PA TechCon Call for Proposals

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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.

DeletePresenter/Submitter # _ID_
Speaker Submitter First Name * Last Name * Credentials (PhD, PMP, MBA, etc.) * Date of Birth (optional) DOB is used only to prevent duplicate records from occurring Date of Birth (optional) DOB is used only to prevent duplicate records from occurring Email Address * Cell Phone Number: (in case of emergency the day of the event) * Company/Organization * Job Title * Job Key (hidden) Address * Address * Country Street City Region Postal Code Bio – To be used on the event website and materials (Limit to 1,000 words) * Introduction - For moderators to read ahead of your session; It can be the same as your bio if it fits within the word limit (Limit 300 words) * LinkedIn Profile URL Please upload speaker headshot * Please upload any additional documents such as existing presentations for consideration.

Add Presenter

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Data Collection: Harrisburg University will be collecting and storing your personal identification information regarding name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number, to contact you with additional information about this event and for future events that may be of interest. You will be given the option to opt out of communications regarding future relevant offerings.

Media Waiver: By submitting a registration for this event/course, I hereby grant permission to Harrisburg University (HU) and its representatives to take photographs or videos of me, including livestream, and to make recordings of my voice at this event. I further grant the right to reproduce, use, exhibit, display, broadcast and distribute. I acknowledge that HU owns all rights to the images and recordings, and I waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising from or related to the use of the images, recordings, or materials.

Cancellations: Harrisburg University reserves the right to cancel or reschedule/adapt courses/events at its discretion.

ADA Statement: HU is committed to providing equal education opportunity and full participation for persons with disabilities. It is HU’s policy that no qualified person be excluded from participating in any HU program or activity, be denied the benefits of any HU program or activity, or otherwise be subject to discrimination regarding any HU program or activity. Should you potentially require an accommodation under the ADA to participate in this program, please email ProfessionalEd@HarrisburgU.edu Please send your request for an accommodation at least 5 business days in advance of the event or program.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Federal ID# 25-1900793

Track #1: Defend, Respond, Recover: The New Cyber Playbook<br>(Cybersecurity • Risk Management • Incident Management • Resilience)

Track #2: Run Better, Scale Smarter: The Future of IT Operations<br>(IT Operations • Infrastructure • Network Operations • Systems Management)

Track #3: The Great Re-Skill: Building Teams Ready for What’s Next<br>(Upskilling • Training & Development • Organizational Change Management • Workforce Development)

Track #4: From Friction to Flow: Reimagining the User Experience<br>(UX Design • User Research • Service Design • Digital Transformation)