Tennessee’s Department of Human Services is redefining what it means to serve. Faced with outdated systems and a transactional service model, the department has embraced a bold, customer-centric transformation to deliver public assistance with dignity, efficiency, and lasting impact. With leadership rooted in innovation and a deep commitment to meeting people where they are, Tennessee is modeling how human services can be both high-tech and deeply human.

This session will explore how Tennessee is building a modernized service model—one that empowers customers, leverages real-time data, and equips staff to focus on outcomes, not just outputs. You'll hear how they’re advancing toward a “One DHS” vision, and how you can apply similar strategies to streamline operations and transform service delivery in your own jurisdiction.

• Improve the citizen experience through a single point of access and universal case load model
• Adapt legacy infrastructure to support real-time, customer-first solutions
• Transform workforce capacity by freeing staff to focus on human-centred social work
• Increase service resilience through flexible, cloud-based systems
• Apply new approaches on how you can balance automation and empathy in service delivery

Tennessee is setting a national example by pairing enterprise-scale cybersecurity infrastructure with grassroots enablement at the local level. This keynote will showcase how the state’s latest modernization efforts—including workforce development, preparedness planning, and broad-based NCSR engagement—are delivering results across more than 1,500 public entities.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can build a future-ready cybersecurity strategy that’s resilient, scalable, and tailored to both state-level threats and local government realities.

• Detail the statewide Cybersecurity Internship Program and how it’s building a pipeline of skilled professionals into critical roles
• Explore the Emergency Preparedness Plans developed in partnership with local agencies and how they’re improving coordinated response
• Highlight the dramatic expansion of NCSR participation and how it's helping smaller governments benchmark and elevate their cybersecurity posture
• Share how the state is leveraging enterprise-grade tools while supporting local execution through training, funding, and technical assistance

As Tennessee moves toward a more agile, data-centric government, the challenges and opportunities around storage, governance, and cross-agency data exchange are coming to the forefront.

This panel will explore how modern infrastructure, federal alignment, and strategic health partnerships are helping Tennessee reduce legacy burdens and transform how data is collected, shared, and used to drive policy and service delivery.

• Explore how cloud-first strategies are replacing static storage to reduce cost and increase flexibility
• Examine how health data exchanges are driving inter-agency collaboration and better citizen outcomes
• Address privacy and governance concerns when managing multi-cloud data environments
• Unpack the infrastructure needs required to modernize traditional databases and storage systems

Discuss how analytics and data cataloging are enabling more informed, responsive government decisions