PA TechCon Call for Proposals

PA TechCon 2026: Systems, People, & Possibilities
Deadline: Sunday, May 17, 2026 by 11:59pm

PA TechCon 2026 brings together technology leaders, practitioners, and partners from across the Commonwealth to explore how systems, people, and innovation intersect to drive meaningful progress. This two-day event highlights what’s working today, shares practical insights, and explores what’s next for technology across the public sector. We are seeking engaging, relevant, and actionable session proposals aligned with this year’s conference tracks.
 

What We’re Looking For
We are seeking:

• Breakout Sessions (40 minutes)
• Focused Use Cases (40 minutes)
• Panel Discussions (40 or 110 minutes)
• Interactive Hands-On Workshops (40 or 110 minutes)

We welcome proposals that:

• Share real-world use cases, lessons learned, or proven strategies
• Provide practical insights attendees can apply immediately
• Highlight collaboration across agencies or sectors
• Address both technical and human elements of IT transformation

Submission Guidelines

• Sessions must be educational and not sales-focused
• Proposals should clearly outline value and takeaways for attendees
• Preference will be given to sessions with real-world examples or case studies

Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: Sunday, May 17, 2026 by 11:59pm
• Notification Date: Early June 2026
• Event Date: Thursday, August 6, 2026

Keynote / General Session Opportunities
We are seeking dynamic keynote or general session presentations that align with the theme Systems, People, & Possibilities. These sessions should inspire, challenge thinking, and provide a forward-looking perspective on technology, leadership, and innovation in the public sector.

Keynote Presentations

Ideal keynote presentations will:

• Set the tone for the conference and energize attendees
• big-picture insights with practical relevance
• Connect technology trends with real-world impact on people and organizations

Benefits for Speaking at HU:

• Featured keynote positioning to help set the tone for the conference
• Promotion across our marketing, social, and university networks
• A dedicated speaker spotlight leading up to the event
• A curated audience and business leaders
• Access to a full recording of your session
• Opportunities for interaction beyond the stage (roundtable, small group, etc.)
• Space for you to connect more directly with attendees (table/booth if helpful)
• A path to continue working together beyond just this event

Conference Tracks

Please review the track descriptions below and select the option that best aligns with your proposed session.
 

TRACK #1: Defend, Respond, Recover: The New Cyber Playbook

Focus Areas: Cybersecurity • Risk Management • Incident Management • Resilience

Description: Sessions in this track should explore how organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats. We welcome proposals that highlight real-world incident response, risk mitigation strategies, resilience planning, and lessons learned from evolving security challenges.

TRACK #2: Run Better, Scale Smarter: The Future of IT Operations

Focus Areas: IT Operations • Infrastructure • Network Operations • Systems Management

Description: This track focuses on optimizing IT operations to improve performance, scalability, and reliability. Sessions may highlight infrastructure modernization, automation, operational efficiency, and strategies for managing increasingly complex technology environments.

TRACK #3: The Great Re-Skill: Building Teams Ready for What’s Next

Focus Areas: Upskilling • Training & Development • Organizational Change Management • Workforce Development

Description: Sessions in this track should focus on how organizations are preparing their workforce for the future. We are looking for proposals that address upskilling strategies, change management, leadership, and building adaptable, resilient teams in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

TRACK #4: From Friction to Flow: Reimagining the User Experience

Focus Areas: UX Design • User Research • Service Design • Digital Transformation

Description: Sessions in this track should focus on improving the user experience of digital services. We welcome proposals that highlight user-centered design, accessibility, service improvement, and leveraging data to better understand user needs.
 

Please complete a new form for every proposal submission.