The Washington State IT Industry Forum returned to St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington, on Sept. 24, for a full day of one-on-one networking, breakout sessions, and real-time dialogue, the forum helps agencies explore IT services, identify vendor capabilities, and strengthen public-private collaboration.
This most recent event—which drew a record crowd of more than 400 attendees comprising 14 state agencies and 25 industry partners--reflects the growing demand for statewide conversations on technology and modernization.
“We can’t just keep running our government the same way year after year,” Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) Director and State CIO Bill Kehoe said during his keynote.
“We always have to keep changing and assessing, or we won’t be able to serve the public the way we need to,” Kehoe continued, as he urged forum attendees to keep evolving how services are delivered and how agencies work together statewide.
Kehoe also highlighted momentum on connected government, the Resident Portal, identity and access, human-centered design, a statewide data strategy and responsible AI, stressing that integration and data are now the foundation of modern services.
In the afternoon, the event shifted into multiple breakout sessions, including a panel highlighting how agencies and partners like AWS, Anthro-Tech and Workday are using collaboration, human-centered design and privacy to modernize resident services.
Other sessions explored cultural change with lessons on adoption and sustainability from efforts such as zero trust and Security Service Edge, while others took on a more interactive approach, sharing real project examples alongside peer coaching, with participants engaged in playful problem solving to uncover barriers and enablers of digital transformation.
The semi-annual conference, scheduled each March and September, was the fifth forum to be held since WaTech established the event in 2023. The forum brings together state agencies and private-sector technology partners for direct engagement, idea sharing, and practical solutions.
This forum supports Washington's 2025-2028 IT Strategic Plan to work together for a Connected Washington, aligning with the state’s priorities and investments, and illustrates its commitment to serve with purpose, with equity and with impact.
View a video recap of the event.
For more information about the IT Industry Forum or to learn about attending, networking or sponsoring the event, contact WaTech Communications at communications@watech.wa.gov.