Technology First upcoming events

IT Leadership Institute (10/16/2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Hosted by The Circuit, the IT Leadership Institute is a leadership development program now available to Technology First members.

Successful IT leaders, whether in formal leadership roles or leading through influence, combine technical expertise with emotional intelligence and a commitment to growth. They set vision, understand people, and shape culture with intent. The payoff: stronger teams, better business outcomes, and lasting impact across the IT community.

About the Program

The IT Leadership Institute is a 10-month, immersive leadership development experience designed specifically for IT professionals. Through expert-led sessions, peer discussion, and applied learning, participants will:

Increase self-awareness and understand how they are perceived by others
Identify their leadership style and apply it for maximum impact
Build and inspire high-performing teams
Develop critical leadership skills for an evolving technology landscape
Lead through influence rather than authority
Navigate complex organizational dynamics with confidence

Program Structure

Schedule: One half-day session per month, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, October through July (no December session)
Format: Expert-led discussions, peer collaboration, and CIO-level guest speakers
Environment: A focused, trusted space for tackling real-world IT leadership challenges

Key Topics

The Essence of Leadership
Community Project Planning
Technology Leadership and Why It’s Different
Is Management for Me?
Transformational Leadership: Vision and Strategy
Transactional Leadership: Delivering Results That Matter
IT Budgeting and Financials
Relational Leadership: Coaching, Communication, and Trust
Higher-Order Leadership: Leading Other Leaders
HR Insights: Interviewing, Career Management, and Networking

Click here to register and use the password TechnologyFirst

Queen City Con (11/13/2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Queen City Conference is a 3 day cyber security conference that is held in Cincinnati, Ohio between November 13th - November 15th. It's a conference that is primarily organized by the community for the community and is designed to bring together the best and brightest in the cyber security industry. The conference will feature a variety of speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities. The conference is open to anyone who is interested in cyber security and is looking to learn more about the industry.

The mission of Queen City Con (QCC) is to bring an event to the Ohio Valley that will be inclusive of all in the infosec community to provide valuable breakout sessions that combine both presentations and hands on learning to help develop the professional, various villages to provide additional exercises and activities for professionals outside of breakout sessions, and a newly thought of career village that will work with attendees on advice, resume help, mock interviews, and various other topics. All of this is formulated to help address multiple learning styles and other accommodations for everyone to have a good time while learning infosec topics and networking with one another to bolster the community.

Register: Queen City Con 0x4: Cleopatra's Cipher: Hieroglyphs & Hashes Registration

About: Queen City Conference

Agenda: Queen City Conference

Cincinnati Snowflake User Group (11/19/2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 20:30:00 GMT

What we're covering:
Interactive Hands-On Workship: Practical exercises, production-ready builds within your Snowflake account. Earn an official digital badge upon completion.
AI Coding Assistant (CoCo): Speeds up your SQL and Python development, converting simple prompts to code and database tables.
Document Search (Cortex Search): RAG app to search through company documents, eliminates AI hallucinations by tying answers strictly to source files.
Plain-English Queries (Cortex Analyst): Natural language interface that translates everyday business questions into accurate database queries and trustworthy numbers.

Schedule & Location:
Thursday, November 19, 2026
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Hands-On Workshop
TEKsystems Office (Suite 406), 8044 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Happy Hour & Networking
Hoppin’ Vines, 8150 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236

Please Note: Please bring a laptop to participate in the lab. Workspace seating in Suite 406 is limited, so reserve your spot early!

RSVP Here: [https://lnkd.in/gA-Y_SVs]

Accessibility Career Fair (11/20/2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

GetWITit 10-Year Anniversary Gala (12/12/2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 23:00:00 GMT

GetWITit 10-Year Anniversary Gala

Join us for an unforgettable evening as getWITitcelebrates 10 years of connection, community, impact, and women in technology at our 10-Year Anniversary Gala—a milestone celebration honoring the people, partnerships, and moments that have shaped our first decade and the exciting future still ahead.

On Saturday, December 12, 2026, the Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Columbus, OH will set the stage for an elevated evening bringing together leaders, innovators, members, sponsors, partners, and champions from across the getWITit community.

From the moment you arrive, there will be something to experience. Walk the red carpet and capture the night with professional photography, interact with a roaming robot photo booth experience by Moxie Events, watch as artists create live custom illustrations and caricatures, and enjoy the sounds ofRobert Dove & His Ensemble performing live jazz throughout the evening.

Raise a glass with signature Gala cocktails and an open bar while enjoying an hors d’oeuvres dinner reception featuring a generous selection designed to be enjoyed as a full evening meal. Guests will also have exclusive after-hours access to explore Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens with a self guided tour, creating a one-of-a-kind backdrop for connecting, celebrating, and experiencing the Conservatory after dark.

But the heart of the evening is what we're celebrating... 10 years of getWITit.

For a decade, our community has brought together women and allies in technology to create connections, open doors, amplify voices, develop leaders, and build a stronger, more inclusive technology community. This Gala is our opportunity to celebrate everyone who has been part of that journey—and to recognize just how much we've accomplished together.

Come experience an extraordinary night honoring our first 10 years and help us toast to the people, possibilities, and impact that will define the next decade of getWITit.

What To Expect:

An Interactive Roaming Robot Photo Booth Experience By Moxie Events
Live Jazz Entertainment Featuring Robert Dove & His Ensemble
Self-guided Tour of the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Included
Live Custom Illustrations & Caricature Art
Signature Gala Cocktails & Open Bar
Elevated Hors d’Oeuvres Dinner Reception
Professional Photography & Red Carpet Photo Opportunities
The Anniversary Silent Raffle Drawing
An Unforgettable Evening Celebrating 10 Years of Connection, Community & Women in Technology

Event Details:

Location: Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Address: 1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203
Date: December 12th, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Formal attire encouraged.

Save the date — and start planning your gala glam. Formal attire encouraged.

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI as Your Project Partner (01/29/2027)

Fri, 29 Jan 2027 17:00:00 GMT

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI as Your Project Partner

Virtual Event | Registration Open

Event Details

With increased interest in and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, demand also has grown for better understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented in this space. To help higher education professionals navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) will feature a special AI Webinar Series for the 2026-27 school year.

The second session in the series, “AI as Your Project Partner,” will be held on Friday, Jan. 29, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Colleen Kelsey and Lindsay Tate from the AI Excellence Institute at Sinclair College.

Artificial intelligence can be a valuable project partner, helping professionals plan, organize, communicate and track work more efficiently. In this session, our presenters will demonstrate practical ways to integrate AI into existing project management approaches while keeping human judgment, experience and oversight at the center of the process.

Through real-world examples and accessible workflows, participants will explore how AI can support tasks such as breaking projects into manageable steps, developing timelines and strengthening project communication — even for those without formal project management training. The presenters also will address ethical considerations, workplace policies and emerging agentic AI capabilities that are shaping today’s project environment.

Learning Goals

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify project tasks that can be supported by generative AI.
Apply AI tools to project planning, communication and task management.
Distinguish between appropriate AI-supported work and decisions requiring human oversight.
Evaluate AI use based on ethical considerations and workplace policies.

Join SOCHE to discover practical strategies for making AI a more effective project partner and leave with approaches you can put to work in your projects right away. Register today to build your confidence using AI to manage projects more efficiently and effectively.

Registration closes Tuesday, Jan. 26.

[If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

PRE-WORK: Before this session, the presenters recommend that you review your current workplace AI policy and access to AI tools.

REGISTER NOW

When: Friday, Jan. 29, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Where: SOCHE Zoom platform [link sent at least 24 hours prior to event]

Cost:

Personnel from SOCHE member schools: $5
Personnel from NON-member schools/organizations: $10
Students: FREE [Note: This fee is reserved for individuals who are students only, not for personnel pursuing continuing education.]

Questions? Contact Mindy Claggett at SOCHE

Student Registration Fee Policy

Registration Cancellation Policy

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON TUESDAY, JAN. 26

REGISTER NOW

About the Presenters

Colleen Kelsey, MFA, M.Ed.
Instructional Designer, AI Excellence Institute | eLearning Division
Sinclair Community College

Colleen Kelsey is an instructional designer, educator, and visual artist specializing in AI literacy, learning experience design, and human-centered innovation. She currently manages AI literacy programs at Sinclair Community College’s AI Excellence Institute, drawing on more than a decade of experience in higher education. With an MFA in Painting and an M.Ed. in Instructional Design & Learning Technologies, Colleen brings a distinctive combination of creative practice, learning science, and design thinking to her work. She collaborates with cross-functional teams and applies frameworks including Agile and ADDIE to lead projects from strategy through implementation. Her work explores how AI and emerging technologies can support project workflows, and the importance of human creativity and innovation.

Lindsay Tate
Associate Director of Partnerships, AI Excellence Institute | eLearning Division
Sinclair Community College

Lindsay Tate has over 20 years of experience in higher education/adult education and is currently the Associate Director of Partnerships for the AI Excellence Institute at Sinclair College where she creates and facilitates AI trainings for internal and external participants. Prior to this role, she was the Senior Manager for Learning and Development/ Lead Consultant and Learning and Development Consultant in Workforce Development at Sinclair, providing leadership training, coaching and consulting to individuals and organizations. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Art in Business/Marketing from Transylvania University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Dayton.

Time

January 29, 202712:00 pm-1:00 pm(GMT-05:00)

AI WEBINAR SERIES – Artificial Intelligence in Education: Options for Educators in the Classroom (02/11/2027)

Thu, 11 Feb 2027 17:00:00 GMT

AI WEBINAR SERIES – Artificial Intelligence in Education: Options for Educators in the Classroom

Virtual Event | Registration Open

When: Thursday, Feb. 11, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Event Details

The third session in the series, “Artificial Intelligence in Education: Options for Educators in the Classroom,” will be held on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Kwabena Kofori-Attah from Central State University.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the possibilities for teaching and learning, creating new opportunities while raising important questions for educators. Concerns about AI’s potential effects on critical thinking and cognitive development have led some educators to approach its use in the classroom with caution. This session will encourage participants to examine those concerns while considering how thoughtful AI integration can support student learning and prepare learners for a changing world.

Across industries such as banking, engineering, manufacturing, entertainment and aviation, AI is already helping professionals explore new possibilities and transform established practices. Higher education has an important role to play in preparing students to understand and use these technologies effectively. Participants will explore practical approaches for incorporating AI into teaching and learning while maintaining a focus on educational goals, responsible use and student success.

Learning Goals

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Explain what artificial intelligence is.
Discuss the differences between human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI).
Identify common AI tools already being used in education to support effective teaching and learning.
Provide appropriate support for students using AI tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to improve learning outcomes.
Demonstrate how to write effective prompts for classroom applications of AI.
Develop strategies for integrating AI into teaching and learning.
Examine ethical considerations related to the adoption and use of AI in education.

Take the next step toward purposeful AI integration in the classroom. Register today to gain practical strategies for using AI to support teaching, strengthen student learning and prepare learners for an AI-influenced future.

Registration closes Monday, Feb. 8.

[If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

REGISTER NOW

When: Thursday, Feb. 11, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Where: SOCHE Zoom platform [link sent at least 24 hours prior to event]

Cost:

Personnel from SOCHE member schools: $5
Personnel from NON-member schools/organizations: $10
Students: FREE [Note: This fee is is reserved for individuals who are students only, not for personnel pursuing continuing education.]

Questions? Contact Mindy Claggett at SOCHE

Student Registration Fee Policy

Registration Cancellation Policy

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON MONDAY, FEB. 8

About the Presenter

Kwabena D. Kofori-Attah, Ph.D.
Professor of Education
Central State University

Dr. Kwabena Dei Ofori-Attah is a Full Professor of Education at Central State University, Wilberforce, OH. He has over 30 years of experience teaching at four institutions of higher learning after completing his doctoral studies at Ohio University in 1995. His teaching assignments include Educational Technology, Educational Psychology, Educational Research, Seminar in Teacher Education, Social Studies Methods, and Multicultural Education. He has published a book, Going to School in North Africa and the Middle East, and numerous papers on teacher education.

Time

February 11, 202712:00 pm-1:00 pm(GMT-05:00)

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI-Powered Brain Dumps: Simple Recall Assessments That Guide Instruction (03/12/2027)

Fri, 12 Mar 2027 17:00:00 GMT

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI-Powered Brain Dumps: Simple Recall Assessments That Guide Instruction

Virtual Event | Registration Open

When: Friday, March 12, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Event Details

The fourth session in the series, “AI-Powered Brain Dumps: Simple Recall Assessments That Guide Instruction,” will be held on Friday, March 12, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Sharon Tjaden-Burkes from the eLearning Division at Sinclair College.

How much of a lecture or module are students actually retaining…and how can instructors find out before a high-stakes assessment? This session introduces AI-Powered Brain Dumps, a simple retrieval-practice strategy that gives students and instructors meaningful, low-stakes insight into learning in progress.

Participants will explore how a five-minute recall activity grounded in cognitive science can uncover misconceptions and content gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed. Through a live demonstration, Sharon will show how to build a brain dump activity in Canvas and pair student responses with AI analysis, such as a ChatGPT Project. This workflow can transform a collection of individual responses into clear patterns and actionable guidance for instruction.

The session also will examine why retrieval practice can strengthen long-term learning more effectively than rereading, why an ungraded activity can still play an important role in student success, and how brain dumps can support a broader strategy for making learning visible. Participants will leave with a ready-to-use template and a practical approach they can begin applying right away. No previous AI expertise is required.

Learning Goals

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the cognitive science behind retrieval practice and why brain dumps can strengthen long-term retention more effectively than reviewing notes alone.
Distinguish between brain dumps and traditional note-taking and identify appropriate points in instruction to use each approach.
Build a low-stakes brain dump activity in Canvas using clear, student-friendly instructions.
Apply an AI-assisted workflow, such as a ChatGPT Project, to analyze brain dump responses for patterns, misconceptions and instructional next steps.

Discover a practical way to make student learning more visible and turn real-time insights into stronger instruction. Register today to add AI-Powered Brain Dumps to your teaching and learning toolkit.

Registration closes Tuesday, March 9.

[If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

PRE-WORK: Create a free ChatGPT account, if you don’t already have one.

REGISTER NOW

When: Friday, March 12, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Where: SOCHE Zoom platform [link sent at least 24 hours prior to event]

Cost:

Personnel from SOCHE member schools: $5
Personnel from NON-member schools/organizations: $10
Students: FREE [Note: This fee is is reserved for individuals who are students only, not for personnel pursuing continuing education.]

Questions? Contact Mindy Claggett at SOCHE

Student Registration Fee Policy

Registration Cancellation Policy

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9

About the Presenter

Sharon Tjaden-Burkes
Senior Instructional Designer, eLearning Division
Sinclair Community College

Sharon Tjaden-Burkes is a Senior Instructional Designer for the eLearning Division at Sinclair Community College. Before pivoting to instructional design in 2019, she taught English as a Second Language to international students at the university level for 13 years. She is interested in using AI to personalize learning and empower educators to create learning experiences that were previously impossible or impractical.

Time

March 12, 202712:00 pm-1:00 pm(GMT-05:00)

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI for Student Success: Creating Durable Skills and Effective Study Habits (04/09/2027)

Fri, 09 Apr 2027 16:00:00 GMT

AI WEBINAR SERIES – AI for Student Success: Creating Durable Skills and Effective Study Habits

Virtual Event | Registration Coming Soon

When: Friday, April 9, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Event Details

The fifth and final session in the series, “AI for Student Success: Creating Durable Skills and Effective Study Habits,” will be held on Friday, April 9, from 12 to 1 p.m. ET via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Amanda Duselis and Lindsay Tate from the AI Excellence Institute at Sinclair College.

Students don’t always struggle because they lack information. Often, the challenge is that they haven’t been taught how to study effectively, organize their time, persist through frustration, or assess their own understanding. These durable skills can make the difference between struggling with course material and developing the habits needed for long-term academic success.

At the same time, students increasingly are turning to AI tools on their own, with or without guidance from their instructors. This session will explore how educators can help students use AI responsibly as a support for stronger study habits rather than as a shortcut around the learning process.

Amanda and Lindsay will share early results from a pilot underway in a Sinclair Anatomy & Physiology course, where sections completing Sinclair’s AI 101 coursework and a structured learning-preferences assignment are being compared with sections that did not receive the additional coursework. Attendees will see examples of the assignments used in the pilot and explore active-recall strategies such as explaining concepts aloud, concept mapping and the “what if” game. Each strategy can be paired with an optional AI tool, such as Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM), or a chatbot prompt designed to help students check their own reasoning instead of doing the thinking for them.

The presenters also will demonstrate what responsible, verification-first AI use can look like in a study context and discuss what the comparison data is showing so far about student performance and confidence. Participants will leave with practical, subject-agnostic templates that can be adapted for courses across two-year and four-year institutions, as well as K-12 classrooms.

Learning Goals

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

Identify at least three durable-skill gaps, such as organization, persistence and self-testing, that commonly undermine student success and explain how targeted study-skills coursework can address them.
Explore early comparative data from a live Anatomy & Physiology course pilot examining how embedded AI 101 and learning-preferences coursework relates to student performance compared with sections that did not receive the additional coursework, and consider how these findings could apply in other classroom settings.
Examine specific active-study techniques, including explaining concepts aloud, visual drawing, connection mapping, question generation, stories and analogies, and “what if” scenarios, along with optional AI prompts that complement each technique.

Help students build stronger study habits in an AI-enabled learning environment. Register today to explore practical strategies, adaptable resources and responsible approaches to AI that can support lasting student success.

Registration for this session closes Tuesday, April 6.

[If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

REGISTER NOW

When: Friday, April 9, from 12-1 p.m. ET [If you are unable to attend live, a recording link will be sent to all registrants.]

Where: SOCHE Zoom platform [link sent at least 24 hours prior to event]

Cost:

Personnel from SOCHE member schools: $5
Personnel from NON-member schools/organizations: $10
Students: FREE [Note: This fee is is reserved for individuals who are students only, not for personnel pursuing continuing education.]

Questions? Contact Mindy Claggett at SOCHE

Student Registration Fee Policy

Registration Cancellation Policy

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 6

About the Presenters

Amanda Duselis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology/Biotechnology | STEM AI Excellence Institute Faculty Fellow
Sinclair Community College

Dr. Amanda Duselis has been part of Sinclair Community College since 2010 and became a tenure-track faculty member in the Biology and Biotechnology Department in 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in Developmental Genetics from the University of California, Irvine. At Sinclair, she has taught a wide range of biology courses while also contributing to campus committees, grants, and leadership initiatives. Amanda is currently serving as the STEM Faculty Fellow for Sinclair’s AI Excellence Institute and is Chair of Women in STEM camp. She leads a faculty team developing a corequisite course for Principles of Anatomy and Physiology through the Ohio Strong Start to Science grant.

Lindsay Tate
Associate Director of Partnerships, AI Excellence Institute | eLearning Division
Sinclair Community College

Time

April 9, 202712:00 pm-1:00 pm(GMT-04:00)