2024 Board Professionals Conference: Schedule

A key characteristic of a high-performing board is its ability to engage in difficult conversations regarding the myriad challenges facing institutions today. The board professional is in a position to develop and nurture the kind of culture needed for board members to be well informed, to ask generative and meaningful questions, and to be actively engaged. In this interactive session, participants will engage in activities to bring back to their campuses, will discuss how to create an inclusive culture, and will consider collectively how to manage boards with diversity on numerous dimensions.

Speaker:
Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, vice president for strategic initiatives and secretary to the board of trustees, Colgate University

During this session, participants will review the basics and get answers to all the questions they were afraid to ask. Although board professionals do not serve as parliamentarians, they are expected to know and understand basic rules, motions, and procedures, which in turn helps boards run orderly and efficient meetings. This session will be interactive, encouraging discussions and questions from participants.

Speaker:
Jason Langworthy, associate secretary, University of Minnesota Board of Regents

Board professionals are always looking to “level up” meetings and board experiences to build stronger connections and organizational affinity, increase productivity, clarify goals, and build support. We must be intentional and thoughtful in all that we do to best leverage our board’s time and talent.

This discussion will examine learnings and best practices from The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker. Join us as a university president and a board professional talk about how they are using the book for more intentional meetings and how you can use some of the same tools and ideas. Haven’t read the book? No problem. The session will be informative for those who have read the book and those who haven’t.

Speakers:
Katie Herschede, vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff, Widener University
Stacey Robertson, president, Widener University

At each meeting, board members raise questions or request information that may not be readily available. How do you manage and track these requests to ensure institutional responsiveness?

Facilitator:
Julie Miller, vice president and secretary to the board of governors, Wayne State University

Expand your board professionals (BPs) network. Have you ever felt alone and needed a life preserver in support of your board responsibilities? Learn how to connect with your fellow BPs to discuss challenges and ideas, share experiences and best practices, and, best of all, build relationships and form a network of peers around the world. Join us at the Ideas Exchange Forum to learn more about the BP community online network.

Facilitator:
Matthew Paskin, executive assistant to the president and board coordinator, University of Alaska Foundation

Setting clear communication expectations plays a pivotal role in the success of any good governance board. Learn more about communication strategies and best practices, as well as communication tools, such as information-based cover sheets, productive agenda planning calls, and small-group pre-meeting calls that are sure to make every board professional’s life much easier.

Facilitator:
Megan Ayers, special assistant to the chief of staff and assistant secretary to the board of trustees, East Carolina University

Whether you are working with a new president/chancellor or a newly named board chair, your skills will be put to the test in guiding the transition of this new leader. Come learn about strategies to build effective working relationships and facilitate the integration of these key people into your college or university.

Facilitator:
Heather M. Fehn, vice president, chief of staff, and secretary to the board of trustees, The College of New Jersey

Learn about a new approach to public comment periods, understand how you can use technology to expand access to public comment, hear about lessons learned within a University of Minnesota System pilot project, and explore the role of the board professional in facilitating public comment.

Facilitators:
Krista Overby, communications and engagement manager, board of regents, University of Minnesota System
Marlo Welshons, assistant executive director, board of regents, University of Minnesota System

Whether you have been in your position for 6 months, 6 years, or 16 years, it is never too early or too late to pay attention to your own growth and development as a professional. Come hear from two seasoned professionals who have grown their own roles throughout their careers to ensure they continue to learn and enhance their skills while increasing the value they provide to the institutions they serve.

Presenter:
Heather M. Fehn, vice president, chief of staff, and secretary to the board of trustees, The College of New Jersey

A critical responsibility of the board professional is crafting communications to and from the board. This session will explore various types of writing required, including board statements, meeting minutes, briefings, and reports, with special focus on strategic messaging and identifying the appropriate voice for the audience.

Presenters:
Lorrie Kyle, executive director, Office of the President, Rollins College
Char Reed, vice president and university secretary, Kent State University

This session will explore how orientation for new board members is one of the most important processes for board professionals to oversee. It lays the groundwork for the volunteer’s experience, and can be the first crucial step in ensuring meaningful board engagement. The presenters will discuss the importance of developing a creative orientation program that utilizes all aspects of the institution and will explore the means to evaluate the orientation program to continually ensure improvement. The session will allow time for brainstorming “outside the box” orientation sessions.

Presenters:
Carrie Letourneau, associate director, foundation operations, William & Mary Foundation
Julie Leach, executive director, William & Mary Foundation

Psychological safety has been well-documented as foundational to innovation, knowledge-seeking, teamwork, and more. Often, this is considered an organization-wide issue, but recent research shows that individual team members can take actions to positively impact the long-term safety of their team, as well as work quality, team dynamics, change adoption, and more. With many of us unwilling to share ideas or raise issues, isn’t it time we equip our board members with the skills to foster open and productive dialogue? In this session, we will review the scientifically validated data on the impacts of psychological safety. From there, we will introduce the concept of workplace courage, sharing data on how it influences future behavior, creates a foundation of trust, and fosters high performance. We will also review academic research that identifies the quantitatively measured tactics of workplace courage that have the most impact. Participants will assess their own courage and create an action plan for the future.

Presenter:
Allessandria Polizzi, CEO and founder, Verdant Consulting

Today’s executive search services have been reshaped by a wide array of challenges requiring astute and visionary leadership—with board confidence. A review of fundamental strategies and major components of executive search processes now reveals a number of areas that have evolved in executive searches, even within the past few years, and a wide variety of opportunities for customization. Come to this session to learn about the new leading practices for executive search and how you can help your board position your institution for success in attracting and retaining top senior leadership. Time will be allotted for questions and discussion.

Speakers:
Kim Bobby, principal, AGB Search; former chief of staff, Prince George’s Community College
Rod McDavis, managing principal, AGB Search; president emeritus, Ohio University
Melissa Trotta, associate managing principal, AGB Search

Recruiting the best individuals to volunteer to serve as members of your foundation’s board is fundamental in fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and the foundation’s mission. This mini master class will explore ways the board professional can guide the nominating committee/committee on trusteeship to strategically recruit new board members and develop a pipeline of strong board member candidates in the future. We’ll share ideas and practices about board member composition matrices, identifying current and future board membership gaps, recruitment and nomination processes, and pitfalls and reality checks. Be ready to share your best tips with your fellow board professionals.

Speakers:
Matthew Paskin, executive assistant to the president and board coordinator, University of Alaska Foundation
Janelle Hom, director, foundation board relations, advancement and partnerships, University of Central Florida

The session will focus on examples of boards that have found nontraditional and innovative engagement activities. Attendees will return to their institutions with unique ways to increase member camaraderie and explore their campuses in a fun and educational way. This session will complement what you learn in the “Tracking Board Member Engagement” mini master class, so plan to attend both to maximize your board engagement strategy.

Speakers:
Jessica Burns, board administrator, executive to CEO, West Virginia University Foundation
Jessica Spruill, liaison to the ECU Foundation, East Carolina University Foundation

Join us to learn more about developing, measuring, and reporting your board member’s individual engagement plans. This mini master class will cover how to create a plan that can be molded from start to finish to fit your institution’s expectations and goals for its board members. We hope you walk away with great ideas to develop your own plan for your board. This session will complement what you learn in the “Spiced Up Board Engagement” mini master class, so plan to attend both to maximize your board engagement strategy.

Speakers:
Nicole Reeves, executive officer for trustee relations, University of New Mexico Foundation
Sheila Severson, executive assistant to the president, board administrator, Viterbo University

This session will provide tips and tricks for board professionals (BPs) to take what they have learned in the Board Professional Certificate Program^TM and apply it to their own institutions. It will also provide BPs with insight into how to have conversations with their presidents and/or board chairs using the lessons from the certificate.

*This mini master class is for BPs who have completed the BP Certificate or are in the process of completing the certificate.

Speaker:
Amelia Arnold, special assistant to the president and assistant secretary, Saint Louis University

The roles of board professionals are complicated as they navigate through the performance of their duties to college and university presidents, boards, campus leadership, and their institutions’ broader communities. The roles have become even more challenging as board professionals increasingly face student mental health challenges, campus safety concerns, and leadership instability, as well as heightened scrutiny of higher education from all directions—students, faculty, donors, alumni, legislators, Congress, the news media/pundits, etc. Few positions require such skilled “diplomacy, discretion, and duty” as board professionals work with their institutional colleagues and campus constituencies to take on day-to-day operations, implementation of initiatives and policies, and collaboration with strategic partners—all while supporting consequential governance by boards and campus leaders.

Speakers:
Richard Uchida, vice president, general counsel, and secretary, Colby College
Sheyonn Baker, executive assistant to the president; secretary, board of trustees, Hollins University

This presentation will explore findings from a case study that aims to understand the relationship between the governing board and sense of belonging for students of color within the context of a private nonprofit college and the dynamics at play as board members participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work.

Presenter:
Adriana Lopez Lobovits, director of the president’s office, California College of the Arts

Preparing for, executing, and wrapping up board meetings are critical areas of focus for all board professionals. In this interactive session, we will address some of these core areas. Participants will also help select the areas for exploration, ensuring they leave the session with practical, implementable ideas for keeping their board members appropriately engaged while enhancing their value to the board and institution. Topics will be relevant for individuals from public institutions, private institutions, and foundations. This session will challenge you to enhance the value you bring to your work every day.

Speakers:
Heather M. Fehn, vice president, chief of staff, and secretary to the board of trustees, The College of New Jersey
Diane Fornieri, deputy secretary to the board, Weill Cornell Medical School
Lisa Cousino-Hoersten, executive assistant to the president and board liaison, University of Toledo Foundation

In our rapidly evolving professional landscape, personal and career growth are not just aspirations; they are necessities. Whether you are an early career professional, midway through your career, or a seasoned professional, it’s crucial to have a well-defined strategy to navigate the changing pursuit of professional development. This session will explore the development of a personalized plan for professional growth and the motivation and opportunities to take proactive steps toward achieving your career aspirations.

Presenter:
Denise Nelson Nash, vice president and secretary of the board of trustees, Scripps College
Herminio L. Perez, assistant dean of student affairs, diversity and inclusion, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

Offering market-responsive academic programs such as cybersecurity and data analytics is necessary to remain competitive and grow enrollment. Unfortunately, many colleges are stuck with stale, aging catalogs because of the significant cost, time, and risk of launching new degrees.

This session will introduce an alternative, collaborative partnership model that more than 85 campuses are using to offer new academic programs. It will also share lessons and strategies for how all colleges can improve their board evaluation of new programs and new partnerships.

As the need for nimble, effective decision-making grows, institutions that have solid evaluation frameworks for new business models will be better equipped to thrive.

Presenter:
Charlie Anastasi, vice president of partnerships, Rize Education

You planned and prepared for the meeting (or event) months in advance, troubleshooted technology, and waited until the final moment to hit print. Inevitably, however, something throws a wrench (or two) into your best-laid plans. The ability for board professionals to quickly pivot to address myriad situations before, during, and after the unexpected is a critical skill in this unique role. Crisis management can be complex, but sorting through the facts and continuing to move forward are not impossible. Learn techniques to maintain a high level of professionalism while addressing the demands of the board, executive leadership, and the public.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify key strategies to effectively prioritize matters as they arise before, during, and after board meetings, events, and functions.
• Understand the role of servant leadership in addressing unexpected scenarios in the day-to-day role of a board professional.
• Establish yourself as a trustworthy leader.

Presenters:
Amber McDonnell, director of board operations, University of Colorado
Amanda Gordon, board relations coordinator, University of Colorado

In this session, we will delve into the significance and methodology behind board self-assessments. Participants will gain insights into the tools and best practices for developing, conducting, and utilizing the data resulting from board self-assessments. Whether you’re looking to implement a board self-assessment for the first time or refine your current process, this session will offer valuable takeaways for boards of all sizes and structures.

Presenters:
Jessica Burns, board administrator, executive to the CEO, West Virginia University Foundation
Lauren Ferguson, assistant vice president of board relations, University of Central Florida

Board professionals are constantly learning new ideas and implementing them into their work. Join us to get actionable ideas and insights into six best practices that you can immediately implement when you get back to your institution. We will discuss five best practices: strategic topics, flipped meetings, public statements, board education, and building board social capital. You will bring the final topic! Through an active and iterative process, we will surface another best practice to discuss and will invite the group to share their best practices, ideas, and resources so that we can all learn from and strengthen each other. You will walk away with tangible resources and a network of colleagues poised to support you as you implement something new or improved at your institution.

Two seasoned board professionals who have experience at private and public universities will lead this session.

Presenters:
Denise Nelson Nash, vice president and secretary of the board, Scripps College
Katie Herschede, vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff, Widener University

Board professionals (BPs) are in a unique position to help facilitate the committee restructuring process because of their role in planning and executing the business of the board. In this session, we will explore the tools you will need to help your board rethink its committee structure—from why this process is important to analyzing whether your board is ready. We will also devolve into how to restructure, including what tools are available to BPs to help facilitate the process. Finally, we will review a case study from the City University of New York.

Presenter:
Gayle Horwitz, senior advisor to the chancellor and secretary of the board, City University of New York

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse ($$$)
High-end Italian steakhouse with an extensive menu and wine list, plus a refined bar.
https://davios.com/bos

FiRE + iCE ($$)
All-you-can-eat round grill that allows you to enjoy a dish of your own creation. Think of it as “choose your own adventure dining.”
https://fire-ice.com/locations/boston-ma/

Legal Sea Foods ($$$)
Specializing in upmarket seafood, this contemporary chain also serves steaks and cocktails.
https://www.legalseafoods.com/locations/boston-park-square/

My Thai Vegan Café ($)
Meatless options abound at this informal second-story spot, also known for its range of bubble teas.
https://www.mythaivegancafe.com/

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ($$)
Upscale brewpub chain serving house beers and imaginative pub food in lively environs.
https://rockbottom.com/locations/boston/

Solas Irish Pub ($$)
Relaxed, late-night hangout in the Lenox Hotel with sidewalk seating, serving Irish and American food with cocktails.
https://www.solasboston.com/

Online RSVPs are now closed. However, sign up sheets for locations with available space will also be available at the BPLG table in the AGB Experience.

Explore the building blocks for effective board management and learn some best practices for volunteer engagement. Join us in a conversation that will help you gain tools for streamlining communications, meeting management, and structure—ensuring your board is effective and well-managed.

Presenters:
Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president for advancement, Georgia Gwinnett College; president, Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation
Laura Brown, assistant director of donor and board relations, Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation

Take away actionable insights and expand your BP network as panelists discuss trending topics for foundation BPs.

Panelists:
Lisa Cousino-Hoersten, executive assistant to the president and board liaison, University of Toledo Foundation
Matthew Paskin, executive assistant to the president and board coordinator, University of Alaska Foundation

Daily headlines remind us of the threat of violence and its impact on our community. In their most extreme form—an active shooter or mass casualty—these events are sudden, unexpected, and high-profile and can have a profound impact on students, parents, faculty, and staff and the trust they have in the safety of classrooms, residences, and workplaces. With each new incident, the concern on campuses grows, as does the pressure on leaders to take action to prevent violent acts and keep communities safer. Yet few schools have adequately prepared beyond conducting tactical training for police departments and adding ambiguous statements in their handbooks to address workplace violence.

In this session, we will share real-world experience and learnings as well as best practice guidance to help you:

• Evaluate how ready your school is to respond should this type of event occur on your campus
• Effectively prioritize and address readiness gaps
• Understand your role in helping your school respond to and recover from an active aggressor

Speakers:
Simon Barker, managing partner, Blue Moon Consulting Group
Karen Petrularkis, general counsel and board secretary, Wellesley College
Pam Roskowski, senior advisor, security management, Blue Moon Consulting Group