Management Track: Setting Security Policies and Raising Awareness

Moderator: Jim Greenwalt, Director, Information Systems,  Senate, Minnesota

Speaker:

• Randy Vickers, Associate Deputy Director, National Cyber Security Division, Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

Technical Track: Enterprise Security:  Planning Today for Tomorrow’s Unknown Threats
This is our future: more vulnerabilities, increasingly sophisticated attack methods, and very little time to react before the payload gets unleashed.  Vulnerability and threat management programs help identify “known” problems with government computer systems.  But in a world where zero day exploits are the norm, organizations also must have extremely robust and targeted threat dissemination services to remedy vulnerabilities in the very early stages, even before they can be identified by signature-based tools.  Organizations also will we need to come to grips with our worst enemy, “unknown” vulnerabilities, because they will allow the spread of malware into our environments.  Ferreting out malware and attacks with no recognizable signatures will be the key to achieving true situational awareness.

Speaker:

• Neal Dawson, Security Architect, Office of Enterprise Technology, Minnesota

Technical Track: Securing Laptops and Mobile Devices
Laptops and mobile devices increase productivity, but they also increase the opportunities for security breaches and data loss. This session will look at the latest tools, solutions and policies for determining the vulnerabilities and shoring up security around these types of devices.

Moderator: David Coles, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

Speakers:

• Scott Frost, Account Executive, Absolute Software,

• Michael Shawhan, CISSP, Security Engineer, Check Point Software, Ohio 

Management/GIS Track: Not Just for Redistricting--Making the Case for GIS
Geographical information systems (GIS) can be used for many innovative and useful non-redistricting applications in the legislative environment.  But how can Legislatures build and retain full-time staff who can integrate GIS analysis with policy analysis, maintain a GIS data base, and respond to legislators' requests effectively and efficiently?  How do managers justify the investment in GIS staff and software?  What’s the business case and how do you justify the investment to legislative leaders?  

Moderator: Linda Pittsford, Manager, Computer Support Center, Legislative Council, Texas, and Vice Chair, NALIT

Speakers:

• Kent Anness, GIS Manager, Division of Geographic Information, Kentucky
• Kim Anness, GIS Specialist/Analyst, Division of Geographic Information, Kentucky
• Richard Leadbeater, Industry Solutions Manager, ESRI, Washington, D.C.

Filly/Thoroughbred, Second Floor

Technical Track: Implementing Voice over IP
The converging of traditional voice and data networks can save money and increase efficiency and productivity throughout your organization.  This session will discuss how VoIP works and why it's right for you, how you can benefit from significant bottom-line savings, and how to use VoIP features to work more efficiently.

Moderator: Dennis Loudermilk, Computer Systems Analyst-Programmer, Legislative Automated Systems Division, West Virginia

Speakers:

• Glenn Harris, IT Supervisor, Legislative Services Office, Idaho
• Dennis Loudermilk, Computer Systems Analyst-Programmer, Legislative Automated Systems Division, West Virginia
• John McClain, IT Infrastructure Manager, Information Systems Division, North Carolina
• Paul Schweizer, Controller, House of Representatives, Minnesota

Management Track Roundtable: New and Emerging Technologies: When, If and How
IT managers are inundated with new technologies and products on an almost daily basis. With so many options changing so rapidly, how is an IT manager to know which products and technologies they should embrace and which they should ignore?  Share your questions and experiences with session participants and discuss how managers can reach an informed decision about when, if and how to embrace new technology.

Moderator: Carla Dyer, Director, Legislative Automated Systems Division, West Virginia

Speakers:

• Dave Larson, Director, Legislative Computer Services, Kansas
• Gary Wieman, Network Manager, Nebraska
• George Yeager, Director, Legislative Information Systems, Ohio

Technical Track:  Implementing SharePoint Server
SharePoint is a web-based collaboration and document management platform from Microsoft.  It can be used to host web sites that can be used to access shared workspaces and documents.  We will look into what is needed to use SharePoint Server, its advantages and disadvantages, and the potential that it offers.

Moderator: Steve Kriegish, Director, Legislative Information Services, Tennessee

Speakers:

• John Elgin, Director of Human Resources, Property Valuation Administrator, Louisville, Kentucky
• Dean Heibert, Director of Technologies Development, New Age Technologies, Louisville, Kentucky
• Carol Nemir, Section Coordinator, Legislative Council, Texas
• Tom Puleo, Software Engineer, Legislative Service Center, Washington

Management Track: Social Networking in the Legislative Environment
Social networking sites, wikis, podcasting, video, maps and other tools allow users to collaborate and share information with one another.  Legislators and legislative staff are increasingly using these kinds of tools to communicate and collaborate with citizens and each other.  What are the roles and responsibilities of legislative IT staff in supporting and developing these sites?  How can they these tools best be used in the legislative environment?

Moderator: Gary Schaefer, Information Systems Coordinator, Senate, Louisiana

Speakers:

• Peter Capriglione, Applications Manager, North Carolina
• Representative Steve Harrelson, Arkansas
• Becky King, Programming Analyst, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky
• Soren Jacobsen, IT Specialist, Legislative Services, Idaho
• Hanley Loller, Programmer Analyst, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

Technical Track: Web Applications for Core Legislative Functions
Many states have produced web applications for displaying and tracking legislative information, but fewer have created applications that support the core functions and processes of the legislature.  This session will explore the use of web applications for bill drafting, journals, and other core legislative functions.  Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of web applications, both in use and development, and learn from web applications in other industries that may be transferable to the legislative environment.

Moderator: Mark Allred, Information Systems Manager, Office of Legislative Research & General Counsel, Utah

Speakers:

• Roberta Altman, Senior Software Developer, Legislative Information Systems, Ohio

Filly/Thoroughbred, Second Floor

GIS Track: Preparing for 2010 Redistricting
For legislatures that do not keep a GIS application and staff "on line" in the years between rounds of redistricting, gearing up for the effort each decade presents a special challenge.  Among the considerations are the number of staff necessary to prepare and manage the GIS and train members and staff to use and administer the GIS application.  Even for those legislatures that employ a GIS for policy analysis in "off" years, preparing for redistricting is a new project with its own risks and requirements. In this session we will explore considerations for redistricting-specific database management, documentation, and system security; and involvement of legislators with technical, policy, and legal staff in planning and implementation activities.

Moderator: Tim Storey, Senior Fellow, NCSL, Denver

Speakers:

• Linda Pittsford, Manager, Computer Support Center, Legislative Council, Texas, and Vice Chair, NALIT
• Tim Storey, Senior Fellow, NCSL, Denver
• Jim Swain, CIO, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

Management Track: Retaining and Motivating IT Employees in the Legislature
Motivating and retaining information technology employees in legislatures can be a challenge, especially in the competitive technology marketplace.  This session will discuss the range of factors that can help to motivate and retain high-performing employees.

Moderator: Craig Nakahara, Information Resource Specialist, House, Hawaii

Speakers:

• Lore Christopher, Human Resources Director, Oregon State Legislature
• Tim Rice, Executive Director, Legislative Information System, Illinois
• Craig Nakahara, Information Resource Specialist, House, Hawaii

GIS Track: New from the Census Bureau: Detailed Demographics of Legislative Districts
The Census Bureau has a new product that will provide more data about legislative districts than ever before.  IT staff will be called on to understand the data and make choices about adding this new product to the redistricting tools they offer. 

Moderator: Tim Storey, Senior Fellow, NCSL, Denver

Speakers:

• Deirdre Bishop, Assistant Chief, Redistricting Data Office, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington D.C.

Management Track: Office 2007: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
It's the time of year when IT managers' thoughts turn to upgrading their Office products. The Office 2007 office suite is out and ready to be installed. Should you jump on the upgrade bandwagon or stay with what you've got? This session will give you the opportunity to hear what other states have decided when it comes to upgrading their Office suite.

Moderator: Terri Clark, Document Management System Manager, Division of Computer Services, Kansas

Speakers:

• Terri Clark, Document Management System Manager, Division of Computer Services, Kansas
• Jenny Wilhelm, Senior Legislative Analyst, OPPAGA, Florida
• Cindy O'Dell, Programming Analyst, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky

Technical Track: Wireless Personal Devices
Wireless personal devices such as cell phones and PDAs are becoming more and more common among legislators and staff. This increase in wireless devices also brings with it issues for IT staff regarding support.  This session will address how different states are addressing the issue of wireless devices—from what devices they've chosen to support to what level of support they choose to provide, if any.

Moderator: Lisa Kimura, Systems Analyst, Senate Data Systems, Hawaii

Speakers:

• Glenn Harris, IT Supervisor, Legislative Services Office, Idaho
• Joey Heady, Network Administrator, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky
• Jerry Gamblin, Security Specialist, House of Representatives, Missouri