Speakers

Farhan Abdullah is the Director of Information Technology at the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA). With over 18 years of public sector IT experience, Farhan has led several large-scale projects, integrating modern technology to optimize business processes and improve service delivery. At SCA, he spearheads the digital transformation of IT systems, focusing on operational efficiency and innovation to support New York City's school construction and maintenance efforts. Prior to joining SCA, Farhan held leadership roles at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where he implemented key initiatives that improved IT infrastructure and service reliability.

Rich Lavers is currently serving as the Deputy Commissioner for the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security, a position he has held since first being appointed by then Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan in 2013. Rich has since been reappointed twice by then Republican Governor Christopher Sununu. Prior to his current role as deputy commissioner, Rich was an attorney with the department and prior to that worked as an attorney in private practice. The department is responsible for administering several critical workforce programs in New Hampshire, including the unemployment program; several reemployment and training programs; as well as the state’s labor market information bureau. The department specializes in working with people when they find themselves at a major inflection point in their lives and then helping them to understand their ability to successfully navigate the road ahead. Rich proudly supports the notion that individuals should not be expected to accept less in terms of the quality of customer service they receive when accessing public sector benefits. Embracing the latest technology with appropriate safeguards to allow for genuine transparency will be critical for the continued relevancy and necessity of public sector benefit systems.