IN-PERSON

Washington, DC CDAO Executive Summit

June 18, 2025 | Convene at 1201 Wilson Blvd

June 18, 2025
Convene at 1201 Wilson Blvd

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Washington, DC'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:

Connecting Data, Analytics and AI Initiatives to Measurable Business Outcomes

Transforming Data Governance to Support and Scale Advanced Analytics

Maturing D&A Culture with Data Democratization and Self-Service Analytics

Washington, DC 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

Aravind Jagannathan

Freddie Mac
SVP, Single-Family Chief Data Officer

Peter Maynard

Guardian Life Insurance
Chief Data & Analytics Officer

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CDAO 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 Washington, DC CDAO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

Agenda


June 18, 2025

8:00am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Keynote

Harnessing Human Energy — Thriving Amidst Rapid Change

Josh Allan Dykstra headshot

Josh Allan Dykstra

Future of Work Activist

Guest Speaker

In the face of unrelenting transformation, staying innovative and productive can feel daunting, especially with emerging generations' evolving work expectations, the permanence of hybrid teams and the pervasive influence of AI. The key to thriving in this chaotic environment lies in leveraging and organizing work around intrinsic motivators, such as yourself and the people within your organization.

Join this session to learn:

  • The keys for navigating constant change with more energy and resilience
  • How to create astonishing psychological safety within your team
  • A practical framework to access more productivity across your entire organization

9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Harnessing Gen AI for Business Growth

Rajat Gupta headshot

Rajat Gupta

Head Data & Analytics

Medtronic

Despite the value of Generative AI, many Data & Analytic leaders struggle to measure and communicate business value to others in the c-suite while also addressing fear and resistance on the ground level. To bridge this gap, leaders must develop robust methods for tracking ROI, directly linking AI initiatives to key business outcomes. By fostering understanding and collaboration, organizations can transform resistance into acceptance.

Join this session to learn how to:

  • Demonstrate the strategic value of Gen AI to stakeholders
  • Effectively deploy Gen AI initiatives with subject matter experts
  • Drive informed decision-making and secure executive buy-in

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Data Revolution — Building Ecosystems for Business Success

Amy Lenander headshot

Amy Lenander

Chief Data Officer

Capital One Financial

 Details coming soon!

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Data Governance — Modernizing Your Framework

Dartanion Swift-Williams headshot

Dartanion Swift-Williams

Chief Data Officer

City of Baltimore

Rakesh Srinivasan headshot

Rakesh Srinivasan

SVP, Chief Data and AI Officer

Pilot Flying J

Positioning data governance as enablement rather than restrictive is a tactic more data and analytics leaders are taking to gain buy-in. But as the digital enterprise rapidly evolves, governance frameworks must modernize, maturing to address trust, risk and ethics.

Join this session as CDOs discuss:

  • Understanding the baseline for effective governance
  • Identifying common pitfalls or challenges within your policies and teams
  • Outlining a path to ensure framework scalability

10:25am - 11:10am  Networking Break

10:35am - 11:00am  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

11:10am - 11:55am  Breakout Session

Unlocking Business Potential Through Self-Service Data

Bojan Duric headshot

Bojan Duric

Chief Data Officer

City of Virginia Beach

Data democratization empowers organizations to make informed decisions, but challenges like siloed models and cultural barriers persist. Establishing flexible frameworks, enhancing communication, and adopting hybrid approaches to integrate IT and analytic will foster a data-driven culture for growth.

In this session you will learn:

  • Promoting a data driven culture at all levels of decision making
  • Engaging and enabling business capabilities
  • Establishing accessibility and scalability of a self-service model

11:55am - 12:30pm  Lunch Service

12:30pm - 1:05pm  Keynote

Boosting AI Success Through Data Culture

Emma McGrattan headshot

Emma McGrattan

CTO

Actian

In today's dynamic $100 billion AI landscape, organizations around the globe are refining their competitive edge. But for AI to be successful, programs must start with robust data governance initiatives. Companies who do this well, don't merely have the right tech capabilities, but rather foster a culture that puts data first — prioritizing quality and insights.

Join this session to explore:

  • Finding the right culture balance with data
  • Maximizing AI's impact with a successful data governance framework
  • Implementing quality controls to ensure the efficacy of your AI program

1:05pm - 1:30pm  Break

1:30pm - 2:15pm  Breakout Session

Transforming Organizations with Effective Data Governance

Ken Pfeil headshot

Ken Pfeil

Chief Data Officer

Commonwealth of Virginia

Marcus Thornton headshot

Marcus Thornton

Deputy Chief Data Officer

Commonwealth of Virginia

Over the past three years, Ken Pfeil and Marcus Thornton have shifted their data governance to a service delivery model, improving data quality and compliance. Their experience and achievements now serve as a roadmap for other agencies seeking to enhance governance, drive business outcomes and cultivate cultural change.

Join this session as Ken & Marcus discuss:

  • Transforming your organization with effective D&A governance
  • Increasing data literacy with proven strategies
  • Innovating while staying aligned with mission-critical priorities

1:30pm - 2:15pm  Executive Boardroom

The AI Revolution Won’t Wait — Adapt Before it’s Too Late

Shivanku Misra headshot

Shivanku Misra

Vice President, Advanced Analytics

McKesson

Matt Gilkeson headshot

Matt Gilkeson

Chief Technology, Data, and Artificial Intelligence Officer

Transportation Security Administration

Jyoti Chawla headshot

Jyoti Chawla

CTO

Cisco Systems International

Generative and traditional AI are no longer emerging technologies – their impact is already unfolding and here to stay. How can CDAOs navigate this evolving landscape, meet new demands and gain stakeholder support to shape company culture?

Join this session to discuss:

  • Understanding and responding to leaders’ needs
  • Defining key skills for generative AI roles
  • Creating a sense of urgency to drive stakeholder action

1:30pm - 2:15pm  Executive Boardroom

Removing Barriers to Build a Data-Driven Culture

Srinivasa Chetlur headshot

Srinivasa Chetlur

Director of Data Integration and Analytics

Westinghouse Electric Co

Hari Kalahasti headshot

Hari Kalahasti

Head of Data & Analytics

Clark Construction Group

Delivering better business outcomes requires both a data-driven organizational culture and a data-literate workforce that values information as an asset. How can CDAOs work toward this?

Join this boardroom to discuss:

  • Connecting with stakeholders by effectively communicating analytics capabilities
  • Promoting data literacy and cultural change to foster a workforce that values data as an asset
  • Establishing guidelines to identify data's business value

2:15pm - 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 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

The First 100 Days Of The CDAO

Cara Dailey headshot

Cara Dailey

Chief Data Officer

T Rowe Price Group Inc

Have you ever wondered how to start your data strategy, who the right stakeholders to align with are, and how to make your strategy relevant to your business needs? Join Cara Dailey as she explores how to prioritize and deliver impactful outcomes, overcome organizational challenges, and set the foundation for future success.

In this session you will learn how to:

  • Develop strategies for stakeholder engagement
  • Navigate challenges such as organizational buy-in
  • Align data strategy with corporate goals

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

Making Metadata AI Ready

Kevin Bates headshot

Kevin Bates

Chief Data Officer

Fannie Mae

Lisa Dorsey headshot

Lisa Dorsey

Vice President, Data Governance, Policy & Risk

Fannie Mae

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and data management, modern enterprises are focusing on integrating AI into production and leveraging data as a strategic asset. Fannie Mae is using innovative approaches to activate its metadata with AI and putting the power in the hands of business.

Join this session to learn:

  • Metadata management and AI for business empowerment
  • Making metadata AI ready in cloud environments
  • Partnering with business to create data driven solutions

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Unlocking the Potential of Seamless Data Sharing and Integration

Data Leaders understand that effective data sharing is essential for generating valuable insights, yet they often struggle with fragmented data silos. To overcome these barriers, they need to focus on establishing strong governance policies, develop a clear legal framework and adopt interoperable technologies.

Join this session to learn about:

  • Strengthening data governance to streamline integration
  • Adopting technology to advance integration and enable sharing
  • Motivate teams, enhance collaboration and unlock transformative insights

3:45pm - 4:00pm  Networking Break

4:00pm - 4:35pm  Keynote

From Fear to Flourish — Embracing AI in Fluid Policy Environments

Delester Brown PhD headshot

Delester Brown PhD

Chief Data Officer

United States National Guard

Now more than ever, the rapidly changing landscape demands that C-suite executives pivot swiftly. With AI advancements and administrative changes occurring almost daily, how can CDAOs define value and improve processes and efficiencies?

Join this session to learn from the US National Guard CDAO on:

  • Eliminate fear in the face of emerging technology
  • Harness the power of AI and unconventional methods in the workforce
  • Increasing genuine investments in AI without romanticizing

4:35pm - 4:45pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

4:45pm - 6:00pm  Governing Body Reception

Governing Body Reception

Finish the day sharing lessons learned with your peers over light fare and drinks at this closing reception hosted by your governing body members.

June 18, 2025

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


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

Location


Venue & Accommodation

Convene at 1201 Wilson Blvd
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Community Program Manager


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

Tony Stach

Community Program Manager

3604335583

tony.stach@gartner.com