Connect, grow and succeed together
IT Bridge Builders (ITBB) is a volunteer group of UW IT employees that works to make the university an inclusive and excellent work environment for IT employees.
What we do
We organize networking and collaboration opportunities, advocate for IT professionals, and maintain resources like onboarding guides and best practices. The ITBB hosts events, sponsors programs like I&T Coffee Connections, and establishes partnerships to showcase innovative IT work and promote the vital role of IT at the university.
Advocate for IT community successes
Share opportunities & content across campus
Foster community: Connect & collaborate
Manage IT guidelines & onboarding resources
Establish partnerships to advance our mission
Coffee Connections, events, hackathons
The ITBB created and maintains these resources to help the IT community begin and thrive in their careers at the university.
- Resource guide for new IT staff
Tips, tricks and best practices for new IT employees and those looking to grow their careers at UW. - Guidelines, best practices & advice for IT professionals
Curated resources and information to support the work of IT professionals across the university. - I&T Coffee Connections
Sign up to be randomly paired with an IT colleague for coffee and conversation each quarter.
News & events
News
ITBB events
No events returned.
Mission, values and history
IT Bridge Builders is always working to find and share helpful opportunities and resources for IT staff across the university. We bring people together so they can work together and learn from each other. We also speak up for the IT community and share their achievements so everyone knows how important and valuable their work is. To help with this, we partner with other groups on campus, both in IT and outside of IT.
IT Bridge Builders began in 2016 under the name IT Professionals Group. It started after Gary DeClute led a team that created a guide with tips and advice to help new IT employees at UW grow in their careers. This guide demonstrated the need for a group to help bring the IT community together. In October 2017, the group held its first event, a Flash Talk.
The group took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2022, Chief Technology Officer Todd Shechter revived it with new leadership from Jim Helwig (School of Medicine and Public Health) and Scott Winger (Administrative Information Management Services) and renamed it.
Who we are
Co-leads
Dexter Fierro
Position title: Business Systems Analyst II, Division of Business Services
John Graham
Position title: Web Operations Manager, School of Engineering
Jim Helwig
Position title: Manager & Application Development, School of Medicine and Public Health
Scott Winger
Position title: Computing Analyst, Division of Information Technology
IT Bridge Builders is part of IT Connects, a coalition of volunteer IT professionals from across the university dedicated to breaking down silos by providing resources and opportunities for UW’s IT community to learn and grow together.
Explore IT Connects initiatives
UW–Madison IT Connects events
- July
- July 14
- September
- September 15
- November
- November 17