
Dallas CIO Community
Executive Summit
November 6, 2024 | Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel
November 6, 2024
Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Dallas'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:
Utilizing AI to improve business processes and outcomes
Strategic business alignment for value realization
Adapting to an ever-changing landscape of digital priorities
Dallas 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

Sumit Anand
At Home
Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Information Officer

Mike Anderson
Netskope
Chief Digital & Information Officer

Sandeep Dave
CBRE
Chief Digital and Technology Officer

Maria Lensing
Sorenson Communications
Global CIO & CTO

Neelu Sethi
Brinks
SVP, Global Chief Information Officer
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Words That Work — Executive Power Language

Val Wright
Global Leadership & Innovation Expert, Author
Guest Speaker
For CIOs, the stakes are extraordinary in every conversation. Revenue of millions or billions is in jeopardy during board meetings, investor calls, media interviews, customer interactions and employee conversations. The most successful executives realize this and prepare what to say and when to say it with precision. Val Wright shares new ways to approach common business conversations.
Join this keynote to learn:
- The power of the written word to demonstrate the value of technology
- How to cultivate a dynamic relationship with your board and get positioned for board roles
- Powerful retorts and feedback that overcome resistance every time and consistently delivers results
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Words That Work(shop) – Always Get a YES

Val Wright
Global Leadership & Innovation Expert, Author
Guest Speaker
As a technology leader, the stakes are extraordinary in every conversation – from board meetings to enterprise communications. Internationally acclaimed innovation expert, Val Wright, brings her expertise and toolkit to address unique leadership challenges.
Join this interactive workshop to explore:
- Team galvanization toward a common objective
- Practical exercises for cross-functional communication
- Powerful responses to navigate resistance and get the YES
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
These Boots Are Made for Walking Through Digital Transformation

Charles Vojtas
CTO
Cavender's
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, it is imperative for technology to be at the forefront of business functionality. Charles Vojtas shares his strategies for driving business value through technology at Cavender’s, and how the lessons learned are applicable to companies of all sizes and stages of maturity.
Join this session to 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
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
AI Data Readiness — A Blueprint for Success
Hosted by Google Cloud

David Porter
Head of Customer Value & Transformation Advisory
Google Cloud

Aamer Charania
Head of Applied Machine Learning
Best Buy

Cris Kibbee
CIO
MV Transportation, Inc.
Achieving AI data readiness is crucial for organizations aiming to leverage machine learning effectively. By prioritizing high-quality, well-structured data, companies can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of their AI systems. Implementing robust data management practices, including collection, preprocessing and validation, supports scalable and reliable AI applications, driving innovation and maintaining a competitive edge in the tech industry.
Join this session to discuss with your peers:
- Prioritizing high-quality, well-structured data to enhance AI system accuracy and efficiency
- Implementing robust data management practices
- Focusing on scalable and reliable AI applications to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge
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: Stacie Cagney at Stacie.Cagney@evanta.com
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Strengthening Business Continuity Through Rapid IT Recovery
Hosted by Dynatrace

Michael Hoernemann
Director, Solutions Engineering
Dynatrace

Chris Akeroyd
Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Children's Health

Kala Ramachandra
Head of Technology - Service and Strategy
US Foods
Recovering quickly from system disruptions is crucial for business resilience and the bottom line. Recent incidents have further highlighted the need for robust recovery strategies. CIOs can leverage best practices, advanced technologies and communication across the organization to maintain stability during crises.
Join this session to discuss:
- Implementing capabilities for immediate situational awareness
- Building resilient IT infrastructure to withstand future challenges
- Safeguarding operations through application reliability and early issue detection
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: Stacie Cagney at Stacie.Cagney@evanta.com
10:25am - 11:05am Networking Break
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
Would You Be Your Own Customer?
Hosted by Twilio

Vanessa Thompson
VP, Revenue and Growth Marketing
Twilio
As a consumer, you have certain expectations of trust in the businesses you shop at and the organizations you engage with. Building trusted relationships with customers requires a multi-faceted strategy that spans everything from data privacy management to delivering seamless personalized experiences that anticipate customer needs. We can all think of companies that meet this ideal of great customer engagement and…some that don’t. Now be honest – does your organization meet your own personal standards for trusted experiences?
Join this session to discuss:
- Unifying and activating customer data to earn, not erode, customer trust
- Crafting strong customer and stakeholder feedback loops
- Creating highly personalized experiences that anticipate customer needs
11:05am - 11:50am Breakout Session
Navigating the AI Frontier: A CIO's Guide to Ethical Innovation

Russ Pearlman
CIO, VP of IT
Creighton University
In this cutting-edge session, CIO and licensed hi-tech attorney Russ Pearlman unveils the roadmap for responsible AI adoption in the face of rapid technological advancement. As organizations race to harness AI's transformative power, CIOs find themselves at the helm of a digital revolution fraught with ethical dilemmas, legal minefields, and security challenges.
Pearlman will demystify the complex landscape of AI implementation, offering invaluable insights on:
- The risk terrain
- The evolving legal issues surrounding AI
- Strategies for implementing responsible AI practices
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Building a Neural Business — Data-Driven Strategy with AI
Hosted by Lenovo and Intel®

Diarra Jerome
Executive Director, Chief of Staff Office of the President
Lenovo

Sumit Anand
Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Information Officer
At Home

Vin Crispino
CIO
Upstream Rehabilitation
Today, data is power, but harnessing that power is rarely straightforward. As new AI innovations push businesses to find new ways to make data accessible, neural networks provide a model for how machine learning can optimize business processes and enhance strategic decision-making. Join this session to discuss:
- What it means to build a “neural” business
- How to identify, prioritize, and create connections between data sources
- What AI-optimized computing really looks like—in the datacenter and in employees’ hands
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: Stacie Cagney at Stacie.Cagney@evanta.com
11:05am - 11:50am Executive Boardroom
Change Management Leadership for IT Adoption
Hosted by Dialpad

Prashanti Aduma
Chief Information Officer
Dialpad

Sandeep Ahluwalia
Head of Technical Program Management, Data and Analytics
Citi Bank

Vince Doyle
Chief Information Officer
Medical City Healthcare
Technology is one challenge, people and culture are others. CIOs are tasked to provide the necessary tools, training, and process adjustments to optimally use GenAI throughout the enterprise. Yet, key change management strategies are needed to effectively implement GenAI projects.
Join this session to discuss:
- Evangelizing GenAI use case adoption and overcoming hesitation
- Ensuring trust and safety so users have confidence in AI outputs
- Securing resources and developing strategies to bring organizational adoption effectively
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: Stacie Cagney at Stacie.Cagney@evanta.com
11:50am - 12:35pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Dallas 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
Renaissance Dallas Richardson HotelParking:
Day Valet - $10
Overnight Valet - $20
Overnight Self Park - $15
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 800-264-0359. Please mention Evanta CIO Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $179 USD (plus tax) is October 14, 2024.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.