As CPS Energy continues its transformation into a data-driven utility, the Data Governance by Design initiative ensures that governance is no longer an afterthought—it’s a foundational element embedded from the start of every project, system change, and data-related process.  

This session introduces the principles, structure, and operational impact of embedding data governance into core enterprise workflows such as EIT Intake, SDLC, Change Advisory Board (CAB), Architectural Review Board (ARB), procurement of new systems/applications, and shared services (Reports, Dashboards, Web Development, Analytics). Attendees will gain insight into the strategies used to engage diverse stakeholders while seamlessly integrating governance into enterprise-wide processes. Attendees will also learn how early involvement of Data Stewards and the Data Governance Office (DGO) enhances data quality, reduces risk, and ensures compliance—while enabling smarter, faster decision-making.

We’ll explore:

• The purpose and scope of Data Governance by Design
• How governance is integrated into project lifecycles and intake processes
• The roles and responsibilities of Data Stewards, DGO, and business units
• Real-world examples of governance in action across CPS Energy

Whether you're a data steward, project manager, or business leader, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to champion governance as a strategic enabler.

Note: CPS Energy’s Data Governance program is still in its early stages. We are actively standing up the program while navigating major enterprise shifts, including an ERP transformation.

Speaker: Martin Nash, Manager of Data and Analytics Engineering, CPS Energy

Marty is a senior business analyst at CPS Energy in San Antonio, Texas. He has been with the company for over three years after a 12-year career in athletic (football and basketball) coaching and education. Marty holds a Master's Degree in Management Information Systems, which helped enable him to switch careers. He is part of the Data Governance Office, which only began its Data Governance journey in early 2024. Another part of Marty's job is to engage with business areas that are looking to increase analytic capabilities with assistance from the centralized Enterprise Advanced Analytics team. In his free time, he loves to play golf, watch sports, and spend time with his wife, Kim, and two kids, Owen (5) and Emma (9).

Speaker: Stephen Garcia, Analyst Technical Business, CPS Energy

Stephen is a Technical Business Analyst at CPS Energy in San Antonio, Texas. He joined the company within the past year after a 23-year career as a developer at AT&T, where he most recently served as a Senior Developer on the Protection Services team building and managing analytical DataMarts. Stephen holds a Master of Science in Data Analytics from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, also from UTSA. He is part of the Data Governance Office, where his work spans data stewardship, governance policy and metadata, and tooling enablement. His background as a data engineer has made him a strong advocate for data governance, having seen firsthand how much downstream analytical work depends on well-governed, trustworthy data at the source. In his free time, he loves to play golf and spend time with his wife, Lauren, and their two pugs, Chloe and Percy.