Chelsea Collier
Editor-At-Large,
Smart Cities Connect

Chelsea Collier convenes people across sectors to explore how the ethical application of technology can support the co-creation of smart(er) communities. She serves as the Editor-at-Large for Smart Cities Connect and is the founder of Digi.City, a forum for smart cities and the social good. She is a doctoral student in the School of Information (iSchool) at the University of Texas at Austin and a Graduate Research Assistant for Good Systems, an interdisciplinary team dedicated to designing AI technologies that benefit society.

She is a University of Manchester (UK) Simon Industrial & Professional Fellow (2019), a Marshall Memorial Fellow (2018) and an Eisenhower Fellow (2016). She is also the co-author of the Smart Cities Playbook and the creator of the Digi.City Smart(er) Cities Toolkit. Her work has been featured in national publications including Governing Magazine, Inc.com, Venture Beat and the Chicago Tribune. Her previous experience in social enterprise, tech entrepreneurship, economic development and state government inform her cross sector approach. She lives in Austin, Texas and serves on the board of the Austin Smart Cities Alliance (ASCA). Her masters and bachelor degrees are from the University of Texas at Austin.

Ruthbea Yesner
Vice President, Government Insights and Smart Cities,
IDC Government Insights

Ruthbea Yesner is the global VP of the Government and Smart Cities Strategies practice at IDC. In this practice, Ms. Yesner coordinates IDC's government and Smart City research worldwide. Ms. Yesner's research discusses the strategies and execution of relevant emerging technologies and non-technology best practice areas, such as governance, innovation, partnerships and business models essential for Smart City development and government digital transformation. Ms. Yesner's research includes the Internet of Things, Big data analytics, cloud computing, mobility and other leading-edge technologies as used in public works, transportation, public safety, community engagement and Open Data initiatives. Ms. Yesner contributes to consulting engagements to support state and local governments' Smart City strategies and IT vendors' overall Smart City market strategies.

Ms. Yesner is an active participant in the broader Smart City community and contributes to publications such as Government Technology, Government Computer News, CivSource, M2M Evolution, CIO magazine, SmartGrid News, Connected World and StateTech magazine. Ms. Yesner's publications include a chapter with PTI and the Global Institute on the first developmental model for smart cities in Smart Cities for a Bright Sustainable Future: A Global Perspective which is available on Amazon. Her latest publication is on smart city measurements and assessments, published in February 2017 in Managing for Social Impact: Innovations in Responsible Enterprise, by Springer. She is a frequent speaker and panelist at industry events.

Ms. Yesner joined IDC following work as a product manager in Internet start-ups in Silicon Valley. Prior to that, she worked in state social services as a director of programs serving young adults and adolescents diagnosed with substance abuse and mental health issues.

Ms. Yesner holds a BA from Wesleyan University, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College with an MBA and MSW joint degree.

Jason Cooley
Chief Innovation Officer
City of Frisco, TX

Jason is currently the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Frisco. In this role, Jason leads the advancement of Smart City technology and municipal innovation for the City. Jason joined the City of Frisco as the Strategic Services Manager in the City Manager's Office in June 2015. During his time in Frisco, Jason has been assigned to work in various departments and roles. He has been Interim Director of Parks and Recreations, Interim Intergovernmental Affairs Manager and Assistant to the City Manager.

Prior to joining Frisco, Jason was a Senior Vice President with Strategic Government Resources. Jason has over 16 years of municipal government experience mostly serving as Budget/Finance director and Innovation Director for several Dallas metro-area cities. Jason started his career in Washington, D.C. in the consulting sector, focusing on government productivity and effectiveness.

Jason holds a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communication and a Master's Degree in Political Science from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jason is married to his wife Jenn, and has two daughters Maggie and Mallory. Jason is an avid CrossFit athlete and triathlete.

Andrew Watkins
President and COO, Marketplace.city

Marketplace.city, a platform that helps governments find, evaluate and procure technology. As President and COO, Andrew is responsible for Marketplace.city's relationship with the public sector, product/process integration and overall operations.

Prior to Marketplace.city, Andrew was the Managing Director of Strategy at UI LABS, an innovation accelerator in Chicago, where he helped launch City Digital, a public private partnership focused on smart city innovation.

Prior to UI LABS, Andrew was a strategy consultant at Accenture. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Molly, and two kids. .

Tom Perttula,
Manager of Supplier Development,
Sourcewell

Tom Perttula is Sourcewell Manager of Supplier Development. Tom is driven to connect public-agency buyers with Sourcewell awarded suppliers. By refining communication methods, program benefits, and sales strategies, Tom and the supplier development team are increasing public purchasing options needed in an ever-changing world by increasing access to top-quality products and services provided by Sourcewell contracted suppliers.

Ronnie Barnes
Director, Public Services,
HGACBuy

Ronnie is the director of Enterprise Services, leading teams responsible for enterprise, business services, and economic development programs. Ronnie directs teams with Small Business Administration and Economic Development Administration loans, the Economic Development Program, the Energy Purchasing Program, and the HGACBuy Cooperative Purchasing Program. Ronnie serves as chair for the National Cooperative Purchasing Partners Board of Directors and is in leadership roles with several youth sports and faith-based organizations. He is a native Houstonian and studied at the University of Houston.

Sergio Paneque,
Former Chief Procurement Officer,
State of NY and State of MI

Sergio Paneque has had a long career leading the procurement organizations of some of the largest governments in the United States. Sergio was the Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Michigan and the State of New York and was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as the Chief Acquisition Officer for the City of New York. Sergio has a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and both a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Management from Michigan State University. He is a licensed attorney with the Michigan and Florida Bar Associations.

Jill Beaupre,
Senior Category Development Administrator,
Sourcewell

Jill Beaupre has a passion for customer service sharpened by years of experience. As a senior category development administrator at Sourcewell, Jill captures and analyzes industry data to determine emerging priorities in public procurement. She uses the expertise to attract industry-best suppliers to respond to open, public solicitations to satisfy the growing public-sector demand.

Santosh Puttappa,
Manager,
HGACBuy

Joshua Cadoree,
Procurement Coordinator,
HGACBuy

Emily Yates
Chief Innovation Officer,
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

Emily is a strategic leader who has worked to position cities as globally competitive by utilizing a systems approach to develop strategies, projects and programs that innovate at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and economic development.

As Chief Innovation Officer for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Emily leads the Office of Innovation (OOI), which focuses on driving innovation initiatives through internal and external partnerships and collaboration. In addition to growing a culture of innovation, OOI works to incorporate sustainability principles and data-driven decision making into all aspects of SEPTA's efforts to become a lifestyle transit network.

Prior to this role as Smart City Director for the City of Philadelphia, Emily managed and led implementation of the SmartCityPHL Roadmap, leveraging public-private-plus (universities and utilities) partnerships to ensure that smart and emerging technology solutions to municipal challenges improved the quality of life for all residents, businesses, and visitors, and enabled efficient delivery of City services.

She has held a variety of positions in Europe and North America, including urban planning positions with both the District of Columbia and the City of Cleveland. Emily was a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt German Chancellor/ Bundeskanzler Fellowship, which funded a year of research focused on German approaches to the implementation of sustainability policy and climate change adaptation in brownfield development. Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Arizona State University. She is a member of the Emerging Leaders in Energy and Environmental Policy (ELEEP) Network.

Ryan Kurtzman
Smart Cities Program Manager,
City of Long Beach, Technology & Innovation

Ryan Kurtzman is the Smart Cities Program Manager for the City of Long Beach. His experience includes developing community programs and policies that leverage technology to improve connectivity, mobility, digital equity, and economic outcomes for all residents. He also leads the City's open data and data governance programs. Before that, Ryan served under Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti where he brokered partnerships and created program evaluation tools to advance the City's Great Streets Initiative and park equity goals. He graduated from UCLA with a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on transportation policy and planning, and serves on the Board for the American Planning Association Los Angeles chapter.

Raimundo Rodulfo
Director of Innovation and Technology / Chief Innovation Officer,
City of Coral Gables, FL