Howdy TAGITM!

Here it is month two already. I can remember quite well that feeling as a kid when school started, and Xmas break felt like eons away. These days the weeks and months fly by! Here in Seguin, our budget submission and prelim meetings were completed in early June, so now we wait to see what’s in store for the next fiscal year. Undoubtably there will be follow up communication, but it’s a weight off my shoulders every year when I can check this box as done.

Despite the high temps having already kicked in, with budget prep mostly out of the way it feels like summer can officially settle in. I’ll be taking half of July off, and I have a couple of conferences I’ll be attending on behalf of TAGITM. I’m looking forward to all of it! That said, I hope all of you are where you need to be in your respective budget processes and more importantly, I hope you all have downtime coming up to enjoy the time off we all deserve. Life can be a grind. I am of the mindset you owe it to yourself and your family to take your foot off the gas sometimes. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or simply taking a few days to unwind, please do be mindful of that work-life balance.

OK…month two updates, here we go! A few weeks back Melissa Kraft from Frisco put me in touch with her contact from Gartner. I’ve been a Gartner fan for years. A portion of the infrastructure we’ve revamped in Seguin is/was based off data from Gartner, so I was happy to have a phone call with their SLED manager on how TAGITM and Gartner may be able to partner up. I have a pending phone call with more Gartner folks after the TAGITM board strategic planning session, which as I write this is next week. Maybe there’s an opportunity there, maybe not, but you never know unless you talk it out. I’d love to see them involved in some capacity. We shall see!

This past month, executive board members also tagged up with our counterparts at GMIS. We’ve been working behind the scenes for several months to develop a partnership. A couple of our executive board members have been strong proponents to partner with GMIS with an eye towards leveraging their upcoming accreditation program. Prior to our annual conference we received GMIS’s proposed partnership agreement that admittedly I did not care for. That was the primary topic of our recent meeting. It was a good conversation, and GMIS has gone back to I believe revise what was discussed. I want to support this effort as a value add to TAGITM membership, but I am particular in the details. I’m confident we’ll get it worked out. Stay tuned for a cool announcement if we do!

Last thing I’ll mention is one of my favorite dudes up in DFW, Leigh Johnson from Prosper, reached out recently trying to work through getting an employee signed up for the TAGITM sponsored CGCIO program. The link was outdated or something on TAGITM’s website, which has been corrected. TAGITM members receive a $500 discount for signing up, which is better than a poke in the eye with a stick as they say, but I’m curious what members think about CGCIO. If anyone would like to share their thoughts, please feel free to reach out to myself or anyone on the board so we can get the vibe on this organizationally.

That’s it for month two. Thankfully it was seamless as I was wrapping up budgeting, I would say very manageable! Had some good conversations, moved the needle forward a bit, and I’m ready for some thought-provoking dialogue at our upcoming strategic planning. You know, now that I think about it, I may have forgotten to mention to the new board members that they are supposed to pick up the bar tab next week. My bad, y’all! No biggie, we’ll work through all that (lol). I hope everyone reading this is healthy, happy, and is lining themselves up for an awesome summer both professionally and personally. Until next time, thank you for reading!

Shane McDaniel

TAGITM President

Those of us lucky enough to attend the end-of-conference tabletop exercise during the 2024 TAGITM Annual Conference got to participate in an interesting and informative session hosted by CISA. But even if you didn't participate, that doesn't mean you and your organization have to miss out on the experience.

In the face of evolving challenges, municipalities need to embrace a proactive mindset to improve their security posture. Tabletop exercises are a vital component in this mindset, offering opportunities for preparedness and collaboration. Tabletops with IT folks from other agencies allow for exposure to different viewpoints and security postures that can provide new insights into ways to improve your own agency.

When I first learned of my nomination for the TAGITM Women in Technology (WIT) award, disbelief was my immediate reaction. "Who? Me?" was followed by the question, "Who would nominate me?" It's not that I doubt my qualifications, but rather, I've always been one to fly under the radar, not seeking the spotlight. So, the realization that someone had not only noticed my contributions but also remembered my name was truly surprising.

To the mystery person who submitted my name and to those who supported the nomination, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your recognition has filled me with warmth and appreciation.

Receiving the WIT award left me speechless. I had been thrilled just to be nominated, never imagining I would actually win. The past two years of involvement in TAGITM WIT activities have affirmed the incredible talent and dedication of the women within TAGITM's membership. As someone with a longstanding career in IT, having the spotlight shine on me, even for a moment, is an incredible honor.

This experience has awakened me to the reality that I am not as unnoticed as I often perceive myself to be. It serves as a reminder to continue adding value to others and to strive for significance in their lives. I am proud to be part of a community that actively acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of women in our field.

Thank you for this recognition. It means more to me than words can express.

Warm regards,

Fay Young

 

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