Getting to share common challenges and solutions among industry peers is not a privilege afforded to everyone in IT. But Texas state Chief Information Officer Todd Kimbriel said it's especially valuable to the public sector. Speaking to Ask the CIO: SLED Edition, Kimbriel said his favorite session from this year's NASCIO annual fall conference in Nashville in October, was the “open mic.” Host john Thomas Flynn also spoke to Ed Toner, Nebraska state CIO, about the opportunity that NASCIO provides to reconnect with vendors, especially their leadership. Toner also shared his advice to vendors that want to become that trusted IT adviser in Nebraska.