NEW ORLEANS – The 13th Annual Louisiana IT Symposium brought Louisiana’s technology community together in New Orleans on Nov. 18, drawing one of its largest audiences to date for a full day of sessions on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation and executive leadership. The event, held at the Higgins Hotel, also recognized the 2025 Chief Information Officer and IT Leaders of the Year from across the state.
This year’s program reflected the accelerating pace of change in the IT sector, particularly in AI governance, distributed computing and the growing threat landscape facing both public and private organizations.
AI Trends, Cybersecurity Pressures and Cross-Industry Learning
Mark Lewis, project coordinator of the Louisiana IT Symposium and CEO of Evolve Media AI, said one of the most significant messages of the day came from Pearl Public School District Superintendent Chris Chism, who spoke about how AI is reshaping cybersecurity and data protection.
“There’s always a concern about false data, so it's important to remember AI is a tool, not the producer of the end result,” said Lewis. “It can be used as the basis for getting started but then adapted to come up with the best results for your organization.”
Lewis said the Symposium’s value lies in the ability of leaders to learn from one another’s real-world implementations. “Because tech is transforming things so fast, people come to learn what other people are implementing that are successful,” he said. “So it’s the sharing of information between executives and learning best practices to implement with their company that is the most beneficial aspect of the symposium.”
He added that AI’s growing influence is also shifting how business leaders work internally. “CIOs and CEOs must have a close relationship so the CEO can understand how tech can affect the overall organization,” said Lewis. “IT used to be a cost center for organizations. Now it’s a profit center.”
Keynote Focus: AI in Education
Superintendent Chris Chism, an education leader for 28 years with deep experience in data-driven instruction and educational technology, delivered two sessions: “AI in Action: The Tools, Trends, and Future of Everyday AI” and “Mastering AI: Tips & Tricks for Getting the Best Results.” His presentations included findings from “The Rapid Adoption of Generative AI,” which showed that by late 2024, nearly 40–45% of Americans aged 18–64 had used generative AI, with more than 23% using it for work in the prior week.
Chism has delivered more than 140 presentations on AI since 2023 including to 38 schools and districts in Mississippi.
Honoring the 2025 CIO and IT Leaders of the Year
This year’s honorees were recognized for their impact on business strategy, digital innovation and community engagement:
- IT Leader of the Year (Private Sector): Michael Bordelon, IT Director, Elder Outreach
- IT Leader of the Year (Public Sector): Dr. John Burris, CIO, Southeastern University
- CIO of the Year: Amy Trainor, System Vice President & CIO, Ochsner Health
- CIO of the Year: Amy Kling, CIO, Turner Industries
Trainor, who has worked in in the New Orleans-area for 23 years, said the award held special meaning because her own team nominated her.
“My team nominated me for this award, which was so exciting,” she said. “I’ve been in this role two years, but I have many years experience. I enjoy my current role which includes enhancing the work environment and creating an inviting culture for people to enjoy their work and to remember the purpose of what we’re doing and how we can relate that to technology. To be nominated by my team and to have them there to celebrate was the most rewarding. I take a lot of pride in this role.”
Leadership and Workforce Development
Trainor said the theme of rapid change, a topic explored throughout the Symposium especially in relation to AI, is central to the work of Ochsner’s 800 technology employees across Louisiana and Mississippi.
“There’s a lot changing in the tech space. It requires people to be change agents and think through what the job of tomorrow looks like,” she said. “I grew up in LaPlace and live in Slidell — I want to keep talent here in the state. Giving Ochsner employees opportunities to enhance their career through technology and seeing them get comfortable with change is so rewarding. It is encouraging seeing them become excited about the future rather than fearful.”
Ochsner was recently named the 28th best tech workplace in America by Forbes. “We have done some great things,” said Trainor. “The Googles and Apples were the top businesses on the Forbes list so to come in 28th on that list speaks to the prioritization we put in connecting people through technology and empowering them.”
AI Governance in the Clinical Environment
Trainor emphasized that AI deployment in healthcare requires strict oversight.
“Governance around AI in the healthcare space is very important," said Trainor. It was a major theme at the symposium. "Ochsner cares about both staff and patients, and we are being thoughtful about AI governance and administration — not only to be more efficient, but to make sure the clinical information we present to clinicians is accurate for decision-making. It can be scary. It can change the outcome of a clinical decision. We don’t take that lightly.”
Cybersecurity Challenges in the Healthcare Sector
Trainor also addressed escalating cyber risks. “Cybersecurity is tough because of the quantity of people out there with bad intentions,” she said. “Healthcare is changing and cybercriminals are looking for who has the most data. The healthcare space has a lot of data so we have to update our tech and devices regularly for security reasons.”
She said that employee education remains the most effective defense. “We have really strict policies on how we identify our patients before giving out information because people out there have a lot of information. Personal information is already out there,” she said. “Our staff have to remain cautious when it comes to cybersecurity. It’s really important that we keep educating our patients, too. It is the number one thing we can do to help.”
Cross-Provider Initiative: MyChart Central
Trainor said recent milestones in statewide digital health coordination will help address cybersecurity issues. Louisiana’s new single-sign-on platform, MyChart Central, launched in Oct., allows patients to use one ID across multiple health systems, including Ochsner Health and LCMC Health. The shared authentication system is expected to reduce password fatigue and help strengthen account protection by standardizing security practices across organizations.
Damon West Keynote: Resilience and Personal Transformation
The Symposium’s keynote speaker, author and college professor Damon West, shared his story of personal redemption in “Overcoming Adversity: The Damon West Story.” Known for co-authoring The Coffee Bean with Jon Gordon, West spoke about his rise as a Division 1 quarterback, his fall into addiction and his eventual transformation while serving a prison sentence in Texas. His message focused on resilience, mindset and the power of internal change.
Closing Perspective
Attendees said the Symposium remains an essential way to collaborate across industries.
“My team and I really love attending the Louisiana IT Symposium based on just the content: fiber risk, digital transformation, agile methodology. Being able to collaborate with our fellow peers in the industry, in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, is really fantastic,” said David Fahr of Community Coffee Company.
