A future where technology elevates the human experience

If you could leap ahead in time and stand at some future intersection of humanity and digital transformation, what would you see? Would you be lifted, safe and secure, by technology currents? Or splattered on the windshield of runaway IT influence on life? You'll want to look both ways for sure before stepping off the curb.

Our keynote speaker at the upcoming Georgia Digital Government Summit will take an optimist's view. As a technologist, futurist and humanist rolled into one, Scott Klososky envisions us striking a hopeful balance between human and machine contributions to systems and processes. He'll discuss how we can achieve that future and manage the toll technologies sometimes take on organizations and teams, and on individuals.

The keynote is just one of the appeals. At the October 11 summit, there'll be breakout sessions throughout the day examining technology challenges we all share across our various government entities. You'll hear from public sector and industry professionals whose experience wrangling these challenges will inform your own next steps. Exhibits will be set up too to acquaint you with the latGEMSest offerings from technology vendors.

As part of our lunch festivities, GTA will present the 2024 Technology Innovation Showcase awards. We'll honor the projects raising the bar for IT-enabled improvements to the way government services are delivered to Georgians. We'll recognize the teams behind those efforts. And you may find an idea or two worth borrowing from their stellar work.

This year's summit will be held at the Westin Buckhead hotel. There's no charge to participate for Georgia's public-sector employees, and you can register today.

Whether you're an IT team member or an agency business leader, I hope you'll join us October 11. We'll share experiences, explore the possibilities, talk strategy and draw inspiration from each other. Who couldn't use a dose of that? See you there.

Shawnzia Thomas

State Chief Information Officer

GTA Executive Director

Two Georgia IT projects named finalists in national awards

Georgia has made the cut not once, but twice in the prestigious annual NASCIO state IT awards. Among the newly announced finalists are a Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce online dashboards initiative and the state's Orchard website design system implemented by GTA's Digital Services & Solutions team.

The National Association of State CIOs selects only three finalists in each of 10 project categories for the awards. Categories range from data management to digital services, IT enterprise management, and cybersecurity. Emphasis is on technology-enabled projects that exhibit innovation to solve problems and produce meaningful improvement in government efficiency. Finalists rose to the top among more than 100 project nominees submitted nationwide to NASCIO earlier in 2024.

The Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce dashboards present up-to-date numbers of healthcare professionals statewide by county. For example, how many physicians, nurses and dentists operate in southwest Georgia's Dougherty County, further segmented by specialty. The board developed these new data depictions in coordination with the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and publishes them on the Georgia Digital Analytics Center website.

Also a finalist is the state's Orchard web design system deployed and managed by GTA's Digital Services & Solutions team. Orchard gives a consistent look and built-in accessibility to the 80-plus state websites hosted on Georgia's official web publishing platform. That consistency promotes confidence and ease-of-use for site visitors seeking information and government services in Georgia.

Finalists will next be whittled to 10 state IT award recipients to be announced by NASCIO at the start of October at its annual conference.

Nothing like a mock attack

to put you on the defensive

A dozen state agencies and as many as 125 security professionals are expected to participate later this month in the annual GTA-hosted, hands-on cybersecurity training exercise, Cyber Dawg. It allows Georgia government cyber defense team members to practice their skills in a live-fire exercise. And though it happens in a controlled setting, tensions can run high.

GTA’s Office of Information Security stages the event in partnership with the Georgia Cyber Center and the Georgia Army National Guard. Teams of agency cybersecurity professionals defend against a fabricated cyber-attack waged by the Guard's Cyber Protection Team. The “attack” and response unfold in the safety of the Cyber Center’s Cyber Range.

This year's Cyber Dawg plays out September 22-27 at the Cyber Center in Augusta. Agency participants gain authentic experience without actually being targeted. They return to their organizations better equipped to safeguard systems and data. Any Georgia government entities interested in sending additional participants to the event should email GTA's Office of Information Security.

• A GOVChats webinar coming up Sep. 17 will put ethics front and center. Georgia’s Chief Digital and AI Officer Nikhil Deshpande will be joined by Dr. Rose Procter of the TRUIST Center for Ethical Leadership to discuss ethical considerations when implementing AI systems. Register now. An August GOVChats session explored updated federal requirements in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that direct state and local government, as well as public education entities, to ensure their web content and mobile apps are accessible and usable for users with disabilities. Agency web managers and other stakeholders can review details via a recording of this discussion available on the Digital Services website events page. GTA's Digital Services & Solutions team hosts the GOVChats series. Each session brings together IT leaders to talk across state lines about tackling common challenges in government technology. Previous installments addressed user-centered web design, emerging AI programs in state government, and website hosting.

• Summit season doesn't end with the October Digital Government Summit. Mark your calendars too for the Emerging Technology Summit coming on December 6. Planned as a one-day, in-person event, it will be held at the Westin Buckhead hotel. Geared toward state and local government IT staff and business leaders, this event will dig deeper into AI usage across state government. Data management, security and informed usage aspects will be emphasized. Registration details are coming soon.

• The 12th annual GTA Charity Golf Tournament is set for Monday, October 14 (Columbus Day holiday), at Mystery Valley Golf Club in Stone Mountain area. GTA is pleased to announce this chance for state agency staff to join with service provider staff on the golf course, raising funds for the State Charitable Contributions Program (SCCP). You can register a team, or sign up individually and be teamed with some new golfing partners. Proceeds will benefit the SCCP, which supports hundreds of charitable organizations providing services across Georgia.