The School of Education’s Jason Erdmann, an IT project manager in Media, Education Resources & Information Technology (MERIT), was honored with the Ellen La Luzerne Community Builder Award at the 2026 UW–Madison IT Recognition Awards ceremony on May 28.
An annual tradition since 2020, the IT Awards recognize the dedication, innovation, and impact of the university’s information technology employees.
“These awards are a moment for us to recognize and thank our colleagues for what they do,” said Chief Information Officer Didier Contis. “This is our chance to pause, look around, and say: ‘We see you — and we appreciate you.’ As CIO, I’m really proud to support these awards, and I’m excited to celebrate what you bring to this work.”
In a profile shared on the UW–Madison Information Technology website, colleagues describe Erdmann as MERIT’s “culture keeper” — a 25-year help-desk veteran who now serves as a project manager and has spent his career strengthening the IT community at UW–Madison.
After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted workplace rituals, Erdmann worked to restore them, organizing chili cookoffs and campfire cookouts to bring his team back together. He was an active member of MERIT’s Making Our Values Reality (MOVR) group, which fostered an intentional culture of inclusion and respect.
Erdmann is also a longstanding member and leader with UW IT Connects, a volunteer organization that brings IT professionals together across the university’s distributed IT landscape. He co-chairs Leadership Improv, contributes to the IT Professionals Conference and the Information Technology Leadership Development Program, and helped create Coffee Connections to build relationships across units.
In his professional volunteer work, he co-chairs the UW–Madison Policy Planning Team and serves on the Policy Analysis Team and the Policy Review subcommittee. Erdmann has presented at EDUCAUSE, Common Solutions Group, the IT Professionals Conference, the Administrative Professionals Conference, and Lockdown and Cybersecurity Forward. Outside the university, he directs the ski patrol at Tyrol Basin and plays in the Oregon Community Band.
At the ceremony, Lisa Jansen — who nominated Erdmann — lauded his commitment to bringing people together: “Our IT community is as strong as it is because of people like Jason who give their time and expertise to ensure we all have opportunities to connect with and learn from each other.”
Learn more about the 2026 IT Recognition Awards honorees.