Michigan Higher Education IT Leadership Summit 2026 Banner

Overview

Where higher ed IT leaders shape what’s next.

The Michigan Higher Education IT Leadership Summit is a one-day, invite-only gathering designed for CIOs, IT directors, and digital transformation champions across colleges and universities. Focused on the most pressing issues in academic technology, from cybersecurity and infrastructure to digital learning and AI, the summit fosters peer collaboration, practical problem-solving, and forward-thinking leadership. Attendees gain real-world strategies to drive innovation, modernize operations, and elevate student and institutional success.

Who Should Attend: Senior IT leaders, technology managers, and academic innovators responsible for shaping the future of IT in higher education.

A message from our Keynote Speaker

The Michigan Higher Education IT Leadership Summit is such an invaluable and insightful event for me as an IT executive. Higher education, and Michigan in particular, is at a critical point of change . The demographic cliff, changing federal requirements, the dangers and opportunities of AI, and increasing scrutiny on the return on investment of education all present unique challenges that need to be addressed here and now. Feedback and collaboration with other IT leaders is an essential tool to be able to understand, plan, and respond. Differences in institution size, academic focus, and resources all create a multifaceted perspective on these common issues. It presents a unique opportunity for insight and transparency that is hard to replicate in any other format.

-Geoffrey Marsh, Vice President of Instructional, Administrative, and Information Technology, Kettering University

Agenda

Thursday, August 6

8:00 am Eastern

Registration and Morning Refreshments

8:30 am Eastern

Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:45 am Eastern

Beyond the Pilot: Operationalizing AI Across Higher Education IT

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving from experimentation to operational reality across higher education, but many institutions are still working to determine where AI can deliver meaningful value. This session will explore practical AI use cases already being implemented across admissions, student services, IT operations and administrative functions, while examining how institutions are balancing innovation, governance, staffing and long-term sustainability. Panelists will share real-world examples of AI-enabled automation, operational efficiencies and service improvements, along with lessons learned from moving beyond pilot programs into scalable institutional deployment.

9:45 am Eastern

Networking Break

10:00 am Eastern

AI for Teaching, Learning and Research: Practical Models for the Modern Campus

As AI adoption accelerates across higher education, institutions are navigating new opportunities and responsibilities surrounding teaching, learning and research. This session will focus on how colleges and universities are supporting AI literacy, faculty engagement, student success and research innovation through practical implementation strategies and governance models. Attendees will hear how institutions are approaching classroom integration, academic support, research applications and responsible AI adoption while preparing faculty, staff and students for an increasingly AI-driven future.

11:00 am Eastern

Modernizing Identity, Access and Data Governance for the AI Era

As institutions expand automation, analytics and data-driven decision-making, longstanding challenges surrounding identity management, access controls and data governance are becoming increasingly complex. This session will explore how higher education IT leaders are modernizing identity and access management while creating governance frameworks that support secure, scalable, and efficient operations. Panelists will discuss practical strategies for addressing legacy systems, balancing data access with security requirements and creating governance models that support institutional collaboration, compliance and trust.

12:00 pm Eastern

Lunch and Networking

1:00 pm Eastern

Building Resilient Institutions: Cybersecurity, Incident Response and Operational Continuity

Higher education institutions continue to face growing cybersecurity threats, operational disruptions, and increasing reliance on interconnected technology systems. This interactive session will examine how colleges and universities are strengthening incident response planning, improving operational resilience and preparing for disruptions that impact learning, communications and campus operations. Through guided peer discussion, attendees will exchange lessons learned, contingency planning strategies and approaches for maintaining continuity during critical technology failures, outages and cybersecurity events.

2:00 pm Eastern

From IT Support to Strategic Leadership: Positioning Technology as a Campus Partner

As technology becomes increasingly embedded across every aspect of higher education, IT leaders are being asked to serve not only as operational experts, but also as strategic institutional partners. This session will explore how higher education technology leaders are navigating workforce challenges, building collaborative relationships across campus and positioning IT as a driver of innovation, student success and institutional transformation. Panelists will discuss leadership development, staff retention, organizational culture and strategies for helping technology teams evolve alongside the rapidly changing needs of higher education.

3:00 pm Eastern

Closing Remarks

3:15 pm Eastern

End of Conference

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

University of Michigan -Dearborn Kochoff Hall

4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128
313-583-6330

Get Directions To
University of Michigan -Dearborn Kochoff Hall

Advisory Board

Education Representatives

Ben Andera
Exec Director of IT
Academic and Research Computing
Central Michigan University

Dan Arnold
Director of Support & Innovation; Provost Fellow for Artificial Intelligence
Online Learning
Oakland University

PJ Capelli
Security and Privacy Officer
Western Michigan University

Jonathon Conquest
Director of IT Operations
IT
Kettering University

Richard Durant
IT Operations Manager
University of Michigan - Dearborn

Elzabeth Klee
Chief Information Officer
Information Technology
Oakland Community College

Bhavani Koneru
Chief Information Officer
Oakland University

Brian LaGoe
Director of Applications
IT Services
University of Michigan - Dearborn

Joseph Lubomirski
Director of Security, Infrastructure and Operations
University of Michigan-Dearborn

Geoffrey Marsh
VP of Instructional, Admin and IT
Kettering University

Aaron Snead
Vice President Information Technology
Information Technology
Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Milos Topic
Vice President for Information Technology & Chief Digital Officer
Grand Valley State University

Charlie Weaver
Assistant Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Information Technology
Ferris State University

Scott Wood
Chief Information Officer
Baker College

Ron Woody
Chief Information Officer
Eastern Michigan University

Made Possible by Our Corporate Sponsors

Registration Information / Contact Us

Event Date: August 6, 2026

Open to higher education institutions only.

Registration - Free

If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.

This event is open to all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants.

Contact Information

Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:

Lee Vang
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-1407
E-mail: lvang@erepublic.com

Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:

Mireya Gaton
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone:(916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com

Want to sponsor and stand out? Reach out to explore opportunities!

Heather Earney
Center for Digital Education
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com

Venue

University of Michigan -Dearborn Kochoff Hall

4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128
313-583-6330