GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026 schedule. Use this page to browse sessions, view speaker and session details, and build your personal agenda for June 22–24 in Rogers, Arkansas. Check back through May as additional sessions and details are added.

9:00am CDT

Conference Registration Opens

Monday June 22, 2026 9:00am - 4:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Registration and check in at NWACC - Shewmake Center for Global Business Development Building Lobby. Come and get your badges and other information.

Monday June 22, 2026 9:00am - 4:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Logistics

9:30am CDT

*Workshop: Setting Up and Maintaining a Science DMZ - Part I

Monday June 22, 2026 9:30am - 11:30am CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

If you need a secure network that firewalls research activities from your enterprise network, this is a workshop for you. Providing a framework for implementing segmented, locally managed academic technology environments for cybersecurity, networking, wireless, and advanced computing programs, a DMZ allows researchers to engage freely with their data without the concerns faced on the larger campus...
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Speakers

Jason Zurawski

Science Engagement Engineer, ESnet

Monday June 22, 2026 9:30am - 11:30am CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Workshop

Audience Network Engineers, CIOs, IT Leaders, Security Professionals

11:30am CDT

Networking Lunch

Monday June 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Lunch will be a boxed lunch. Pick up your box lunch in the ENACTUS Lab and enjoy it with your cohorts in Peterson Auditorium.

Monday June 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Meal

Company Great Plains Network
Subject Collaboration & Applications, Strategy

12:00pm CDT

Welcome

Monday June 22, 2026 12:00pm - 12:20pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Welcome to the participants for GPN's afternoon of organizational meetings, along with workshops for both GPN and ARE-ON members. Two of the committees are meeting concurrently with workshop activities, so they are open to all conference participants but please get your tickets at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/. The welcome will highlight GPN's actions and...
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Speakers

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

Recently joined GPN after working on NTIA, HUD, and HRSA grants in Texas. Now constructing a home near UAMS, UALR, and Philander Smith University in Little Rock.

Monday June 22, 2026 12:00pm - 12:20pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

General Session

Company Great Plains Network
Subject Collaboration & Applications, Strategy

12:30pm CDT

*Workshop: Setting Up and Maintaining a Science DMZ - Part II

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Continuing the morning session.If you need a secure network that firewalls research activities from your enterprise network, this is a workshop for you. Providing a framework for implementing segmented, locally managed academic technology environments for cybersecurity, networking, wireless, and advanced computing programs, a DMZ allows researchers to engage freely with their data without the...
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Speakers

Jason Zurawski

Science Engagement Engineer, ESnet

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Workshop

Audience CIOs, Network Engineers, Security Professionals, Researchers

12:30pm CDT

GPN Cyber Infrastructure Program Meeting

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Room 2048 @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

The GPN CIP Team initiates the program area ideas behind GPN, while facilitating their completion. Topics will include:The GPN High Performance Computing infrastructure, including survey distribution and findings, NRP/OSG involvement, and the latest on the OAK SuperComputing Consortium. Contributors will include the GP-STOR NSF Project Team, NRP PI Frank Wuerthwein, and OAK project PI, Christopher...
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Speakers

Chip Byers

Chief Technical Strategist, Missouri Research and Education Network

Christopher Fennell

Interim Director, OAK Supercomputing Consortium, OSU

Derek Weitzel

University of Nebraska Lincoln

Frank Wuerthwein

Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center; CEO, Open Science Grid and the National Research Platform, University of California at San Diego

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Room 2048 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Meeting

Company Great Plains Network

12:30pm CDT

GPN NPC/EC Meeting - Closed Meeting

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Enactus Lab @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

GPN Network Policy Committee / Executive Committee.

Discussion of GPN Administrative and Leadership Issues.

Closed to non-committee members.

Speakers

Benjamin Canlas

VP Info Tech/CIO, University of Missouri System

As the CIO of the Missouri System, Ben Canlas is also serving as the Chair of the GPN Executive Committee, heading the leadership and decision making team for the Consortium.

John Hennessey

Asociate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology & OneNet | CIO, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Enactus Lab 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Meeting

Company Great Plains Network

12:30pm CDT

*Tabletop Exercise: CMMC NIST 800-171 with special invitation by the GPN Security Committee

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Room 2047 @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Meeting for 30 min and then a Security Table Top Exercise: CMMC NIST 800-171Max Attendee Tickets Available:20*IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATIONAttendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this workshop. In addition, pre-registration for this workshop session is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/Institutions of higher...
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Speakers

Helen 'Gayle' Combs

Cybersecurity Advisor (CSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Room 2047 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Workshop

Company Great Plains Network

1:00pm CDT

Sponsor Check-In and Booth Setup Begins

Monday June 22, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor check-in and booth setup at Embassy Suites. Runs concurrent with NWACC committee meetings.

Monday June 22, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Logistics

2:30pm CDT

GPN NTAC Meeting

Monday June 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

GPN Network Technical Advisory Committee will follow the Science DMZ workshop and go from 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm. Only committee members eligible to cast votes.

Speakers

Shannon Spurling

Shannon Spurling is a network engineer at the University of Missouri for MOREnet, the research and education network for the state. As the lead engineer, his team designs the network and the routers to support connections to the higher education, K-12, and government facilities for... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Meeting

Company Great Plains Network

3:00pm CDT

Refreshment Break

Monday June 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Light refreshments available in the NWACC Commons. A short break between committee sessions

Monday June 22, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Break

3:15pm CDT

Keynote: GPN and the National Research Platform

Monday June 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

For more than a decade, GPN and the National Research Platform (NRP) have joined forces to assure researchers throughout the Midwest have the access to advance computing resources to conduct research and to teach researching skills. Dr. Frank Wuerthwin is a widely recognized leader in the field, as the director of the San Diego Supercomputing Center and the lead of the OSG network for science....
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Speakers

Frank Wuerthwein

Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center; CEO, Open Science Grid and the National Research Platform, University of California at San Diego

Monday June 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

General Session, Keynote

Company Great Plains Network

4:00pm CDT

*Tour: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - Self-Guided (SHUTTLE)

Monday June 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art @ 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712

SHUTTLE IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TOUR (From NWACC and Embassy, To and From and back to Embassy for the Monday, June 22 Opening Night Reception)Located just a few miles from Rogers in neighboring Bentonville, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art [link to https://crystalbridges.org/about] offers free general admission to world-class galleries set within 134 acres of native Ozark forest. During a...
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Monday June 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712

Tour

4:00pm CDT

*Tour: C‑TEC - (Cycling and Trails Education Center) at NWACC

Monday June 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Attendees of this tour will gather in the lobby of the Shewmaker Center at 4 PM and take a short walk over to the CTEC Center. Those who wish to drive can park in a limited parking lot on the west side of the CTEC Center (1201 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712).NOTE: There is a competing tour for this tour so the shuttle will NOT be available to take attendees of this tour back to Embassy. See...
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Monday June 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Lobby 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Tour

Subject Emerging Technologies

6:00pm CDT

Opening Night Reception

Monday June 22, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Join us for the opening night reception sponsored by Palo Alto Networks. Drinks, dinner and networking! All participants in GPN and ARE-ON are invited to this event as the official opening of the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026. Don't miss it!Menu:Build Your Own Salad Bar Assorted Greens Assorted Dressings Assorted Toppings Slider Station Black Bean Sliders Beef Sliders Fried...
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Speakers

Jonathan Groves

Solutions Consultant - SLED, Palo Alto Networks

Sponsors

Palo Alto Networks

Monday June 22, 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Reception

Company Palo Alto Networks

7:00am CDT

Sponsor Booth Setup

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Logistics

7:00am CDT

Conference Breakfast

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Registration and breakfast. Chad Williams and Caleb Williams from Pier Group/Nokia will welcome you with a 15-minute meal speaking opportunity.

Menu:
High on the Hog Breakfast Buffet

Cinnamon French Toast with Whipped Butter & Maple Syrup
Cheese-Filled Omelets
Hickory Smoked Bacon
Sausage Links
Southern Fried Potatoes
Chilled Orange Juice
Freshly Brewed Coffee
Selection of Hot Teas

Speakers

Caleb Williams

Major Account Manager and VP of Contracts, PIER Group

Chad Williams

President, PIER Group

Sponsors

PIER Group/Nokia

PIER Group partners with research and education institutions to deliver expert IT strategy, infrastructure modernization, and long-term technology solutions supported by compliant procurement contracts.
Partnered with Nokia, a global leader in advanced network and connectivity sol... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company Fortinet

7:00am CDT

Conference Registration

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 4:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Registration

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 4:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company Fortinet

8:00am CDT

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Opening remarks from ARE-ON Executive Director Elon Turner. Housekeeping, conference logistics, and a brief overview of the day ahead.

Speakers

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Elon has spent his entire career in education IT, with seven years in K-12 and thirteen years in higher education as both a technical practitioner and in technology leadership roles. He believes there is no greater way to impact the future of Arkansas and the quality of where he lives... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

Company ARE-ON

8:15am CDT

Keynote: The State of Fiber with Its Role in Building A.I. Infrastructure

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:15am - 8:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The United States is experiencing unprecedented investment in fiber infrastructure, with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment accelerating toward near-universal coverage of homes and businesses by the end of the decade. At the same time, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving a new wave of demand for high-capacity fiber networks to connect data centers and support next-generation...
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Speakers

Gary Bolton

President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association

Gary Bolton is President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), the largest industry association dedicated to advancing all-fiber-optic broadband networks. Prior to joining FBA, he held senior executive roles at both venture-backed technology startups and large publicly... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:15am - 8:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Keynote

Company Fiber Broadband Association
Audience IT Leaders, Researchers, Network Engineers
Subject Emerging Technologies

8:45am CDT

Gary Bolton Q&A: How Will Advances in Broadband and Fiber Technologies Change My Program?

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is reshaping broadband infrastructure across the country, and state implementation is where policy meets reality. This panel brings together stakeholders from across the region to share where their states stand — what's working, where the friction is, and how institutions like universities and research networks fit into the buildout. Gary Bolton, President of the Fiber Broadband Association, moderates.

At the conclusion of his keynote session, Gary Bolton will field questions from a panel of Research and Education Network leaders and the audience members on the future of fiber and advanced needs for campus/community broadband connections.

Moderators

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

Recently joined GPN after working on NTIA, HUD, and HRSA grants in Texas. Now constructing a home near UAMS, UALR, and Philander Smith University in Little Rock.

Speakers

Gary Bolton

President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association

Chris Crook

KanREN

KanREN, the national leader in public service connectivity, provides Internet and
network technologies to research, education, and public service institutions in
Kansas. Connect to the exclusive high-speed network that connects Research,
Education and Community Anchors throughout Ka... Read More →

John Woods

Network Engineer – CORE/Optical, MOREnet

John Woods is a Principal Network Engineer and highly valued member of MOREnet’s Core Network team, where he has contributed his expertise for nearly 17 years. With a specialized focus on optical networking, he plays a key role in designing, optimizing, and maintaining the organization’s... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Panel

Company Fiber Broadband Association
Audience IT Leaders, Policy
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

8:45am CDT

Beyond the Campus: Securing Student Data Across Third‑Party Apps and Cloud Platforms

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

As higher education institutions expand their digital ecosystems, student data is increasingly shared across third-party applications and service providers, SaaS platforms, and cloud repositories—often outside direct institutional control.This session explores how campuses can regain visibility and control over sensitive data by monitoring usage, enforcing security policies, and mitigating risk...
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Speakers

Brian Scharlin

Director of SLED Capture, Higher Education, Fortinet

Sponsors

Fortinet

Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Learn more... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Sponsor Session, Terabit

Company Fortinet
Audience Network Engineers, Security Professionals
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

8:45am CDT

Campus Under Pressure: Practical DDoS and Application Security Readiness for Research and Education Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Research and education networks are built to be open, collaborative, and high-performing, which also makes availability protection uniquely challenging. This session will walk through practical DDoS and application security readiness for higher education and regional networks, using real-world incident lessons and an operational decision framework attendees can take back to campus. We will cover...
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Speakers

Geoff Kreiling

Director, MSSP Routes to Market, Radware

I help connected institutions think through service continuity, DDoS, AppSec, APIs, and shared-infrastructure readiness.

Talk to me about keeping critical services online, clarifying who owns what, improving response handoffs, making incidents less chaotic before they happen, or what record I’m currently wearing out at home... Read More →

Sponsors

Radware

Radware’s provides end-to-end coverage across DDoS mitigation, WAF, bot management, and our enhanced API Security Service, which provides full lifecycle security based on runtime traffic. Our innovative LLM Firewall protects against prompt injection, data leakage and abuse, while... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

9:30am CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Tuesday June 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Browse the sponsor exhibit hall, connect with vendors, and catch up with colleagues. Refreshments are available.

Tuesday June 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

10:00am CDT

Blueprint for Collective Defense: Scaling Threat Intelligence Across State Lines

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Strategic cybersecurity is no longer just about buying tools; it’s about building alliances. This presentation provides a behind-the-scenes look at the North Dakota JCSOC, a pioneering model for multi-state collaboration. We will break down the "Strategy, Collaboration & Applications" required to get stakeholder buy-in for a shared threat intelligence program. We will dive into the...
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Speakers

Michael Gregg

CISO, Palo Alto Networks

Sponsors

Palo Alto Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Sponsor

Company Palo Alto Networks
Area Quantum Sponsor

10:45am CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Browse the sponsor exhibit hall, connect with vendors, and catch up with colleagues. Refreshments are available.

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

11:00am CDT

GlobalNOC Gateway Overview & Announcement of Release for ARE-ON Member Institutions

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

The presentation will provide an overview of the new GlobalNOC Gateway application. The application is intended to be used by members of GlobalNOC supported networks. The initial release of the application will allow for members to gain visibility into a high level status of the network, ongoing outages, upcoming maintenances, manage contact information at their institution for notification...
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Moderators

Scott Ramoly

Chief Technology Officer, ARE-ON

Chief Technology Officer – ARE-ON
Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network

Speakers

Ben Geels

Manager: Monitoring and Information Systems Team, GlobalNOC at Indiana University

Ben Geels joined the GlobalNOC in 2012 as a full-stack developer on the software development team, building tools for monitoring, measurement, visualization, and information systems that support computer network management. He now serves as manager of the Monitoring and Information... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Presentation

Company GlobalNOC at Indiana University
Audience Network Engineers, Administrators
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

11:00am CDT

Phantoms in the Portal: Ghost Students and Financial Aid Fraud

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Higher Education is under attack by ghosts. I know how crazy that sounds, but according to a U.S. Department of Education press release form May 2025, approximately $90 million in federal student aid has been awarded and released to ineligible recipients in the prior three years. Your institution may have already dealt with this, is currently dealing with this, or could fall victim in the future....
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Speakers

Natalie McNish

Director of Internal Audit & Risk Management, Missouri State University

Natalie B. McNish serves as the Director of Internal Audit and Risk Management at Missouri State University, where she leads efforts to strengthen governance, ensure compliance, and promote effective risk management practices. With a strong background in auditing and organizational... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company Ciena/Lumen, Missouri State University
Audience Network Engineers, Security Professionals, IT Leaders
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

11:00am CDT

Moving Beyond Pain Points in the University Data Center

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Higher-education data centers are expected to support increasingly demanding workloads while operating within tight budget, staffing, and infrastructure constraints. At the same time, universities depend on their data centers to deliver always-on services that support teaching, research, and core institutional operations, making reliability and operational stability mission-critical. Clearly...
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Speakers

Trini Grinspan

Consulting Engineer, Nokia

Sponsors

Nokia/PIER Group

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era, providing the critical network infrastructure the world relies on. Every day, we’re powering our customers with advanced connectivity across fixed, mobile, and transport networks, delivering the performance and security they... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Company Nokia, PIER Group
Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

11:45am CDT

Lunch & Sponsor Showcase

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:45am - 12:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Go through the buffet line in the Ballroom Lobby and bring your lunch into Grand V to network with your fellow attendees! Lunch is sponsored by Ciena/Lumen and they will have a 15 min speaking opportunity during lunch.Menu:Local Taqueria Lunch Buffet Salads & Starters Mexican Chopped Salad Chopped Romaine Roasted Corn Diced Tomatoes Cucumbers Cotija Cheese Tortilla Strips Cilantro...
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Speakers

Brady Bell

Director Engineering, Ciena

Sponsors

Ciena/Lumen

Lumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data, and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:45am - 12:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Lunch

Company Ciena/Lumen

12:30pm CDT

State of ARE-ON: Built for What's Next

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:30pm - 12:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Twenty years of investment in shared research and education infrastructure has changed what is possible for Arkansas higher education and healthcare. This session reflects on that progress, examines the current state of ARE-ON's network and services, and turns to the strategic questions that will define the next era. Attendees will hear from ARE-ON Executive Director Elon Turner and learn how to...
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Speakers

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:30pm - 12:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

Company ARE-ON
Audience IT Leaders
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

12:45pm CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:45pm - 1:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:45pm - 1:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

1:00pm CDT

Keynote: Internet2's Support for State Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Tripti Sinha, President and CEO of Internet2, discusses Internet2's role in supporting state research and education networks and the evolving national R&E infrastructure landscape. From network infrastructure and cloud services to identity, research computing, and community programs, this session offers a direct look at how Internet2 and networks like GPN and ARE-ON work together to serve...
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Speakers

Tripti Sinha

President and CEO, Internet2

Tripti Sinha is the President and CEO of Internet2, where she champions the organization’s core mission of enabling U.S. higher education and research institutions to collaborate on mission-critical technology services.Sinha is a leader in information technology, operations, governance... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Keynote

Company Internet2
Audience IT Leaders, Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

1:45pm CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:45pm - 2:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

A short break with light refreshments.

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:45pm - 2:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

2:00pm CDT

Leveraging Layered Storage Architectures for Scale & Performance

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

As data demands continue to outpace traditional storage budgets, organizations are searching for ways to extract more performance and cost efficiency from their infrastructure without sacrificing reliability. In this talk, we explore how ZFS and Ceph — two of the most powerful open-source storage platforms available — can be scaled to new levels by adopting the same layered fault tolerance...
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Speakers

Steven Umbehocker

CEO / CTO, OSNexus

Sponsors

OSNexus

OSNexus helps organizations manage and scale storage with its QuantaStor platform. QuantaStor is a unified file, block, and object storage solution used across healthcare, energy, media & entertainment, transportation, higher education, government, and more.
Built on an open archi
... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

2:00pm CDT

M365 A3 vs. A5: Making Informed Decisions Around Security, Compliance, and Budget

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

As K–12 districts and higher‑education institutions face increasing cybersecurity threats and compliance obligations, choosing the right Microsoft 365 licensing strategy is more important than ever. This session provides a clear, practical comparison of Microsoft 365 A3 and A5, with a focus on security capabilities, compliance requirements, and budget impact. Attendees will gain an...
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Speakers

Christopher Jennings

Account Executive, Pinnacle Business Systems

Sponsors

Pinnacle Business Systems

Pinnacle Business Systems is an industry-leading IT solutions provider with more than 37 years of experience helping organizations implement scalable, cost-effective technology strategies. Headquartered in Edmond, Oklahoma,

Pinnacle works with organizations across the Central and... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Company Pinnacle Business Systems
Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

2:00pm CDT

Securing the AI Era: Infrastructure Evolution and Operational Reality

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

This panel style session will cover how AI is reshaping the enterprise from the app layer down to power, cooling, and transport. This session maps the new threat surface created by AI agents, the rapid evolution of AI infrastructure, and the operational complexity that emerges when reliability and security become inseparable.

Moderators

Steven Karp

Senior Network Engineer, ARE-ON

Speakers

Bernard Morvant

Sr. Account Manager, Lumen

Michael Renshaw

Director, Lumen

Brady Bell

Director Engineering, Ciena

Anthony Gloriana

Principal Engineer, Ciena

Sponsors

Ciena/Lumen

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor Session, Terabit

Company Ciena/Lumen
Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

2:45pm CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

A short break with light refreshments.

Tuesday June 23, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

3:15pm CDT

AMD Empowering the Future of HPC and AI Datacenters

Tuesday June 23, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

This session will dive into how AMD technologies are empowering the future of HPC computing and preparing customers for AI in the datacenter.

Speakers

Keith Jones

Senior Field Applications Engineer, AMD

Keith Jones is a Senior Field Applications Engineer at AMD, supporting the Energy sector and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. With over 30 years of industry experience, he brings deep expertise spanning energy, OEM infrastructure, and data center solutions. Since joining AMD, Keith... Read More →

Sponsors

AMD / Cambridge Computer

AMD / Cambridge Computing

AMD is the high performance and adaptive computing leader, powering the products and services that help solve the world’s most important challenges. Our technologies advance the future of the data center, embedded, gaming and PC markets.Founded in 1969 as a Silicon Valley start-up... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Sponsor

Company AMD

4:00pm CDT

ARE-ON Technical Updates

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Scott Ramoly, Chief Technology Officer of ARE-ON, presents the latest updates on ARE-ON's network infrastructure, services, and technical roadmap. This session covers recent enhancements, upcoming changes, and the engineering priorities shaping how ARE-ON serves its member institutions.

Speakers

Scott Ramoly

Chief Technology Officer, ARE-ON

Chief Technology Officer – ARE-ON
Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company ARE-ON
Audience Network Engineers, Administrators
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

4:00pm CDT

Building Collaborations Using Non-Research Funding Mechanisms

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Building collaborations by using non-research funding mechanisms
Using federal and state funding sources to imagine sustainability, collaborations, customer engagement.
Audience: CIOs / CTOs, Grant Administrators and PIs, Faculty and Academic Researchers

Speakers

Michael Wallace

Asst. Director, UAMS IDHI e-Link

Martin Maize

Sr. PM, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Presentation

Company University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Audience Network Engineers, Grant Administrators, IT Leaders
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations, Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

4:30pm CDT

Coherent Optics Transforming Regional Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

High-performance networking is evolving rapidly, delivering dramatically more capacity while fundamentally changing the cost model. This technical session examines how high-speed coherent optics are being deployed across ARE-ON's metro and regional infrastructure — what the technology enables, how it's being implemented, and what it means for the institutions and research communities ARE-ON...
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Speakers

Steven Karp

Senior Network Engineer, ARE-ON

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company ARE-ON
Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

4:30pm CDT

GPN Statewide Initiatives in Quantum Technologies

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The Statewide Quantum Computing Working Group is a multi-disciplinary collaborative initiative launched in March 2026 to establish an integrated educational framework for quantum computing curricula across Arkansas. Led by the Emerging Analytics Center at UA Little Rock, the group brings together academic faculty from the Arkansas Quantum Network, industry partners, and technical experts to bridge...
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Speakers

Tom Coffin

EAC UA Little Rock

virtual reality; quantum; viz

Tuesday June 23, 2026 4:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company EAC / UA Little Rock
Audience Network Engineers, Researchers, IT Leaders
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations, Emerging Technologies

5:00pm CDT

Networking Reception

Tuesday June 23, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm CDT

Embassy Suites Hotel - Spa Tower Atrium @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Join us Tuesday evening for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and networking, sponsored by AMD/Cambridge Computing. A great opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and sponsors in a relaxed setting before the final day of the conference.

Speakers

Andre Gardinalli

SLED Business Development Sales North Central, AMD

Sponsors

AMD / Cambridge Computer

AMD / Cambridge Computing

Tuesday June 23, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm CDT
Embassy Suites Hotel - Spa Tower Atrium 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Reception

Company AMD

8:00pm CDT

B.E.E.R.Net — Building Energy Efficient Research Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00pm - 10:30pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Salon F-G-H @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Close out Tuesday evening at B.E.E.R.Net — Building Energy Efficient Research Networks. Bring a regional refreshment from your hometown to share, or enjoy what others bring. All conference attendees welcome.

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00pm - 10:30pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Salon F-G-H 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Networking

Company Great Plains Network

7:00am CDT

Conference Breakfast

Wednesday June 24, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Conference breakfast is sponsored by Terabit sponsor, Fortinet. Fortinet will have a 15-minute meal speaking opportunity.

Continental Breakfast

Fresh Cut Fruit

Muffins and Scones

Chilled Orange Juice

Selection of Hot Teas and Coffee

Speakers

Branden Henner

Account Manager, Fortinet

Sponsors

Fortinet

Wednesday June 24, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company PIER Group

7:00am CDT

Conference Registration

Wednesday June 24, 2026 7:00am - 2:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Registration

Wednesday June 24, 2026 7:00am - 2:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company Fortinet

8:00am CDT

Keynote: Transform IT, Transform Everything in the Higher Education Industry

Wednesday June 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

In this presentation, we will discuss external and internal forces that are dramatically changing the higher education ecosystem in conjunction with the exponential rate of change impacting IT. The impact of multiple and dynamic changes in funding, agentic AI, data quality, post-quantum encryption, culture, and ERPs, on pedagogy, research, and administration are core to the discussion. We will...
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Speakers

Mark Roman

Managing Partner for Education, Info-Tech Research Group

Mark Roman is the Managing Partner for Education and works with members throughout the higher education and K-12 sectors around the world. He is responsible for the delivery of Info-Tech services to members and the alignment of research with the education sector's needs.

https://w... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company Infotech Research Group
Audience IT Leaders, CIOs
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

8:45am CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Wednesday June 24, 2026 8:45am - 9:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

A short break with light refreshments.

Wednesday June 24, 2026 8:45am - 9:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

9:00am CDT

Data-Ready Research: Leveraging Library Expertise in Supercomputing Applications

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

How can you integrate your existing library personnel and resources into advancing the high-performance supercomputing and A.I. infrastructure on campus Conference keynoter Frank Wuerthwein and two GPN librarians and Software Carpentry instructors will explore how can become a key partner in supporting I.T. staff and research faculty. Each year, GPN sets aside funding for 4 - 8 practitioners...
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Speakers

Mark Laufersweiler

Data Services Specialist, University of Oklahoma

Dr. Mark Laufersweiler is in the process of retiring from his role since 2013 as the Data Services Specialist for the University of Oklahoma Libraries and head of the Data Services Unit. He has always had a strong interest in computers, computing, data and data visualization and things... Read More →

David Molik

Associate Professor and Librarian, Department Head, Open Publishing Exchange, Kansas State University

As the department head for the Open Publishing Exchange, David leads efforts in scholarly communication, data curation, publishing and open-access initiatives. David works to advance strategies that enhance the long-term accessibility, integrity and impact of research and scholarly... Read More →

Frank Wuerthwein

Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center; CEO, Open Science Grid and the National Research Platform, University of California at San Diego

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

9:00am CDT

IT Leadership Across Arkansas: Challenges and Priorities from the ARE-ON Member Community

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Senior IT leaders from ARE-ON member institutions share what's driving their priorities right now, from budget and staffing to AI adoption and cybersecurity. This panel offers an honest look at the state of campus IT across Arkansas. Moderated by ARE-ON Executive Director Elon Turner.Eddie Mahar - Associate VP of IT and CIO - Northwest Arkansas Community CollegeEric Boardway - Director of IT -...
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Moderators

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Panel

Company ARE-ON
Audience IT Leaders, CIOs
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

9:45am CDT

State of Research Cyberinfrastructure

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Find out the latest on research computing in your state, including what's available for you, your students, and your researchers.

Moderators

Frank Wuerthwein

Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center; CEO, Open Science Grid and the National Research Platform, University of California at San Diego

Speakers

Derek Weitzel

University of Nebraska Lincoln

Ryan Johnson

Director of Research Computing, University of South Dakota

Matthew Keeler

Director, IT Research Support Solutions, University of Missouri

Dan Andresen

Professor, Computer Science, and Department Head, Institute for Computational Research, Kansas State University

Daniel Andresen is a professor of computer science at Kansas State University and director of the Institute for Computational Research. Andresen’s research is in distributed systems, ranging from sensor networks monitoring bovine health levels to high performance computing systems... Read More →

Brian Burkhart

Chief Technology Officer, OneNet

Brian Burkhart joined the OneNet team in November 1999 as a systems engineer. He currently serves as chief technology officer and coordinates the overall technical direction of OneNet. He also serves as principal investigator for OneNet’s National Science Foundation grant award... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Panel

Audience Network Engineers, HPC Professionals, Researchers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

9:45am CDT

Designing Networks for Student Housing

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

This presentation will explore how Hewlett Packard Enterprise Networking solutions are helping transform student housing environments through AI-driven connectivity, automation, and security. We’ll discuss how modern campus networks can improve resident experiences, streamline IT operations, and support the growing demand for smart devices and high-bandwidth applications. Attendees will also...
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Speakers

Zak Chalupka

HPE Networking Principal Architect, HPE

Sponsors

HPE

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

HPE is the global leader in secure, intelligent edge-to-cloud networking solutions that use AI to automate the network, while harnessing data to drive powerful business outcomes. With Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) and as-a-service options, Aruba takes a cloud-native approach... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Company HPE
Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

9:45am CDT

Infrastructure Engineering for Efficiency and Performance

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

As organizations scale AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and data-intensive workloads, traditional air-cooling methods are increasingly challenged by rising power densities and thermal demands. Liquid cooling technology offers a transformative approach to data center infrastructure, enabling organizations to achieve higher performance while improving energy efficiency and sustainability...
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Speakers

Kevin Grissom

HPC Solution Architect, Lenovo

Sponsors

Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 9:45am - 10:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Sponsor Session, Gigabit

Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

10:30am CDT

Sponsor Showcase & Peer Networking

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

A short break with light refreshments.

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom I - IV 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Break

10:45am CDT

State of the State Networks

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Leaders from state research and education networks across the Great Plains Network region will give brief updates on what's driving their work and strategy. Each network representative covers the priorities, projects, and challenges shaping their state's R&E network, offering a fast-moving, multi-state view of where the region is headed.

Moderators

John Hennessey

Asociate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology & OneNet | CIO, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Speakers

Scott Ramoly

Chief Technology Officer, ARE-ON

Chief Technology Officer – ARE-ON
Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network

Chris Kolsrud

Chief Technology and Security Officer, SD Board of Regents

Andrew Buker

Assistant Vice President, Infrastructure Services, University of Nebraska System

Andrew is an Assistant Vice President at the University of Nebraska System, leading Infrastructure Services.

Natasha Angell

Executive Director, MOREnet

Chris Crook

KanREN

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Panel

Company Great Plains Network
Audience Network Engineers, IT Leaders
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations, Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

10:45am CDT

OAK Supercomputing Center: Resources Overview

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The OAK Supercomputing Consortium's Cimarron high-performance computing system is nearing operational status and will be available at no cost to researchers at institutions across Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Chris Frennell, Interim Director of the OAK Supercomputing Consortium, provides an overview of Cimarron's capabilities, how regional researchers can gain access, and what the consortium's...
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Speakers

Christopher Fennell

Interim Director, OAK Supercomputing Consortium, OSU

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Presentation

Company Oklahoma State University
Audience Network Engineers, HPC Professionals, Researchers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

10:45am CDT

Resilient IT: Winning with People and Process

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

This keynote presents research on how IT organizations can build resilience in the face of environmental turbulence by focusing on the foundational pillars of IT service quality (people) and IT governance (process). Drawing on a study of 157 IT leaders, it demonstrates that resilience is not reactive, but proactively developed through mature governance practices and a strong service culture....
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Speakers

Wesam Helou

Chief Information Officer, Cleveland State University

Dr. Wesam Helou is a cabinet-level Chief Information Officer, national speaker, and practitioner-scholar whose career sits at the intersection of enterprise technology leadership and organizational resilience. Known for building high-performing organizations and driving transformational... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 10:45am - 11:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Presentation

Company Cleveland State University
Audience Network Engineers, IT Leaders, CIOs
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations, Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

11:30am CDT

State of Higher Ed Cybersecurity

Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Higher education institutions face growing cyber threats amid limited resources and complex environments. This panel brings together cybersecurity leaders to share practical approaches for implementing best practices, prioritizing risk, and maximizing impact with constrained teams and budgets.Panelists will also discuss strategies for communicating cyber risk to leadership and managing the...
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Moderators

Chad Johnson

Director of Cybersecurity, ARE-ON

Speakers

Tamya Stallings

Director of Computer Services, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home

Bryan Carnahan

CIO, University of Arkansas at Rich Mountain

Ryan Hoffman

Director of Information Systems, North Arkansas College

Bryan Fendley

Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Panel

Company ARE-ON
Audience Security Professionals, IT Leaders
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

11:30am CDT

Birds of a Feather: Resources and Funding to Support Advanced Cyberinfrastructure

Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Join this conversation with veterans and newcomers to the field of project management and grants acquisition to explore ideas and options as the funding scenarios for science and education evolve.

Speakers

Dana Brunson

Executive Director for Research Engagement, Internet2

Dr. Dana Brunson is Executive Director for Research Engagement at Internet2, where she leads a team that advances research and education through national cyberinfrastructure. She is an advocate for researchers, educators, and the research computing and data (RCD) professionals who... Read More →

Amy Apon

Program Director, National Science Foundation

Amy Apon has been a Program Director in the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure since January 2023. She is the lead Program Director for the Campus Cyberinfrastructure program. Apon joined NSF through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act in January 2023 from Clemson University... Read More →

Dan Andresen

Professor, Computer Science, and Department Head, Institute for Computational Research, Kansas State University

Nick Eggleston

IT Architect, Kansas State University

Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Presentation

Company National Science Foundation
Audience Network Engineers, Grant Administrators, Researchers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations, Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

12:15pm CDT

Lunch & Final Sponsor Showcase

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:15pm - 12:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Final sponsor showcase open during lunch.

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:15pm - 12:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Lunch

12:45pm CDT

Closing Remarks & Thank You

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:45pm - 1:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Closing remarks from GPN and ARE-ON leadership. Final sponsor recognition and giveaways.

Speakers

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

Recently joined GPN after working on NTIA, HUD, and HRSA grants in Texas. Now constructing a home near UAMS, UALR, and Philander Smith University in Little Rock.

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:45pm - 1:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

1:15pm CDT

****CANCELLED*****Workshop: Designing Secure by Default Learning Environments

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 3:30pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

This workshop is cancelled.

Speakers

Shankar Ravi

Associate Professor, Computer Science, Northwest Arkansas Community College

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 3:30pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Workshop

Subject Emerging Technologies

1:15pm CDT

*Tour (I³R) — University of Arkansas (SHUTTLE)

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 3:45pm CDT

University of Arkansas — I3R Facility @ 793 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA

*Max Attendee Tickets Available:30SHUTTLE IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TOUR (To and From the Embassy)Tour the I³R (Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research) facility on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. Established through a $194.7 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, I³R pioneers solutions to complex problems through convergence research across...
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Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 3:45pm CDT
University of Arkansas — I3R Facility

Tour

1:15pm CDT

*Workshop: Introduction to Deploying and Scaling Data-Intensive Workloads with Docker and Kubernetes on the National Research Platform

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Max Attendee Tickets Available:40*IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATIONAttendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this workshop. In addition, pre-registration for this workshop session is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/Data-Intensive workloads are becoming ever more common in both research and education across the country....
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Speakers

Caughlin Bohn

HPC Outreach and Training Specialist, UNL Holland Computing Center

Caughlin Bohn is the HPC Outreach and Training Specialist for the Holland Computing Center at the University of Nebraska. In his role at the University, he is responsible for developing and organizing training programs for University of Nebraska to enhance the cyberinfrastructure... Read More →

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Workshop

Company University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Audience HPC Professionals, Researchers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

1:15pm CDT

*Workshop: perfSONAR Workshop

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 5:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

*Max Attendee Tickets Available:30IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATIONAttendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this workshop. In addition, pre-registration for this workshop session is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/Description: This hands-on tutorial will walk participants through the process of setting up a...
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Speakers

Mark Feit

Principal software engineer, Internet2

Wednesday June 24, 2026 1:15pm - 5:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Workshop

Audience Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations