Phoenix CIO Community

Build your trusted circle of C-Level peers

Leadership can be isolating at the C-Level. No one else within your organization truly understands the complexities you face. Gartner C-Level Communities are designed to bridge that gap, bringing together executives who know firsthand the demands of your role.

In the Phoenix CIO Community, you will connect with peers who are willing to share their experiences, discuss practical solutions and collaborate on emerging challenges. By joining your local community, you will gain fresh ideas and perspectives, a trusted network of peers and the support you need to lead confidently in a rapidly changing environment.

Join your local community for exclusive access to:

Peer Connections

Catch up with familiar faces and build new relationships with colleagues in your community
Strengthen your trusted professional network with peers who understand your challenges
Establish a circle of peers you can call on for real-time guidance and ongoing support

Peer Perspectives

Engage in candid, in‑depth discussions to address your most pressing priorities
Learn firsthand, practical approaches from peers navigating similar challenges
Validate your strategies through real-world peer experiences

Gartner Insights

Gain data-driven insights and field-tested best practices from Gartner analysts
Explore forward-looking strategies on critical issues affecting your role
Leverage Gartner insights and Executive Partner expertise to enrich peer conversations

Phoenix CIO Governing Body

A regional Governing Body leads the Phoenix CIO community, shaping the topics and agendas for your local programs and ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Gary Desai

Discount Tire
CIO

Ed Dzadovsky

Circle K
EVP, CTO

Raghu Santanam Ph.D.

Arizona State University
Sr Associate Dean, Information Systems - W. P. Carey School of Business

J.R. Sloan

State of Arizona
State CIO

Governing Body Members

Andrew Barnauskas

Banner
Executive VP & Chief Information Officer

Maryann Byrdak

Leslie's Poolmart
CIO

Greg Fancher

PetSmart
EVP & Chief Technology Officer

Gabe Gabaldon

W L Gore & Associates Inc
CIO, Gore Medical

Theo Gibson

TPI Composites
CIO

Steen Hambric

City of Phoenix, AZ
CIO

Bianca Lochner

City of Scottsdale, AZ
CIO

Elizabeth Neeley

Arizona Department of Education
CIO

Chris Nielsen

Troon Golf
CIO

Dan Saltich

Shamrock Foods
CIO

Jamie Smith

University of Phoenix
CIO

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today.

Lead Strategic Technology Alignment to Establish an AI Operating Model
Manage Costs Strategically to Maximize Business Value
Elevate Cybersecurity as a Core Driver of Business Value, Resilience and Growth

Upcoming Programs

In-Person

November 4, 2026 | 1 day

Phoenix CIO Community Executive Summit

Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel

Connect with CIO peers at this one-day event focused on practical solutions to top challenges.

Learn More

In-Person

March 2027 | an evening

Phoenix CIO Community Inner Circle

Join fellow CIOs for dinner, discussion, and networking in a relaxed, collaborative environment.

Learn More

In-Person

June 2027 | an evening

Phoenix CIO Community Inner Circle

Join fellow CIOs for dinner, discussion, and networking in a relaxed, collaborative environment.

Learn More

In-Person

November 3, 2027 | 1 day

Phoenix CIO Community Executive Summit

Renaissance Phoenix Downtown

Connect with CIO peers at this one-day event focused on practical solutions to top challenges.

Learn More

Past Programs

Apply to join

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Each application is carefully vetted to ensure members meet established criteria, preserving the quality of the network and enabling meaningful, peer‑level discussions among leaders from the world’s leading organizations.

Once you submit your application, a Community Program Manager will schedule a conversation to understand your priorities and interests and complete onboarding, including access to year‑round community events.

Get Started

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Community Member Criteria

To maintain the highest standard of peer‑level connections and discussions, members must meet the following criteria:

• Enterprise-wide C-Level or

• Business unit or regional C-Level responsible for:

- Private sector: $500M+ in revenue

- Public sector: 1,000+ employees

I report to the…

Organization Revenue *

My contact information is….

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Step

"The greatest value of Gartner C-Level Communities is the ability to learn from peers who are facing similar challenges. The community provides a trusted environment to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and accelerate learning through real-world experiences."

Mark Booth, SVP & CIO
Perdue Farms

"The greatest value of being part of Gartner C-Level Communities is gaining access to perspectives you wouldn't encounter within your own four walls. Learning from others’ successes and failures helps avoid reinventing the wheel and accelerates better outcomes."

Lea Cornelius, CIO
Compass Group Australia

“The value comes down to having a trusted group of peers you can sense‑check decisions with and learn from. It gives you access to other senior leaders dealing with very similar challenges.”

Barry Nee, CIO
Practice Plus Group

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Content from your CIO peers

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Trends Report: C-Level Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

This report highlights five major trends driving enterprise AI adoption, drawing on insights from 750 C-Level executives in our recent community survey. These findings reveal an executive community that is increasingly focused on execution, scalability, and sustainable business impact – Read the report.

Read Article

Leadership Profile | August 21, 2026

Escape Velocity: Arvind Nithrakashyap on Leading Through AI’s Fastest Era

Arvind Nithrakashyap, Co-founder and CTO of Rubrik, describes the current moment in technology and AI as unlike anything he has seen in his 30 years in technology. Here, he shares more about how AI is reshaping cybersecurity and a preview of his session on risk and resilience at the upcoming Global CIO Community Executive Summit.

Read Article

Survey Report | August 20, 2026

Trends Report: CIO Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

This report highlights five major trends driving enterprise AI adoption, drawing on insights from 750 C-Level executives in our recent community survey. It features an in-depth analysis for CIOs, examining how technology leaders are addressing the opportunities and challenges of AI transformation. Explore the full report for actionable insights.

Read Article

View All CIO Content

Your Community Sponsors

Global Thought Leader

CIO Thought Leader

Phoenix CIO Community

Build your trusted circle of C-Level peers

Phoenix CIO Governing Body

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Gary Desai

Ed Dzadovsky

Raghu Santanam Ph.D.

J.R. Sloan

Governing Body Members

Andrew Barnauskas

Maryann Byrdak

Greg Fancher

Gabe Gabaldon

Theo Gibson

Steen Hambric

Bianca Lochner

Elizabeth Neeley

Chris Nielsen

Dan Saltich

Jamie Smith

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today.

Lead Strategic Technology Alignment to Establish an AI Operating Model

Manage Costs Strategically to Maximize Business Value

Elevate Cybersecurity as a Core Driver of Business Value, Resilience and Growth

Upcoming Programs

November 4, 2026 | 1 day

Phoenix CIO Community Executive Summit

Learn More

March 2027 | an evening

Phoenix CIO Community Inner Circle

Learn More

June 2027 | an evening

Phoenix CIO Community Inner Circle

Learn More

November 3, 2027 | 1 day

Phoenix CIO Community Executive Summit

Learn More

Apply to join

Get Started

Community Member Criteria

My contact information is….

Form contains errors, please review the above

Thank you for your interest in the Gartner Community.

"The greatest value of Gartner C-Level Communities is the ability to learn from peers who are facing similar challenges. The community provides a trusted environment to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and accelerate learning through real-world experiences."

Mark Booth, SVP & CIO Perdue Farms

"The greatest value of being part of Gartner C-Level Communities is gaining access to perspectives you wouldn't encounter within your own four walls. Learning from others’ successes and failures helps avoid reinventing the wheel and accelerates better outcomes."

Lea Cornelius, CIO Compass Group Australia

“The value comes down to having a trusted group of peers you can sense‑check decisions with and learn from. It gives you access to other senior leaders dealing with very similar challenges.”

Barry Nee, CIO Practice Plus Group

Content from your CIO peers

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Trends Report: C-Level Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

Leadership Profile | August 21, 2026

Leadership Profile | August 21, 2026

Escape Velocity: Arvind Nithrakashyap on Leading Through AI’s Fastest Era

Survey Report | August 20, 2026

Survey Report | August 20, 2026

Trends Report: CIO Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

Your Community Sponsors

Mark Booth, SVP & CIO
Perdue Farms

Lea Cornelius, CIO
Compass Group Australia

Barry Nee, CIO
Practice Plus Group