Developing Data Analytics Capabilities Conference Speakers
Conference Speakers
Lawton Brantley
IT Senior Manager
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Lawton has been with the Institute of Government's Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS) division since 1998. He has worked on diverse group GIS projects including parcel data development, school rezoning, development of spatial data for administration of state properties, mapping, creation of addressing data, and GPS field collection. He has also worked closely with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to develop and maintain high quality transportation spatial data that can be used for both mapping purposes and support for GDOT's various business needs. Lawton currently serves as manager of the GIS production group in ITOS. His responsibilities include managing staff and resources to fulfill obligations for creation, maintenance and strategic use planning of GIS data.
Kate Burns
Executive Director
MetroLab Network
Kate serves as the executive director of MetroLab. Before joining, she was a senior associate at Cityfi, a firm focused on fostering innovation and new thinking in the urban environment. Kate served as the technology policy advisor for Mayor Jenny Durkan in Seattle, Wa., and as, innovation policy advisor for Mayor Sly James in Kansas City, Mo.. These roles shared similar missions and values, including drafting new regulatory schemas for transportation networks and short-term rentals, as well as implementing and promoting privacy and surveillance regulations. Kate was a part of the MetroLab network while in Seattle in Kansas City, and continues to uphold a passion for the work between cities and universities. She has a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri Kansas City, and a B.S. in journalism from the University of Kansas.
Ethan Christmas
Scientific Computing Professional Specialist
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
As a data scientist, Ethan promotes the Institute of Government’s missionby working with government offices to solve problems through data analysis. Ethan uses statistical programming and business intelligence software to analyze problems, visualize what has been happening, and explore what may happen in the future. Ethan has been with UGA Public Service and Outreach since 2022.Prior to joining the institute in 2024, Ethan worked in development and donor relations at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Kanti Chalasani
Division Director, Georgia Data Analytics Center
Office of Planning and Budget, State of Georgia
Kanti Chalasani serves as the division director for the Georgia Data Analytics Center (GDAC) at the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB). Kanti played a pivotal role in establishing GDAC’s data cloud, managing key aspects like data sharing and governance, data management, data engineering/analytics, security and audit preparedness, continual data and AI planning. Her leadership resulted in the creation of a robust data lakehouse for Georgia following industry best practices. . Kanti has over 29 years of experience in IT and management, and hands-on data and analytics. Prior to joining OPB, her other roles have included senior business intelligence architect for the P20 data warehouse at the Office of Student Achievement, associate director/chief data architect at the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and information systems manager at the Georgia Department of Education. Kanti earned a master’s degree in computer applications from Osmania University in India in 1995.
Seamus Dowdall
Legislative Director, Telecommunications & Technology
National Association of Counties (NACo)
Seamus is the legislative director for telecommunications & technology on NACo's government affairs team. In this role, Seamus serves as the liaison to NACo's Telecommunications & Technology Policy Steering Committee and advocates directly to federal partners in the Administration and on Capitol Hill to advance policy priorities on issues including broadband deployment and accessibility, wireless technology siting, and emergency communications policy. Seamus also works with county officials from across the country to set organizational priorities and policies for telecommunications & technology issues through hosting regular webinar programming and providing technical assistance resources.
Nikhil Deshpande
Chief AI and Digital Officer
Georgia Technology Authority
As Georgia’s chief digital and AI officer, Nikhil Deshpande is driving the state’s transformation through responsible AI adoption and innovative digital services. He oversees Georgia’s AI program, focusing on ethical implementation, workforce upskilling and fostering public-private partnerships through an advanced AI lab. Nikhil also leads the Office of Digital Services and Solutions, ensuring over 90 state websites deliver accessible, user-centric experiences via the GovHub platform. His leadership is shaping a future where technology enhances government efficiency and better serves Georgians.
Blake Evans
Elections Director
Georgia Secretary of State’s Office
Blake earned his Master of Public Administration and Graduate Certificate in Election Administration from Auburn University. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in communication with a minor in community and civic engagement from Auburn. He has worked in two county election offices, the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office in Pensacola, Fla., and the Fulton County Registration and Elections Department in Atlanta, Ga. He currently serves as the elections director in Georgia’s Secretary of State’s (SOS) Office. He previously worked as the deputy Elections Division director in the SOS office.
McCall Ginsberg
Deputy General Counsel
Department of Administrative Services
McCall Ginsberg, JD, CPPO, serves as deputy general counsel for the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS), bringing over 23 years of dedicated service to the State of Georgia. Since joining DOAS in June 2014, she has leveraged her extensive expertise in public procurement and legal counsel to support state enterprise operations. Before her tenure at DOAS, McCall directed contracting and procurement functions as assistant legal counsel for both the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. Earlier in her career, she served as legal aide to the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives. A proud “Double Dawg,” McCall holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia. She also holds the Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) designation.
Taylor Hafley
Applied Demographer
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Taylor Hafley is the applied demographer at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Taylor’s demographic research and data analysis supports state agencies and local governments as a part of the Workforce Development and Economic Analysis Unit. Among his projects, Taylor partners with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget to produce county-state population projections. He speaks regularly with groups throughout the state about Georgia’s demographic trends.
Daphanie Scandrick-Keit
Executive Director, Office of Analytics and Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Community Health
Daphanie Scandrick-Keit is the executive director of the Office of Analytics and Program Improvement for the Georgia Department of Community Health. Daphanie and her team provide data services and promote the adoption of data-driven business practices. Daphanie has been committed to the public health analytics field for 25 years in multiple capacities ranging from statistical analyst and research associate to fiscal planning manager. Daphanie serves as the chair of DCH’s Enterprise Data Governance Committee and sponsors the department’s first owned and operated data warehouse, the Enterprise Analytics Solution for Everyone. Daphanie received a Bachelor of Business Administration in computer information systems from Georgia State University and certificates in statistical analysis, decision services, and data visualization. She has represented Georgia at various conferences presenting on topics including profiling high-cost patients; comparing aged, blind and disabled populations; creating dashboards that drive policy; and data and document reusability.
Scott King
Scientific Computing Professional Specialist
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Scott King joined the Institute of Government in 2019 as a scientific computing professional associate. Prior to joining the institute, he worked with Nelnet as a data specialist and consulted as a data scientist with faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
John Kreeger
Audit Manager, State Purchasing Division
Georgia Department of Administrative Services
John has worked for the Georgia Department of Administrative Services since 2013 and currently serves as an audit manager for the State Purchasing Division. Over the past 30 years, John has gained purchasing, financial management and audit experience with the Internal Revenue Service, state and local government and higher education in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He has a Master of Arts in political science from Villanova University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania.
Brent Lanford
Chief Information Officer
Middle Georgia Regional Commission
Middle Georgia Regional Commission Chief Information Officer Brent Lanford was named the regional commission’s first ever CIO on July 1, 2023. Brent’s 29-year career with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission has focused on project development and management with emphasis on the application of digital and geospatial data technologies in support of regional planning and development. Among other things, this new position will help strengthen the region’s capacity to use data analytics and spur technology-based innovation in the public sector.
Rich Loftus
Vice Chancellor, Strategic Implementation
University System of Georgia
Richard (Rich) Loftus has over 35 years in higher education with the last 23-plus years serving the University System of Georgia. He is currently serving as Vice Chancellor, Strategic Implementation for the University System of Georgia. For the last five years, he has overseen a broad range of projects designed to improve overall experiences for students, faculty and staff. Rich manages a Strategic Implementation (SI) staff that provides governance, project management, change management, and system integration for all major USG-wide projects involving the integration of people, processes and technology. Current projects include efforts in all major divisions with a particular focus on implementing a unified enterprise resource planning (Unified ERP) system that integrates finance, HR and student information systems at the University System Office (USO) and 26 institutions.
Stefanie Lopez-Howard
Director of Data, Analytics and Research
Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)
Stefanie Lopez-Howard is the director of Data, Analytics and Research at the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. She joined DBHDD in July 2023 to develop data governance, analytics and research strategy for the organization. Stefanie leads a team of six who work on enterprise-wide analytics, x data governance policy implementation, internal research initiatives and external research partnerships. Stefanie previously served as the director of Georgia’s Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) for 11 years. She has also served as Planning & Evaluation Program coordinator, overseeing programmatic functions for 10 federal funding streams. Stefanie started her career in New York City at Legal Momentum, formerly NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, first as a legal assistant and then as the program associate to the National Judicial Education Program. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in survey research from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree in English literature with minors in French and legal studies from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
Mark Lupo
CyberArch Coordinator
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Mark is a senior public service associate with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Information Technology Outreach Service (ITOS) where he serves as the UGA CyberArch coordinator. Mark joined UGA in 2005 as a business consultant in the UGA SBDC and served in various roles until his transfer to the Institute of Government in 2022. Over the course of his career prior to joining UGA, Mark has worked in many capacities including as a business owner, healthcare administrator, law enforcement officer and in the military. Mark is a recipient of the 2021 UGA Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach, is certified as a Master Business Continuity Professional, accredited through the Disaster Recovery Institute International and holds the CompTIA Security + certification.
Jimmy Nolan
Local Government Project Manager; Information Technology Outreach Services
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Jimmy Nolan has performed GIS-related work since 1994. Prior to joining the Institute of Government's ITOS division as a project manager, he served as chief appraiser for Morgan County, as GIS specialist for the Georgia Department of Revenue and as an independent real estate appraiser. During this period, Jimmy has been introduced to many facets of the GIS discipline, including data creation, GIS training and program and project coordination.
Jimmy currently serves with a Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) subcommittee that is developing cadastral (parcel level) data content standards for 31 eastern states. He has also served as a board member with the Georgia chapter of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) and the Georgia GIS Coordinating Committee.
His primary responsibilities at ITOS include educating local government officials on how GIS can help them operate their agencies more efficiently and coordinating GIS data creation projects.
Rocco Pecora
Public Sector Executive – U.S. Southeast
Qlik
Rocco Pecora is a dynamic technology leader with deep expertise in go-to-market strategy, enterprise data transformation and AI-driven analytics.. His background spans solution architecture and consulting, Qlik's product organization, and business leadership, giving him a unique, full-spectrum perspective on the Qlik ecosystem. Rocco has led high-impact analytics initiatives including COVID recovery analytics at Novartis, enterprise implementation at Urban Outfitters, and large-scale public sector initiatives for smart meters across the United States.
As regional director of Public Sector at Qlik, he drives digital transformation across state and local agencies in the Southeast, delivering data and analytics solutions that empower decision-making and modernizing operations. A trusted advisor to public sector leaders, he collaborates with state departments of health, transportation, revenue, attorneys general, secretaries of state and municipal agencies, helping them harness the power of data for operational excellence and innovation.
Mike Perkins
IT Senior Manager of Apps and Data, Finance and Administration
University of Georgia
Mike Perkins is the director of IT for the Facilities Management Division (FMD) at the University of Georgia. In this role, he leads a team of innovative technology professionals dedicated to leveraging technology to help FMD achieve its mission and goals. With a strong background in data and analytics, one of Mike's key responsibilities is to establish a data strategy and build out a data team within FMD.Mike has over 26 years of IT experience, with most of that time spent in various departments within the University of Georgia. Throughout his career, he has held several leadership positions and has emphasized the importance of data as part of an IT strategy for the past 10 years. During this time, he has had the opportunity to kickstart data initiatives within several organizations, including the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Auxiliary Services, and now FMD.
Jason Sankey
Chief Information Officer
City of Atlanta
Jason Sankey is a strategic change agent with two decades of executive leadership experience in operations and technology. He is known for his ability to effectively collaborate across business lines while continuously driving innovation.
He brings his immense experience as a technology leader for the City of Atlanta, serving as the City’s chief information officer. In this role, he is accountable for delivering strategy, innovation and results. Jason is widely recognized for his executive leadership, technology foresight and thought-provoking strategies in transforming organizations. He strives to balance innovation with a realistic approach to advancing technology, while integrating the city’s goals to achieve desired outcomes. He prides himself on building talented, highly accomplished teams that demonstrate excellence.
Michaela Schiesser
Hazard Mitigation Planning Specialist
Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security
Michaela Schiesser joined GEMA in February 2024 as a hazard mitigation planner, first for Middle Georgia and now for Southeast Georgia. During state activations, she works in logistics at the State Operations Center. Michaela currently serves in the Air National Guard, where she works in emergency management for the Air Force and is a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear wartime expert and instructor. She also has experience as a member of the Army National Guard and as University of Georgia police officer. Michaela has two Associates of Science and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with a political science concentration from the University of North Georgia and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice.
Carrie Steele
Director of Agency Sourcing
Department of Administrative Services
Carrie Steele is the agency sourcing director for the State Purchasing Division. Her department oversees large complex procurements, reviews sole source, and assists in review protest. She previously served as the contract pricing and analysis manager for Statewide Contracts. Carrie has over 25 years of procurement experience with the State of Georgia.
David Tanner
Associate Director
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
David Tanner is the associate director of the Government Services and Research Division at the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. As part of the public service and outreach mission of the University of Georgia, David is focused on helping state and local governments plan and implement strategies that will improve operations and organizational effectiveness. At the Institute of Government, he leads teams with expertise in human resource management, organization improvement and process improvement, local government operations, strategic planning, and data analytics and visualization.
Prior to joining the Institute of Government in 2012, he served as the deputy director at the Georgia Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB), where he worked with three different governors in addressing key budget and policy issues for more than 12 years.
Phillip Wallace
Director of Development Analytics, Office of Development
Georgia Institute of Technology
Phillip Wallace is a data and analytics leader who thrives at turning numbers into actionable insights that drive strategic action, bridge gaps, and illuminate blind spots. As Director of Development Analytics at Georgia Tech, he enhances the pool of potential donors for Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, while providing critical insights on progress and performance.Phillip previously served as director of Knowledge Management at UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building, where he partnered with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to shape data strategy, cultivate communities of data fluency, and strengthen analytics capabilities to support student outcomes and organizational excellence. He has 18 years of experience in higher education data roles across advancement, strategic planning, institutional research, and human resources which enables him to be a strategic partner, aligning data initiatives with organizational priorities and navigating solutions for key challenges and goals.