A symposium for govtech innovators and change agents with the audacity to continuously ship outcomes to prod.
Nov 6-8 2023 / Hamilton Hotel / Washington DC

Prodacity 2023 has wrapped!

Prodacity Pronunciation Logo

1. a willingness to take bold personal risks to continuously deliver valuable software users love, to prod.

2. having a bravery to deploy to prod that could offend others.
MAKE SHIP HAPPEN

What'd You Miss?

EXclusive content Logo
EXclusive content
Our deliberately crafted agenda on people, process, and technology included critical methods to propel continuous delivery of outcomes in prod and develop a mindset for meaningful change.
Paired Learning Logo
prod-based Learning
No sales. No theater. Armed with experience, lessons, and best practices, we shared knowledge to start, scale and improve the next generation of government software organizations.
present action, future impact Logo
present action, future impact
History is watching. Prodacity sets the standard for how to do DevOps in government. This year, the focus was on: organizational change, bureaucracy hacking, tactics, and implementation.
What was covered

Topics

From understanding how to think big in the general sessions, to collaborative roundtable discussions and interactive playbook workshops, the curated program was designed to empower every discipline in govtech with invaluable strategies to tackle complex problems.

Think Big

General Session

Transformation Strategy

Organizational Design

Leadership Principles

Operating Models

Hack Bureaucracy

Track Talks

Leadership

Product

Procurement

Experience Reports

Rise Up Roundtables

Create Outcomes

Track Talks

Leadership

Product

Procurement

Experience Reports
New Starts
Legacy Modernization
Performance

REAL TALK

Speaker Lineup

This year, we invited you to experience thoughtfully crafted messages from over 50 industry and government experts, thought leaders, and visionaries that educated and empowered you to Think Big, Hack Bureaucracy, and Create Outcomes. Check out the lineup for Prodacity 2023!

07:30 AM
Breakfast/Registration [1.5 HRS]
09:00 AM
Govtech: Delivering a Future Where Fewer Bad Things Happen Because of Bad Software
bryon kroger -
Founder & CEO, Rise8




9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
09:20 AM
Keynote: The Gravity of the Situation
Lieutenant general Michael groen - US Marine Corps, Retired




9:10 AM - 9:30 AM
09:45 AM
Software Delivery Performance and Mission Success
nathen harvey - Developer Relations Engineer, Google Cloud




9:35 AM - 10:10 AM
10:20 AM
networking Break [30 min]
10:50 AM
Govtech Platforms Don’t Have to Suck
bryon kroger - Founder & CEO, Rise8




10:25 AM - 10:50 AM
11:35 AM
The Art and Science of Continuous ATO
ROB monroe - Product Manager, Rise8




11:25 AM - 11:50 AM
12:15 PM
LUNCH [1 hr] with lunch & Learn at 12:45 - DevSecOps 2.0: OpenShift your development into gear - presented by Red hat
1:15 pm
What Great Enterprise Software Development Looks Like
mik freedman - Sr. Director, VMWare




11:55 AM - 12:25 PM
1:45 PM
The Value Flywheel Effect




1:25 PM - 1:50 PM
david anderson - Author & Technical Leader
2:35 PM
Leadership Principles: Avoiding Black Holes




1:55 PM - 2:25 PM
Paul gaffney - Change Agent & Transformation Artist
3:20 PM
networking break [30 min]
3:50 PM
Fireside: Digital Operating Models & Organizing for Success
siobhán mc feeney - Chief Technology Office, Kohl's




2:30 PM - 2:30 PM
4:35 PM
Yet Another Upskilling Talk
adam furtado - Founder & CEO, Sagely




3:10 PM - 3:40 PM
5:00 PM
Powerhouse Reflections
Kim crider - Founding Partner at Elara Nova, Former USSF CTIO
meagan metzger - CEO, Dcode
lauren knausenberger - Chief Innovation Officer at SAIC, Former Chief Information Officer at Department of the Air Force




3:45 PM - 4:05 PM

Panel

5:30 PM
Happy Hour!
All - Make Ship Happen




4:10 PM - 4:30 PM
6:30 PM
day 1 end! [14.5 HRS]
08:00 AM
Breakfast [1 HR]
09:00 AM
Welcome to Day 2!




9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
09:05 AM
Corporate Rebels - Make Work More Fun
JOOST MInNAAR - Co-Founder & Author, Corporate Rebels
PIM DE MORREE - Co-Founder & Author, Corporate Rebels




9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
09:35 AM
Hack Your Bureaucracy
MARINA NITZE - Co-Author & Former VA CTO
NICK SINAI - Co-Author & Former US Deputy CTO




9:35 AM - 10:05 AM
10:10 AM
networking break: corporate rebels & hack your bureaucracy Book signing [30 min]
10:40 AM
Hack Your Force Design: Where do Software Delivery Orgs Belong?
Max Reele - Air Force Service Lead, Defense Innovation Unit

Leadership





10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
Platform Hacks: Getting the Right Tools in the Right Environment
duong hang - Deputy Director, DoD Platform One

Product





10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
Hacquisition Strategy
jonathan mostowski - Co-Author, Partner & Fellow

Procurement





10:15 AM - 10:40 AM
11:05 AM
transition [10 MIN]
11:15 AM
Get That Money
matt macgregor - Principal Acquisition Leader, MITRE

Leadership





10:55 AM - 11:20 AM
Hacking the Platform Developer Experience
marc ray - Mission Manager, Defense Unicorns
andrew greenE - Unicorn Engineer, Defense Unicorns

Product





10:55 AM - 11:20 AM
All the Special Authorities
peter modigliani - VP, Beacon Global Strategies

Procurement





10:55 AM - 11:20 AM
11:40 AM
Transition [10 min]
11:50 AM
Hacking Government Talent Management
kyleigh russ - Sr. Advisor, US Office of Personnel Management & Co-Founder, Govern For America





11:25 AM - 11:50 AM
12:15 pM
lunch [1 hr] with lunch & Learn at 12:45 - mission possible: accelerating software delivery in the federal landscape - presented by planview
1:15 pM
Transforming Compliance Bureaucracy into Continuous Risk Management
lynette sherriLl - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Information Security & Chief Information Security Officer, US Department of Veterans Affairs
carrie lee - Deputy Chief Information Officer, Product Engineering Service, US Department of Veterans Affairs

Panel






11:55 AM - 12:25 PM
1:55 PM
transition [10 min]
2:05 PM
Fireside Report - Hacking the DIB
josh marcuse - Director of Strategic Initiatives, Google Public Sector
Lauren Bedula - Managing Director and National Security Technology Practice Lead, Beacon Global Strategies
Kelleigh Cosentino bilms - Principal, Oliver Wyman
Thom Kenney - Director, AI and Digital Transformation, Google Public Sector

Leadership






1:25 PM - 1:55 PM
Experience Report 2
Dave Mazik - Director, VA Lighthouse, US Department of Veterans Affairs
andrew fichter - Deputy Director, VA Lighthouse Developer Experience, US Department of Veterans Affairs

leadership






1:25 PM - 1:55 PM
2:40 pm
Transition [10 min]
2:50 PM
CMS Experience Report
lloyd evans - Director of Governance, Risk, and Compliance, Aquia

Product






1:25 PM - 1:55 PM
Fireside Experience Report 4 - SWF Contracting Retro
lori-ann rissler - Principal, Decisive Point
victoria wyler - Growth, Defense Unicorns

Procurement






2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
3:25 PM
networking BREAK [30 MIN]
3:55 pm
Rise Up Roundtable

Leadership






2:50 PM - 3:45 PM
Rise Up Roundtable

Product






2:50 PM - 3:45 PM
Rise Up Roundtable

Procurement






2:50 PM - 3:45 PM
4:40 pm
Transition [5 min]
4:45 pm
Hackathon Recap





3:55 PM - 4:25 PM
5:00 PM
day 2 end! [15 hr]
08:00 AM
Breakfast [1 HR]
09:00 AM
Farther, Faster, Far Less Drama
JANICE FRASER - Author & Innovation Leader
JASON FRASER - Author, Advisor & Leader at VMWare Tanzu Labs




9:00 AM - 9:25 AM
09:30 AM
Continuous Delivery is your Superpower
jez humble - Site Reliability Engineer, Co-Author, Lecturer




9:30 AM - 9:55 AM
10:00 AM
networking break: Farther, faster, far less drama book signing [35 min]
10:35 AM
Organizing for Success Part 2: Aligning to Deliver Value and Mission Effects
micheal snyder - Sr. Director, Metronome

Leadership





10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Fireside Chat: Building a Prod Playbook for the Decisive Decade
Nick miller - Federal Lead - AWS Marketplace, AWS
lathan turner - EVP, Global Public Sector, Second Front Systems

Product





10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Tradewinds Contract Vehicle
bonnie evangelista - Tradewinds Execution Lead, DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office

Procurement





10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
11:00 AM
Transition [5 min]
11:05 AM
Large Scale Transformation Playbook
felicia schwartz - Managing Partner, formula.monks

Leadership





11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Complexity: A Potential Enemy of Delivery
mike lanciano - Director of Engineering Growth, Clarity

Product





11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
Taking the ‘Death’ out of the Valley: Dispelling Common Myths About the Valley of Death
russelL long - Founder & CEO, Long Capture

Procurement





11:05 AM - 11:30 AM
11:35 AM
Transition [10 min]
11:45 AM
Make Work More Visible
dominica degrandis - Author & Principal Flow Advisor, Planview

Leadership





11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
Your Data, Your Models, Your Intelligence. All Private. (AI Demo)
kwasi ankomah - Head of AI, formula.monks

Product





11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
Avoiding Competition Theater
matt nelson - CTO, BESPIN

Procurement





11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
12:15 PM
lunch [1 hr] with lunch & Learn at 12:45 - A LIVE, FUN INTERACTIVE DEMO About Dark Launching Using Feature Management - Presented by Launchdarkly
1:15 PM
The Data Pyramid
Melissa L. sayers, LTC - Operations Research Systems Analyst, United States Army - First Army

Leadership





12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
Air-gap Platform Deployments
Andrew greene - Unicorn Engineer, Defense Unicorns

Product





12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
Leveraging Partnerships to Accelerate Accreditation
mamie cruse - VP, Partnerships & Alliances, Second Front Systems
paul bockelman - Director, Technical Solutions, Google Public Sector
josh dries - ISV Partner Development Manager, Google Public Sector

Procurement





12:05 PM - 12:30 PM
1:40 PM
transition [10 min]
1:50 PM
Panel: The Future of Autonomy
msgt donald "chee" gansberger -Software Director - AFWERX Autonomy Prime, US Air Force
tyler sweatt - CEO, Second Front Systems
major victor lopez - Chief of Autonomy Operations - AFWERX SPARK, US Air Force
john goodson - CEO, Darkhive

Leadership






1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
Design in Govtech
jennifer herzberg - Sr. Product Designer, Skylight

Product






1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
FAR Better Contracting & SBIR Superpowers
kristina botelho - Acquisition & Innovation Leader, US Air Force

Procurement






1:30 PM - 1:55 PM
2:15 PM
Transition [5 min]
2:20 PM
Conference Closing Remarks





4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
2:40 PM
networking break - booth last call [20 min]
3:00 PM

Workshop

BONUS: New-Starts





2:35 PM - 4:05 PM

Workshop

BONUS: Legacy Modernization





2:35 PM - 4:05 PM

Workshop

BONUS: Continuous Improvement





2:35 PM - 4:05 PM
4:30 PM
end
see you in approximately 453 days, if not sooner...
What time does the symposium start each day?

The Symposium will open for registration and breakfast at 7:00 AM ET on Monday, November 6, and 8:00 AM ET for breakfast, Expo Hall exploration, and networking on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 7-8.

Last year Prodacity was one track - will there be separate tracks for different disciplines this year?

Yes, please check out the agenda at rise8.us/prodacity for the current three-day schedule. We have general sessions in the main auditorium each day and separate tracks on Days 2 and 3 for Leaders, Acquirers, and Software Practitioners. Track sessions are open to all attendees, regardless of discipline.

What is the best way to manage my session attendance and schedule during the symposium?

Each registrant will receive an invitation to join the Whova Event App. It will invite you to create and update a shareable profile, select sessions to manage your schedule, provide visibility of timely announcements, and more. While we are excited to enhance your overall experience with this resource, you are not required to use the app.

What should I wear?

The Prodacity Team encourages you to wear Smart Casual - an approach that combines trendy with classic for a professional appearance but not too formal. Suits aren’t necessary, but we’d recommend steering clear of “athleisure” and open-toe shoes. Looking for inspiration? Check out Smart Casual ideas here.You’ll also receive a Prodacity t-shirt at registration and we’d love to have you join us in wearing it on the final day of the symposium as we recognize and honor Veterans Day that follows. If you're not a fan of t-shirts, please pack a red shirt for this occasion!

Will there be breaks for lunch, coffee, etc. with options at or near the venue?

Yes, please check out the agenda for all planned breaks; meals, beverages, and snacks are included at the venue to optimize our time together - we recommend networking and visiting the Expo Hall over your breaks.

WILL any of the sessions be transmitted for remote viewing?

No, Prodacity 2023 is an in-person symposium. However, we will share session recordings following the event.

Will there be space for me to work, make a call, or meet with partners?

Yes, during the general sessions and networking/Expo Hall breaks, there will be an opportunity to use some of our other reserved spaces. For business meetings, please coordinate with the Prodacity Team for an appropriate meeting space and time.

What should i bring?

Please bring a valid form of ID to present at registration. While there is space available to work and take a meeting or call, the main auditorium does not have tables to accommodate laptops. You may prefer a tablet, phone, or notebook/pen for these sessions. As a reminder, Prodacity is as much about networking and relationship building as it is learning; please also bring business cards to exchange and your phone to manage your shareable profile from the Whova Event App. Please also plan for some additional space on your trip home for any swag that may come your way!

Is my information going to be shared?

We will not share your information though we encourage you to have conversations, network, and exchange business cards as you deem appropriate.

Supporting Coalition Partners

For information on Prodacity 2023 sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to Miranda Doyel at MDOYEL@RISE8.US