Advancing Technology Leadership Through Impact

Mr. Gorham has served as CIO for REJIS since 1998 and has been a member of the REJIS team for more than 44 years. Mr. Gorham is responsible for the development, implementation, and ongoing support of IT solutions in critical government areas, such as law enforcement, courts, corrections, disaster recovery, data center operations, colocation, telecommunications, infrastructure, IT support services, help desk, and citizen services. He participates in several committees that oversee the operations of REJIS, which help guide the future direction of the organization.

In 2006, he was selected as one of Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders; in 2023, a St. Louis CIO ORBIE Award Winner; and in 2026, a St. Louis Titan 100 award recipient. Mr. Gorham is a founding member of the St. Louis Chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM) and served as the Chapter's President in 2007. He currently serves as Chair for SIM National Foundation and a member of the SIM St. Louis - President's Advisory Council. He is the former Chair of the SIM National Organization. Mr. Gorham is a graduate of the SIM Regional Learning Forum. He is a member of BackStoppers and The MASTERS organizations, has served as a Board Member for the St. Louis Community College Foundation for ten years, and is a founder and executive committee member for the St. Louis Gateway to Innovation Conference.

Education:

• Executive MBA, Beta Gamma Sigma (Honor Society for National Schools of Business) - Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 2013
• CIO Pocket MBA, Boston University School of Management, Boston, Massachusetts
• 2009 Bachelor of Science, Organizational Administration - Cum Laude - St. Louis University

Nanci Schimizzi is a distinguished Senior Technology Executive with an extensive career spanning over three decades. Her leadership experience encompasses strategic roles in various sectors, including finance, non-profit organizations, and professional associations. As the founder and principal of Fair Oaks Strategies, Nanci has demonstrated her expertise in guiding organizations through complex technological and strategic challenges.

Her career highlights include serving as Vice President at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), where she contributed to regulatory and compliance initiatives. Following her tenure at FINRA, she worked as a Management Consultant, providing strategic advice to large financial services firms, non-profits, and professional associations. Her areas of specialization include IT strategy development, business continuity planning, resiliency strategies, business relationship management, program management, and software development. These competencies have enabled her to lead initiatives that enhance organizational stability and technological advancement.

Nanci is also actively involved in promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) initiatives and philanthropic activities and serves as Chair Emeritus for the SIM Foundation Board.  In addition, Nanci is on the Board of Directors for Sustainability Matters, a grass-roots non-profit dedicated to sustainability education and projects.  She is also a member of Root to Table Consumer Advisory Council will promotes culinary and agricultural interests in the Piedmont area of Virginia and West Virginia.  She is active in STEM for Her as an advisory board member and the DC chapter of SIM and C-Sweet. 

Her commitment to community engagement and educational support underscores her dedication to fostering innovation and social responsibility within her professional and personal pursuits.

James Mavourneen is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of JDSix, a business transformation and executive advisory firm that helps organizations align strategy, operations, people, and technology to achieve measurable business outcomes. Throughout his career, James has served as a CIO, COO, and trusted executive advisor, leading complex business transformations across a wide range of industries. His experience in executive leadership, governance, strategic planning, and organizational growth enables him to help the SIM Foundation build meaningful partnerships, expand its reach, and advance its long-term mission.

As Vice Chairman of the SIM Foundation Board, James is passionate about giving back to the technology profession that has shaped his career. A dedicated SIM volunteer for more than 15 years, he has served in numerous leadership roles at both the chapter and national levels. He is committed to expanding fundraising efforts, strengthening corporate partnerships, and supporting initiatives that provide scholarships, STEM education, leadership development, and career opportunities for the next generation of technology leaders.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to benefit from mentors who invested in me. Serving the SIM Foundation is my opportunity to pay that forward by helping develop the next generation of technology leaders, expanding access to education, and creating opportunities that can change lives.”

John Manzanares is the Chief Technology Officer at E78 Partners and an accomplished technology executive with more than 30 years of experience leading digital transformation, technology modernization, and business growth initiatives across public, private, and private equity-backed organizations.

John currently serves as Treasurer of the SIM Foundation and as Co-Chair of SIM National Governance and Membership. He is also a long-standing board member and former chair of the Southern California SIM chapter, where he has helped expand membership, strengthen leadership development programs, and advance community engagement initiatives.

Throughout his career, John has partnered with CEOs, boards of directors, and executive leadership teams to align technology strategy with business outcomes, delivering measurable value through innovation, operational excellence, and organizational transformation.

John holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from California State University, Fullerton.

Michael Szot has over 30 years' experience as a progressive and innovative business leader, with a broad base of management experience, and a proven record of success. Senior executive leadership strengths in personnel management, team building, vendor negotiations, technology innovations, business development, client relationship management and the successful delivery of complex, large-scale business solutions. Strong interpersonal skills, a can-do attitude, straightforward in approach, results-oriented, and dedicated to cost-effective and customer-focused business solutions.

Michael has been a member of the SIM NJ Chapter since 2008 and currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the NJ SIM Chapter, President, NJ SIM Foundation, Board Member, SIM National Foundation, Co-Chair, SIM SPARC and Co-Chair, Operational working group of SIM's Enterprise AI Control Task Force.  Michael is also a Managing Partner and founder of MJS Advisory Services, a strategic technology advisory firm he founded in 2025.

Brian Carey a Senior Vice President at Seaglass Technology Partners, a boutique technology staffing and consulting firm based in New England.  Brian is also Co-Chair of the SIM Boston Outreach Committee, where he partners with local nonprofit organizations, including Year Up, Per Scholas, and Resilient Coders, to support STEM education and career opportunities.

Elizabeth Decker has over 15 years of leadership experience in IT and business roles across a variety of industries, including Financial Services, Staffing, Government Services, Medical, and Pharmaceuticals. She is the Founder and CEO of Braided Strategy, a strategic advisory firm that helps organizations integrate technology with business objectives, guiding companies through complex projects, including mergers, acquisitions, and other periods of significant organizational change. 

Prior to founding Braided Strategy, Elizabeth served as Vice President of Information Technology at INSPYR Solutions, a leading information technology partner, MPLT Healthcare, a leading locum tenens healthcare staffing company, and DigitalBridge, a leading global alternative asset manager investing in digital infrastructure. In those roles, she was responsible for setting each company's information technology strategy and executing on that strategy to establish the organization as a driver of innovation within its industry. Elizabeth is a graduate of the SIM Southeast Rising Leadership Forum and hosts the SIM Women Monthly Tech Ladies Who Lunch in Boca Raton. She is actively engaged in building diversity in technology in the South Florida community.

Bri Haralson is a public sector technology leader with more than 16 years of experience supporting state, local government, and education organizations in modernizing their IT and cybersecurity strategies. She currently serves as Director, SLED West at Cribl, where she leads a regional team focused on advancing data and security initiatives and partnering with agencies to navigate complex operational and cybersecurity challenges.

Bri is deeply committed to strengthening the broader technology community. She serves as Central Vice President of the InfraGard Arizona Members Alliance, Secretary of SIM Nevada, and is the Founder and President of pubsec.TECH, a growing community dedicated to connecting public and private sector leaders. She is also actively involved in workforce development efforts, co-chairing initiatives that support pathways into cybersecurity and IT careers, with a focus on students, veterans, and underserved communities.

Laura Hemenway is a Senior Technology Executive with more than 30 years of experience leading business and technology transformation across a diverse range of industries, including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, public sector, and utilities. As Founder and Principal of Paradigm Solutions, Laura provides strategic leadership in enterprise transformation, technology and business strategy, centers of excellence, and program management. Her people-first leadership approach enables organizations to successfully navigate complex transformation initiatives while building high-performing teams and sustainable results.

Laura is deeply committed to the mission and pillars of SIM and to expanding opportunities for the next generation of technology leaders. As Champion of SIM Women Arizona and former Treasurer of SIM Arizona, she has been instrumental in building programs and communities that support women in technology, leadership development, mentorship, and professional growth. Her innovative leadership and dedication to advancing the technology community earned her the SIM National Chapter Innovator Award and multiple nominations for the SIM National Chapter Champion Award.

Laura is also a passionate advocate for STEM education and enrichment, with a particular focus on creating opportunities for youth and underserved communities. She serves as a Mentor for the Arizona Science Center ‘Girls in STEM Initiative’ and actively supports STEM programs serving Title I elementary school students. Through her professional leadership and community service, Laura is committed to inspiring the next generation of technology professionals and creating pathways for greater access, inclusion, and opportunity in STEM.

Mark Taylor is the Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Information Management. As the chief visionary of SIM, Mark serves a team of 5000+ IT Leaders from Large Cap and Mid-Market companies and Non-Profits organizations from across the country. Mark is an experienced business executive, leader & strategist. Expert in business operations, sales & marketing, technology, & finance. Mark’s unique ability to build bridges between executives, chapters, members, & partners - builds a platform of trust that is leading SIM forward as a key influencer in the development of the next generation of IT leaders.