Elise Bunkers has been with the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications since 2013, starting as a software engineer before transitioning into a continuous improvement facilitator role in 2017. In this role, she collaborates with both BIT staff and supported agencies to guide process mapping and improvement initiatives. As a leading Power BI developer in the state, she partners with agencies to deliver training, develop comprehensive data models, and design impactful dashboards that drive data-informed decision-making.

As a master trainer with 32 years of experience, Meredith has been dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders within the State of South Dakota. In her role overseeing supervisory, leadership, and change management training initiatives, she has played a key role in strengthening management practices across multiple departments.
One of Meredith’s most significant contributions has been the design and implementation of the Ignite Leadership Development Program, a comprehensive curriculum that enhances leadership capabilities at five distinct levels within state government. Since 2014, she has also served as an Emotional Intelligence practitioner and coach, integrating self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal effectiveness into leadership training to foster stronger, more resilient teams.
Additionally, she provides change management training to help leaders navigate transitions effectively, equipping them with the tools to manage organizational shifts with confidence and clarity. Through continuous refinement and innovation, she remains committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential and drive meaningful, lasting change within her organization and beyond.

Kari Cutler has worked for BIT Development since 2022. Coming to BIT with 20+ years of Project Management experience in both private and public sector, as well as extensive experience in working directly with vendors, and setting up PMOs - Kari has provided the team with a depth of knowledge that has proved invaluable. Kari was the first Project Manager hired to focus solely to work with the project teams to mentor, train, and improve our project management best practices, standards, and methodology and is now one of a team of PMs putting their expertise to work for the State of SD.

Gregory Dias is a seasoned IT leader with over four decades of experience, currently serving as the Director of Information Systems & Technology for Lawrence County, SD. His distinguished military career in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve culminated in the rank of Sergeant Major. He served as a data systems and computer-programming specialist, including a nominative tour at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon, where he held a Top Secret, SIOP-ESI clearance. In his 30+ years with Lawrence County, he has led initiatives that modernized the county's IT infrastructure, improved cybersecurity posture, and streamlined citizen services. A recognized leader in cybersecurity, he prioritizes cyber resilience and continually implements effective and affordable strategies to protect Lawrence County's critical data. He shares his expertise as an adjunct faculty member for the Rutgers University/Public Technology Certified Government Chief Information Officer program, serves on the AKYLADE Advisory Council, and is Vice President of the Board of Directors for the South Dakota chapter of InfraGard. In addition to his work in the technology profession, he has served as a member of the Spearfish Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) since 2002, and as the board chair for the vast majority of that time, contributing significantly to the preservation of Spearfish's historical heritage. Greg holds numerous certifications including: Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO), Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), among others. He and his lovely wife, Patti, have been married for over 40 years, and she has been the single most positive influence on his life. Together, they have two grown children.

Jim Edman is the Cybersecurity Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in South Dakota. As Cybersecurity Coordinator, Jim works with critical industry sectors across the state on cyber risk management and improved cybersecurity hygiene.
Prior to joining CISA in 2021, Jim worked with South Dakota state government in the Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT) with experience in applications development and networking technologies for state government, K-12 and Higher Education. Jim served as Chief Information Security Officer for the last 13 years. Establishing operational, strategic, and collaborative platforms to successfully safeguard constituent and government data. He also served as the Broadband Manager for the ConnectSD project to bring high speed broadband to every South Dakotan. Other positions include Deputy Chief Information Officer and acting Chief Information Officer.
He enjoys reading, hunting pheasants, playing basketball, golf and doing all sorts of family activities.

Clarence Foster is a seasoned information security professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry. As the Business Information Security Officer (BISO) at T-Mobile, Clarence is responsible for ensuring the digital security of their assigned business division and serves as a trusted advisor for information security matters. Leveraging extensive knowledge of the company's information security program, including security policies and technical solutions, Clarence provides guidance to business stakeholders on security protections, customer security requirements, and regulatory controls. Before joining T-Mobile, Clarence served as the VP of Information Security/IT/CISO at NetMotion for 15 years, until it was acquired by Absolute Software. At Absolute, Clarence became the Senior Director of Security Operations before moving to T-Mobile. Clarence was instrumental in building NetMotion’s IT security program from the ground up, transitioning operations to the cloud, and establishing a robust IT security infrastructure. Clarence also executed a security plan to protect against reportable breaches and conducted risk assessment training, among other achievements. Additionally, Clarence has worked at other tech companies such as Attachmate Corp and F5 Networks. With a diverse background in the tech industry, Clarence has also held the role of Director of Technical Support, where they led customer support activities and applied data analysis and process improvement methods to meet business objectives. Clarence is well-versed in several key areas of information security, including CISO, cybersecurity leadership, GRC, cyber defense, and cyber threat hunting (CTH).

In his third term as a county commissioner, Lee Gabel is focused on justice issues to include updating the county jail and courthouse. He also works to maximize appropriate alternatives to jail and a data-tracking system for key jail metrics. In 2012, he retired as a U.S. Army colonel after 27 years of active duty and currently assists the Army as a consultant. Lee and his family lived in Ukraine at different times during Lee’s Army career.  He and his wife, Anne, serve with an international military ministry and work to help Ukrainian refugees in South Dakota. Gabel holds a BA, two Master’s Degrees, and the PMP certification. Lee and Anne, have five adult children.

Jim Gilbert has had a long and varied career spanning almost 3 decades in the IT industry. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Physics with a minor in Mathematics from Moorhead State University, Jim laid a solid foundation for a career marked by strategic leadership and a commitment to technological innovation. Currently serving as the IT Director for the City of Rapid City, Jim leads a team of extremely talented individuals that support the employees and citizens of Rapid City. He has also spearheaded major updates to the city's IT infrastructure and is currently working on a Master’s Degree in Data Science. Jim's notable achievements extend beyond his current role, including a pivotal position at Microsoft, where he played a key role in building and maintaining Microsoft Learning-related tools and supporting communication security as a civilian with the U.S. Army.

Jim Harmening has spent his entire career in the Information Technology Sector. From his time working as a full time Mainframe Computer Operator at the University of Illinois at Chicago, through starting with the Illinois Commerce Commission as the Director of Cybersecurity and Risk Management, he has focused his work on making improvements in IT & Cybersecurity. From 1995 to 2020 he served as the president of Computer Bits, Inc. a small software development, IT support and computer forensic company in the Chicagoland area. He focused on the legal industry, provided services to the Cook County Sheriff, Lake County Chief Assessment Office and Illinois Secretary of State, as well as many small businesses. Jim has a degree in Mathematics & Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has written several chapters in college textbooks. He was an Encase Certified Forensic Examiner and has taken courses in ethical hacking, operational technology cybersecurity and exercise creation. He looks forward to improving Cybersecurity in the 21st century.

Shane Hoenke serves as the Region VIII Cyber Security Advisor (CSA) for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He supports the CISA mission of strengthening the security and resilience of the nation's critical infrastructure. His daily responsibilities include coordinating cyber preparedness information sharing and collaboration, risk mitigation and incident response, and providing cyber security resources, including providing assessments.
Shane Hoenke has over 27 years working as a professional in Information Technology, to include his previous assignment as the Information Systems Security Manager for the South Dakota Army National Guard, which he successfully fulfilled for over 15 years.
Shane Hoenke has served in the Military for the past 29 years and is currently serving as a Master Sergeant, Cyber Network Defender with the South Dakota National Guard’s Defensive Cyber Operations Element (DCOE) and Cyber Protection Team (CPT). He is prior service Navy where he operated and maintained the SPY-1D RADAR system aboard the USS John S McCain (DDG-56).
Shane Hoenke has numerous IT / Cyber Certifications to include:
GIAC Security Expert (GSE #337), Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist (CFS) / Cybersecurity Maintenance Specialist (CMS), Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH), Certified Network Defense Architect (C|NDA) and 16 additional GIAC certifications.

Paul Kern is the Chief Information Security Officer at South Dakota State University. Paul started his professional career in 1995 as a secondary English and Computer Science teacher. While Paul does enjoy literature and Shakespeare, his time as a computer teacher ignited a love for information technology that would change the course of his life. Paul left teaching in 2001 to pursue an IT career, and he spent the next eleven years working in the telecommunications industry doing networking, system administration, and web development. During this time, Paul discovered that information security principles and practices were critical to a business’s survival, and his love for cybersecurity was born. In 2012, Paul accepted a cybersecurity position with the South Dakota Board of Regents and in the twelve years since, he has had the privilege of working in various cybersecurity roles in Higher Education and the Financial Services industry. Paul holds GIAC certifications in network penetration testing (GPEN) and web application penetration testing (GWAPT), and he is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Bryan J. Langley was appointed as the Senior Advisor at Cyber Florida to lead and coordinate public and private efforts developing Florida’s critical infrastructure risk assessment, to include writing a report to the Governor, Legislator, and the Cybersecurity Advisory Council with recommendations to protect FL’s critical infrastructure from major cybersecurity incidents and events.
Previously, Bryan served as the senior vice president of defense development at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, where he implemented the strategic plan for long-term state investment in the defense marketspace, with the goal of tripling federal defense investments by December 2024.
Bryan served as executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Advisory (HSA) for US DHS, where he oversaw the State Fire Marshalls Office, Emergency Management, State Building Commissioner and chaired Indiana’s School Safety and Cybersecurity Boards.
He served as global security manager at Columbus-based Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) and as a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton Consulting. He also worked in the White House as the U.S. assistant chief of protocol under the George W. Bush administration.

Michael is an experienced technologist with a demonstrated history of working in public sector information technology for over 30 years. He is skilled in Business Requirements Analysis, Enterprise Architecture, Service Management, IT Strategy, Mainframe and Data Center solutions and now Statewide Longitudinal Systems (SLDS). Michael moved to South Dakota in 2022 and is now the administrator for the Office of Longitudinal Data of the South Dakota Department of Education. He is responsible for the K-12 SLDS, SD-STARS, and is the project manager for the rising P-20 expansion project, the South Dakota Data Collaborative (SDDC). The SDDC is a partnership with the South Dakota Board of Regents and the South Dakota Board of Technical Education and the Department of Education. The mission of the SDDC is to facilitate data sharing across state agencies, entities, and institutions to facilitate reporting and analysis. Michael embraces the project ideal that data collaboration will lead to decision-driven data-collection enhancing statewide reporting. And, ultimately, improved educational outcomes.

Sergio Ortega serves as the Business Development Lead for AI/ML Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, focusing on State and Local Governments. With over 20 years of experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Analytics, Sergio is a recognized leader in driving technological innovation in the public sector. Previously at Microsoft Corporation, he led global strategies for Metaverse, IoT, and AI solutions. He holds a Master's in Data Science from CUNY, an MBA from the University of Warwick (UK), and degrees in Computer Science and Public Policy. Sergio is passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex governmental challenges.

Nicholas has over 10 years in cybersecurity from a combination of analyst, engineer and architect roles. He has a passion for defending the enterprise and leading his fellow teammates to provide the best cybersecurity capabilities for the State of South Dakota government. Outside of the tech world, He enjoy spending time with his family and long-distance running.

Lisa Rahja is the Executive Communications Manager for the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT). In her role, she manages internal and external communications for BIT, oversees the Commissioner’s initiatives, and ensures seamless communication with customer agencies. With over five years of experience in technology and telecommunications, Lisa has honed her skills in managing complex communication strategies and fostering strong relationships.
Before joining BIT, Lisa worked at Midco as the Instructional Design Manager, where she led the design and development of online training materials for various projects and services within the organization. Her passion for ensuring that everyone can fully understand and utilize the tools and technology they are using has been a driving force throughout her career.
Lisa holds bachelor's degrees in Speech Communication, Sociology, and Political Science, as well as a master's degree in Leadership and Organizational Development. Her educational background has equipped her with a diverse skill set that she leverages to excel in her role.
Personally, Lisa enjoys spending quality moments with her husband Adam, their two children Easton and Morgan, and their two golden retrievers. She loves hiking, camping, baseball, and binge-watching Ted Lasso. In her limited free time, Lisa is also training to run another half marathon.

Arun Reddy is the Head of Delivery and Chief Technology Officer at Zion Cloud Solutions, a women-owned small business driving digital transformation across the public sector. With over 25 years of experience, Arun has led enterprise technology initiatives for state and federal agencies—including the State of Illinois, State of New Mexico, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and NASA/JPL.
On the commercial side, he has worked within hyperscalers like AWS and Google, architecting scalable, cloud-native solutions that blend modern infrastructure with secure, compliant design. At Zion, Arun leads the end-to-end delivery of mission-critical platforms, particularly in case management, customer service, and workflow automation using Microsoft Power Platform, Azure, and Dynamics 365.
A strong advocate for AI and data-driven government, Arun has helped clients unlock the power of predictive analytics, natural language processing, and intelligent automation to improve decision-making, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance constituent experiences.

Elijah Rodriguez is the Chief IT Officer for the Legislative Research Council (LRC), a nonpartisan agency of the South Dakota Legislature that provides legal, fiscal, and administrative services for the Legislature's members and staff. In the last 19 years, Elijah has served in various technical and leadership roles for organizations in the ag industry and state government. He holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, and a master's degree in Information Technology/Project Management. Elijah is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Scrum Master Certified (SMC), and ITIL 4 certified.

Yolanda has been a Budget Analyst at the Bureau of Finance and Management for almost two years now. She got her supply chain analytics degree from Purdue and actually started off as a computer science major. After college, she was a Supply Chain Analyst at 3M in Brookings before coming to Pierre. In her free time, she likes to spend time outdoors, go to the gym, and play videogames. She also still works on research with the Purdue Agricultural Economics department on biodiversity loss and international trade, and they are close to publishing their first paper!

Mike Waldner, Director, SecureSD: Cybersecurity for Municipalities and Counties, Dakota State University: Research and Economic Development Mike Waldner has had the privilege of working on numerous statewide technology initiatives for the State of South Dakota. His work has included bringing the first internet connection to state government, building a centralized K-12 Data Center, coordinating the South Dakota public safety FirstNet network, and serving as Program Manager for ConnectSD. Now, as Director of SecureSD, he is focused on enhancing cybersecurity for every city, county, and local government across the state. Waldner holds a Master of Science in Information Systems, serves as an adjunct instructor at Dakota State University, and is a former elected official, having served as Public Safety Commissioner for the City of Madison. He has even appeared on episodes of Forensic Files. Despite his busy schedule, he still finds time to volunteer, swim, bike, and run.

An accomplished information technology leader and strategist with a proven track record of driving business value through the alignment of IT and organizational goals. With extensive experience in developing sustainable, reliable, and secure business technology solutions, Mark delivers technical expertise and thought leadership across various domains, including technology strategy development, IT operations, cybersecurity frameworks, governance, and compliance.
Currently serving as the Director of Agency and Application Support at the State of South Dakota's Bureau of Information and Telecommunication, providing leadership expertise to state agencies' senior leadership teams. In this role, Mark supports the long-term management of IT systems, processes, and investments, assisting with the modernization, transformation, and optimization of technology to deliver on the mission of the agencies in service to the citizens of South Dakota.
Previously, Mark held several key positions at Black Hills Energy, including Senior Manager of IT Security Governance & Risk Management, Director of IT Governance & Strategy, and Director of Business Applications. In these roles, he established security governance and IT risk management practices, spearheaded significant cybersecurity investments, and led IT acquisition diligence teams for major purchases.
Mark holds an MBA from the University of South Dakota and a BS in Business Management & Marketing with a concentration in Computer Science from Northern State University. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at Black Hills Federal Credit Union, where he contributes to the development of board-driven strategic direction, governance, and fiscal stability.

Pat Wolberg has been in IT for 34 years. His career began in the USAF as a Communications Computer System Programmer. His first duty station was at Brooks AFB in San Antonio, where He worked on the Civilian payroll system and also programmed the Armstrong Laboratory Management Information System. ALMIS was the first messaging system for the USAF. It was used to communicate over secured network between bases, much like email. He then moved to Colorado Springs where he did programming on the GPS Control Segment and ground equipment and supported both Lockheed Martin and Boeing. He performed System and Satellite Engineering from launch through end of life for satellites. Since then, he has had several roles in IT Management and System Engineering. His current role is the IT Director for Brown County SD, where he oversees several critical county services to include, 911, Jail, State Attorney, Sheriff, and many others.