Sharkbytes.net

Season 6: Episode 5: AI, Organizational Leadership, and the Water Sector: The Power, Peril, and Potential of AI for Emerging LeadersA conversation with Alan Shark and Google’s NotebookLM.Why AI matters now in the water sector. In an Emerging Leaders Workshop held a few days ago in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA), Dr. Alan R. Shark led a session, “AI, Organizational Leadership, and the Water Sector: The Power, Peril, and Potential of AI for Emerging Leaders. He spoke about why AI matters now in the water sector and the implications for many other sectors as well.

Season 6: Episode 4: Overcoming AI Paralysis and the Dangers of Shadow AIA conversation with Alan Shark and Google’s NotebookLM.In a recent interview with AI Data Press, Dr. Shark discusses the growing tension between institutional caution and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. He argues that public sector leaders are suffering from governance paralysis, remaining stagnant while waiting for flawless regulations. This hesitation leads to the rise of "shadow AI," where employees use unapproved tools independently, inadvertently creating security and privacy risks. To combat this, Shark suggests that organizations must prioritize AI literacy and engage in measured experimentation rather than avoid AI altogether. Listening to the virtual “guests” is illuminating.

Season 6: Episode 3: An Innovator in Practice – from AI accountability to improving citizen communications. A conversation with Mike Dawisha, CIO of Genesee County (MI), with Co-host Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer, CITIBOT. Mike Dawisha is a seasoned IT professional leader who is action-oriented and an innovator in practice. He inspires his staff to be innovators themselves and is someone with a shared vision that is what is most needed now in Genesee County. In this episode, we explore many of the issues he faces and his biggest concern about AI and accountability.

Season 6: Episode 2: : Leading Change: How Chief Digital & Innovation Officers Are Reshaping Public Service  A conversation with Crosby Burns, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, County of Marin (CA), with Co-host Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer, CITIBOT. A relatively new position, Crosby shares how he is navigating the path forward, making Marin County a model of excellence through it digital services. For over a decade, before coming to Marin County, Crosby has straddled both the public and private sectors, building on his impressive experience viewing the world through the lens of customer experience. You will find Crosby both inspiring and visionary. 

Season 6: Episode 1: AI and the Student Paradox, AI Agent, NotebookLM Explains  A conversation with Alan Shark and Google’s NotebookLM We begin Season Six with a demonstration of the powerful and inventive AI Agent, NotebookLM. The “student paradox” can be explained as follows: While private and public employers increasingly demand candidates with strong proficiency in AI, higher education institutions often view these same skills as academic dishonesty. NotebookLM was designed as an experimental AI-powered research and note-taking too. Listen, as you will be simply amazed by what it can do! It is a podcast within a podcast. 

Season 5: Episode 17: Predictions for 2026 and AIA conversation with Alan Shark and cohost Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer at CITIBOTIn this concluding episode of Season 5, Alan shares his predictions for 2026, primarily about AI, and Mary Frances discusses changes she has witnessed firsthand in the adoption of AI in state and local government. Together, they discuss what we might expect in 2026.

Season 5: Episode 16: Pharr Out Tech Leadership with Passion and VisionA conversation with Jose Peña, Innovation & Technology Director, City of Pharr, TXIn this episode, we feature Jose Peña, Innovation & Technology Director for the City of Pharr, Texas, cohosted by Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer at CITIBOT. Joe has done some fantastic things at the City of Pharr, which is nothing less than inspiring. He is a true leader and indeed not your typical city CIO!

Season 5: Episode 15: A Thoughtful Approach to Tech Leadership A conversation with Jeff Scheetz, CGCIO, CISM, Chief Information Officer, City of Avondale, Arizona In this episode, we feature Mary Frances Coryell from CITIBOT as our co-host. Jeff Scheetz is a well-known and highly regarded tech leader who has served as the CIO of Avondale for over eight years. Join us as we learn how Jeff has led his city into digital transformation, including the adoption of AI. 

Season 5: Episode 14: A Thoughtful Approach to Tech Leadership A conversation with Joe Rivera, Director, Information Services & Telecommunication Administration, City of Laredo, Texas Having started in the private sector, Joe has demonstrated a steady progression in tech leadership and, more importantly, a track record of success. Join us as we discuss local tech and the numerous challenges that confront today’s tech leaders. In this episode, we feature Mary Frances Coryell from CITIBOT as our co-host. 

Season 5: Episode 13: Three Buckets of Concern – The Perils of Federal Data Curation A conversation with Denice Ross, Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists and former U.S. Chief Data Scientist.  Denice was invited to be a guest lecturer on the current state of data risks in an increasingly polarized environment for Alan’s recent MPA class. She was so well-received and did an excellent job of spelling out what appears to be the current state of data (and research) at the federal level, which is being presented here. Join us for a fascinating discussion. 

Season 5: Episode 12: Policy, AI, and Cybersecurity - InseparableA conversation with Erica Shoemate, consultant, motivational speaker, and head of the EN Strategy Group.  Erica is a Tech Policy Leader with extensive knowledge in cutting-edge technologies like Generative AI and AdTech. Today, she is a consultant, motivational speaker, and more, and heads the EN Strategy Group. Erica has helped organizations dismantle ineffective policies and build people-centered solutions in tech, leadership, and equity. Erica previously served as a National Security Leader and Analyst at the FBI and across the U.S. Intelligence Community. In 2017, as detailed in her 2021 best-selling contributing author anthology, Special Delivery: From Pregnancy to Toddlerhood (A Little Perspective), Erica utilized her strategic analysis expertise to save her own baby’s life. Currently, Erica is dedicated to transforming policy landscapes across multiple industries. Her National Security experience is deeply woven into all of her work as a policy consultant, maternal health strategist, and advocate.

Season 5: Episode 11: State and Local Cybersecurity and Digital Risk: Strategies for Success in the Current Policy EnvironmentA Special rebroadcast from the National Academy of Public Administration, webcast featuring Bobbie Stempfley, Jeff Greene, and Traci Doaks First aired on September 3 as a NAPA event, we present the audio portion here, given its timeliness and importance. As state and local governments face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and rising digital risk, navigating the current policy and resource environment demands coordinated strategy, strong public-private partnerships, and adaptable governance models. Join Academy Fellow and moderator Alan Shark as the panel examines how evolving federal guidance, grant programs, and threat intelligence will impact the focus on state and local preparedness, and how practical, scalable digital risk managementwill be affected—and offer concrete recommendations for public administrators to act decisively in this critical arena of national resilience.Panelists:·      Tracy Doaks, President and CEO of MCNC, former North Carolina CIO·      Jeff Greene is a Distinguished Fellow at the Aspen Institute, formerly with CISA, NSC, and NIST. ·      Bobbie Stempfley serves as Vice President & Business Unit Security Officer at Dell Technologies.

Season 5: Episode 10: Looking Back to Moving Forward – A Vision for Future Public Sector Tech LeadershipA conversation with Darry Polk, Director of Education, Public Technology Institute After 36 years of public service, Darryl has assumed a new and highly influential role as Director of Education for the Public Technology Institute. Darryl began his career as a 911 police dispatcher. Having worked for the police department for some 20 years, he saw an opening for the CIO position. He thought he’d never get the position – and has never looked back. Most recently, he was the CTO for Riverside County. 

Season 5: Episode 9: The Intersection of Cybersecurity and AIA conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Di Bene, Chief Information Security Officer, Loudoun County, VA.Elizabeth has demonstrated a deep understanding of cybersecurity, network security, and information security, honed over the 20 years at CACI International Inc., the U.S. Department of Justice, and the United States Marine Corps. Today, she serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S., Loudoun County. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in cybersecurity. As if this were not enough, she graduated from PTI’s Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO)program with Rutgers University. She was recruited to be an adjunct faculty member for the CGCIO program. She earned a Doctor's degree at Capella University,

Season 5 Episode 8: GovRamp Five Years Later – Its Mission Has Never Been More CriticalA conversation with Leah McGrath, Executive Director of GovRamp.Leah McGrath, recipient of the 2025 Federal 100 Award from GovExec, has served as the executive director of GovRamp (formerly StateRamp) for just over five years, and she last appeared on Sharkbytes.Net in early 2021. Much has changed since then, as the demand for cybersecurity and now AI cloud-based systems demands greater scrutiny and understanding, especially when it comes to making purchasing decisions. The discussion will highlight the significance of the name change and how AI is introducing a new layer of complexity. Lastly, it will cover the impact of the federal government’s extensive changes to its FedRamp program and what these mean for all levels of government.

Season 5: Episode 7: Special Edition: Ensuring the Future of Federal Data A Special rebroadcast from the National Academy of Public Administration, webcast featuring Joel Gurin, Denice Ross, Dr. Steven Pierson, and Meeta Anand.The federal government's massive data collections, a critical national resource, are under attack from the Trump administration. Federal agencies have already removed thousands of web pages and datasets following the president’s directives on DEI, climate change, and “gender ideology,” and other data collections may be altered to align with political agendas.While dozens of organizations have successfully downloaded, archived, and made available deleted data, the nation's future data is at risk. The Trump administration, as well as future administrations, may discontinue, modify, or alter many critical data collections in ways that could significantly hinder research, knowledge, and social progress. This panel discussed the risks to federal data and explored various ways to address these risks, including advocacy, litigation, legislation, monitoring, and the development of new data sources.Moderator: Joel Gurin, President & Founder, Center for Open Data Enterprise (CODE)Panelist: Denice Ross, former US Chief Data ScientistPanelist: Dr. Steven Pierson, Director of Science Policy, American Statistical AssociationPanelist: Meeta Anand, Senior Director, Census and Data Equity, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights For more information: https://www.opendataenterprise.org/

Season 5: Episode 6: The Marriage of AI and Cybersecurity – Opportunities and Challenges AboundA conversation with Micki Boland, Lead Technologist, Check Point Software Technologies, Office of the CTO. Starting with a military career that solidified her interest in information technology, Micki Boland is a self-proclaimed global cybersecurity warrior. She is a security architect with Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. She has over 20 years of experience in ICT and security system engineering, design, and architecture with the United States Army, Sprint, Nortel Networks, and Avaya. Micki focuses on helping enterprise customers, SIs, MSPs, and Telcos reduce risk by architecting security, visibility, and resiliency into the software-defined data center and cloud environments. Micki is a CISSP and holds a Master of Science in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA with a global security focus from Eastern Carolina University. 

Season 5: Episode 5: Training AI Models with Neurodivergent Human TalentA conversation with Peter Kant, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Enabled Intelligence. Having served as an executive at one of the leading tech innovation institutes, SRI International, Pete identified a gap in how AI models were being trained – and thus an opportunity. Without high-quality data inputs, AI models, including LLMs, will underperform or worse. That’s why Enabled Intelligence’s focus has been on ensuring the data used to train and fine-tune AI models is expertly and precisely annotated. What makes their approach unique is the active recruitment of neurodiverse talents that are often overlooked. After all, data analysis and labeling require detail orientation, hyperfocus, puzzle-solving, and diverse ways of thinking. They have built a highly talented and motivated team that focuses on individuals who are neurodivergent, unlocking unique superpower skills and abilities to reduce AI bias, enhance model performance, and create highly reliable solutions.  

Season 5: Episode 4: AI’s Impact on Organizational Boundaries and People Through a Qualitative LensA conversation with Dr. Sarah Wittman, Assistant Professor of Management at George Mason University’s Costello College of Business.Artificial intelligence impacts all facets of modern life, particularly knowledge acquisition and assimilation, organizational behavior, and the growing relationship between humans and machines. This mind-opening discussion touches all the bases and more.Dr. Whitman holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior, a Master’s degree in Communication and Politics from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. Her research explores people’s transitions within, across, and beyond organizational boundaries, their organizational impacts, and the social, technological, and learning support systems that can help make these transitions more personally and organizationally successful. Her work has been published in the Oxford Handbook of Leadership and Organizations, Academy of Management Review, and Academy of Management Annals. Her practitioner-oriented work has been featured in Business Insider and business.com. 

Season 5: Episode 3: The Story of the Red Hen, Building a Culture of InnovationA conversation with Scott Conn CGCIO, CIO of the City of MesaThere is a reason why the City of Mesa has won 7 technology-related awards in just one year and is rated number 5 in the nation as a Digital City. Indeed, Scott Conn has something to crow about! He is an exceptional leader, motivator, and innovator. He has been a highly successful tech leader in both the private as well as public sectors and may have found his ideal position at Mesa. This episode will dive into how he has managed his organization with remarkable results. You may be surprised to learn some of his techniques.

2025 Tech Forecast for State and Local IT: All Aboard the AI Train and More Tech AdventuresA special webinar-turned-podcast features the executive directors of NASCIO and PTI. Now in its fourth year, Doug Robinson and Alan Shark once again share their views based on their organization’s research. To view this as a webinar see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fURO8VSP-c

Season 5: Episode 1: GovTech Vision 2025: Innovating the Future of Public Sector Technology A special webinar-turned podcast, hosted by CitiBot. This episode explores the pivotal trends shaping urban environments through AI and other digital advancements. ·      Bratton Riley, CITIBOT CEO and co-founder·      Mark Wheeler, Former Philadelphia CIO and GIO·      Ron Holifield, Co-Founder, Civic Marketplace·      Alan Shark, Executive Director, PTI

Season 4: Episode 33: The City & County 2025 Tech OutlookAs with previous years, Dr. Alan Shark shares his views about what to look for in 2025. This podcast’s content is based on a commentary he wrote for State Tech Magazine, see: https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2024/12/12-trends-watch-2025-city-and-county-outlook

This episode borrows from an informative webinar where PTI held a Part 2 as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Jamil Niazi, Director Of Information Technology, City of Stockton CA; Elizabeth Di Bene, CISO, Loudoun County VA; William Mann, CGCIO™, CISO, Borough of West Chester PA. Moderated by Dr. Alan Shark.

This episode borrows from an informative webinar where PTI kicks off Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Panelists include:Nikki Milburn, CISO, Franklin County, OhioRyon Saenz, Deputy Director, Information Technology Services, Alexandria, VirginiaSamantha Sendrowski, Director of IT Administration, City of Worcester, Massachusetts

A Conversation with Brooke Smith, NIGP-CPP, MIS, MMC, UCC, City Recorder, Murray City CorporationRecently, Brooke has embraced AI technology to update City Policy, prepare new RFPs and bids, and streamline operations. She is dedicated to training other procurement and government employees on the ethical and responsible use of AI. Brooke's mission is to equip government professionals with AI and Cooperative procurement knowledge to reduce tedious tasks, enhance efficiency, and improve public sector effectiveness through innovation and education.With over a decade of experience in public administration and policy, Brooke Smith oversees Purchasing, Passports, and Records Management functions for Murray City, Utah. She serves on the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Finance Council, volunteers with RadioNIGP, and was the 2022 President of the Utah Chapter of NIGP.

A conversation with Mark Hampton, Ph.D., Executive Education Advisor, Amazon Web Services  As an Executive Education Advisor, Mark works with higher education executives and line-of-business leaders to understand how cloud technologies can enable digital transformation efforts, particularly around the effective use of data and analytics. Prior to joining AWS, Mark served for 30 years as an administrator at six different institutions of higher education, ranging from a small private liberal arts college to several large research universities with academic medical centers, holding faculty rank at three such institutions. Throughout his career in higher education, Mark has held Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) roles, as well as institution-level leadership roles in analytics, and has played key leadership roles in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations, cloud migrations, managed-services provisioning of IT services, and the adoption of analytics-based decision-support and resource-allocation systems.

A conversation with James Farrell, CIO, Village of Bolingbrook, IL, with co-host Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer, Citibot. James Farrell has lived and worked in Bolingbrook for nearly 20 years and has been instrumental in modernizing digital services for the village. Serving as CIO for five years, he now sees things differently. Conversely, his peers and citizens view him in a new way—recognizing the confluence of personal power coupled with position power. James is a people person who happens to enjoy fixing things and serves as an inspiration for all. 

Season 4: Episode 27: A Sure Bet, Reducing 200 IT Projects into Three SlotsA conversation with Bob Leek, CIO of Clark County NV, with co-host Mary Frances Coryell, Chief Revenue Officer, for CITIBOT.(This Sharkbytes.Net episode is co-hosted with Mary Frances, Chief Revenue Officer , CITIBOT)Bob Leek is the CIO of Clark County, Nevada. He started out as the deputy CIO in 2021 and soon became the CIO when the former CIO retired. Leek leads a team of some 200 workers, with a mission to drive innovation to efficiently deliver cost-effective, robust solutions that provide faster and better ways for employees to do their jobs and for residents of Clark County to access services. By some measures, Clark County ranks amongst the top ten counties in the US.Leek has an extensive background in managing large capital projects, developing strategic plans, and implementing systems. He has more than 30 years of experience in information technology in both the private and public sectors, including time with Multnomah County, Ore., Kaiser Permanente, and the now-defunct Egghead.com.

A conversation with Robert Newell, PhDCS, CGCIO is the CIO, City of Ardmore, OK With hurricane and tornado seasons increasing in duration and intensity, Robert Newell shares his story of a recent set of tornados that hit his city. How he responded to some unprecedented incidents is remarkable and a story we can all learn from. New to the mitigation strategies was the use of artificial intelligence. This is also a true story of leadership and the need for succession strategies. Robert is a graduate of PTI's CGCIO program and holds a PhD in Computer Sciences.

Season 4: Episode 25: AI and Chatbots – Beyond Scripted ResponseA conversation with Bratton Riley, co-founder and CEO of CITIBOTBratton first appeared on Sharkbytes.Net in September 2020, when machine learning ruled the industry. Today, with AI on the rise, CITIBOT is now an industry leader. Learn how much has changed since then and how AI is playing a safe and meaningful role. As the son of longtime Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, Bratton was brought up in a family committed to public service. To this day Bratton continues in the family tradition as a civic and business development leader who maintains a passion for the betterment of our communities. Bratton brings a unique perspective to understanding issues facing local governments and the advantages and barriers to citizen communication.

A conversation with Dr. Alan Shark, author of Artificial Intelligence-A Primer for State and Local Government: Everything You Need to Know Since Yesterday.”In this episode, we go behind the scenes of DR. Alan Shark’s new book, “Artificial Intelligence – A Primer for State and Local Government: Everything You Need to Know Since Yesterday. You will discover the significance of the Octopus on the cover. Unlike traditional books, this book relies on AI technology for the cover, outlining, editing, formatting, grammar, and all cartoon illustrations. Hint: There are chapters and an octopus has 8 limbs. See or order eBook:  https://tinyurl.com/3536mnb4See or order soft copy: https://tinyurl.com/47327v6

A conversation with Dr. Stephanie Deitrick, Chief Data Officer, City of Tempe, AZ, and Nick Stowe, Chief Technology Officer, Washington State. This special episode is a re-broadcast from The American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Section on Science & Technology Interest Group (STTIG) “Lunch and Learn Webinar Series, that took place on January 24th. It is offered here given its enthusiastic reception and insightful discussion on AI and State and Local Government. 

A conversation with Jamie Wasculus, CIO, Saint Paul, MN; Jon Eichten, Deputy Commissioner, MNIT, MN; Barry Condrey, former CIO, Chesterfield County, VA; Shawn Riley, former CIO State of North Dakota. This special episode was recorded from the closing session at the PTI Fusion Learning Partners Annual IT Symposium, December 14, Saint Paul MN. Listen to what this expert group has to say about the issues they are facing in 2024 and beyond. This panel discussion was so well received we felt it was worth repeating.

A conversation with Stacey Mansker-Young, former Deputy CIO, City of ChicagoAlways the innovator and strategist, Stacey Mansker-Young served as deputy CIO for the City of Chicago for some 22 years before leaving for the well-respected consulting firm, Plante Moran. Stacey has witnessed monumental change during her tenure at the City of Chicago, serving under at least 5 CIOs. Now Stacey has entered a new phase where she draws her past experience and wisdom to help current tech managers improve their capabilities in the public sector.

A Conversation with Jasper Appleton, a former student athlete, sports podcaster, ISO.Jasper was a student athlete in swimming before Covid hit that ultimately upended his athletic opportunities and ambitions. He describes how he had to change course and navigate new career opportunities. Jasper will inspire you as he maintains a healthy and realistic degree of optimism in his quest to change directions and go into tech – never looking back. 

Season 3: Episode 19: 12 Tech Predictions for 2024 – AI Is Everywhere – Including the Guest HostGuest chatbot host, Roberta interviews Alan Shark as he speaks to his annual list of predictions. This year is a first in many ways and the predictions will certainly surprise you! This year there are 12 as opposed to 10, and there are some completely new ones worth explaining. The ending is unsettling.

A conversation with Lorena Jordan, Policy and Government Librarian, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University. Jordan is the policy and government librarian, a position dedicated to supporting undergraduate and graduate students. She is experienced, driven, talented, and a successful professional, with comprehensive experience and solid adeptness at delivering information services across diverse areas of information management and library settings.In this episode we explore how information technology and in particular generative AI has and will impact the college library. 

A Conversation with Rob Reynolds, CISCO, City of Raleigh, NCRob Reynolds is the CISO, (Chief Information Security Officer) for the City of Raleigh. With nearly 30 years of experience, he started his career in the private sector, has been a CIO and CISO with most of his career in the public sector. He is a CGCIO as well as a Certified Chief Information Systems Professional in addition to two Masters’ Degrees. Rob offers a wealth of information on cybersecurity and addresses the issues of Zero Trust and AI - with caution. Rob is a strong believer (as most CISOs) that Cyber must be represented in person at the highest-level decision-making table.

Season 3: Episode 16: A Vision of Cybersecurity Through the Eyes of a CISO: Part 1A conversation with Nikki Milburn, CISO, Franklin County, Ohio.Nikki Milburn is the CISO (chief information Security Officer) for Franklin County, Ohio. Nikki is a certified CISO by three of the leading certification organizations. She has a steady track-record of accomplishments that are county-wide and shares some of her philosophies and strategies that should make many in the local government community quite envious. She shares her views on Zero Trust as well as the growing role AI will play in cybersecurity applications and recognizes that when it comes to cybersecurity, employee awareness and action is imperative. 

A conversation with Sophia Moshasha, Vice President of the DC chapter of the VR/AR Association Sophia Moshasha is on a mission to accelerate the adoption of immersive and emerging technologies. Behind the scenes, on camera, and center stage, she propels multiple initiatives dedicated to elevating education and engagement with XR across diverse industry domains.Sophia serves as the Vice President of the DC chapter of the VR/AR Association, the global industry association for VR and AR, connecting major industries with the best in the fields of AR/VR and connected emerging technologies. Her influence extends to prominent media platforms including Forbes, ABC, CGTN, and the American Dream TV series, where she has shared her insights. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.Taking the next step in her tech advocacy, Sophia is running for the Virginia State Senate. Her goal is to better equip legislative officials with a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities emerging technologies provide.

A conversation with Dr. Stephanie Deitrick, Chief Data Officer at City of Tempe, AZ.Tempe is one of the first cities to establish a ethical AI Policy for the city government and approved by the City Council. Dr. Deitrick played the leadership role in crafting this unique and comprehensive AI policy. Learn what led to its creation and what comes next, and how her skill sets in decision support, data-driven decision making, GIS and data analysis contributed to her quest. In addition to her role at Tempe, Dr. Deitrick continues to serve as the program director for Arizona State University’s Master of Advanced Study program in GIS. 

CBS, NBC, CNN continue to cover the significance of cities hiring “Chief Heat Officers”. The first in the Nation was Phoenix. Prior to all the national attention we had a chance to interview David Hondula for this podcast. Weather is an awe-inspiring phenomenon that captures the attention of everyone at some point in their lives, but it’s also powerful and can be deadly as well. When we think of life-threatening weather, hurricanes, severe storms, and flooding come to mind first, but did you know extreme heat is one of the leading killers when it comes to weather-related fatalities? The city of Phoenix, Arizona is keenly aware of this, ranking near the top for hottest cities in the United States. This is also one of the reasons why the city became the first in the nation to have a publicly funded office for heat response and mitigation.

A conversation with Dr. Jonathan Reichental, author of the best-selling book, Data Governance for Dummies – a compelling book and discussion for all.Jonathan is a multiple-award-winning technology and business leader whose career has spanned both the private and public sectors. He’s been a senior software engineering manager, a director of technology innovation, and has served as chief information officer at both O’Reilly Media and the City of Palo Alto, California. Reichental is currently the founder of advisory, investment, and education firm, Human Future, and also creates online education for LinkedIn Learning. He has written four books on the future of cities: Smart Cities for Dummies, Exploring Smart Cities Activity Book for Kids, and Exploring Cities Bedtime Rhymes. He also published a book on Cryptocurrency. With all the focus on AI it made sense to add this conversation with Dr. Reichental whose book, Data Governance for Dummies, published last year, is a worthy read for all in government. 

A Conversation with Robert Ferdan CGCIO, IT Director, Alameda County Mosquito District.Few realize that there are over 700 mosquito abatement districts (MADs) across the US – most with a critical IT component. These quasi-governmental organizations play a vital role in controlling the world’s most deadly disease-carrying insect. The Alameda County (CA) Mosquito Abatement District long ago secured the unique address www.mosquitoes.org which simply adds to the cleverness of this fascinating world we take for granted. Listen as IT Director Robert Ferdan talks about his stellar IT career and more about tech and MADs. Robert is a true IT pro with vision, tenacity, and just the right amount of curiosity to make a tremendous difference in his district.

Season 3: Episode 10, May 18: A conversation with Eric Skomra, State & Local Government Chief Technology & Innovation Strategist Central US and Canada, for Dell EMC. Eric has a unique view of the state and local technology having served as the CIO for a city, a county, a hospital, as well as CIO for the largest county in Ohio at Franklin County Data Center. He also was the state CIO for the State of Ohio Medicaid Agency. Add to all his public sector experience he has spend some time in the private sector as well. 

A conversation with Kerry Goode, Chief Information Officer, and DeWayne Kendall, Chief Technology Officer, for the City of Durham, North CarolinaKerry and DeWayne share how they perfected a working model that initially was designed to address key IT staff shortages and has grown to much more. Originally a presentation at PTI’s recent Local Government CIO & Tech Leader Summit, this presentation was so interesting it was converted into a Sharkbytes.Net podcast. What they did for the City of Durham can serve as a dynamic model for all local governments to emulate. 

A conversation with Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Fellow at the non-partisan Stimson Center as well as non-resident Distinguished fellow, Business Executives for National Security, and former CIO of the Federal Communications Commission. Dr. Bray served as the Chief Information Officer for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for 4+ years where he witnessed first-hand the problems of disinformation and the rise of botnets and “cyborgs” – hybrid human and AI posters of disinformation that was deployed to negatively impact public policymaking. His work today continues to address tackling disinformation online, especially given he has provided great insight to the federal government through numerous high-level engagements on how innovative approaches to AI and algorithms could improve organizational adaptability and agility. He is a proven collaborator, writer, speaker, and thought/action leader.

A Conversation with Joe Morrisroe, Deputy Commissioner and Executive Director, NYC311, Office of Technology and Innovation - City of New York. New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the launch of New York City's 311 service, the platform that provides New Yorkers seeking information and assistance from the city agencies direct answers and support to their needs. Since it launched in March 2003, 311 has received more than 525 million contacts — through phone calls, texts, social media posts, website submissions, chat support, and a mobile app. Joe Morrisroe has provided the leadership and vision and is responsible for the growth and evolution of the 311 Center for nearly 17 years. 

This might be one of the first – podcast interviews with AI. This episode takes a unique approach as host Alan Shark chats with both AI powered platforms, Alexa and ChatGPT. Topics explored are the differences between Alexa and ChatGPT, defining generative AI, some noted shortcomings, future directions with AI, tips for improved communications with AI machines, and a discussion on applications for state and local government. Hear firsthand as this might be a first podcast between man and machine.