2026 Data Networks IT Summit
October 8, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Living Classrooms’ Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park | Baltimore, MD
Join us for our 3rd annual Data Networks IT Summit at the picturesque Living Classrooms Venue for a unique blend of education, networking, and entertainment! Enjoy relevant, educational breakout sessions led by industry experts and end the day with a boat ride in the Baltimore Inner Harbor!
2026 Data Networks IT Summit
October 8, 2026
11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Living Classrooms’ Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park | Baltimore, MD
Join us for our 3rd annual Data Networks IT Summit at the picturesque Living Classrooms Venue for a unique blend of education, networking, and entertainment! Enjoy relevant, educational breakout sessions led by industry experts and end the day with a boat ride in the Baltimore Inner Harbor!
Meet our Sponsors:
About the Summit
The Data Networks IT Summit will feature an array of breakout sessions led by industry experts, an all-day expo for our presenting sponsors, and exclusive networking opportunities designed to foster meaningful connections. Plus, attendees will enjoy a fun twist with a happy hour to end the day, including a tour of the Lady Maryland or a boat ride on the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Read more about the summit’s panel members, vendor presentation topics, and more in the Agenda Details section below!
Date: October 8, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Living Classrooms’ Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park
Agenda
11:00 – 11:30 AM
11:30 – 11:35 AM
11:35 – 12:00 PM
12:00 – 12:45 PM
1:00 – 1:30 PM
1:35 – 2:05 PM
2:10 – 2:55 PM
3:00 – 3:45 PM
4:00 – 5:30 PM
Registration + Networking
Welcome
Keynote Speaker
Lunch
Technical Sessions (Round 1)
Technical Sessions (Round 2)
Tabletop Exercise
Meetups + Roundtables
Happy Hour, Boat Ride + Tour
11-11:30 AM
11:30-11:35 AM
11:35-12 PM
12-12:45 PM
1-1:30 PM
1:35-2:05 PM
2:10-2:55 PM
3-3:45 PM
4-5:30 PM
Registration + Networking
Welcome
Keynote Speaker
Lunch
Technical Sessions (Round 1)
Technical Sessions (Round 2)
Tabletop Exercise
Meetups + Roundtables
Happy Hour, Boat Ride + Tour
Agenda Details
Registration + Networking
11:00 – 11:30 AM
Parking is FREE at the nearby Thames St. Garage (1530 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231). After parking, please proceed to Living Classrooms’ Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park and head to the registration table to get checked-in. Feel free to network with fellow attendees and check out the sponsor expo area until we kick-off at 11:30!
Welcome
11:30 – 11:35 AM
We’ll kick off our 3rd annual IT Summit with a quick welcome from our President & CEO, Patrick Regan.
Keynote Speaker
11:35 – 12:00 PM
As organizations modernize their IT environments and prepare for the next wave of AI adoption, security has never been more critical. Rob Strawley of Microsoft will explore Microsoft’s vision for a unified security strategy designed to strengthen protection across identities, devices, applications, data, and AI —all while reducing complexity.
This session will examine the evolving threat landscape, emerging security priorities, and where organizations should focus their investments and efforts in the years ahead. Discover how a unified approach to security can help reduce risk, strengthen resilience, accelerate modernization, and build a secure foundation for an AI-driven future.
Keynote Speaker:
Robert Strawley | Senior Technical Specialist |Microsoft
Rob Strawley has held various IT roles which includes Enterprise Systems Manager for the Theater Network Operations Center in Kuwait as a Captain in the Army, Tier 2 SOC analyst, Cyber Security Consultant, to his current role with Microsoft as a Principal Technical Specialist in Security, Identity, and Compliance Management. Rob retired from the Army in 2014 and has since worked for McAfee and Microsoft. He holds a Master’s degree in Information Systems Management, along with multiple industry certifications such as CISSP, SANS Institute certifications and Microsoft certifications.
Lunch
12:00 – 12:45 PM
Enjoy a catered lunch, generously sponsored by Jenne, and take some time to connect with fellow attendees and explore the expo area. Visit our technology partners to learn more about the latest solutions, ask questions, and make new connections before we transition into the afternoon’s first Technical Session.
Technical Sessions – Round 1
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Choose from a variety of breakout sessions and dive deep into the latest advancements in networking, cybersecurity, and AI, with exclusive sessions presented by Schneider Electric, Data Networks, and more!
Monitoring and Managing Your Power
In this presentation, we will be focusing on the value that EcoStruxure IT Expert brings to organizations looking for greater visibility and control over their power infrastructure. Attendees will see a live demo of the platform and learn how it provides actionable insights into power and environmental conditions, helping IT teams improve uptime, reduce risk, and operate more efficiently. We’ll also discuss practical strategies for monitoring and managing critical power infrastructure to support business continuity and operational resilience.
Chris White, Network and Server Support Specialist at Howard County Public Schools, will share firsthand insights and lessons learned from monitoring and managing critical power infrastructure in a complex IT environment.
Presenters:
Beck Standeffer
Mid Atlantic Channel Manager
Schneider Electric
Beck Standeffer is a technology professional with Schneider Electric, where he works with customers and partners to help organizations navigate evolving infrastructure and technology needs. Beck’s strong understanding of the technologies and infrastructure that support today’s increasingly connected, data-driven environments helps connect organizations with solutions designed to improve the resiliency, efficiency, and performance of their critical IT infrastructure. With emerging technologies such as AI placing new demands on data centers and IT environments, Beck brings valuable insight into the infrastructure considerations organizations must address as they modernize and prepare for future growth.
Bryan Couture Jr.
Channel Account Manager
Schneider Electric
Bryan Couture Jr. works with customers and partners to address the evolving infrastructure needs of today’s IT environments. Through his work with Schneider Electric APC, Bryan helps organizations identify solutions that support the availability, resiliency, efficiency, and performance of the critical infrastructure powering their technology operations. He is passionate about helping organizations understand how power, cooling, infrastructure management, and resiliency strategies can help them build IT environments that are prepared for both today’s requirements and future growth.
Chris White
Network & Server Support Specialist
Howard County Public Schools
Chris White is a Schneider Electric Data Center Certified Associate and CompTIA A+ certified professional with nearly 20 years of experience supporting enterprise IT infrastructure and end users. Chris manages the daily monitoring and incident response of critical infrastructure across HCPSS, with a focus on data center and server room reliability, power and environmental monitoring, and the systems that help keep technology operations running smoothly. Chris has extensive hands-on experience with Schneider Electric/APC UPS systems, Dell and HP servers, Vertiv infrastructure, and SolarWinds monitoring tools, and helps maintain HCPSS’ two data centers and school-based server rooms. Chris recently led a countywide APC UPS replacement and optimization initiative spanning 60 sites and 520 UPS systems, including the integration of the new infrastructure into Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IT Expert for centralized monitoring, management, and reporting. He also previously led HCPSS’ migration from on-premises APC Data Center Expert to EcoStruxure IT Expert.
The New Economics of Technology: How to Cut Costs Without Falling Behind
Many of the assumptions that shaped technology decisions over the last decade no longer apply. This session examines how rising infrastructure costs, changing cloud strategies, and a renewed focus on optimization are reshaping the way organizations invest in technology. Learn practical approaches for reducing costs, maximizing the value of existing investments, and building a more efficient and adaptable technology environment.
Presenter:
Joe Green | Solutions Architect | Data Networks
Joe Green has been a pivotal figure at Data Networks since 2016, serving as our dedicated Data Center Solutions Architect. With more than 20 years in the IT field, Joe is a veteran in serving IT product lifecycles, specializing in the research, design, delivery, and support of comprehensive IT solutions tailored to Data Networks’ wide range of customers within the public and private sectors. Joe’s expertise primarily lies in Data Center Optimization, with a focus on enhancing data center infrastructure, cloud services, virtualization, data protection, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). Parallel to his passion for AI, Joe is also a dedicated ambassador of Digital Transformation, eager to highlight the critical role of both in your IT ecosystem.
More Technical Sessions will be announced soon!
Technical Sessions – Round 2
1:35 – 2:05 PM
Continue the afternoon with another round of technical breakout sessions featuring practical insights, real-world strategies, and emerging technologies. Choose the session most relevant to you and hear from industry experts on the IT trends, solutions, and challenges shaping today’s organizations.
AI-Native Networking: Reducing Complexity and Improving User Experience
As organizations face increasing demands on their networks, IT teams are being asked to deliver exceptional user experiences while managing growing complexity with limited resources. In this session, learn how AI-driven network operations can help automate routine tasks, accelerate troubleshooting, and proactively identify issues before they affect users. Through a live demonstration of the HPE Mist platform, we’ll explore how AI-native networking is helping organizations improve operational efficiency, increase visibility, and support a more reliable digital experience.
Presenter:
Anthony Holland | Channel SE, Mid Atlantic | HPE Networking
Anthony has been with HPE Networking for five years serving as a Channel Systems Engineer for the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to joining the HPE Channel BU, he worked primarily as a wireless systems engineer during the previous decade in the VAR space around the Washington, D.C. region, supporting both public and private sector contracts. Today, he leverages his engineering background to enable partner engineers and their customers around HPE Networking’s growing portfolio.
More Technical Sessions will be announced soon!
Tabletop Exercise
2:10 – 2:55 PM
Put your skills to the test with a Tabletop Exercise!
Additional details coming soon!
Meetups + Roundtables
3:00 – 3:45 PM
Connect, collaborate, and share ideas during our Meetups + Roundtables! Join fellow attendees and industry experts for informal, topic-focused conversations where you can exchange experiences, discuss common IT challenges, ask questions, and learn how other organizations are approaching today’s technology priorities.
Happy Hour, Boat Ride + Tour
4:00 – 5:30 PM
Close out the day with a fun networking happy hour! Enjoy live music, drinks, fun games, and a relaxing boat ride through the scenic Baltimore Inner Harbor aboard the Sigsbee plus an engaging tour of the Lady Maryland docked nearby.
Register today!
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