Arizona Public Sector AI Symposium
Thu, Feb 26
|Tempe Center For The Arts
The Arizona Public Sector AI Symposium is an exciting opportunity to join state and local government representatives and AI industry leaders to unify AI policy at the state and local level, and hear their respective viewpoints of how AI will shape the public sector.
Time & Location
Feb 26, 2026, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Tempe Center For The Arts, 700 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
About the event
Join state leaders, municipal partners, industry experts, and members of the State AI Committee for a symposium focused on unifying AI strategy and strengthening our statewide AI ecosystem. This event will highlight current state AI initiatives, showcase city perspectives, and share insights on the direction of AI in industry and government. Attendees will connect with key stakeholders, explore opportunities for collaboration, and help lay the groundwork for a future AI consortium designed to support responsible innovation and pilot emerging technologies with local municipalities.
Please note: There may be closures on Rio Salado. The best route to access Tempe Center for the Arts will likely be:
- Heading northbound on Hardy Road, if you are coming from South of Rio Salado
- Heading eastbound on Rio Salado, if you are coming from west of Priest
Both approaches will get you to the Parking Structure.
Agenda:
8:00 Doors Open
8:30 Welcome by The Connective
Welcome from the City of Tempe, Rosa Inchausti, City Manager
8:40 Arizona’s AI Future: Building a Coordinated, Responsible, and Innovative Ecosystem
Speakers: Whitney Daniels, state AI committee chair
J.R. Sloan – State Chief Information Officer, Arizona Strategic Enterprise Technology (ASET)
Bianca Lochner, Ph.D. – Chief Information Officer, City of Scottsdale
Ryan Johnson – Chief Privacy Officer, Savvas Learning Company
Melissa Armas – Lead Strategist and Founder, AZ Collab
9:25 Networking break
9:40 Voice of the City: Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government
Speakers: Eugene Mejia, CIO, Town of Gilbert
Jennifer Stein, Economic Development Director, City of Avondale
Kate Carter, AI Manager, City of Tucson
Stephanie Deitrick, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, City of Tempe
Chris Lucero, Moderator
10:25 Networking break
10:40 Industry status & direction regarding AI (speakers: Insight, Polimorphic, Adobe)
Building an AI-Enabled Government Workforce: Scaling Skills, Adoption, and Outcomes, Aaryn Anderson, Insight
Chris Lucero, Moderator
11:55 Closing remarks
Noon Lunch