IT Leadership Conference

Thank You

Diane Jones stands on stage, smiling, while holding a microphone. She is standing next to a U-M podium.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Spring 2026 IT Leadership Conference at the Michigan Union on May 19! Since beginning this leadership journey in October 2025, the conference has continued to help ITS leaders navigate disruption with resilience and innovation. For the first time, this year's event welcomed our ITS 2026 Summer Interns into the mix, bringing colleagues together for networking and practical conversations on preventing burnout, building and sustaining high-performing teams, and mentoring the next generation of IT leaders.

Our final conference of this series will take place on October 13, 2026 at the Michigan League.

Image Gallery

An aerial photo of a ballroom filled with attendees sitting at round tables. A presenter stands at a podium on stage.
Two attendees sit in profile, looking up at the stage. They are both clapping.
A presenter stands next to a poster on an easel. They are speaking with a crowd that is gathered around them in a large ballroom with high windows and wood paneling.
More Event Photos

Leadership Speakers

The day featured inspiring keynote speakers and thought leaders, including:

  • Diane Jones, Assistant Vice President of ITS Administration & Operations
  • Shanna Grafeld, Senior Principal Analyst, Gartner
  • Dr. Akbar Waljee, MD, MS, AGAF, Leslie D. Yamada and Tachi Yamada M.D. Director, University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity
  • Bob Jones, Assistant Vice President of Support Services and Emerging Technology, Information & Technology Services
A side-by-side image of two presenters. The image on the left shows a close-up of a presenter wearing a blue gingham shirt. The image on the right features a presenter in a teal-green dress.

Conference Poster Showcase

Working Sessions & Workshops

Five presenters sit at a long table with a white tablecloth. The backs of several audience members are visible in the foreground. One presenter is speaking while holding a microphone.

A close-up of a conference attendees in discussion sitting around a large circular table.

This year’s conference hosted a series of interactive workshops and lightning talks designed to help ITS leaders navigate disruption, strengthen organizational culture, and build resilient, high-performing teams. Sessions included:

  • The Practice of Innovation: Habits that Move Teams Forward
    Presented by Sarah Newsted and Colin Moore, Organizational Excellence
  • Resilience by Design: Recognizing & Preventing Burnout
    Presented by Beth Cable, College of Engineering
  • Systems-Processes-Practices Exercise
    Presented by Shanna Grafeld, Senior Principal Analyst, Gartner
  • Building & Sustaining High Performance Teams
    Presented by Justine Post, College of Engineering
  • Lightning Talk: MMI Major Incidents (MI) in Minutes
    Presented by Rhian Copeland and Bryan Wilkerson
  • Lightning Talk: Mentoring the Future of IT at Michigan
    Presented by Ben Andries and Claire Tucker
  • Lightning Talk: Mapping IT Talent:Building a Skills & Competencies Inventory
    Presented by Tarnisha McLaughlin-Grayson

Highlights

Conference word cloud, including terms such as change, initiative, thinking, strategy, leadership, and transformation

Service Spotlight

The 2026 IT Leadership Conference provided ITS leaders with information about several services and programs that can augment their team’s ability to effect change at the University of Michigan. We encourage you to explore the offerings of these incredible partner services.

Looking Ahead

Stay tuned for announcements about our next IT Leadership Conference!
If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the planning team at [email protected].