Outline and goals

  • Encouraging local CIOs to give back to the south Florida tech community through scholarships to deserving high school students who will pursue a tech education at a Florida school

Achievements

  • To date, awarded 94 scholarships through Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), Palm Beach County Public Schools (PBCPS), and Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) in association with the Broward Education Foundation.
  • Confirmed for another year with the MDCPS, BCPS, and PBCPS programs.
  • Award four (4) scholarships annually for each of the three (3) South Florida School Districts, a total of twelve (12) scholarships each year.

Planned Activities

  • Set goals and targets across the three (3) South Florida School Districts for future scholarships.
  • Expand the annual program awards in 2024 across the South Florida School Districts.
  • Involve South Florida Higher Education institutions in the Scholarship promotion and process.

Joe Robens – Team Lead, Scholarships

Joe is a long-time member of the CIO Council and an entrepreneurial sales professional whose dedication and persistence have brought the scholarship programs to life.  Under Joe’s leadership, the program now encompassed MDCPS, BCPS, and PBCPS with a full program of 4 students per school district for a total of 12 scholarships per year.

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Education and Skills

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Outline and goals

  • Improving the skills being taught in our colleges, universities and high schools to build better prepared future workers
  • Informing top students and faculty about the CIO Council in order to highlight the needs of our members

 Achievements

  • Participation in the MDC Academic Leaders Council Skills Gap Survey
  • Conducted our Cybersecurity Roundtable with the FIU Cybersecurity Faculty and Students
  • Advised St. Thomas University on their Cybersecurity Masters Program

Planned Activities

  • Add CIO Council representation to the Academic Leaders Council
  • Improve the CIO Council deck on careers and skills to present to college and university classes
  • Establish and expand a program of CIO speaking events with selected universities, schools and colleges

Community Outreach

Outline and goals

  • Sponsor and/or participate in focused community activities in a way that expands the CIO Council’s reach and visibility
  • Sponsor or endorse initiatives that grow the local tech talent pool

Achievements

  • Participation in the Beacon Council IT Task Force
  • CIO Track at eMerge
  • CIO Track at ITPalooza
  • Sponsor of CIO of the Year awards
  • Working with South Florida Business Journal as a publishing partner for CIOC events

Planned Activities

  • Explore similar IT vehicles with the Broward Alliance and the PBDB
  • Look for other events to co-sponsor with SFTA and others within the community
  • Have CIOs participate in Hour of Code this year
  • Continued participation/growth of eMerge and ITPalooza events
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Lenny Chesal – Team Lead, Community Outreach

Lenny is a well known personality in the south Florida technology community and an accomplished musician and bandleader. Combined with his gregarious nature and participation in a number of south Florida tech organizations makes Lenny the ideal person to conduct outreach on behalf of the Council.

Internships

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Outline and goals

  • Provide CIOs with easier access to the local pool of qualified and interested high school and college level students
  • Provide feedback on skills and needs to the local educational community

Achievements

  • Participation in the Talent Development Network launch event
  • Issuing of a joint press release regarding CIO Council’s endorsement of TDN
  • Links to TDN and Getmyinterns.org on the CIO Council website

Planned Activities

  • Expand beyond TDN’s reach and identify internship programs at FAU, Nova, BC and PBSC
  • Look for similar programs to getmyinterns.org for Broward and PB Counties
  • Promote internship programs to our membership through emails, the website and at CIO Council events

Pete Koltis – Team Lead, Internships

Pete is well know for being a mover and shaker, just the guy to stir up interest in the community for the support of internships. Pete is an active member of the Council and and is always ready with a quick wit to bring levity to any situation.

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