2022 Board Professionals Conference: Schedule
March 29–31, 2022 | Virtual Conference
Schedule
The Board Professionals Conference spans three days, March 29–31, with the program including three plenaries, 15 concurrent sessions, a wide variety of networking opportunities, and an assortment of on-demand content and opportunities for ad-hoc conversation.
Exciting new sessions are under development as the Board Professionals Leadership Group, in conjunction with AGB, works to build out this year’s program. Watch this space and your inbox for updates.
To print this schedule, select “File” and “Print.” If you are having trouble, please try printing to a PDF. For assistance, please contact membership@AGB.org.
Tuesday, March 29
10:00 AM ET | AGB Experience Opens
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
10:15 – 10:30 AM ET | Member Benefits Overview
Join us for an express overview of membership benefits with a focus on resources for board professionals. Ensure that you are aware of the full potential AGB membership provides you! Learn how to unlock your membership benefits and navigate to resources, services and events that are most important to you. This is an express session, enter your questions in the chat feature during the session, or come visit us for a more detailed overview of your full benefits. We are located within the AGB Experience, in the Membership Experience booth, and will be available from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., during the conference. Just click on “Enter Live Discussion” when you arrive.
11:00 AM–12:30 PM ET | Opening Remarks and Plenary
Building and sustaining communities of practice across our colleges and universities, research institutes, foundations, neighborhood schools, professional organizations, or any interest group requires deep commitment to lifelong learning. We do our best learning in community, and by paying close attention to what a multitude of constituencies are experiencing. In this opening plenary, Dr. Lande Ajose will speak to the necessity of informing organizational policies and strategies by understanding the experiences of the end user, using colleges and universities as a case study. She will also speak to the ways in which the pandemic has heightened the need for communities of practice to be adaptive and responsive to current needs.
Speaker:
Lande Ajose, vice president and senior fellow, Public Policy Institute of California
12:30–12:45 PM ET | Lunch/Breakfast
12:45–1:30 PM ET | Concurrent Sessions
BP Fundamentals: A to Z
As the landscape of higher education and the terrain of board meetings continue to change at lightning speed, board professionals need an array of strategies at their fingertips. The audience will select the topics in this interactive session, tapping the expertise of two long-serving board professionals to learn best practices and return to your board with a refreshed toolkit of innovative responses to the new fundamentals of board meetings.
Speakers:
Heather Fehn, chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, The College of New Jersey
Lorrie Kyle, executive director of the office of the president, Rollins College
Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Equity through the Board Office
The AGB Board of Directors’ Statement on Justice, Equity, and Inclusion and Guidance for Implementation is the most downloaded document from the AGB website. Many board professionals who have reviewed this document are involved or starting to be involved with their boards in addressing this topic, or are trying to figure out how they (as BPs) fit into this process.
With this in mind, BPs are asking about their roles, how they can influence their boards to address JDE&I, such as how to add JDE&I to board agendas. Come to this session to examine practical BP-specific questions, from the scope of the topic itself to board member readiness for meaningful engagement, which questions board members really need to be asking, proper involvement of committees (standing, ad hoc, none), and more.
Speakers:
Rae Mang, chair, University of Cincinnati Foundation Board of Trustees
Sabrina Prud’homme, university board secretary, Southern Oregon University
Pandemic Lessons Learned: Hybrid Meetings
Gone are the days of providing a conference line as the only option for remote attendees! In a world where hybrid meeting are the new expectation, the savvy board professional must know how to provide exceptional experiences to in-person and remote attendees alike. However, this balancing act brings meeting complexity to new heights and requires us to embrace technology as a standard component. This session will address room layout, video conferencing platforms, a/v logistics, hybrid meeting decorum, catering to a mixed-modality group, and everything in between.
Speakers:
Julia Abel, coordinator of committees and board operations, University of Illinois System
Lauren Ferguson, director of foundation board relations & development, University of Central Florida Advancement
Michael Hallihan, information technology technical associate, University of Illinois System
David Stoneburner, multimedia events manager, University of Central Florida
Principles of Trusteeship: Think Strategically
Many boards need to refocus on strategic issues, so how might trustees sharpen their strategic thinking skills? More to the point, how can board professionals help position them for growth in this area? Presented by two of the top minds behind Principles of Trusteeship, this session is designed to equip board professionals with practical advice and techniques to move board members–and ultimately boards–from reactive and operational mindsets to proactive and strategic ones.
Speakers:
Carol Cartwright, president emerita, Kent State University and Bowling Green State University; trustee, Heidelberg University; senior fellow and ambassador to the Council of Presidents, AGB
Tom Hyatt, partner, Dentons; senior fellow and general counsel, AGB
Strategic Transformation: Ongoing Consequences of the Pandemic
This presentation will look at lessons learned during the pandemic and how they can inform strategic planning for both administrative and financial operations into the future. The intersection of administration and finance will take on added significance as institutions move to becoming “asset light” in order to reallocate funds to drive academic and research missions. Given these modality changes and their associated costs, the session will also explore strategies being employed to communicate more effectively with boards of trustees, senior leaders and campuses as a whole around topics like: technological efficiencies, online programming, multiyear financial modeling, cost containment and cost avoidance, and generating alternative sources of revenues to drive operational excellence.
Speaker:
Gerald Hector, senior vice president for administration and finance, University of Central Florida
1:30–1:45 PM ET | Post-Session Networking
Opportunity for concurrent session attendees and panelists to continue the conversation and to network with one another in an unfacilitated environment.
(links to separate networking spaces will be provided through live chat during each concurrent session)
1:30–2:00 PM ET | AGB Experience and Networking Break
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
2:00–3:00PM ET | Speed Mentoring Sessions
These quick, small-group discussions afford new and seasoned workshop attendees an opportunity to meet new colleagues, share ideas and resources, and discuss key challenges and best practices. This activity is open to all and provides an important opportunity to build relationships in a virtual environment, which will prove valuable long after the conference ends. Attendees will have an opportunity to make connections with colleagues from institutions across the country and share ideas and challenges while discussing a variety of everyday issues board professionals face. Discussion groups will be led by seasoned board professionals.
Topics:
- Board Dynamics and Troublesome Trustees
- Board Retreats
- Challenges and Opportunities of Dual Reporting Relationships
- Diplomacy, Discretion, and Duty
- High Profile Issues on Campus
- New Trustee Orientation
- Nuts and Bolts – Tools, Tips, and Tricks of the Trade
- Ways to Advance Your Career
- Open Table
3:00-3:30 PM ET | AGB Experience and Networking/Meal Break
3:30-4:15 PM ET | Community of Practice Sessions
Join us as we try something new!
Ask 100 board professionals what the best part of any conference is and the overwhelming answer is “networking!” So how do you translate that into a virtual conference environment? How do you create not just connections, but lasting connections and colleagueship? How might any of us find colleagues we can turn to with questions, or for advice? Here’s our answer: Join us for a conversation about the topic of your choice, and then keep the conversation and community going following the conference. A group leader will help transition the exchange from the conference to a social media platform where colleagues can continue to connect, learn, share and grow in our profession.
Topics and Group Leaders:
Athletics in Higher Education
Julie Miller, Wayne State University
Board Policies, Practices, and Guidelines
Michele Kuykendall, Northwest Nazarene University
BPs and How We Work with Faculty, Staff, and Students
Jessica Burns, West Virginia University Foundation
Community and Government Relations
Lisa Haley Thomson, The College of Saint Rose
Evaluation
Sarah Dirksen, University of Minnesota
Event Planning
R. Paul Villaluz, The University Foundation at Sacramento State
Help! Trustee Issues
Tamara Stoner, Delaware State University
I’m Thinking About Going Back to School
Denise Nelson Nash, Scripps College
Integrating Technology Into the Board Room
Chamonix Mejia, Texas Tech University System
Leading Staff
Tina Montemayor, The University of Texas System Administration
Managing Up
Heather Fehn, The College of New Jersey
Navigating Small p Politics
Lorrie Kyle, Rollins College
New to the Profession/Role of the BP
Sheyonn Baker, Hollins University
Planning Engaging Meetings
Lauren Ferguson, University of Central Florida Foundation
Preparing for Retirement
Lynnette Heard, University of Cincinnati Foundation, retired
Presidential Search
Brian Steeves, University of Minnesota
Presidential Transition
Kai Swanson, Augustana College
Strategy in Higher Education
Katie Herschede, Widener University
Student Success in Higher Education
Sharon Wright, Houston Community College
Trustee Orientation
Linda Barge-Miles, Florida A&M University
Writing a Resolution/Agenda Items/Recommendations
Vicki Reaume, Eastern Michigan University
What’s Next After Life as a BP/Preparing for a Career Change
Matthew Paskin, University of Alaska Foundation
Work Life Balance
Joanne Connor, Rowan University
Wednesday, March 30
10:00 AM ET | AGB Experience Opens
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
10:15- 10:30 AM ET | Member Benefits Overview
Join us for an express overview of membership benefits with a focus on resources for board professionals. Ensure that you are aware of the full potential AGB membership provides you! Learn how to unlock your membership benefits and navigate to resources, services and events that are most important to you. This is an express session, enter your questions in the chat feature during the session, or come visit us for a more detailed overview of your full benefits. We are located within the AGB Experience, in the Membership Experience booth, and will be available from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., during the conference. Just click on “Enter Live Discussion” when you arrive.
11:00 AM–12:30 PM ET | Plenary- Creating Inclusive Communities: Putting Boards on the Right Side of History
Board composition may be diversifying, but most boards are still far from indicative of the communities they serve. Further, studies suggest boards that include people of color are more likely to adopt DEI practices than boards that do not.
At least three major social events have underscored the need for boards to adjust practices regarding race and ethnicity, age, gender, disability status and sexual orientation: 1) the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its disproportionate impact on communities of color, 2) high profile incidents of police brutality against Black communities, and the ascendance of BLM, and 3) the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
In many board rooms, a lack of diverse composition is symptomatic of another challenge—one which compounds the board’s effectiveness broadly: a failure to engage the best available talent. Beyond diversity alone, inclusive governance a strategic imperative for the 2020s. This session will offer fresh insights as to why and how boards can take appropriate responsibility for diversity and inclusion.
Speaker:
Lisette Nieves, president, Fund for the City of New York; founding chair, Guttman Community College Foundation Board
12:30–12:45 PM ET | Lunch/Breakfast
12:45–1:30 PM ET | Concurrent Sessions
BP Fundamentals: Bringing Your Board Manual to Life
Does your board governance manual need a makeover? Is your board lacking one of those entirely, and is leadership (or are you) unsure of why you really need one? An interesting, effective board manual can be a multi-purpose tool in the board professional’s tool kit. Join this session for an engaging examination of what it looks like to take a fresh approach to the typical staid board manual.
Speaker:
Kathleen Rogers, former senior vice president and general counsel, Simmons University
Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Breaking the Mold: Considerations for Universal Design in Board Meetings, Materials, and More
As board professionals, we know meetings. Give us an agenda and a group of people, and we will have a timeline and action plan in less than 30 minutes. But as times change, we learn that what used to work will not always work. In this session, the presenters will unpack key considerations for making board meetings universally accessible. The session will begin with legal considerations and then discuss moving beyond compliance to creating truly inclusive meetings, materials, and more.
Speakers:
Julia Abel, coordinator for board committees and operations, University of Illinois
Renee Byas, general counsel, Rhode Island School of Design
Becky Ebeling, director of trustee relations and secretary of the college, Rhode Island School of Design
Vance S. Martin, executive policy advisor for accessibility, University of Illinois
Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education Executive Searches
A focus on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the higher education executive search process has never been more important than it is today. As executive search professionals who work exclusively in the higher education sector, we have continued to build our expertise about how to infuse justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JDEI) principles into executive searches for presidents, provosts, deans, and other academic and administrative leaders. In this session, we will discuss approaches to building diverse candidate pools; anti-bias workshops for search committees; avoiding pitfalls in the search process, such as assessing the “fit” of candidates; measuring the success of JDEI efforts; and continual learning and improvement. The session will be interactive to allow participants to share their best practices about JDEI efforts in leadership searches, as well.
Speakers:
Rod McDavis, managing principal, AGB Search
Melissa Trotta, associate managing principal
Lessons Learned: Flipping Out Your Orientation
Want to elevate your orientation? Flip it! During this session, you’ll learn how to take the best principles and practices from flipped teaching and apply them to your board’s orientation and meetings. Why do this? Orientations and meetings aren’t effective when we lecture to board members for hours on end. Like all learners, board members need time to process and contextualize information. Learn how to involve campus leaders in the production of videos about key topics. Learn how to leverage the excellent resources from AGB and the higher education press to supplement your own campus materials. Hear from three board professionals who have “been there” and created flipped orientations for their boards.
Speakers:
Denise Nelson Nash, vice president and secretary of the board, Scripps College
Gayle Horwitz, senior advisor to the chancellor and secretary of the board, CUNY
Katie Herschede, vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff, Widener University
Strategic Transformation: Facilitating Strategic Discussions
Are the dynamics of your Board meetings feeling mundane and routine? Are your trustees asking for more time to have strategic discussion, but not engaging in the dialogue? Providing both a public and private institution’s perspective, this session will unpack the intentional steps to transform the Board’s discussions from rudimentary, to addressing the issues that will advance the strategic direction of the institution.
Speakers:
Cynthia Moore, secretary and special counsel to the board of trustees, University of Tennessee System
Michele Nelson, vice president for board affairs and university strategy, Seton Hall University
1:30–1:45 PM ET | Post-Session Networking
Opportunity for concurrent session attendees and panelists to continue the conversation and to network with one another in an unfacilitated environment.
(links to separate networking spaces will be provided through live chat during each concurrent session)
1:30–2:00 PM ET | AGB Experience and Networking Break
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
2:00–3:00 PM ET | Roundtable Sessions
Connect face-to-face with fellow board professionals in lightly facilitated conversations about some of the most pressing topics of our times.
Topics:
- Guiding the Board Chair
- Becoming a Strategic Advisor
- Board Self-Assessment
- Transitioning Strategic Plans to Board Goals
- Managing vs. Governing
- Open Table
3:00–3:30 PM ET | AGB Experience and Networking Break
3:30–4:30 PM ET | Presidential Town Hall
Join AGB president and CEO, Henry Stoever, for a conversation about taking stock of your work as board professionals, looking ahead to 2030 and beyond with your boards, and how AGB can be an essential resource throughout the process. Come to this session to share questions and insights with national colleagues and peers.
Speaker:
Henry Stoever, president and CEO, AGB
Thursday, March 31
10:00 AM ET | AGB Experience Opens
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
10:15- 10:30 AM ET | Member Benefits Overview
Join us for an express overview of membership benefits with a focus on resources for board professionals. Ensure that you are aware of the full potential AGB membership provides you! Learn how to unlock your membership benefits and navigate to resources, services and events that are most important to you. This is an express session, enter your questions in the chat feature during the session, or come visit us for a more detailed overview of your full benefits. We are located within the AGB Experience, in the Membership Experience booth, and will be available from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., during the conference. Just click on “Enter Live Discussion” when you arrive.
11:00 AM–12:30 PM ET | Master Classes
The Master Classes provides participants with the opportunity to hear from a colleague with significant experience and expertise in a specific topic. Master Class speakers will: 1) provide context for the topic, 2) outline the value to your board and/or your own professional development, and 3) offer resources for you to continue your exploration of the topic.
Each session is 40 minutes with a 10 minute break in between allowing participants the opportunity to attend multiple sessions during the 90 minute program.
Topics:
Civil Rights Compliance in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) World
Experts in the field will discuss the civil rights standards and compliance issues facing institutions in a VUCA world. The discussion will include an overview of applicable laws and current cases that highlight ways institutions are challenged by claims of hostile environment, harassment and discrimination and the importance of the implementation of a culture that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Speakers: Tanyka M. Barber, partner, TNG; Thomas Faulk, assistant attorney general and principal counsel for Morgan State University, Maryland Office of the Attorney General; Saundra K. Schuster, partner, TNG
It’s Complicated: Navigating Complex Dynamics and Relationships
Board professionals have both a unique opportunity and professional responsibility to help their boards, presidents, and institutions thrive amidst complex dynamics, relationships, and environments. Listen and learn with colleagues how to enhance your navigational skills, in turn enhancing your value to your institution and your role as a strategic advisor.
Speaker: Char Reed, vice president and university secretary, Kent State University
Planning the Board’s Role in Strategic Planning
One of the governing board’s principal responsibilities is assuring that the institution conducts productive, forward-looking planning. This Master Class will explore models of board participation in strategic planning and examine potential challenges, including continuing engagement in the overall process and setting—and managing—expectations. It’s never too soon to start planning for planning!
Speaker: Lorrie Kyle, executive director of the Office of the President, Rollins College
Presidential Transition
Presidential transitions represent critical inflection points for institutions. For Board Professionals, especially those who serve in the President’s Office, the transition can be both professionally and personally challenging and rewarding. There are myriad social and political issues to navigate and stark realities that require attention and finesse. This session explores the balance of walking the multidimensional tightrope of supporting the Board, the outgoing president, and the incoming president through the transition.
Speaker: Aristide J. Collins, Jr., vice president and secretary of the university, George Washington University
12:30–12:45 PM ET | Lunch/Breakfast
1:00–1:45 PM ET | Concurrent Sessions
BP Fundamentals: Shared Governance
Shared governance, a basic tenet in higher education, refers to the processes and structures that governing boards, faculty, professional staff, and administration use to develop policies and make decisions affecting their institutions. In a time of serious challenges to higher education—among them declines in enrollment and funding, shifting demographics, and public critiques of value—shared governance can be an essential institutional asset, providing a wealth of ideas that leverage the knowledge, wisdom, and experience of a variety of groups and people with the aim of sharing resources and identifying meaningful opportunities to help move the institution forward.
Speaker:
Derek Davis, general counsel and senior vice chancellor for legal affairs, City University of New York
Getting the Board Excited About Compliance
Higher education institutions face an incredible array of compliance expectations. In this complex environment, the Board may not be excited to engage on compliance topics despite the significant institutional risks posed. In this session we will discuss concrete mechanisms to engage your Board on critical compliance issues:
- The Board’s role in overseeing compliance efforts
- Emerging compliance risks and the financial, legal and reputational impacts of noncompliance
- Compliance program development
- Compliance metrics setting and oversight
- Compliance dashboarding and other reporting mechanisms
Speaker:
Ashley Deihr, partner, higher education and research institutions practice, Baker Tilly US
Pandemic Lessons Learned: Silver Linings
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” -Robert Burns, 1786
The pandemic has countered best laid plans related to board governance in myriad ways, and we must learn from these experiences. In this session, the panelists will share their experiences of fresh challenges, how they adapted, and what they learned. Come for the stories, and stay for the lessons in optimism, resilience, and favorite recipes for making lemonade out of lemons in BP life.
Speakers:
Meg Evans, member, AGB Board Professionals Leadership Group
Heather Fehn, chief of staff and secretary to the board, The College of New Jersey
Kai Swanson, special assistant to the president, Augustana College
Lisa Haley Thomson, chief of staff, The College of Saint Rose
Principles of Trusteeship: Self Assessment
Management consultant Peter Drucker asserts: “From quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” Reflection through self-assessment is a useful strategy to assist your board, its committees and its individual members, grow in their roles as organizational stewards. Participate in this session to identify formal and informal strategies to create opportunities for self-reflection and assessment for your board members. Whether through the oversight of a board committee or empowered through the board professional, routinizing self-assessment can enhance the experience of your board members and their performance as fiduciaries.
Speaker:
Brent Schrader, associate university secretary, University of Delaware
Strategic Transformation: ERM - Cyber Security
As cyber security continues to be at the forefront of enterprise risk management (ERM) discussions, understanding how this topic relates to good governance is essential. This session will breakdown this complex subject and provide insights into the role governing board’s hold in assisting senior leadership with the development of effective ERM as it relates to cyber security.
Speaker:
Matthew Hall, vice president for information technology and CIO, University of Central Florida
1:45–2:00 PM ET | Post-Session Networking
Opportunity for concurrent session attendees and panelists to continue the conversation and to network with one another in an unfacilitated environment.
(links to separate networking spaces will be provided through live chat during each concurrent session)
1:45–2:15 PM ET | AGB Experience and Networking Break
Visit us in the AGB Experience to learn about all that is available to you by virtue of membership. Get to know the AGB staff members responsible for the publications, consulting services, online tools, and other member services you rely on, and find out what’s new and what’s coming next. Additionally, spend some time checking out the many valuable resources available from AGB’s corporate partners and sponsors.
2:15–3:15 PM ET | Closing Remarks and Plenary- Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I wish somebody told me I’d be going…
In this interactive session, three seasoned Board Professionals offer insights into the parts of the job that somehow never make it into the position description. How do we use our influence to help our boards keep their noses in, and their fingers out? How do we employ our ‘soft power’ to make governance not just work, but actually add value to our educational enterprises? Most importantly, how do we most eloquently answer our calling to be essential partners in the mission of our institutions?
Moderator:
Kai Swanson, special assistant to the president, Augustana College
Panelists:
Melissa A. Orth, senior director of government relations and assistant university secretary, University of Florida
Tamara Stoner, director of enterprise risk management and university secretary to the board of trustees, Delaware State University
Richard Riddell, professor of the practice of theater studies, secretary emeritus of the board of trustees, Duke University
Reserve your spot.
Member Price
$239
Regular Price
Nonmember
$329
Bundled Rate: Board Professionals Conference and National Conference on Trusteeship
$499