
Chicago CIO Community
Executive Summit
May 15, 2024 | Convene at 233 South Wacker
May 15, 2024
Convene at 233 South Wacker
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Chicago'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:
Building trust and reliability in data to enable business growth and optimization
Maintaining a resilient cybersecurity strategy in an ever-evolving threat landscape
Adopting the latest digital technologies and practices to stay relevant and drive innovation
Chicago 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

Rita Fisher
Reynolds Consumer Products
CIO and EVP, Supply Chain

Ron Guerrier
Save the Children
CTO

Rajeev Khanna
Aon Corporation US
Global Chief Technology Officer

Laura Kohl
Morningstar
CIO

Mike Parisi
ITW
VP CIO

Jane Possell
CNA
EVP, Chief Information Officer, Analytics, Operations

Gagan Singh
Ascension
Chief Information Officer

Tom South
Northern Trust
Executive VP & Chief Information Officer
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:00am - 8:30am Networking
Rising Together — Empowering Diversity in Technology

Pooja Muttath
Vice President - Enterprise Platform Engineering
Cars.com
Women are vastly underrepresented in the technology field, yet their presence is crucial. Every single one of us has the ability to move this dial, to do our part to have impact in driving change. Together we can empower each other, our communities and create a better future for all of us. Join us in this informal space for women in leadership roles and their allies to freely discuss best practices, key challenges and mission-critical priorities. Come prepared to share ideas and forge new connections that can help empower each other to make an impact in your organizations and communities.
This session is open to all genders and identities.
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Body Language Secrets for Enhanced Executive Presence
Hosted by Netskope

Chris Ulrich
Body Language Expert
Uncovering the mysteries of body language — how people communicate their thoughts and feelings without saying a word — is a decisive first step toward mastering any business and social situation. Top executives know that detecting split-second signals from your team and leadership then taking immediate action is crucial to being a persuasive communicator and problem-solver especially during tricky internal matters or high-level negotiations.
During this session you will learn how to:
- Move beyond the vacuum of artificial body language to a behavioral approach based on you
- Strengthen interpersonal relationships, be a more decisive leader and manage your nerves better
- Uncover the less obvious needs of others and improve your team’s confidence and competence
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
Hosted by AppOmni

Aaron Thomann
Chief IT Transformation Executive
GE Healthcare
Gartner research shows when employees feel connected to their organization’s culture, both performance and retention increase by nearly 40%. How are you working to maintain a thriving workplace culture?
Come ready to share and discuss:
- Understanding the culture you have
- Defining the change you want to see
- How culture is developing in your organization
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Unlocking Full Cloud Potential — IT Enhancements for Today’s Enterprise
Hosted by Island

Scott Montgomery
VP, Strategic Accounts
Island
While the vast majority of infrastructure has been upgraded and modernized to support the shift to the cloud, enterprise IT teams are still missing an equally seamless access method to deliver cloud-native apps and data to their end users. While traditional browsers have become the de-facto access point for the majority of business critical applications, they lack the deep visibility and hyper-granular policy controls enterprises need. This results in IT leaders surrounding their browsers with layers of tech to meet those needs.
Join this session to discover:
- Why traditional cloud security methods undermine your modernization efforts and end-user experience
- Embracing technological momentum to adapt to a "more-with-less" IT landscape
- How enterprise CIOs are using this solution to bolster cloud security
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Operational Excellence to Improve Customer Experience
Hosted by PagerDuty

Heath Newburn
Global Field CTO
PagerDuty

Greg Michelini
CIO
Athletico

David Todd
SVP & Chief Information & Security Officer
White Lodging
Meaningful enhancements in IT operations performance have often been achieved incrementally, demanding intensive attention over long time horizons. Does the rise of AI present an opportunity to make transformative leaps in customer experience or should CIOs wait to assess the results of early adopters?
Join this session to discuss:
- Differentiating between hype and practical value
- Communicating the ROI behind quick wins
- Choosing the right time to invest in AI
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 CIOs).
To reserve your seat, please contact: Katherine Williams at katherine.williams@evanta.com
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
The New Era of CyberSECurity

Kevin Boyd
Associate Vice President and CIO
University of Chicago

Nelson Imana
CIO
U.S. Renal Care
Technology leaders are facing an important task as they navigate the SEC’s recently adopted rules designed to improve the disclosure of cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance and incidents by public companies. How is your organization adapting to the shift?
Join your peers to discuss:
- Working with legal to develop your organization's standard of "materiality"
- Disclosing processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats
- Determining where in each executive's reporting structure responsibility ultimately lies
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 CIOs).
To reserve your seat, please contact: Katherine Williams at katherine.williams@evanta.com
10:25am - 11:05am Networking Break
10:25am - 11:05am Workshop
Office Hours with Chris Ulrich

Chris Ulrich
Body Language Expert
What does your body language say about you? What shifts might you make to change how others perceive you? Join this special one-on-one session exclusively for Governing Body members with body-language expert Chris Ulrich for candid feedback on your in-person and online body language. Sessions are 20 minutes and pre-registration is required.
In this unique, private session, you’ll receive:
- One-on-one consultation with a premier expert
- Live analysis of your unique body language cues
- Personalized executive presence improvements
To reserve your session or join the waitlist, please contact: Katherine Williams at katherine.williams@evanta.com
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 Breakout Session
10-Minute Wins — AI Use Cases
Hosted by Softtek

Paul Niser
CTO
Walton Street Capital

Kelly Coomer
Chief Information Officer
Sammons Financial Group

Nalini Polavarapu
Vice President - Enterprise Analytics and Data Science
Bayer Corporation
Why learn from one peer when you can learn from two? Grab a seat as your fellow community members each take the floor for 10 minutes to share how their organizations are implementing generative AI.
- Kelly Coomer shares how Sammons Financial Group is scaling its GenAI strategy through organization-wide collaboration and change management
- Nalini Polavarapu discusses how Bayer Corporation is using GenAI to drive value across the enterprise
11:05am - 11:50am Breakout Session
Connect the Dots Across the Customer Lifecycle
Hosted by Twilio

Jeff Burlin
Senior Director, Executive Engagement Programs
Twilio
Companies have been collecting data on their customers since the dawn of direct marketing, but in today’s digital era, gathering information is only the first step. Truly knowing your customer requires integrating data and insights from all your existing tools — including your CRM, marketing suite, ecommerce platform and contact center — to build an accurate and real-time picture of who they are and what they want. Only then can you consistently deliver the highly personalized interactions that customers expect and that create value for them and your organization.
Join this session to learn about:
- Generating actionable insights from an endless sea of customer data
- Unlocking value and enabling conversions from every conversation
- Building differentiated engagement without sacrificing consumer data privacy and transparency
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Turning Operational Complexity into Operational Simplicity
Hosted by Citrix

Caitlin Russell
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
Citrix Systems, Inc.

Rajeev Khanna
Global Chief Technology Officer
Aon Corporation US

Jean Luber
VP, Information Technology
MYR Group
Hybrid environments offer flexibility for employees, but today's complicated digital environment can lead to increased complexity and reduced efficiency for IT departments. What are innovative strategies for reducing complexity and how can CIOs articulate the value of these impactful initiatives in driving efficiencies and advancing business outcomes?
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Identifying and prioritizing inefficiencies to address across hybrid, cloud and on-prem deployments
- Defining clear, measurable goals and tracking business outcomes associated with optimization initiatives
- Preparing your IT environment to harness the power of new technologies without increasing future complexity
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 CIOs).
To reserve your seat, please contact: Katherine Williams at katherine.williams@evanta.com
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
CIO Impact on Digital Business Strategy
Hosted by ServiceNow

Brian Solis
Head of Global Innovation
ServiceNow

Fares Ghanimah
CIO | Head of Central Technology
William Blair & Company

Narayanan Krishnan
Vice President - Digital
Athletico
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, technology is the driving factor of business strategy and organizational success. But for CIOs to deliver digital, the technology must have a meaningful impact. Otherwise, the dollars are not worth spending.
In this session you'll discuss:
- Directly correlating technology needs with business objectives
- Gaining enterprise-wide agreement on AI and tech investment goals
- Driving successful technology adoption to maximize ROI
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 CIOs).
To reserve your seat, please contact: Katherine Williams at katherine.williams@evanta.com
11:50am - 12:35pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Chicago CIO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Convene at 233 South WackerFor parking and directions, please click here.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.