IN-PERSON

Southern California CIO Executive Summit

December 4, 2024 | Marriott Long Beach Downtown

December 4, 2024
Marriott Long Beach Downtown

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Southern California'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 develop business-enabling tools and processes that drive value

Leveraging data & analytics to advance the business

Expanding digital business with advanced and emerging technologies

Southern California 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

Suzie Bonner

Reliance, Inc.
SVP & CIO

Allen Fazio

Houlihan Lokey
Chief Information Officer

Chad Hamilton

Fremantle
VP, Technology

Kelly Hamilton

Sony Pictures Entertainment
CIO

Greg Moore

KB Home
VP & CIO

Anthony Moses

Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation
Global Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer

Thomas Phelps

Laserfiche
Executive Chair and Laserfiche CIO

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CIO 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 Southern California CIO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, 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.

Agenda


December 4, 2024

7:45am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Keynote

You Speak, They Swarm — The Power of Story in Reaching Your Audience

Arthur Zards headshot

Arthur Zards

Thought Leader, TED/TEDx Speaker, Coach & Producer

Guest Speaker

"Those who tell the stories rule society." (Plato) Busy executives don’t have time to learn complex communication models or esoteric storytelling processes — you need a simple, effective framework that can help you not only connect with any audience, but also elicit real change. Enter the SWARM Effect.

Join this session with Arthur Zards — an expert on storytelling, TEDster and provocateur — to:

  • Hone your skills in executive influence
  • Adopt a more authentic and engaging approach to speaking
  • Take your next presentation from “understandable” to “compelling”

9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

Navigating AI Implementation for Strategic Business Outcomes

David Stafford headshot

David Stafford

VP, Customer Experience & Success

Dropbox

As CIOs increasingly invest in AI, understanding how to leverage the technology for business growth while also mitigating risk is top of mind. In this interactive session we’ll explore key strategies and lessons learned from Dropbox’s own journey in building enterprise AI capabilities, offering insights for CIOs on how to adopt AI effectively.

Join your peers to discuss:

  • Identifying useful applications for AI that align with organizational needs
  • AI adoption strategies that balance immediate and long-term goals
  • Proactive measures to ensure effective data access governance and protect sensitive information

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Communicating the Value of IT

Jon Silvertooth headshot

Jon Silvertooth

Vice President, Information Technology (CIO)

California Pizza Kitchen

Michael Wang headshot

Michael Wang

Chief Information & Digital Officer

Epson America

Information Technology has the potential to move from a back-office department to a crucial business driver. In order to do so, technology leaders must be able to tell a compelling story that highlights their team’s value to the rest of the organization.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Using data to tell IT’s story
  • Elevating IT to every aspect of the business
  • Evolving from sustainers to transformers

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

Upskilling for an AI-Integrated World

Ed Clark headshot

Ed Clark

CIO

California State University

David Whitaker headshot

David Whitaker

VP & CIO

General Atomics

According to Gartner, by 2026, AI will augment 50% of office workers in global enterprises. When IT talent demand outweighs supply, CIOs must face skills gaps head on and create a future-proof talent strategy.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Preparing your workforce for AI implementation
  • Identifying employee skills to build upon
  • Prioritizing talent planning for long term success

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 Lauren.Hursley@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

Peer Perspectives — Would You Be Your Own Customer?

Louis Zhan headshot

Louis Zhan

Senior Vice President, Enterprise Solutions & Services

Beachbody

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 interactive 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  Executive Boardroom

Propelling Innovation and Efficiency Through AI

Mark Hagan headshot

Mark Hagan

Chief Information and Digital Officer

AMN Healthcare Services

Rachel Yegiaian headshot

Rachel Yegiaian

CIO, Spectrolab, IT Business Success Leader, Boeing Exploration Systems

The Boeing Co

AI adoption is increasingly used to remain competitive, release innovative products and services, better meet customer expectations, and drive growth. But how do CIOs tackle this effectively?

Join this discussion to explore: 

  • Using data and AI to drive a culture of innovation and increase efficiency
  • Implementing generative AI for real business impact
  • Balancing data and AI governance with existing IT and security regulations

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Leading With Empathy — Putting People First

Ralph Esquibel headshot

Ralph Esquibel

SVP of IT (CIO)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Subba Kethu headshot

Subba Kethu

Director, Digital Technology (CIO)

Kia America

In this highly competitive labor market, it’s critical for IT leaders to take a human-first approach to leadership. They must be authentic, empathetic and adaptive to support employees, especially in remote or hybrid environments. How can CIOs support their people leaders in this approach?

Join this session to discuss:

  • Assessing the soft skills of your leaders
  • Creating moments to foster inclusion and boost culture
  • Identifying your current level of transparency and room for growth

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

11:50am - 12:35pm  Lunch Service

12:35pm - 1:10pm  Keynote

Optimizing for Agility — Network and Security Convergence

Steve Riley headshot

Steve Riley

VP & Field CTO

Netskope

Integrating a complex ecosystem across all security areas can optimize defenses without simplifying adversaries’ challenges. This approach balances robust security with efficiency, crucial for navigating generative AI and tech advancements. Achieving this requires strategic selection and consolidation of platforms to enhance agility, reduce risk, and maintain cost-effectiveness.

In this session, you’ll learn:

  • The composition of an effective security architecture
  • Value you can derive from a converged networking and security platform
  • Common consolidation mistakes people make and how to avoid them

1:10pm - 1:35pm  Break

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Breakout Session

IT Resilience — Maintaining Control Through Disruption

Chris Green headshot

Chris Green

SVP & CIO

Zenith National Insurance

Now more than ever, organizations globally are looking at cyber attacks and business disruptions through a new lens of severity. With the stakes high, CIOs are evaluating how to create a resilient IT strategy in alignment with the broader organization.

Join this interactive session to discuss with your peers:

  • How to respond and adapt quickly to disruptions or unplanned changes
  • Diversification of tooling to reduce risk
  • Tactics for a cyber-resilient future

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Enhancing the Digital Business with Cloud ERP

Franklin Foos headshot

Franklin Foos

VP, Information Technology for North America

Hain Celestial Group

Memo Inal headshot

Memo Inal

Senior Vice President - Director of Information Technology

East West Bank

Starting down the path of an ERP cloud migration can be both exciting and daunting. This change initiative is no longer an IT project, but rather a means to a fully digital enterprise. Join this boardroom as CIOs discuss the journey of moving from an on-prem ERP to a cloud-based ERP.

In this session, CIOs will discuss:

  • Setting and communicating a vision for cloud-based ERP journey
  • Creating a strategy and execution plan for seamless integration and adoption
  • Maximizing business value with data availability and a robust application architecture

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

The Costs of Complexity — How CIOs Can Cut Both

Matthew Gunkel headshot

Matthew Gunkel

CIO

The University of California, Riverside

Anand Radhakrishnan headshot

Anand Radhakrishnan

Chief Information Officer

KIND

In today's challenging digital landscape, reducing operational complexity is a powerful force of cost optimization and efficiencies that ultimately drive business outcomes. IT is continually asked to do more with less, avoid negative impacts to user experience, and maximize existing investments.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Optimizing cloud costs and mitigating the effects of tool sprawl
  • Defining clear, measurable optimization goals and tracking business outcomes
  • Ensuring automated workloads run smoothly and cost-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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

2:20pm - 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 Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Analyst Breakout Session

Taking the Next Step in Evolving Your Operating Model

Steve Griffin headshot

Steve Griffin

Vice President & Executive Partner

Gartner

The IT operating model comprises a number of key facets that need to evolve together as you mature I&T to support digital transformation. 

This workshop will enable you to:

  • Assess your current enterprises’ I&T operating model maturity
  • Apply tactics tailored to design, implement and evolve your I&T operating model components to the next level
  • Transform projects to products and beyond

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Navigating Data Trust to Success

Cathy Bindewald headshot

Cathy Bindewald

Chief Information Officer, Marshall School of Business

University of Southern California

Mary Joseph headshot

Mary Joseph

Divisional CIO

Harman International Industries

IT leaders face the critical task of ensuring data's trust and reliability —essential for informed decision making and strategic advantage. Aligning data strategies with business objectives ensures compliance but also positions data as a pivotal force for competitive differentiation.
Join your peers to discuss:

  • Establishing robust governance for data trust-building
  • Adopting technology to ensure data quality
  • Fostering organizational culture for data literacy

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

AI's Role in Threat Detection

Monica Kedzierski headshot

Monica Kedzierski

Vice President, Global Data, Analytics & AI

Herbalife

Dan McClintock headshot

Dan McClintock

CIO

The Meruelo Group

Tracking risk among digital assets to ensure high-level resiliency is top of mind for technology leaders. As remote work and use of mobile devices and cloud services continues to increase, this makes self-learning artificial intelligence an even handier threat detection tool. 

Join this session to discuss:

  • Ways to improve competency in tools and processes
  • How to leverage self-learning AI to identify advanced threats
  • Strategies to increase security operation efficiency and innovation

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 Lauren.Hursley@evanta.com

3:45pm - 4:10pm  Break

4:10pm - 4:45pm  Keynote

Revolutionizing Data Management

Usman Quddoos headshot

Usman Quddoos

VP Data & Chief Data Officer

DIRECTV

As IT leaders seek to advance their data management strategy, challenges with siloed data, data quality, security and cost continue to create barriers. As Chief Data Officer at DIRECTV, Usman Quddoos has successfully transformed their data strategy by implementing a data mesh framework to enable the business to thrive.

Join this session to learn about:

  • Creating a solid data foundation with quality at the forefront
  • Driving business outcomes through self-service
  • Delivering and defining value beyond reporting analytics

4:45pm - 5:00pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

5:00pm - 6:30pm  Governing Body Reception

Governing Body Reception

Governing Body members host this reception for executives to close out the event with an evening of peer networking, food and drinks.

December 4, 2024

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


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

Location


Venue & Accommodation

Marriott Long Beach Downtown
MORE INFORMATION

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Marriott Long Beach Downtown at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 1 888 236 2427. Please mention Evanta Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.

Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $249 USD (plus tax) is November 11, 2024.

Your Community Partners


CIO Thought Leaders
Program Partners

Community Program Manager


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

Lauren Hursley

Senior Community Program Manager

503-575-8524

lauren.hursley@evanta.com