Connect with educators, leaders and industry experts during two days of inspiration, innovation and connection.
IT Conference 2026: Stronger Together: Merging Minds. Multiplying Impact
April 29-30, 2026
Welcome to the inaugural OTDI IT Conference. Our theme, “Stronger Together: Merging Minds. Multiplying Impact,” highlights the power of collaboration, innovation and shared expertise across our community. The free, in-person conference is designed to bring Ohio State IT professionals together to learn, connect and share ideas.
Join educators, leaders and industry partners from across campus for two days of inspiration, innovation and connection. Throughout the conference, you’ll hear from experts and changemakers who are pushing boundaries and sharing practical insights you can apply in your own work.
Registration closed on March 27
Registration is now closed. We’ve reached capacity and are grateful for the strong interest in this year’s conference.
Conference Agenda
Wednesday, April 29
| Time | Session and Location | |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 p.m. | Refreshments and Informal Networking | |
| 1 p.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks | |
| 1:15 p.m. | Keynote Speaker | |
| 2:15 p.m. | Open Sessions | |
| 2:15 p.m.– 3 p.m. Session 1 - Concurrent Sessions | ||
| Teach Your AI Well: Great Inputs Make Great Outputs presented by Amy Cogswell | ||
| Unlocking Your AI Toolbox: Innovating Safely with Google Gemini & NotebookLM presented by Kevin Clark, Brett Cosma, Edward "Stu" Hicks, Andrew McCabe and David Renner | ||
| One Click Away: Rethinking the Org Chart presented by Trevor Bennett | ||
| AI as a Coworker: A Day in the Life presented by Jeremy Boeckman, John McEnery and Balakrishna Nallanagulagari | ||
| 3:15 p.m.– 4 p.m. Session 2 - Concurrent Sessions | ||
| One Network. Immense Benefits presented by Ryan Holland | ||
| Building Better Services Together: A Collaborative Approach to Service Improvement presented by Kathryn Dove and Lisa Rice | ||
| Secret Sauce: Driving Consistency, Savings, and Value Through Our AV Framework presented by Dan Brauer | ||
| One AD - The Power to Collaborate presented by Jason Pollock and Marty Winders | ||
| 4:15 p.m.– 5 p.m. Session 3 - Concurrent Sessions | ||
| One AD - AI Integrated Single Sign On Simplification presented by Coreland Phillips | ||
| Virtualize your Compliance, Azure Virtual Desktop and PCI Workflows presented by Geoff Wiggins | ||
| More Than a Mouse: Ensuring Digital Access Through Keyboard Testing presented by Misty Lenhart | ||
| Real-World Success with the MITS model - Panel Discussion presented by Ginger Breon, Michael Chakerian, Dean Matthew Smith and Kim Young | ||
| 5-7 p.m. | Social Reception and Staff Appreciation | |
Thursday, April 30
Thursday, April 30
| Time | Session and Location | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | Optional Breakfast and Networking. Explore the Sponsor Zone throughout the day. | |
| 8:30 a.m. | Welcome and Kickoff for Day 2 | |
| 9 a.m. | Open Sessions | |
| 9 a.m.– 9:45 a.m. Session 1 - Concurrent sessions | ||
| MIST-ifying Networks: Deploying Intelligent Network Technologies at Ohio State presented by Jay Young | ||
| Institutional Excellence: Aligning IT Investment with the Pedagogical Future presented by Michael Hardesty | ||
| The 2036 Buckeye: Envisioning an AI-Integrated Campus Experience. A Collaborative Simulation presented by Courtney Sanders and Mike Kaylor | ||
| From Apple to OSU: Design Methodology in Practice presented by Chris Fish and Bob Mains | ||
| Prototype to Production: SNUGLE and Structured Notes presented by Robert Strouse | ||
| 10 a.m.– 10:45 a.m. Session 2 - Concurrent sessions | ||
| AV Support: Because Turning It Off and On Again Can't Be the Whole Strategy presented by Jacob Garrett | ||
| Enhancing Collaboration and File Sharing with Globus presented by Rick LeMaster | ||
| REDCap Beyond Surveys: What Becomes Possible Through Curiosity and Collaboration presented by Jess Hale | ||
| Secure Data Management and Storage with Data Repositories and Data Enclaves presented by Derek Ditmer, Stephen Gavazzi, Jeff McDonald, Nick Ramser and David Renner | ||
| Built to Scale: Modernizing the Ohio State Digital Experience with BUX and Kubernetes presented by presented by Eva Dale, Moe Buckley, Pierre Fortier, Stephen Gavazzi, Edward “Stu" Hicks and David Renner. | ||
| 11 a.m.– 11:45 a.m. Session 3 - Concurrent sessions | ||
| One Platform, One Community: Reimagining Undergraduate Admissions Review Through Collaboration presented by Portia LaMarr | ||
| The Value of an Enterprise Approach: Unifying Central Functions to Enable Superior Digital Experience presented by Brian Foley and David Renner | ||
| Building Toward a Facilities Digital Twin: Outcomes and Where to Next presented by Treavon Clark | ||
| Designing for Humans: Why User Experience Shapes Research Success presented by Maya Jenkins | ||
| AI + Tableau MCP for Contextual Data Insights, and CMDB-Powered SDES Migration Tracking with Power BI presented by Maureen Henry and Jake Boes | ||
| 12-12:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks | |
Session Formats
OTDI’s IT Conference 2026 will feature a variety of dynamic session formats designed to meet different learning styles and spark meaningful conversation:
- Inform and Engage: Dive into 45-minute sessions showcasing innovative projects and practical strategies you can bring back to your department, unit, or team.
- Lightning Ideas: Fast-paced 15-minute talks that introduce compelling concepts and bold approaches from colleagues across campus. Perfect for discovering something new—quickly.
- Imaginarium: An interactive space where you can explore hands-on demonstrations, tools, prototypes, and emerging practices. Engage directly with presenters, ask questions, and experiment alongside colleagues.
Directions and Parking
Parking is available in the Ohio Union South Parking Garage, located immediately north of the Ohio Union. Additional parking information is available on the CampusParc website. You can also use our interactive Campus Maps to search for building locations and directions to the venue:
The Ohio Union
1739 N. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43210
If arriving by taxi or rideshare, please instruct your driver not to drop you off on High Street (the east side of the Ohio Union). Instead, they should drop you off on 12th Avenue (the south side of the Ohio Union, just west of High Street). Alternatively, drivers may pull into the circular drive alongside the building for drop-off. This location may also be used for pickups following the conference.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the conference or proposal submissions, please contact us via email at OSUITConference@osu.edu.
Thank You, Sponsors
Advocate Sponsors
Contributor Sponsors
The OTDI IT Conference is free and open to all Ohio State educators, leaders, researchers, staff, and technology professionals.
We’re excited to explore the future of IT together—and even more excited to see you there.