Every March, South By Southwest (SXSW) brings together the who’s who of technologists, marketers, policymakers, influencers, and industry stakeholders in Austin, Texas for invigorating discussions around some of the biggest issues and ideas around tech.
This year, ITI is excited to have the opportunity to participate in three panels up for a spot on stage at SXSW 2020, but we need your help to get us there.
Check out each of our panels below, and be sure to vote for your favorite (or—better—all three!) to ensure these important discussions about our industry happen at SXSW.
Instructions for voting:
- Sign up at https://id.sxsw.com/sign_up
- Go to each of the links below and click “Vote Up” on the left-hand side–you should see the button turn yellow!
1. Increasing Resiliency & Citizen Safety With Tech
It is easy to overlook how tech devices and innovation are now an integral part of government services – particularly when it comes to resiliency and public safety. This panel will discuss the innovative ways tech keeps citizens safe – from keeping the lights on to making sure first responders can access those in need after a disaster. But there are also policy challenges governments and companies must navigate in order to implement and deploy these technologies in a way that benefits everyone, including procurement, privacy protections, and civil liberty concerns. Experts from the government and tech sectors can illustrate the transformative and life-altering impact technologies have had on the lives of citizens while providing a real assessment of the evolving policy landscape.
Panelists
- Frederick S. Humphries, Jr., Corporate Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft
- Catherine Seidel, Vice President of Government Affairs for Motorola Solutions, Motorola Solutions
- Kevin Bush, Chief Resiliency Officer, Government of the District of Columbia
- James Hayes, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Tenable Network Security
2. Importance of Standards in the Global & Political Debate
From 5G to emojis, standards enable every device and technology to work for the benefit of consumers across the globe. They are why your USB memory stick fits into any USB port every time, your favorite emoji is the same across platforms, your cell is able to connect calls, and your laptop can connect to Wi-Fi worldwide. U.S. tech companies are often the leaders in international standards work, contributing proposals that are ultimately adopted globally because they are the best suited for the current technology and consumer needs. But the race for leadership in tech heats up in 5G and other areas, other nations are vying to drive the standards debate. Our experts will explain why standards are integral to leadership in innovation and what nations must do to ensure consumers needs are met.
Panelists
- Jason Oxman, President and CEO , ITI
- Mary Saunders, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
- Naomi Wilson, Senior Director of Policy, Asia , ITI
- Ajit Jillavenkatesa, Senior Policy Adviser – Standards and Digitalization, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - US Department of Commerce
- Tentative: Karen Higginbottom, Director, Standards Initiatives, HP Inc.
3. Tech Procurement: Enabling Smart Governance in DC
It's time to re-envision how tech is procured by government. Smart cities are meant to leverage technology to improve operations and create efficiencies – but opportunity often stops before it begins, with a variety of policies, guidelines and procedures that can act as hurdles for local stakeholders. Join experts in information technology systems and business owners to hear how they are bringing the talent, knowledge and innovative technology solutions to government, enabling a smarter DC and providing best-practices for cities across the country to address complex challenges.
Panelists
- Jason Oxman, President & CEO, Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC)
- Lindsey Parker, Chief Technology Officer, Government of the District of Columbia
- Philippe Lanier, Principal, EastBanc Technologies
- Megan Vorland, Chief Strategy Officer, Dcode