
Dear PRISM Members & Sponsors, on behalf of the entire PRISM Board, I am pleased to welcome you to the 2021 Virtual PRISM Conference! This year marks 33 years that PRISM has been providing important learning and networking opportunities unique to the retirement business. We are excited that you are here, and we thank you for your continued support of the PRISM Association.
The theme for this year’s Conference is “Leading In The New Normal”. I think we can all agree that the past year has seen a tremendous change in the way we do business, and many of those changes will become a permanent part of the future. This virtual conference will bring new information to light that will help you navigate all that change. Keynotes and Breakout Sessions will complement the theme, bringing practical ideas and real-world experiences to attendees.
The format for this year’s Conference is slightly different from past conferences because the conference is virtual, but I think you will see that many of things that make a PRISM conference special remain in place. There will be opportunities for Members and Sponsors to interact and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to support our valued sponsors. One of the differences between a physical and a virtual PRISM conference is our interaction with sponsors, and vice versa, as part of the traditional Monday afternoon Roundtable session. Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT to let us know what major projects you are undertaking, and where you might benefit from some interaction with your colleagues, when you register for the conference. PLEASE complete this step when you register.
On Monday, our keynote speaker is Jeff Havens. Jeff Havens is not your typical business growth expert. His uncanny ability to provide actionable answers to today’s business challenges in an undeniably entertaining and impactful way has put him in front of over 1,000 eager audiences across North America and Asia. Delivering well-researched and relevant business insight is something a lot of keynote speakers do, but combining that with the entertainment value of a comedy show is not. Engaging, charismatic, and full of energy, Jeff Havens is an insightful business growth expert who provides serious solutions in a seriously funny way.
During the breakout sessions presented throughout the Conference, volunteer PRISM Members will share their knowledge and experiences on current projects and technologies they have recently implemented or are currently working on at their respective systems. As you attend these Breakouts, take a moment to think of what value YOUR experiences would have for others, and begin to plan what YOU can present at PRISM 2022.
The annual Member Business Meeting will be held after the final breakout session on Wednesday afternoon. At this meeting, PRISM will announce the results of the PRISM Board elections. The PRISM Treasurer will give a report, and we’ll cover plans for the 2022 conference.
On behalf of the entire PRISM Board of Directors, thank you for being a part of PRISM 2021.
Dan Bowden, PRISM President
Jeff Havens is not your typical business growth expert. His uncanny ability to provide actionable answers to today’s business challenges in an undeniably entertaining and impactful way has put him in front of over 1,000 eager audiences across North America and Asia. Delivering well-researched and relevant business insight is something a lot of keynote speakers do, but combining that with the entertainment value of a comedy show is not. Engaging, charismatic, and full of energy, Jeff Havens is an insightful business growth expert who provides serious solutions in a seriously funny way.
Laurie Papa
Director NYSLRS Redesign Project
New York State & Local Retirement System
Heidi Nikiforov
Assistant Director – Redesign Application Development
New York State & Local Retirement System
John Cooper
Project Assistant – Business Conversion
New York State & Local Retirement System
Dan MacPherson
Business Systems Analyst
New York State & Local Retirement System
Holly Thompson
Systems Consultant
Kentucky Public Pensions Authority
Frank Williams
Information Security Officer
Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Kristi Glasgall
Ashish Jain
Chief Technology Officer
California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Prashant Mittal
Director, Pension Solution Project
California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Keyla Vivas
Chief Information Officer
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund
Merritt Schroeder
Director of Business Relationship Management
Teachers Retirement System of Texas
Timothy Taylor – Chief Technology Innovation Officer
Chief Technology Innovation Officer
California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
Kerry Worgan – Supervising Pension Actuary
Supervising Pension Actuary
California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
Karen Solarte
Director of Business Solutions for Technology Services
Virginia Retirement System
Sugandha Agarwal
Senior Technology Solutions Analyst
Virginia Retirement System
Dave King
Chief Information Officer
Arizona State Retirement System
Noaman Ahmed
Application Release Manager
Arizona State Retirement System
Rich Nacinovich
Enterprise Infrastructure Manager
Arizona State Retirement System
Tariq Ali, CTO SamCERA
Chief Technology Officer
San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association
Darius Nagal, IT SamCERA
System & Web Engineer
San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association
Rocky Martin, PensionX Division Lead
San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association
Mac Clemmens, CEO
San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association