Contact:
Mark Meadows
MeriTalk
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mmeadows@meritalk.com   

CAMPAIGN INNOVATOR DAVID PLOUFFE TO KEYNOTE 2010 ADOBE GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLY
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen and Former Congressman Tom Davis to Speak on Ways Agencies Can Move Beyond Open Government Rhetoric to Engage, Innovate, and Improve Government Efficiency

Alexandria, Va., October 19, 2010 – MeriTalk (www.meritalk.com), the government IT network, today announced the keynote speakers and program lineup for the 2010 Adobe Government Assembly:  Engage America.  David Plouffe, author of The Audacity to Win and campaign manager for Obama for President 2008, will deliver the afternoon keynote address, “The Art of the Possible – Technology and Citizen Engagement in the 21st Century.”  In total, more than 25 government and industry experts will discuss first-hand experiences that enable a more open and engaging government at the complimentary event on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.    

Plouffe blended elements of a traditional campaign with a forward-thinking social media strategy and plan to engage citizens.  The results:  record fundraising, record voter registration, and record voter turnout.  In his keynote address, Plouffe will offer perspectives from the 2008 campaign and discuss using Web dynamics to improve citizen interaction, communication, and engagement.

Morning Keynote, Blue Ribbon Panel, and Program Preview

            The event will begin with a morning keynote address from Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer, Adobe Systems Incorporated, who will challenge the audience to examine real technology solutions that may increase government collaboration in his keynote, “Engage America:  An Industry Perspective.”  A Blue Ribbon Panel, “Government By and For the People:  Perspectives on Moving Toward a More Dynamic, Service-Focused Union,” will frame the day’s discussions, highlighting current attempts by government to connect missions, mandates, and daily operations with innovative and increasingly collaborative approaches to reducing costs, enhancing efficiency, and amplifying success.  The Blue Ribbon Panel includes:

• Tom Davis, former Congressman of the 11th District of Virginia and Federal government relations director, Deloitte, LLP
• Craig E. Kaucher, chief information and technology officer for Defense Media Activity, Department of Defense
• Gwynne Kostin, co-director of the Center for New Media and Citizen Engagement, General Services Administration
• Bajinder Paul, chief information officer, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of the Treasury
• Rob Pinkerton, senior director of Public Sector Solutions, Adobe (moderator)

             Morning panel sessions featuring industry and government executives will cover best practices and lessons learned on the path to increased engagement.  Sessions will highlight agencies that are communicating within their own walls, breaking down silos to interagency collaboration, and engaging with constituents in new ways – with citizens, soldiers, and employees.  Afternoon sessions will build on the morning’s discussion, providing tactical solutions to empower government attendees to translate these concepts into action.  Sessions will focus on engagement via mobile/multi-devices, cloud computing, agency Web presence, and social media tools.  The full program agenda and speaker faculty are available at www.adobegovernmentassembly.com/program.php.

“Agencies and the means through which they communicate with constituents are at a critical junction between the more closed and static practices of the past and increasingly open, transparent, and collaborative of the current and future,” said Barry Leffew, vice president of public sector, Adobe. “We expect this year’s Assembly will offer government and industry attendees more thought-provoking conversation and actionable information as they continue to plan for and implement along this important transition.”

            The 2010 Adobe Government Assembly will take place at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, November 3, 2010.  The event will be hosted by MeriTalk, and sponsors include Amazon, Brightcove, Carahsoft, CDW-G, ConnectSolutions, Dell, Emergent, Federal Managers Association, Insight, McAfee, MeetingOne, SAP, Telework Exchange, and TerraGo Technologies.  To register to attend the event, or for more information on the program, visit www.adobegovernmentassembly.com.

About MeriTalk

The voice of tomorrow’s government today, MeriTalk is an online community that combines professional networking and thought leadership to drive the government IT community dialogue.  Developed as a partnership among the Federal Business Council, Federal Employee Defense Services, Federal Managers Association, GovLoop, National Treasury Employees Union, USO, and WTOP/WFED radio, MeriTalk is a community network.  For more information, visit www.meritalk.com or follow us on Twitter, @meritalk.

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