Leadership & Collaboration

Speakers: 

Dan Wilkins, Chief Information Security Officer, Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) & PSN Advisory Board Member 

Colleen McManus,  HR Programs Manager, State of Arizona & PSN Advisory Board Member Adele Cook, Chief Learning Officer, Arizona Department of Economic Security 

Richard McHattie, Chief Information Officer, Maricopa County, AZ 

Vishal Hanjan, Industry Lead - U.S. State and Local Government, Appian (Moderator)

This session explores how Arizona’s public sector leaders drive innovation through collaboration at the Government Innovation Showcase in Arizona, offering key insights also for vendors seeking meaningful partnerships. Here are the critical takeaways:

1. Solve Real Problems

   • Agencies prioritize vendors who listen first and tailor solutions to their unique challenges (e.g., DES’s CISO emphasized visiting field offices to understand pain points).

   • Action: Propose pilots that address specific agency goals (e.g., legacy system upgrades, citizen experience improvements).

2. Become a Trusted Partner within internal and external agencies

   • Leaders reject transactional "vendor" relationships. Instead, they seek collaborators who share risks and offer flexible options (e.g., Maricopa County’s CIO highlighted "immunity cards" for innovation risks).

   • Action: Frame proposals around outcomes, not products, and highlight compliance/scalability.

3. Align with Arizona’s Priorities

   • Top needs: IT modernization (cloud migration), cybersecurity (zero-trust), and AI ethics (see ASET Strategic Plan).

   • Action: Map your solution to these priorities and cite state case studies.