From left to right: Luke Bachelor, Blaine Herman, Penny Kronz, Marcella Colavecchio, Greg Glowaski.
I've attended my fair share of conferences throughout my career, but Digital Collegium 2026 was a first for me in more ways than one.
Most of my previous conference experiences have been centered around engineering and technology, so heading to Pittsburgh with DubBot meant approaching things through a different lens. This time, I was focused on building relationships, meeting the people behind the work, and connecting with the higher education community.
I went into the week with an open mind, a pocket full of curiosity, and the hope of making meaningful connections. It was also my first time in Pittsburgh, so I was excited to explore a new city along the way!
A Warm Welcome (and a Little Friendly Competition)
From the moment the conference got underway, the energy was buzzing. Between the sessions, vendor area, and conversations happening around every corner, there was no shortage of activity.
At the DubBot booth, we put our own spin on the classic dice game Left, Right, Center. What started as a fun way to bring people together quickly turned into some friendly competition. It was a great excuse to step away from the usual conference conversations, share a few laughs, and get to know each other.
DubBot custom pen with several Dubby DubBloons and a set of
Left, Right, and Center dice.
What stood out most was the genuine sense of community. Everyone was welcoming and eager to stop by and share their experiences, whether we connected between sessions or got to know one another outside the conference. My first Karaoke Plane at Tequila Cowboy was a perfect example. And, as it turns out, higher ed has some seriously talented karaoke singers!
DubBot’s own Luke Batchelor performing at the annual
Karaoke Plane at Tequila Cowboy.
A Little Sunshine in Pittsburgh
Despite Pittsburgh's reputation for gray skies, we were greeted with pristine, blue skies. I'd like to think I brought a little of that Texas sunshine with me from Austin.
One of the things I appreciated most about Pittsburgh was how walkable it was. Coming from a car-centric city like Austin, it was refreshing to explore neighborhoods filled with small businesses, restaurants, and residential streets all woven together.
Naturally, we made time for some good food! We explored downtown's Market Square, tried the famous Primanti's sandwiches, enjoyed dinner at Kaya, and ventured up to Mount Washington for an unforgettable dining experience at Otaru. Another personal favorite was a fantastic lunch at People's Indian Restaurant in Bloomfield.
Historic Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh.
Nightscape of the Monongahela River and the Fort Pitt Bridge.
We also visited the Heinz History Center, where we explored all six floors in pursuit of a coveted pickle pin.
Marcella showing off her Heinz Pickle pin.
I especially loved seeing original pieces from the set of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, including his iconic sweater.
Iconic artifacts from the Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.
Between the food, neighborhoods, sunshine, and a few memorable karaoke performances (yes, there's video evidence), Pittsburgh really won me over.
Beyond the Sessions: Making Accessibility Approachable
One of my biggest takeaways from Digital Collegium was how much thought higher education professionals are putting into making their digital experiences more accessible.
I want to give a very special shoutout to my colleague, Penny Kronz, for her presentation, Comprehensive Guide to Web Accessibility Testing and Best Practices!
Left to right: Penny Kronz and Joanie Chembars.
One of the things I appreciate most about Penny is her ability to take something as complex as web accessibility and break it down in a way that's approachable and easy to understand.
Accessibility and website governance can get technical quickly, and sometimes the platforms designed to help make things feel even more complicated. That's something I really value about Penny and our team at DubBot. We believe accessibility doesn't have to be intimidating, and we work hard to make it easier for people to understand what needs attention and how to move forward.
Penny's presentation was a great example of that philosophy in action. She shared practical approaches to accessibility testing, from keyboard navigation and screen readers to color contrast and accessible forms. One important reminder was that automated testing is only part of the picture. Understanding how people actually experience a website also requires human judgment.
Congratulations, Penny! We're lucky to have someone who makes such an important topic feel approachable.
PDFs, PDFs, and More PDFs!
If there was one topic I kept hearing about throughout the conference, it was PDFs.
Abbey Allen and Josh Leigh from the University of Utah presented Optimizing PDF Accessibility and Findability: The LAST Process for Web Content Management, introducing a thoughtful approach to managing large PDF inventories.
Their LAST framework stands for Locate, Assess, Stabilize, and Transport , encouraging institutions to evaluate what content to keep, remediate, convert to HTML, or archive.
One of my favorite takeaways was a simple question: Does this really need to be a PDF?
Sometimes making content more accessible isn't about fixing the format it's currently in. It's about rethinking how that information should be presented in the first place.
And this is where things get especially exciting for us at DubBot!
PDF accessibility and management are areas we're actively exploring as part of our product roadmap. We're thinking beyond identifying accessibility issues to how we can better help our clients prioritize remediation and make informed decisions about which documents to convert, archive, or remove.
Hearing these challenges echoed throughout the conference reinforced something I value about our approach at DubBot: we listen to the people doing the work and want to build solutions that make accessibility and content governance less overwhelming.
From Screens to Real Life
Left, front to back: Greg, Joanie, Marcella. Right, front to back: Luke, Blaine, Penny.
One of the week's highlights had very little to do with conference sessions. I finally met my DubBot colleagues in person for the first time!
As a remote company, we spend plenty of time collaborating through screens, so I was really looking forward to spending a few days together.
Our sales team, Blaine Herman, Greg Glowaski, and Luke Batchelor, joined Penny Kronz and Joanie Chembars from Client Support. It was my first time meeting everyone face-to-face, and what surprised me most was how natural it felt. We picked up right where we left off, only this time without having to unmute ourselves.
One of my favorite moments was our dinner at Otaru, sitting together somewhere quiet, overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, and enjoying a gorgeous meal. Those precious moments away from the busy conference floor are where the best connections happen.
Of course, there was plenty of fun, too. Between the dice games, karaoke adventures, and glow stick jewelry I made for everyone, we shared a lot of laughs throughout the week.
If there's one thing the experience reinforced for me, it's that we're human first .
I see that reflected in the way our team works together and the relationships we build with our clients. Behind DubBot are real people who genuinely care about supporting one another and the people who use our platform.
Until Next Time, Digital Collegium!
The Monongahela River and Fort Pitt Bridge.
Looking back on my first Digital Collegium experience, what stands out most isn't just the sessions or the beautiful city we got to explore.
It's the people.
From meeting customers and making new connections to finally spending time with my colleagues in person, the week reminded me why relationships matter so much in the work we do.
If you're thinking about attending Digital Collegium for the first time, my advice is simple: show up with an open mind. This community is full of friendly, engaging people who are genuinely excited to share ideas and learn from one another.
I'm heading home with new perspectives, great memories, and an even greater appreciation for the people who make this community what it is.
Thanks for the warm welcome, Pittsburgh and Digital Collegium. I hope our paths cross again soon!
