Digital Leadership Day Alberta

Over the past six months, PSN's Research Innovation Council has been meeting, to uncover emerging trends and transformative strategies.

This session will explore the Council’s key findings, showcasing the critical challenges governments face, the innovations driving progress, and how global collaboration is shaping the future of public service delivery.

People are the catalysts of culture and the drivers of innovation. As technology continues to reshape how we work, public sector leaders must focus on creating cultures where individuals feel empowered, supported, and inspired to lead change. This panel will explore how to foster environments where people and culture evolve together—where innovation thrives because teams are engaged, values are clear, and technology is introduced with purpose. When culture is strong, transformation becomes sustainable—and people lead the way.

This session will show how you can apply new approaches on how to strengthen people-led cultures that drive innovation and sustain digital transformation.

• Build cultures that nurture innovation through inclusion and trust
• Empower teams with the mindset and tools to lead change
• Align leadership and workforce values to guide transformation
• Use technology to elevate collaboration, creativity, and engagement

Jocelyn Baker

Deputy Minister, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Manitoba

Nikhil J Deshpande

Chief Digital & AI Officer, Office of Digital Services & Solutions, Georgia Technology Authority, State of Georgia

Alexis Milinusic

Director - Digital Transformation, Stakeholder Engagement, Government of Alberta

The path to digital excellence isn’t just about upgrading systems—it’s about rethinking the way government works. Public sector leaders are increasingly being asked to do more with less, all while staying compliant and citizen-focused. This panel will examine how to balance strategic vision with operational delivery, ensuring digital initiatives are agile, collaborative, and outcomes-driven.

This session will help you apply new approaches on how you can reduce complexity, improve cross-departmental coordination, and embed efficiency into every layer of government services.

• Build inter-agency trust to remove silos and drive shared outcomes
• Align digital strategy with policy goals while maintaining transparency
• Promote agile thinking to modernize outdated systems
• Manage resources to maximize project impact
• Strengthen vendor partnerships to accelerate innovation

Janak Alford

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Technology and Innovation

Ken Klassen

Executive COO – Shared Administrative Services & CFO, Shared Health - Manitoba

Wendy MacDermott

Chief Experience Officer, Department of Social Development, Government of New Brunswick

Jan Bradley

Chief Information & Technology Officer, City of Calgary

Split into specialized conversation areas and join engaging discussions to dive deeper into your innovation priorities.

Roundtable 1: Productivity and Automation via AI and Agents

Roundtable 2: Guiding Teams in Times of Challenge and Change

Roundtable 3: Harnessing AI for Public Sector Efficiency

Roundtable 4: Empower Productive Employees – Agile Strategy for AI and Digitized Government

Roundtable 5: Let’s go with Future Trends: Preparing for the Digital Shifts

Digital disruption isn’t slowing down, and public sector leaders need to be ready for what’s coming next. From AI to data interoperability and cloud-native services, emerging technologies are reshaping how government operates and how citizens interact with services. This panel will look ahead—discussing how to remain adaptive, inclusive, and forward-thinking in a landscape defined by rapid change.

This session will show you how to apply new approaches on how you can embed long-term public value into your transformation strategies while ensuring innovation is accessible and equitable for all.

• Anticipate tech trends to stay ahead of service demands
• Design forward-looking systems that are inclusive and citizen-centric
• Weave long-term public value into your digital investment plans
• Champion a culture of curiosity and learning to drive transformation