Consolidate to elevate: Streamlining your institution’s tech stack for 2026
What to expect
Universities today are grappling with “digital sprawl”, a fragmented landscape of redundant software and siloed data that drains budgets and frustrates students and faculty alike. Combine that with possible campus mergers, increasing workload for too few hands and AI and it’s difficult to know where to start.
Join campus technology peers as we explore the strategic shift toward technology consolidation as a means to move from reactive maintenance to proactive innovation.
Maximizing ROI & cost recovery: Explore how they reduce administrative workloads, leverage integration and consider vendor consolidation
Reducing friction for student success: Learn how a unified digital journey improves retention by removing the “tech chaos” of multiple logins and disparate platforms.
Empowering faculty with integrated tools: Explore how automated workflows and shared service models free faculty from routine administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on teaching and high-value research.
Future-proofing for AI & innovation: Understand why a consolidated “foundational base” of data is critical for scaling AI-powered teaching assistants and personalized student support apps.
About the speaker
Erin F. Paysinger, MSM
Erin Paysinger is the Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Lander University, with eight years of experience in higher education. She holds a Master of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Lander University. In her role, she leads institutional assessment, planning, and continuous improvement efforts that support data-informed decision-making across campus. Paysinger serves as the lead system administrator for Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys and Planning & Self-Study, and as a backup administrator for Faculty Accomplishments, Reviews, Promotions & Tenure, and Curriculum Strategy.
Becky Burton M.Ed.
Becky Burton has served as the Associate Vice President of Learning at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas since August 2019. Previously, she worked for Amarillo College as the Dean of Academic Outreach. She started her career at Amarillo College in 2004 as an instructor in the Radiography Program. Her current role includes oversight of several services and programs which includes all academic programs, high school dual credit, Center for Teaching and Learning, Blackboard and Watermark administration, and First Year Experience. Burton earned her Masters Degree in Education from Eastern New Mexico University.
Pamela Madden
Pamela Madden serves as Director of Academic Technology Applications, leading the strategy, implementation, and administration of Watermark systems at Amarillo College. She combines technical expertise in system configuration, data management, and reporting with a leadership approach focused on collaboration and results. Madden oversees platform optimization to support staff and faculty activity tracking, while ensuring data integrity and system efficiency. By partnering with stakeholders across the institution, she aligns technology solutions with strategic goals, streamlines processes, and enhances decision-making. Madden’s work emphasizes innovation, continuous improvement, and building sustainable systems that support faculty success and institutional effectiveness.
Darren Bauer Kahan (DBK)
As the Chief Product & Technology Officer, Darren Bauer Kahan (DBK), leads the development and engineering strategy at Watermark. He has a background in technology and product leadership for some of the world’s largest enterprise software brands as well as consumer-focused retail companies. Prior to Watermark, Darren served as Chief Technical Product Officer at SAP Concur, where he oversaw global product management and program management. He was previously CTO for SAP’s SMB software suite and head of technology for Concur’s flagship travel product. He also held leadership roles in software engineering, product development, and agile operations for organizations including TripIt, Limos.com, and Hotwire. Darren holds a B.A. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.
