Agenda

Wednesday, July 15

• 5 - 6:30 p.m., Networking Happy Hour, optional

Thursday, July 16

• 8:30 a.m., Breakfast

• 9 a.m., Welcome and Introductions, Dr. Miriam Merrill, Chief of Staff, Hamilton College, and Dr. Genevieve Evans Taylor, Chief of Staff, California State University, Northridge

• 10 a.m., Opening Session presented by Carnegie, What Makes Institutions Vital? A Framework for High-Stakes Decision Making in Higher Education, Emma Jones, Executive Vice President, Leadership, Carnegie

• 11:15 a.m., Strategic Plan Case Studies, Lindsay Nyquist, Chief of Staff, Occidental College, and Scott Mory, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at The George Washington University

• 12:15 p.m., Lunch

• 1:45 p.m., Breakout Sessions

  • Leading Without Authority, Dr. Kristina Campos Davis, Trinity University

  • Working with People, Anne Laskowski, Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Planning, Wesleyan University

• 2:50 p.m., Presidential Keynote, The Change Agent Beside the Change Agent: How Chiefs of Staff Navigate Institutional Transformation, Dr. Manya Whitaker, President of Colorado College

• 4 p.m. AI Lightning Rounds and Roundtables

• 5 p.m. Social Hour + Dinner

Friday, July 17

• 8:30 a.m., Breakfast with discussion topics

• 9:30 a.m., Keynote: What to Expect from the Federal Administration for 2026-27, Jessie Brown, Executive Vice President, American Council on Education

• 10:45 a.m., Breakout Sessions

  • Time to Transition? Career Trajectories After the Chief of Staff Role, Dr. Shawn Whalen, Chief of Staff, San Jose State University

  • Being a Great Chief of Staff, Dr. Erin Brownlee Dell, Chief of Staff, Swarthmore College

• 11:45 a.m., Wrap up and thank you

• 12 p.m., Lunch (to-go options available)