT and Vice Chair of the Approvals Committee for GovRAMP, fostering collaboration among IT leaders in Colorado government. She is known for her inclusive, strategic leadership and her commitment to building secure, accessible, and effective digital services.

Charles X. Rote serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the State of Maine, where he leads enterprise cybersecurity strategy, governance, and resilience initiatives that protect the state's critical information systems and digital services. With more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning national defense, public service, and information security, Charles is recognized for aligning cybersecurity with organizational strategy and mission outcomes.

He works closely with executive leadership to ensure cybersecurity is integrated into strategic decision making, operational planning, and enterprise risk management. Charles has led statewide initiatives that strengthen security governance, improve organizational resilience, advance workforce development, and promote risk informed decision making across government. Known for building high performing teams and fostering collaboration, he bridges technical, operational, and business priorities to help organizations navigate an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape.

Bernice Russell-Bond, a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over 25 years in the field, holds the position of State Chief Information Security Officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology.

Russell-Bond oversees North Carolina’s cybersecurity efforts with a focus on strengthening partnerships and collaboration at the state, local and federal levels. She enjoys leading teams to empower all staff in fostering an effective cybersecurity culture.

Russell-Bond has held a variety of private-sector and nonprofit leadership roles in cybersecurity operations, risk management, IT governance, incident management and auditing. Before joining NCDIT in March 2025, she was the CISO and vice president of information security at RTI International. She also owned and ran her own IT risk management consulting firm for nearly 20 years.

She was named the NC TECH Association’s 2024 CISO of the Year and serves on the association’s advisory board. She is also the immediate past board chair for the N.C. Museum of Life and Science.

Russell-Bond holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration for the University of Phoenix in addition to CISSP, PMP and ITIL v3 Foundations certifications. 

Tony Sauerhoff is the Executive Director and the State Chief Information Officer.  He leads statewide efforts to advance the secure and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. In this role, he drives technology modernization, risk management, and public-sector service delivery, while supporting enterprise cybersecurity strategy, innovation, and cross-agency coordination across one of the nation’s largest and most complex state environments. 

With more than 30 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity across the public and private sectors, Tony has held senior leadership roles with the U.S. Department of Defense and the federal judiciary, and previously served as Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Texas. 

Tony currently serves as President of the GovRAMP Board of Directors, where he helps guide national strategy for secure, consistent, and risk-based cloud adoption across state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, strengthening collaboration between the public sector and cloud service providers nationwide. 

He began his career as a communications specialist in the U.S. Air Force. Tony holds a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from Champlain College, a Master of Science in Information Security and Privacy from The University of Texas at Austin, and maintains CISSP and GSLC cybersecurity certifications. 

J.R. Sloan serves as Arizona's State CIO, overseeing technology, innovation, development, and IT policies. He also chairs the State of Arizona Information Technology Authorization Committee (ITAC). He joined the state in 2013, bringing 15+ years leading technology, product and program teams. His experience also spans engineering, product management, marketing, business development, as well as customer service. He has extensive experience in leading cross-functional teams, building consensus, and achieving strategic objectives. J.R.'s broad knowledge of business and processes coupled with technology and systems integration experience enables him to effectively engage all parts of an organization. He is customer-centric in his approach and results-oriented in his deliverables.

Sloan served as President of the GovRAMP Board of Directors since its founding in 2020 through 2025. He also currently serves as Vice-President of the NASCIO Executive Committee and was recognized with the 2025 StateScoop 50 Golden Gov: State Executive of the Year Award.

Megan R. Smyth is the Director of Legal Education for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). She has been with NASPO since 2016, previously serving in the roles of Senior Research Advisor, Director of Research & Innovation, and General Counsel. At NASPO, Megan has focused on the topics of IT procurement, policy and governance, continuing legal education for state procurement attorneys, and the improvement of the relationship between legal and central procurement in the states. She leads the team that develops and plans the NASPO State Procurement Attorney Law Institute, currently in its 12th year.  

Prior to joining the team at NASPO, Megan practiced for eight years as a civil litigator in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, mediating and trying cases related to insurance coverage, liability, property damage, personal injury, and employment law. She received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Transylvania University. Megan holds bar memberships in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and court admissions in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the Western District of Kentucky.  

Shawnzia A. Thomas has more than 15 years of experience leading enterprise transformation in state government. As Chief Information Officer for the State of Georgia and Executive Director of the Georgia Technology Authority, she sets statewide technology strategy, oversees mission-critical digital infrastructure, and advances secure, citizen-centered services for millions of Georgians.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Thomas held senior leadership positions across state government, including Assistant Deputy Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Human Services, Executive Director of the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity, and Director of the Corporations Division in the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. In each role, she led modernization initiatives, improved service delivery, and strengthened operational performance in complex, high-visibility environments.

Ms. Thomas holds a bachelor's degree from Middle Tennessee State University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of West Georgia, and an AI certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is deeply engaged in leadership and governance at both the state and national levels, serving on the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity Advisory Board, the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) and on the GovRamp AI-Security Task Force Executive Council, where she helps shape national dialogue on technology, innovation, and public-sector excellence.

She was named one of the Atlanta Business League's Top 100 Women of Influence (2021), received GoldenGov: State Executive of the Year honors from StateScoop in both 2022 and 2024, earned the 2025 Outstanding Achievement Award from Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA), and was recently selected as one of Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers of 2025.

Meredith Ward is the Deputy Executive Director of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, where she has helped advance state technology leadership, cybersecurity and digital government initiatives since 2013. A 2024 Women in Cyber honoree, Meredith brings more than 20 years of experience working across state, local, federal and international organizations. Prior to NASCIO, she spent over a decade in Washington, D.C., leading government and media affairs efforts and building relationships with policymakers and industry leaders. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Centre College.

Ms. Victoria Yan Pillitteri is a supervisory computer scientist in the Computer Security Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Ms. Pillitteri is the Manager of the Security Engineering and Risk Management Group and leads the Risk Management Framework team/Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) Implementation Project. In that role, she develops the suite of risk management guidance used for managing cybersecurity risk in the federal government and coordinates the associated stakeholder outreach and public-private sector collaboration efforts. Ms. Pillitteri leads the Joint Task Force working group, a partnership with the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and Civilian Agencies to develop a unified security framework to protect the U.S. Government from cyber-attacks, and is co-chair of the Federal Cybersecurity and Privacy Professionals Forum hosted by NIST.  

Ms. Pillitteri previously led programs in smart grid and cyber-physical systems cybersecurity, worked on the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, the Privacy Framework, and served as a program analyst in the NIST Office of the Director. 

Ms. Pillitteri holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Information Assurance from The George Washington University. She has completed the Key Executive Leadership Program at American University and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program, receiving an SES certification by the OPM Qualifications Review Board. Ms. Pillitteri is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). 

Headline

Add your content here.