“The support MISAC received again this year from the vendor community was tremendous,” Walker stated upon announcing the availability. “We increased the number available booth spaces by adding a second exhibit hall and we are still nearly sold out!” he added.

Walker went on to report that once again, nearly every booth space will be occupied by a 2026-27 MISAC Strategic Partner.

Vendors interested in securing one of the remaining booth spaces can do so by CLICKING HERE. MISAC members are welcome and encouraged to pass this link on to any vendors they work with that they believe would benefit from participating as an exhibitor at the conference.

“I anticipate those last five booths will go fairly soon,” Walker added. “Once we sell those spaces, we physically will not be able to add any more booths.”

June 15-16, 2026

Certified Agile Scrum Master

MISAC Members: $735     Non-Members: $835

August 3-5, 2026

Information Technology Management and Leadership Executive (ITMLE)

MISAC Members: $1,200     Non-Members: $1,300

August 19, 2026

Preparing IT Leadership for AI

MISAC Members: $500     Non-Members: $600

October 14, 2026

AI Governance for IT Managers and IT Leaders

MISAC Members: $500     Non-Members: $600

October 20-21, 2026

Business Analysis Foundations

MISAC Members: $1,295     Non-Members: $1,295

Stay tuned for more information

October 20-21, 2026

Business Analysis Foundations

MISAC Members: $1,295     Non-Members: $1,395

Stay tuned for more information

MISAC: What changes did you implement to improve the event from last year?

PB: We provided an informal poll at the end of last year’s InnovaTech to gather feedback.  As a result, we decided to change the venue and extend the length of the event to promote networking opportunities. This year, I think people preferred the new venue and we had a higher attendance rate, so I think we’ve created a lot of buzz since last year.

LK: This year we expanded our portfolio and added different scheduling pieces and determined new ways to assign it. We brought in a bigger group of people to help with the planning. The hotel was a big deal. We picked a place that was downtown in Palm Springs – most of the restaurants that people went to were walkable and it kept us all in one place. 

MISAC: How did you decide on the event name InnovaTech?

PB: I asked AI for some options, and I wanted the suggestions to incorporate innovation and technology together.

MISAC: What feedback did you receive on the breakout sessions?

PB: I received a lot of positive feedback and relevant information that people could take back and use in their day-to-day work. At last year’s event, I asked how many people learned something that they can take back and implement right away. A lot of people raised their hands to respond to that question.  

This year, I feel people learned a lot about AI. There were a lot of AI sessions, but at the same time, it was successfully combined with the networking opportunities.

LK: The session I heard the most positive feedback from was from the City Manager Panel. I think members in all stages of their careers benefited from learning what true success looks like and how to make their organization better. 

MISAC: What surprised you most during the mini conference?

AP: How we managed to become even more collaborative than last year. We continued to have a good approach where people were comingling and it allowed people to be a part of the whole discussion in networking. 

LK: I agree with what Augie said. What also surprised me was Purvi’s idea to add the topic of interest at the lunch tables. I think it helped people on the same page talking about the same things they are excited about. 

PB: We discovered that people loved the customer panels. They were like, “Oh my gosh, every presentation should have a customer reference where they work with on the vendor.” 

You could see conversations spark after each presentation where they would ask the follow up questions to the vendor as well as the customer. 

MISAC: If you could summarize the event in one word or phrase, what would it be?

PB: Successful. 

LK: Perfect.

AP: Innovative.

MISAC: What were the most impactful technology trends or innovations highlighted at the event, and how do they apply to local government operations?

AP: One speaker from Thousand Oaks shared the story of their AI journey and how we really need to focus on the process and then the outcome. I like that messaging and it resonates with me very well. We tend to look at what we want, but how we get there is just as important. 

LK: I appreciated that our sessions weren’t focused on just one domain. It wasn’t just security or back up; there was telephoning, communications, collaboration and solutions.  There was a wide variety to be able to expose this group of people to how what they are doing impacts their areas of the organization.

MISAC: How did the event foster collaboration or partnerships among public sector IT professionals, and what opportunities came out of those connections? 

PB: Coordinating the event, Larry handled a lot of the sponsorship interactions, but there were a few vendors that reached out. Somehow, they got my contact information and emailed me saying they were interested in participating more with MISAC. 

I think establishing vendor relationships is an important part of belonging to MISAC and even working at a local government agency.

AP: It was great meeting the new vendors with the organization I’ve recently joined. I enjoyed having an intimate setting which encouraged meaningful conversations.

Do you plan to host the event again in the future?

LK: Yes, we are hoping to host again next year. If anyone has any ideas on how to make it better, I would encourage them to reach out to me.

MISAC: Any additional comments?

LK: Working with the team of volunteers was an amazing experience. Everyone took ownership of their part and brought something together. Even though we are wildly different people with wildly different ideas we all came together and we made it happen. MISAC members just find a way to work together to meet a common goal.

“Our 2026 MISAC Annual Conference Committee has been working diligently to put together a memorable program for this year’s event,” Boutte’ Foster stated upon announcing the opening of registration. Boutte’ Foster outlined some of this year’s anticipated highlights:

• 144 Vendor booths with six hours of dedicated exhibit hall hours
• 35 hour-long breakout sessions
• Four half-day educational sessions on Wednesday, September 30th (more information to follow as details are finalized)
  • An Incident Response/Tabletop Exercise
  • An ITSP Development Workshop
  • A Leadership/Soft Skills Workshop
  • A PMP Session
• Three General Sessions featuring renowned keynote speakers
  • Adam Braun – Ordinary Person, Extraordinary Change: How Every person has the Power to Affect the Masses
  • Jim Knight – Culture that Rocks: How to Amp Up Your Company’s Culture and Deliver Sustainable Results
  • Lt. Col (ret.) Waldo Waldman – Never Fly Solo
• Presentation of the 2026 MISAC Excellence, Achievement, Quality, Innovation, Visual, and President’s Awards
• California Department of Technology Update
• MISAC President’s “State of the Association” Address
• MISAC Comedy Central Comedy Night with headliner Don McMillan
• And much more!

MISAC members can register by logging into their MISAC online account and then CLICK HERE. Early Bird Registration ends on July 15^th.

MISAC Executive Director Brad Walker went on to remind vendors that only those vendors representing conference exhibitors or sponsors are eligible to attend and participate in the conference (see Sponsorship article in this issue of MISAC Matters).

The conference sponsorship program offers a wide range of opportunities to interested vendors. Sponsorship pricing ranges from $2,500 for a General Conference Sponsorship to $5,500 for the Conference Charging Station Sponsorship with many other options in between.

When the program was announced, MISAC Executive Director Brad Walker added “the only vendors permitted to attend and participate in the MISAC conference are those who are representing either an exhibiting or sponsoring company so if you are a vendor planning to attend the conference, and you are not exhibiting, you will need to register for one of the available sponsorships.” Walker went on to add that conference sponsors are permitted to register and pay for up to two people to attend the conference. “No conference registration fees are included in the sponsorship fee,” Walker added.

Vendors interested in conference sponsorship opportunities can CLICK HERE for more information on the 2026 MISAC Annual Conference Sponsorship Program.

The nationally recognized program equips government technology professionals with the requisite tools to improve and demonstrate leadership skills and manage their organizations.

During the 12-month program, topics to be addressed and discussed include:

• Leadership styles
• Communicating for results
• Managing change
• Assessing organizational effectiveness

All classes are virtual and discussion-based. The collaborative environment provides the opportunity for students to share insights and experiences with peers from across the country.

MISAC members interested in learning more about this opportunity and/or applying for one of the available scholarships should contact support@misac.org and request more information about the program and the scholarship opportunity.

The deadline for applications is June 30, 2026.

Public Service Recognition Week honors the vital contributions of public servants nationwide.

Established in 1985, it is observed annually during the first week of May, beginning on the first Sunday of the month. This year, it takes place from May 3 through May 9.

Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) provides an opportunity to spotlight the essential work performed by public servants and the many ways they help keep our communities safe, strong, and healthy every day.

With MISAC members serving in government, this week is a meaningful time to recognize colleagues across our organization from Finance, Public Works, Police, Fire, Health, Legal, Human Resources, the City Clerk's Office, and Information Technology to every other department and division. Together, these efforts strengthen our local communities, support our cities, and contribute to the well-being of our state and nation. Public service touches every community, every day.

Across the federal, state, and local levels, public servants deliver critical services our communities depend on, from processing benefits and administering programs like Social Security and Medicare to responding to natural disasters and safeguarding our food and water supplies.

Thank you to all our members for your service. Your dedication and commitment to excellence make a lasting impact. To learn more about Public Service Recognition Week, visit psrw.org.

In this Preparing IT Leadership for AI course, participants will focus on developing the strategic leadership skills required to lead AI-based projects and initiatives and address both the opportunities and risks that come with emerging technologies. The course will cover essential AI implementation leadership skills, equip leaders to assess their readiness, and help them identify when and when not to move forward with AI initiatives. By class end, attendees will be better prepared to navigate AI-driven changes and foster resilient, forward-thinking IT leadership.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the Preparing IT Leadership for AI course, students will be able to:

• Define and evaluate IT strategies for different organizational sizes
• Develop strategies for AI leadership readiness
• Identify the leadership skills needed to address AI-related risks and issues
• Assess decision factors for AI implementation

Class Topics include:

• The Ebb and Flow of IT Intensive Innovation
  • IT’s Intensive Innovation Times
  • The Better It Gets, the Faster It Accelerates
  • AI is Today’s Technological Hammer
• IT Strategy Based on Organizational Size
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
  • AI Strategy Importance and Attributes
• Preparing Yourself and Others for AI
  • You First, Then Others
  • Business Partners and Senior Leadership
  • Example: Partners/Leaders in Local / State Government
  • Example: Partners/Leaders in Healthcare
• Preparing IT Leadership for Potential AI Risks and Issues
  • AI-Related IT Management Issues
  • AI-Related IT Data Management Issues
  • AI-Related IT Project and Process Issues
  • AI-Related User Community Employee Issues
• IT Leadership Skills for an ARISE AI Implementation
  • Align (vision, and strategic direction)
  • Review (and document current state)
  • Identify (cases, AI model, data, and governance)
  • Solidify (skills, roadmaps, and budgets)
  • Execute (pilot projects, rollout, and refresh)
• AI Leadership Readiness
  • “Business of IT” Areas
  • IT Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Areas
• When and When Not to Implement AI
  • New Technology Selection and Implementation Process
  • Reasons to Upgrade or Replace Existing Software
  • Reasons to Implement a New Technology
• Personal and Departmental Development Plan

Registration fees for MISAC members are $500. For non-members, the fee is $600.

CLICK HERE for the registration link. If you are a MISAC member, make sure you are logged into your online MISAC account before clicking on the link in order to receive MISAC member pricing.

In this Preparing IT Leadership for AI course, participants will focus on developing the strategic leadership skills required to lead AI-based projects and initiatives and address both the opportunities and risks that come with emerging technologies. The course will cover essential AI implementation leadership skills, equip leaders to assess their readiness, and help them identify when and when not to move forward with AI initiatives. By class end, attendees will be better prepared to navigate AI-driven changes and foster resilient, forward-thinking IT leadership.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the Preparing IT Leadership for AI course, students will be able to:

• Define and evaluate IT strategies for different organizational sizes
• Develop strategies for AI leadership readiness
• Identify the leadership skills needed to address AI-related risks and issues
• Assess decision factors for AI implementation

Class Topics include:

• The Ebb and Flow of IT Intensive Innovation
  • IT’s Intensive Innovation Times
  • The Better It Gets, the Faster It Accelerates
  • AI is Today’s Technological Hammer
• IT Strategy Based on Organizational Size
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
  • AI Strategy Importance and Attributes
• Preparing Yourself and Others for AI
  • You First, Then Others
  • Business Partners and Senior Leadership
  • Example: Partners/Leaders in Local / State Government
  • Example: Partners/Leaders in Healthcare
• Preparing IT Leadership for Potential AI Risks and Issues
  • AI-Related IT Management Issues
  • AI-Related IT Data Management Issues
  • AI-Related IT Project and Process Issues
  • AI-Related User Community Employee Issues
• IT Leadership Skills for an ARISE AI Implementation
  • Align (vision, and strategic direction)
  • Review (and document current state)
  • Identify (cases, AI model, data, and governance)
  • Solidify (skills, roadmaps, and budgets)
  • Execute (pilot projects, rollout, and refresh)
    
    
• AI Leadership Readiness
  • “Business of IT” Areas
  • IT Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Areas
• When and When Not to Implement AI
  • New Technology Selection and Implementation Process
  • Reasons to Upgrade or Replace Existing Software
  • Reasons to Implement a New Technology
• Personal and Departmental Development Plan

Registration fees for MISAC members are $500. For non-members, the fee is $600.

CLICK HERE for the registration link. If you are a MISAC member, make sure you are logged into your online MISAC account before clicking on the link in order to receive MISAC member pricing.

For organizations that were already struggling to keep pace with accessibility requirements, the extension offers a much-needed opportunity to regroup and reassess priorities - but extra time should not translate into lost momentum. From website accessibility audits to staff training, agencies should use this window to tackle the areas that will have the greatest impact on public access.

One MISAC member advises his peers to quickly establish a governance plan and compile a set of frequently asked questions to demonstrate progress towards compliance. When his team launched their initiative, he met with 15 different departments across his agency to review the requirements and address questions. 

Because ADA Title II is an unfunded mandate, agencies must cover the costs of software, testing and training out of pocket. While dedicated grant funding is not currently available, there are nonprofit organizations and colleges that offer free or low-cost resources to support accessibility efforts. 

Still, most agencies will need outside assistance. One Southern Chapter member noted his agency engaged an outside consultant to help navigate the various phases of implementation. The first phase focused on conducting an audit of the four websites over which they have primary content control. The second phase involves developing and delivering training; ensuring anyone responsible for creating or editing content, including web and social media staff, is part of a formal training pipeline or learning management system.

Afterwards, the agency plans to evaluate its third-party vendors. Like many agencies, they rely on a large vendor ecosystem – between 80-90 providers supporting online services from cashiering systems to utility billing platforms – making vendor accessibility compliance a critical part of their overall strategy. 

Finally, agencies are encouraged to share their experiences and challenges on MISAConnect to learn from peers and exchange practical solutions. More importantly, it’s essential to stay grounded in the purpose behind these efforts – ensuring equitable access to digital services for all members in your community. As one member points out:

“I want to stress that the ADA law has been in place for thirty-five years and 94% of the US websites are not even ADA compliant. And one in every four American adults have disabilities. We need to have compassionate hearts so we can engage those people.”

The session breaks down a real-world incident with practical insights that can be used right away. After viewing the presentation, if you have follow-up questions for the presenter, Matt Jester, IT Manager, City of Chino Hills, you can email Matt at mjester@chinohills.org.

With major events like FIFA World Cup and the Super Bowl placing extraordinary demands for an already busy year, the City of Santa Clara has made AI adoption a priority – not just for technical teams, but for the entire organization. Stuart and Singh will be sharing how they worked together to safely deploy AI. They will also provide tips on how to build fluency across staff guaranteeing AI doesn’t just help meet the moment but becomes a durable capability staff can carry forward long after the last whistle blows.  

Attendees will leave with practical ideas, lessons learned and a toolkit for introducing AI thoughtfully and in a way that is aligned with public sector realities.

Singh has over 25 years of IT management and control systems management experience in municipal governments and public utilities. In addition to serving as the MISAC Northern Chapter President, Singh is co-chair of both MISAC’s Cybersecurity Committee and the MISAC AI Task Force.

Stuart has consulted public sector agencies on technology strategies for the past seven years. He has helped numerous cities across North America develop AI strategic plans including the cities of Palo Alto (CA), Santa Clara (CA), Milwaukee (WI), Winnipeg (Canada), and dozens more.

To register to attend this FREE webinar, CLICK HERE.

Upon announcing the registration opening, Walker stated “we have not yet finalized the four vendors who will be invited to sponsor and present but the submissions received all look excellent. I’m sure attending members will find their participation to be extremely valuable. We will have our presenters finalized in the next couple of weeks.”

Walker noted that the schedule will be much the same as it has been for the last few years – as follows:

Wednesday, June 3^rd

• Golf Outing – 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM – Silver Oak Golf Course, Carson City
• Tipsy Putt Miniature Golf – 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Welcome Reception – Margaritaville Resort

Thursday, June 4th – all at Margaritaville Resort (unless otherwise noted)

• Breakfast – 7:30 AM – 8:45 AM
• Keynote Address – 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Break – 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
• Vendor Presentation #1 – 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
• Break – 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM
• Lunch – 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
• Vendor Presentation #2 – 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
• Break – 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM
• Vendor Presentation #3 – 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
• Free Time – 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (est.)
• Offsite Reception & Dinner at Lakeview Lodge – 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Friday, June 5^th – Margaritaville Resort

• Breakfast – 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM
• Vendor Presentation #4 – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
• Combined Chapters Meeting – 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

“Attendees will not want to miss Thursday’s Reception & Dinner,” Walker added. “We will be taking the Heavenly Valley Tram up to the Lakeview Lodge where those attending will enjoy a rousing reception, a delicious dinner, and absolutely spectacular views of Lake Tahoe!”

MISAC members can register by logging into their online MISAC account and clicking on the Tahoe Summit registration link in the MISAC calendar section.

Walker also noted that only those four vendors making presentations are eligible to attend the Summit.

Securing the Borderless City: Transitioning to Zero Trust with Prisma Access (Palo Alto Networks) - The “City Hall perimeter” has dissolved. Essential services now originate from fleet vehicles, home offices, and remote facilities—yet many municipalities remain tethered to legacy VPNs that create friction for employees and dangerous blind spots for IT teams.

Prisma Access moves security off aging hardware and into a unified, cloud-delivered architecture. By decoupling protection from the physical office, California cities can simplify infrastructure, deliver always-on connectivity that’s invisible to the user, and eliminate the management burden of traditional VPN concentrators—all while keeping field workers and remote staff securely connected to the applications they need to serve their communities.

This session explores how to consolidate disparate remote-access tools into a single, high-performance cloud service that scales with modern municipal demands. We’ll walk through strategies for implementing Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), where security follows the user regardless of location or device—replacing VPN liabilities like backhauled traffic and inconsistent policy enforcement with continuous, ML-powered threat inspection. Attendees will leave with a clear roadmap for delivering seamless work-from-anywhere connectivity while giving IT teams full visibility and centralized control across the entire borderless city.

Isn’t AI Supposed to Bring Relief? What’s Sinking Your Initiatives (GovAI) - AI adoption can look smooth on the surface—whether through large, structured rollouts or teams experimenting on their own. But beneath the surface, many organizations face a more fundamental challenge: a lack of shared AI fluency and coordination.

These underlying issues, including fragmented use and misalignment, lead to real challenges such as misuse, compliance risk, and stalled progress.

This session focuses on how to build a more cohesive, practical approach to AI. One that supports day-to-day work, reduces confusion, and helps organizations move forward without adding complexity or requiring large-scale transformation.

The session presenters will cover;

• The hidden challenges that quietly stall AI progress
• Why shared AI fluency matters more than expected
• Practical ways to move from fragmented use to a more coordinated approach
• The tools that actually make a real impact on day-to-day work

AI Readiness in Local Government: What’s Actually Holding Agencies Back (Prodigy Consulting) - Every California government agency is being asked to do something with AI. Most are stuck. Not because they lack interest or budget, but because the real blockers are rarely talked about in vendor presentations: governance gaps, data readiness, procurement constraints, internal politics, and the pressure of moving fast without breaking trust with constituents or oversight bodies.

This session draws exclusively from real deployments inside California government, delivered by a California-certified small business that has been embedded with 45+ state and local agencies since 2019. Prodigy Consulting’s experience spans the full spectrum of AI adoption, from general productivity enhancement use cases to fully customized solutions built for agencies like CAL FIRE and an Air Quality Management District using AI to reimagine their permit processing workflow.

The session will walk attendees through what actually separates agencies that are deploying AI successfully from those still spinning their wheels, the governance and readiness decisions that have to happen before any technology is introduced, the political and operational dynamics that derail even well-funded initiatives, and a practical framework IT leaders can bring back to their agency immediately. This is not a product demonstration. It is a practitioner-level conversation about what it takes to move from AI curiosity to AI capability inside California government, from a team that has done it.

Inside the Attacker’s Playbook: How EDR Evasion Really Works (Lumu Technologies) - This presentation is directly applicable to state and local government organizations that face sophisticated cyber threats with limited security staff and budgets. It frames the challenge by highlighting that even advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools struggle against "Living-off-the-Land" (LotL) attacks and leave critical blind spots that persist across XDR and MDR solutions.

The session dives into specific evasion techniques used across Windows, Linux, and macOS environments, including kernel-level bypasses, API hooking, process injection, and the use of tools such as Cobalt Strike and AuKill. By examining the tradecraft of elite threat groups like Lazarus, APT29, and FIN7, the presentation provides actionable intelligence necessary to fortify defenses and protect crucial public services and data. It concludes by mandating essential lessons for SLED practitioners, including adopting an Assume Breach Mentality, implementing layered defenses, and relying on automated visibility to monitor beyond endpoints, to include identities, cloud and network environments.

The four vendor presentations are scheduled for Thursday, June 4^th (3 presentations) and Friday, June 5^th (1 presentation).

Mendler is a nationally recognized authority on leadership and the creator and host of the top-rated business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors. He has interviewed more than 500 of America’s top leaders and identified the patterns that drive high-impact leadership and elite performance. As a keynote speaker, he translates those insights into practical frameworks that help individuals lead more effectively and teams perform at a higher level.

A Los Angeles native, Mendler teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA.

Mendler’s will be addressing Leading People, Teams, and Yourself in Today’s Landscape.

Summit registration is still open to MISAC members. To register, log into your online MISAC account and go to the Calendar section of the home page.

This month’s featured topic and guest speakers include:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Equity – Vera Zakem, Chief Technology Innovation Officer at CDT, who is leading on safe and responsible technology and innovation for the state.
• Verizon-Frontier Merger Public Benefit Agreement Listening Session Updates – Kat Zigmont, Senior Vice President at CETF, who will share high level takeaways from the March and April listening sessions and next steps.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will also provide update on the California LifeLine Home Broadband Pilot Program and CDT will share updates on the Request for Innovative Ideas, Digital Equity Resource Finder, and upcoming grant opportunities.

To register, CLICK HERE.

The class is ideal for seasoned IT Managers and IT Directors wanting to enhance their current job performance, position themselves for promotion, accelerate their upward mobility, and get a seat at the business strategy/decision-making table.

This three-day, high-energy, high-interaction, high-content workshop is designed to help prepare mid-level IT executives attain higher levels of management responsibility and help CIOs of smaller IT shops enhance the value of IT to the organization it serves.

The ITMLE® certification exam and one-year access to our “IT Leadership Growth Library” is included at no additional cost.

Upon completion of the IT Management and Leadership Executive (ITMLE®) Certification class, students will be able to:

Widen their knowledge of the “Business of IT”

• Enhance their IT strategic planning and thinking effectiveness
• Better understand and define the role of IT within the organization
• Establish a culture of coaching and mentoring within their team
• More effectively select, negotiate, and manage vendors
• Enhance their ability to implement change within IT and their user community

Registration fees for MISAC members are $1,200 for the three-day course. Non-member fees are $1,300.

In order to receive the member price, MISAC members should be logged into their online MISAC. To register, CLICK HERE.

Following is the course outline:

The class is ideal for seasoned IT Managers and IT Directors wanting to enhance their current job performance, position themselves for promotion, accelerate their upward mobility, and get a seat at the business strategy/decision-making table.

This three-day, high-energy, high-interaction, high-content workshop is designed to help prepare mid-level IT executives attain higher levels of management responsibility and help CIOs of smaller IT shops enhance the value of IT to the organization it serves.

The ITMLE® certification exam and one-year access to our “IT Leadership Growth Library” is included at no additional cost.

Upon completion of the IT Management and Leadership Executive (ITMLE®) Certification class, students will be able to:

Widen their knowledge of the “Business of IT”

• Enhance their IT strategic planning and thinking effectiveness
• Better understand and define the role of IT within the organization
• Establish a culture of coaching and mentoring within their team
• More effectively select, negotiate, and manage vendors
• Enhance their ability to implement change within IT and their user community

Registration fees for MISAC members are $1,200 for the three-day course. Non-member fees are $1,300.

In order to receive the member price, MISAC members should be logged into their online MISAC. To register, CLICK HERE.

Following is the course outline:

Upon announcing the registration opening, Walker stated “we have not yet finalized the four vendors who will be invited to sponsor and present but the submissions received all look excellent. I’m sure attending members will find their participation to be extremely valuable. We will have our presenters finalized in the next couple of weeks.”

Walker noted that the schedule will be much the same as it has been for the last few years – as follows:

Wednesday, June 3^rd

• Golf Outing – 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM – Silver Oak Golf Course, Carson City
• Tipsy Putt Miniature Golf – 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Welcome Reception – Margaritaville Resort

Thursday, June 4th – all at Margaritaville Resort (unless otherwise noted)

• Breakfast – 7:30 AM – 8:45 AM
• Keynote Address – 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Break – 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
• Vendor Presentation #1 – 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
• Break – 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM
• Lunch – 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
• Vendor Presentation #2 – 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
• Break – 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM
• Vendor Presentation #3 – 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
• Free Time – 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (est.)
• Offsite Reception & Dinner at Lakeview Lodge – 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Friday, June 5^th – Margaritaville Resort

• Breakfast – 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM
• Vendor Presentation #4 – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
• Combined Chapters Meeting – 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

“Attendees will not want to miss Thursday’s Reception & Dinner,” Walker added. “We will be taking the Heavenly Valley Tram up to the Lakeview Lodge where those attending will enjoy a rousing reception, a delicious dinner, and absolutely spectacular views of Lake Tahoe!”

MISAC members can register by logging into their online MISAC account and clicking on the Tahoe Summit registration link in the MISAC calendar section.

Walker also noted that only those four vendors making presentations are eligible to attend the Summit.

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) v13 course equips IT professionals with the tools, techniques and real-world scenarios needed to think and act like an ethical hacker to better defend their organizations.

This hands-on course is structured around the core phases of ethical hacking: gaining access, maintaining access, reconnaissance, track covering and enumeration. Participants will learn how attackers gather intelligence, identify vulnerabilities, exploit systems, and evade detection - while also gaining the skills to detect, respond to and prevent these threats.

This course will cover the following:

• Top Information Security Attack Vectors
• Information Security Threat Categories
• Types of Attacks on a System
• Hacking Concepts, Types, and Phases
• Ethical Hacking Concepts and Scope
• Enumeration Concepts
• Enumeration Pen Testing
• CEH System Hacking Steps
• Spyware
• How to Defend Against Keyloggers
• Penetration Testing

The registration fee for MISAC members is $1,950. The non-member fee is $2,050.

To register and/or to learn more about the course, if you are a MISAC member, log into your online MISAC account and CLICK HERE.

If you are not a MISAC member, CLICK HERE.

While there is no silver bullet when it comes to cybersecurity, there are many proactive steps an organization can take to defend their network. Haggard and Sam Hamilton, Cybersecurity Sales Manager, Tyler Technologies, will share real-life cyber threat scenarios and discuss how leveraging AI-powered fraud detection helps protect critical government data.

This session will explore the ins and outs of building a cybersecurity strategy and provide actionable tips. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of cybersecurity readiness, including business continuity, endpoint monitoring and detection, IT planning, and other key building blocks to create a strong security program. To register, click here.

Presenters

Joe Haggard - is an Information Technology professional with experience in managing large ERP systems, databases and new application implementations/development. He specializes in state and local government information technology requirements.

Sam Hamilton - works to connect clients to cybersecurity solutions that fit their budget and business needs. Sam has been with Tyler Technologies since September 2017 and has worked as a consultant and project manager with Tyler's Enterprise ERP solution prior to moving to the Cybersecurity team in early 2022.

The experience fundamentally reshaped their IT strategy accelerating their shift toward cloud-first systems, flexible connectivity, standardized equipment policies, and infrastructure designed for resilience in the face of unexpected disruptions. 

On April 29^th, MISAC is hosting, and Jester is leading, a “Lessons Learned: Chino Hills City Hall Fire” webinar. The presentation is scheduled for 2 PM – 3 PM. Join Jester as he walks through what worked, what didn’t work and what every IT leader should be thinking about now – not after disaster strikes.

To register, click here.

To MISAC, CITE, CSDA, CCISDA leaders,

I am writing this with a heart that is both heavy and incredibly full. When I stepped into the role of State Chief Information Officer and Director of the California Department of Technology nearly four years ago, I did so with a single, driving conviction: Government technology must be as resilient, reliable, and trustworthy for the people it serves.

After 38 years of public service, I have made the difficult decision to retire. My last day in the office is April 5th.

I am so grateful for the increased level of collaboration we fostered across state and local government. It's been a pleasure to partner with you and your members and see firsthand how cities, counties, education, and municipalities are modernizing government, building smart government services, and embracing emerging technologies like AI to create efficiencies on behalf of Californians.

Keep up the amazing work! I look forward to watching California’s digital future unfold from the sidelines, with a very full heart.

MISAC extends its congratulations to Director Bailey-Crimmins and wishes her a rewarding and fulfilling next chapter.

Walker noted that the number one benefit of being a Strategic Partner is that the vendor is guaranteed to have a conference booth space since that is one of the many benefits that come with being a Strategic Partner. “In the event we have conference booth spaces still available when we cease Strategic Partner sales in April, we will make those available to non-Partner vendors via a lottery. The ONLY way a vendor can guarantee themselves having a conference booth space is by acquiring a Strategic Partnership,” he added.

Walker noted the booth price for non-Partner exhibitors will be $5,000 for an 8’ x 10’ conference booth space.

Following are the vendors who have registered for a 2026-27 MISAC Platinum Strategic Partnership:

101VOICE                               11:11 Systems                        Abnormal AI

AgreeYa Solutions                  Arctic Wolf                               AVEVA Select California

Barracuda                               BOSS Solutions                      CDW

Check Point                            Citibot                                      ClientFirst Technology Consulting

Cloudwick                               Crowdstrike                             Complete Paperless Solutions

Entrust Solutions Group         ERP Risk Advisors                 eSentire

Fortinet                                    Freshworks                             Getac

Global CTI                               GovAI                                      Granicus

hCaptcha                                 IBM                                          Infor

Insight Public Sector               Keep IT Simple (KIS)              IT Mgmt. & Leadership Institute

Logitech                                  Lumu Technologies                Madison AI

Matrix AV                                Maverick Networks                 MCCi

Mitel                                        Netskope                                 Netsync

NinjaOne                                 Nth Generation                        Nutanix

Packet Fusion                         Palo Alto Networks                 PANASONIC CONNECT

Park Consulting Group           Prodigy Consulting                 Quickstart Learning

Rubrik                                      Saitech                                    Salty Cloud, PBC

SAP Public Services               Savant Solutions                     SDI Presence

Softdocs                                  Tanium                                    TEKsystems

Vantage ID Applications         VC3 Powered by ThinkGard   Vector USA

Veeam Software Corp.           Verkada                                   Workday                       

Zscaler

Following are the vendors who have registered for a 2026-27 MISAC Gold Strategic Partnership:

AMS.NET                                Archistar                                  Arista

BerryDunn                               Blitz AI                                     BlueIrisIQ, A Konica Minolta Div.

Capitol Tech Solutions            CDI                                          CivicPlus

Cloudflare                                Cohesity                                  Comcast Business

Commvault                              Com-Strat, LLC                       Connection Public Sector Solutions

Crestron                                  Crown Castle                          Data Path, Inc.

Dataminr                                 Eaton                                       ePlus Technology

Golden Star Technology         Halcyon                                   Hanwha Vision

Helixstorm                               HPE                                        Illumio

IMPEX Technologies              Infinity Technologies               Infoblox

Info-Tech Research Group     Intelesys                                  iT1

Nomic Networks                      NorthStar Utilities Solutions    OpeGov, Inc.

PlanteMoran                            Pluralsight                               Polimorphic

Pure Storage                           Safe and Sound Security            Salesforce

Sehi Computer Products        SentinelOne                            Singlewire Software

Smarsh                                    SmartWave Technologies            Splunk/Cisco

Surveillance GRID Inc.           SyTech Solutions                    Tredent Data Systems

Untethered Labs, Inc.

Vendors interested in learning more about the benefits that come with a Strategic Partnership and/or to register for a Partnership can CLICK HERE.

As we enter the month of March, we join in celebrating Women's History Month. This is a time to reflect on the contributions of women to history, culture, and society, while also looking forward to the progress still being made today. This year's theme, "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future," expands our understanding of sustainability beyond just environmental concerns. It encompasses financial sustainability, community resilience, leadership succession, and intergenerational equity. 

We celebrate this month to honor the diverse contributions of women across environmental, economic, educational, and social justice movements, while raising awareness of their historical and contemporary roles in shaping change. By celebrating these achievements, we aim to inspire action toward equity and justice in our own spheres of influence and build bridges across generations through mentorship and shared learning.

Shaping a sustainable future requires fostering systems that support both people and the planet. This month, we honor the women who have led these efforts in the past and those who continue to ignite bold, confident leadership today.

Reflect on the women who have ignited your own potential. We invite you to celebrate a woman whose influence has been a catalyst for your growth and success.

If we look back in 2025, there were some amazing accomplishments that women in technology accomplished!

Nita Laad - Winner of the Women in Tech Global Awards 2025 Voices for leadership and impact as a product leader and founder contributing to inclusive tech product development (Women in Tech Network).

 
Pamela M. - SVP Technology, Flow Water Inc.; Software Engineering Leader of the Year winner at Women in Tech Global Awards 2025.

 
Fei‑Fei Li - Awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in 2025 for advancing deep learning and AI research and speaking on scientific approaches to AI governance.

 
Aisha Bowe - Aerospace engineer and CEO of STEMBoard who flew aboard a Blue Origin mission in April 2025, contributing to aerospace research and inspiring women in STEM.

 
Tamar Huggins - Canadian tech founder and advocate for diversity and inclusion in tech education and entrepreneurship.

 
Lisa Su - As CEO and leader in semiconductor tech, remained one of the most powerful women in technology in 2025, leading major growth at AMD.