#186: From SCARE to CARES: Transforming IT Culture

The TechTables Newsletter is proudly brought to you by our national partner, SentinelOne

Want to see AI-powered security in action? Check out how the State of Montana revolutionized their cybersecurity using SentinelOne - they're now protecting over 15,000 endpoints across 25 state agencies. Click here to see their success story.

FEATURING:

* Saby Waraich, CIO/CISO, Clackamas Community College

* Ed Odom, Race and Social Justice Lead, City of Seattle IT

* Melanie Vogt, Human Resources, City of Seattle IT

* Curtis Nimmons, HR Director, City of Seattle IT

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

* How the SCARE to CARES framework addresses digital transformations, noting that 84% fail, with 52% due to communication issues

* Practical strategies for managing Seattle IT's transition to 3-day office mandates, including listening sessions, drop-in hours, and employee assistance programs

* How military-style "mission over self" leadership principles can foster employee buy-in while maintaining empathy

* Why shifting from negative mindsets (with 80-85% of daily 70,000 thoughts being negative) is crucial for effective leadership

* The importance of developing "power skills" (formerly called "soft skills") in the workplace

LINKS MENTIONED:

* "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin

* "Positive Intelligence" by Shirzad

* City of Seattle IT Employee Assistance Program

* Clackamas Community College

🎬 Welcome to the 🔒 member-exclusive edition 🔒 of the TechTables Collaboratory!

Each month, we deliver fresh, innovative insights to inspire connection, spark bold ideas, and transform the way you tackle public sector challenges—straight from our Monthly Forum call on the 1st Thursday of every month.

This month’s featured guest speaker is Andrea Ballinger, Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer at Oregon State University.

Join the TechTables Collaboratory before Thursday, January 16th at 11:00 AM to be on our next monthly call!

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. The TechTables Newsletter

Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory

What is the TechTables Collaboratory?

It's the Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory: A 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community.

Membership Benefits Include:

* 📅 Monthly Group Calls – 90-minute virtual sessions where public sector leaders dive deep into challenges and share actionable insights.

* 🤝 Collaboratory Roundtable Meetups – Exclusive in-person gatherings to foster collaboration and connection.

* 🏨 Hotel Accommodations on Us – Your stay is covered during TechTables events, so you can focus on what matters most—building relationships and driving innovation.

Bonus:

* 🗂️ Episode-Specific Leader Guides – Actionable takeaways and insights from each session, designed to help you empower your team and implement new ideas immediately.

3. 🎥 Live Events: Join us at TechTables live events—whether hosted by us or in partnership with industry leaders—where we bring together senior technology leaders. Experience exclusive networking, collaborative sessions, and inspiring discussions that spotlight and elevate public sector leadership.

Email Joe at joe@techtables.com to get on our private 2025 event waitlist.

4. 🤝 The Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit: Kicking off 2025 to Defend, Protect, and Secure: bringing together government and private sector leaders quarterly to strengthen collective defense capabilities against rising cyber threats.

The virtual summit focuses on building resilient security frameworks through topics like Zero Trust and AI-enabled operations, uniting CIOs and CISOs to protect critical infrastructure and government services.

📧 Interested? Email Joe at joe@techtables.com

The TechTables Newsletter is proudly brought to you by our national partner, Verizon

Verizon Frontline is the most advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most. Click here to check out the solutions built for first responders.

🎥 Upcoming Live Podcast Tours

1. 2026 IGNITE Powered by Info-Tech LIVE - Austin, TX - Sept. 17th-18th

If you’re an IT leader in Austin, Houston, or nearby, Info-Tech’s got complimentary tickets with your name on them (just DM me I’ll be there). IGNITE is getting past the AI hype and into the real questions CIOs are wrestling with: how to get your people actually using AI, what the shift from “employee in the loop” to “employee on the loop” looks like, and how to budget when the costs keep moving up.

→ Ready to join the conversation in person? Email joe@techtables.com

3. 2026 TechTables Austin Live Podcast Tour - November 4th

We’re coming back to Texas for a live podcast stop in Austin, TX and we could not be more excited. TechTables heads to Austin to celebrate the leaders, the stories, and the work shaping the future of public sector!

→ Ready to join the conversation in person? Email joe@techtables.com

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter

Thanks for reading TechTables! Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.

2. 🤝 You shouldn't make the hardest calls alone.

A peer advisory board of local government CIOs. Vendor-free, application only, twice a year in person — with 4x private forums in between.

See if you're a fit → https://techtables.com/communities-local-government

3. 🤝 The Better Together Series

The narrative-driven series bringing together industry partners and public sector CXOs. Discover the compelling stories that unfold when we stop working in silos and start building together.

»»» Email joe@techtables.com to learn more.