#221: Lisa Kent, Melissa Kraft, Derek Williams - 2026 World Cup, Fusion Teams, AI Wins, Leading Well
Mon Dec 08 2025
#221: Lisa Kent, Melissa Kraft, Derek Williams - 2026 World Cup, Fusion Teams, AI Wins, Leading Well
Featuring
Lisa Kent is the CIO & Director, City of Houston leading IT for America’s fourth-largest city as she prepares for the World Cup, consolidates Houston Police Department IT, and navigates the delicate balance between innovation and risk.
Melissa Kraft is the CIO, City of Frisco managing IT for one of America’s fastest-growing cities (30% population growth) while experimenting with AI deployments on a municipal budget and timeline.
Derek Williams is the Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist at Dell & former Louisiana State CIO who spent two decades in Louisiana state government culminating as State CIO, now bringing his battle tested public sector insights to help State & Local Governments navigate technology decisions—with real empathy for the scrutiny CIOs face daily.
Timestamps
(04:00) How Houston’s network transformation is preparing for the World Cup
(10:15) Fusion teams in action — how Lisa’s approach to embedding IT with business units delivers measurable wins
(12:00) Building systems that last — Derek’s cost allocation model Louisiana still uses a decade later
(14:00) 40% efficiency gains with AI — Frisco’s wins in 911 training and traffic processing
(18:00) The CIO role is transforming — all three guests discuss the shift from control to consultation and what it means for the next decade
(24:00) Why 95% of AI projects fail — and the three critical stumbling blocks Derek sees everywhere
(27:45) What NASA’s 23-year-old moon landing engineer teaches us about trusting younger technologists
(38:45) What public sector teams deserve credit for — Derek’s defense of the hardest working people few appreciate
(41:30) Small bets, big trust — Melissa shares her playbook for incremental innovation that wins department buy-in
Connect
🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/
🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste
🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/
📽️ Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@techtables
Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify
Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways you can connect with TechTables:
1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter
Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox.
Join now:
https://www.techtables.com/
2. 🤝 TechTables CIO Communities
TechTables CIO Communities are exclusive peer groups for public sector CIOs—featuring vendor-free conversations, 2x annual retreats, exclusive podcast access, and off-the-mic dialogue with leaders who face the same security theater and AI slop.
We’re launching three cohorts:
1) Local Government (opening soon)2) Higher Education (waitlist)3) State Agencies (waitlist).
The Local Government Cohort kicks off with our first retreat in San Antonio, TX in Spring 2026—limited to 15 CIOs.
Our local government customer advisory board is led by following CIOs:
Craig Hopkins, CIO, City of San Antonio & Chair
Chris Chirgwin, CIO, Santa Barbara County
Justin Fair, CIO, City of Garland
Built by CIOs. Powered by TechTables.
More details coming soon. : )
Platinum Newsletter Sponsor:
Join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - New Orleans (February 3 - 4, 2026) and/or Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)!
Learn more about upcoming Info-Tech events here: https://www.infotech.com/events
Gold Newsletter Sponsor:
SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.
Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.
Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com
More
#221: Lisa Kent, Melissa Kraft, Derek Williams - 2026 World Cup, Fusion Teams, AI Wins, Leading Well Featuring Lisa Kent is the CIO & Director, City of Houston leading IT for America’s fourth-largest city as she prepares for the World Cup, consolidates Houston Police Department IT, and navigates the delicate balance between innovation and risk. Melissa Kraft is the CIO, City of Frisco managing IT for one of America’s fastest-growing cities (30% population growth) while experimenting with AI deployments on a municipal budget and timeline. Derek Williams is the Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist at Dell & former Louisiana State CIO who spent two decades in Louisiana state government culminating as State CIO, now bringing his battle tested public sector insights to help State & Local Governments navigate technology decisions—with real empathy for the scrutiny CIOs face daily. Timestamps (04:00) How Houston’s network transformation is preparing for the World Cup (10:15) Fusion teams in action — how Lisa’s approach to embedding IT with business units delivers measurable wins (12:00) Building systems that last — Derek’s cost allocation model Louisiana still uses a decade later (14:00) 40% efficiency gains with AI — Frisco’s wins in 911 training and traffic processing (18:00) The CIO role is transforming — all three guests discuss the shift from control to consultation and what it means for the next decade (24:00) Why 95% of AI projects fail — and the three critical stumbling blocks Derek sees everywhere (27:45) What NASA’s 23-year-old moon landing engineer teaches us about trusting younger technologists (38:45) What public sector teams deserve credit for — Derek’s defense of the hardest working people few appreciate (41:30) Small bets, big trust — Melissa shares her playbook for incremental innovation that wins department buy-in Connect 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoste/ 🐦 Connect on Twitter: https://x.com/thejoetoste 🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techtables/ 📽️ Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@techtables Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways you can connect with TechTables: 1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter Get early access to new episodes, insights, upcoming events, and more — straight to your inbox. Join now: https://www.techtables.com/ 2. 🤝 TechTables CIO Communities TechTables CIO Communities are exclusive peer groups for public sector CIOs—featuring vendor-free conversations, 2x annual retreats, exclusive podcast access, and off-the-mic dialogue with leaders who face the same security theater and AI slop. We’re launching three cohorts: 1) Local Government (opening soon)2) Higher Education (waitlist)3) State Agencies (waitlist). The Local Government Cohort kicks off with our first retreat in San Antonio, TX in Spring 2026—limited to 15 CIOs. Our local government customer advisory board is led by following CIOs: Craig Hopkins, CIO, City of San Antonio & Chair Chris Chirgwin, CIO, Santa Barbara County Justin Fair, CIO, City of Garland Built by CIOs. Powered by TechTables. More details coming soon. : ) Platinum Newsletter Sponsor: Join TechTables & Info-Tech Research Group at Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - New Orleans (February 3 - 4, 2026) and/or Info-Tech LIVE 2026 - Las Vegas (June 9 - 11, 2026)! Learn more about upcoming Info-Tech events here: https://www.infotech.com/events Gold Newsletter Sponsor: SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure. Verizon Frontline—The advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most. Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit techtables.substack.com