Baker-Polito Administration Hosts 2021 Massachusetts Virtual
Digital Government Summit
Technology and cybersecurity leaders from state and municipal
government and the private sector gathered virtually to promote best practices
and spur innovation in the public sector
BOSTON
– Today, the Baker-Polito
Administration, in partnership with Government Technology, hosted the 2021
Massachusetts Virtual Digital Government Summit, an annual conference geared toward networking opportunities and
the sharing of best practices to enhance technology and cybersecurity services
across the public sector. With a focus on the ‘future of work’ in adapting how
the business of government is executed, the Summit offered attendees from state
and municipal government with a valuable opportunity to build vital
relationships with industry leaders and learn about innovative solutions for
the challenges governments face in an increasingly digital world.
Held
virtually for the second consecutive year, the Summit included remarks from
Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary of Technology
Services and Security Curt Wood, as well as ‘technology change agents’ well
versed in adapting to the rapid and disruptive changes presented by the shift
to a remote workforce. Attendees participated in concurrent breakout sessions
with expert panels presenting on navigating the cyber threat landscape, the
impacts of automation, and the importance of connectivity in a new era of
‘remote everything’.
“Technology
has become even more fully integrated into the fabric of our lives these past
eighteen months and will only increase going forward,” said Governor Charlie
Baker. “Events like the annual Digital Government Summit bring public and
private partners together to help improve the citizen digital experience and to
enable more efficient and intuitive interactions with state and local
government for critical services.”
“We
find ourselves at a transformational moment that has highlighted the importance
of technology investments at the state and local level,” said Lt. Governor
Karyn Polito. “Ensuring continuity of essential government services to the
Commonwealth’s many residents, businesses, and visitors remains a top priority
for our Administration.”
The
timing of the Summit is especially poignant, coming in the same week that the
President signed into law legislation that authorized a $1 billion State and
Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, providing much-needed funding to state and
municipal governments that increasingly find themselves the targets of cyber
criminals attempting to disrupt essential government services and extort
taxpayer dollars through ransomware attacks. The legislation stipulates that
80% of the funding is required to be dedicated to municipalities to enhance
their cybersecurity defenses, with at least 25% of that funding earmarked for
rural communities that often lack the resources for dedicated IT and
cybersecurity personnel.
Building
on the Administration’s strong partnerships with municipalities, the Executive
Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) recently announced the
opening of the 2022 Municipal
Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program.
Now in its second year, over 62,000 municipal and public school employees
across the Commonwealth have enrolled in the program, gaining access to
critical end-user training, evaluations, and threat simulations to improve
their ability to identify and avoid traps laid by cyber attackers seeking to
gain access to government IT networks and sensitive data of its constituents.
“We
have faced many challenges over the past year and a half – forcing us to
continually innovate and often times reinvent the way we carry out the business
of state government in order to keep our citizen-centric services running,” said
Secretary of Technology Services and Security Curt Wood. “I commend the
state and local government technology and cybersecurity leaders gathered here
today, as you all have risen to the occasion and met the moment head on.”
“We are beyond pleased to partner with the Baker-Polito Administration
in hosting the 27th annual Massachusetts Digital Government Summit,” said
Government Technology Magazine Vice President Jack Mortimer. “This
conference brings together the best minds in technology and cybersecurity
to share best practices, celebrate successes, and discuss creative ways to
leverage technology throughout the Commonwealth.”
