#CHIDC26 is Conn3ct Data's two-day Chicago data center conference, held August 12-13, 2026. The program brings together more than 40 speakers from operators, hyperscale and AI-cloud builders, power and nuclear technology firms, and economic development agencies, with a stated focus on growth, education, and sustainability in the data center industry.
Programming Focus
- State of the Industry and executive fireside chats
- The energy-water nexus and driving a sustainable future
- Nuclear energy, including a Women in Nuclear session
- On-site generation in power-constrained markets
- Speed and supply in the age of AI
- Building the future of infrastructure
- Leadership coaching, managing stress, and building community
Featured Speakers
Data Center Operators and Builders:
- Amber Caramella, Chief Revenue Officer, Netrality Data Centers
- Santiago Suinaga, Senior Vice President Cloud & Hyperscale, Stream Data Centers
- Justin Jordan, Head of Data Center Growth and Development, Galaxy Data Centers
- Boris Lester, Data Center Equipment Supply Chain Director, CoreWeave
- Mark Milliet, Director of Pre-Construction, Crusoe
- Brett Collard, Senior Vice President Land Development, Compass Datacenters
- Craig Pennington, Chief Technology Officer, Montera Infrastructure
- Patricia Levya, Global Sustainability Enablement and AMER Lead, Equinix
- Bill Kleyman, CEO and Co-Founder, Apolo
Power, Nuclear, and Equipment:
- Betsy Brunner, Senior Account Manager, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy
- Brian Wolf, NuScale Power
- Sean Kenefick, General Manager - North America, Rehlko
- Drew Terwilliger, EVP Strategy & Commercial, Geronimo Power
- Amanda Trumble, Data Center Segment Leader - Americas, ABB
- Mike Biltimier, Director Data Center Business Development, Bay City Electric Works
- Ashley Dirou, Global Sales Development Manager, Grundfos
- Jesse Brodhagen, Data Systems Product and Customer Success Manager, Nucor Data Systems
Economic Development:
- Buddy Rizer, Executive Director of Economic Development, Loudoun County
- Kevin Kramer, Director of Economic Development, Village of Hoffman Estates
- Scott Greene, Regional Director of Economic Development, Thomas & Hutton
Advisors and Industry Organizations:
- Michael Kokal, President, KODIS Holdings
- David Quirk, Chief Executive Officer, DLB Associates
- Colby Cox, Managing Director - Americas, DC Byte
- Miranda Gardiner, Executive Director, iMasons Climate Accord
- Mark Gusakov, Chief Executive Officer, The Digital Infrastructure Alliance
- Megan Schneider, Client Account Leadership/Strategy & Consulting, Accenture
- Marissa Alcala, Co Partner-in-Charge, Norton Rose Fulbright
- Garret Fitzgerald, Chief Information Officer, Salute
- Jens Conzen, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Jensen Hughes
- Avintha Moodaly, Director Environmental Management, Kyndryl
- Fred Tan, Global Head of Social Impact, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Sponsors
Welcome Reception: KODIS Holdings
Who Should Attend
- Data center operators and developers
- Hyperscale, cloud, and AI infrastructure teams
- Power, nuclear, and cooling equipment vendors
- Economic development agencies
- Advisors, engineers, and industry associations
Logistics
General admission is $995 plus booking fees and includes full session access and evening networking receptions. The venue has not yet been announced.