Wednesday October 24, 2018

Participants of this pre-conference workshop will have an opportunity to explore their leadership strengths and ways of leveraging these strengths within the context of professional, continuing, and online higher education. Dr. Ralph Gigliotti, Director of Leadership Development and Research from the Rutgers University Center for Organizational Leadership, will lead the group in an interactive facilitation of the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, and participants will discuss ways of applying their unique strengths to address the current needs of their unit, department, or institution. The session will conclude with an overview of recommended strategies for enhancing these strengths as individuals consider future leadership roles within higher education.

Emerging Leaders Regional Program Pre-Conference Facilitator:

• Ralph A. Gigliotti, Ph.D., Rutgers University
  

Dr. Gigliotti is Director of Leadership Development and Research in the Rutgers University Center Organizational Leadership, where he oversees a number of faculty and staff leadership development initiatives and leads several research projects related to leadership and communication in higher education. He also serves as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Communication and an associate faculty member in the Ph.D. Program in Higher Education at Rutgers. Ralph’s research interests explore the intersection of organizational communication, leadership, and crisis communication, particularly in the context of higher education. His research appears in numerous books and journals, including the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Journal of Leadership Education, and Atlantic Journal of Communication. Ralph is also the co-author of A Guide for Leaders in Higher Education: Core Concepts, Competencies, and Tools (Stylus Publishing, 2017) and Leadership: The Dynamics of Communication and Social Influence in Personal and Professional Settings (Kendall Hunt Publishing).

Opening General Session | OPEN for Business: Higher Ed and Industry Partnership

How can institutions of higher education respond to and best support the changing needs of industry to educate and train their workforce? How can employers respond quickly to provide their employees with the right skills at the right time? How can companies retain their employees and provide lifelong learning opportunities? During this panel discussion, led by Stephen Flavin, Vice President and Dean of WPI’s Academic and Corporate Engagement Division, we will hear from Industry leaders directly about the types of support they need from colleges and universities to meet the evolving education and training needs of their workforce.

• Stephen P. Flavin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Concurrent Session A

Scalable Personalized Support for Adult Online Learners
Track: Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Services
This session highlights WPI’s innovative use of Salesforce data integration to develop personalized support to adult online learners, including successes and lessons learned from the past three years of implementation. Participants will leave the session with new ideas for student engagement and retention and ways to measure and examine their existing student-retention processes.

• Brian Degon, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Kara Crosson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

High Value Credentials for New England: Bringing Transparency to the Region’s Credential Marketplace
Track: Community and Economic Engagement
The proliferation of multiple types and sources of credentials, and questions around the value of credentials, creates a complex environment for individuals, institutions and employers to navigate. This session will illuminate areas opportune for collaboration, including NEBHE’s initiative, High Value Credentials for New England. A facilitated case study will engage the audience in how comparable credential information can be used to build education and career pathways, develop advising resources and create higher education-employer partnerships.

• Candace Williams, New England Board of Higher Education
• Stafford Peat, New England Board of Higher Education

Thursday October 25, 2018

General Session Panel | PCO 2025: The Future of Professional, Continuing, and Online Education

Engage in a highly interactive session with a panel of senior leaders on where our dynamic field is headed. Alternative credentials, shifting demographics, and new models are already shaping how institutions serve students. This group of panelists will provide their unique perspectives on organizational and market forces that are emerging, how they are responding at their institutions, and how UPCEA members will lead us into the near-term future (2025!).  

• Nelson Baker, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Sandi Pershing, University of Utah | President, UPCEA
  
• Karen Sibley, Brown University
• Bob Hansen, UPCEA

Practical Strategies for Motivating and Retaining Post-Traditional Online Learners
Track: Program Planning and Implementation
This session will focus on strategies for designing instruction for the post-traditional learner that promotes retention and motivation. Starting from an overview of the recent research on retention and motivation strategies specific to this student population, we will explore as a group practical applications of this research. Participants will be encouraged to share best practices they have developed that support the success of a diverse population of students.

• Paul Cochrane, University of Southern Maine

Working Session to Address Current and Important Challenges and Opportunities for NE UPCEA Schools – Work A Plan
Track: Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Services
This workshop will first identify key challenges and opportunities UPCEA NE schools are facing, and then workshop viable solutions and plans to address them. Our goal is to leverage the significant intelligence and experience in the room to generate a useful work product for all attendees.

• Lee Maxey, MindMax, LLC
• Stacy Chiaramonte, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Concurrent E

Employer Aligned Portfolio Strategy
Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Our presentation provides insight into competency-based learning opportunities with a focus on a framework for a workforce-aligned, portfolio strategy. We highlight strategic questions and actions for institutions to better align programs, to address this critical trend, with instruction, and delivery to meet the needs of the business community including both employers who need to close skill gaps and employees seeking degrees that support their career progression.

• Dr. Aleksandar (Sasha) Tomic, Boston College
• William Rieders, Meteor Learning
  

Friday October 26, 2018

Breakfast and New England Region Business Meeting (open to all)

UPCEA Emerging Leader Program Capstone Session: Recapping the Program and Next Steps

Participants will be guided in this opportunity to reflect upon their experiences and invited to consider next steps, including opting-into a future cohort of peers, earning a credential (badge) recognizing this experience, and to learning about future volunteer leadership opportunities within UPCEA.

Emerging Leaders Regional Program Capstone Facilitators:

• Stacy Chiaramonte, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Stacy Chiaramonte is the Executive Director for WPI’s Corporate and Professional Education (CPE) department, responsible for the management, goal setting, and day-to-day operation of the CPE department, as well as managing the functions of the CPE business (IE: Recruitment, Marketing, Operations, Technology Development and Program Delivery).  Stacy is responsible for developing and implementing the strategy for student-centric education programs targeted toward PT working professionals and other non-traditional students at WPI, as well as the implementation and execution of all online and corporate education programs delivered through CPE.  During Stacy’s tenure, WPI Online has doubled the number of programs offered and grown the number of enrolled students while increasing student support and quality.  Stacy holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a MBA from Babson College.

• Christine Dolan, University of Rhode Island, Providence

Christine P. Dolan is a team member in the Office of Strategic Initiatives at the URI Providence, RI campus. She has been working in the adult education field for the past 18 years. She focuses on delivering a wide variety of academic and professional development programs delivered as certificates, completion degrees, and non-credit seminars and institutes. As a top level program specialist, her focus is on simplifying the complex world of higher education for better student access, using critical thinking and creativity in helping students through the educational challenges that can impede their achievement, developing the office team to gain a competitive business edge, and cultivating innovative ways to meet all of our clients’ diverse needs. Christine has participated as a member of UPCEA for the past 10 years and has served on the NE UPCEA regional committee for the past 4 years in a variety of volunteer roles including, awards chair, emerging leader chair and chair of the regional committee.

• Sara Grady, Worcester State University
  
  
• Amy Claire Heitzman, Ph.D., UPCEA
  

Dr. Heitzman is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Learning Officer for UPCEA. With degrees in art history from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago, Amy began her career in museum education, developing programs and training museum educators at various university art museums, as well as the Art Institute of Chicago and the Dallas Museum of Art. In 2002, after having served as Education Director for the Meadows Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University, her interest in adult learners led her to the directorship of SMU’s Continuing Education unit. As Executive Director of Continuing and Professional Education, Amy directed a new strategic vision for the unit, effectively doubling the number of programs offered and students served, increasing the university’s capacity to more deeply engage with its community. While at SMU, Amy served in various leadership roles including board membership in the SMU Staff Association and the Hegi Family Career Center as well as an appointed member for the Presidential Council for Community Engagement and the Faculty and Staff Committee of the Second Century Capital Campaign. It was during her time at SMU that she earned graduate certificates in marketing and nonprofit leadership, as well as the M.Ed. Amy earned her doctorate in Higher Education Administration at The University of Texas at Austin in 2014, and her dissertation focused on female student veterans in higher education. Amy writes and presents on examinations of nontraditional learners, the experiences of student veterans—particularly those of female student veterans, as well as comparative studies of international higher education systems. Amy has been active with various professional organizations throughout her career, including the Executive Committee of the UPCEA Board of Directors; serving as a member of the InsideTrack National Advisory Board, the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Institute Education and Training Task Force, and the Higher Education Advisory Group of the Credential Engine; and serving as a reviewer for the Chief Learning Officer LearningElite program, the Student Veterans of America National Conference, and the Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Conference.

• Jazz Jackson, Ph.D., Southern New Hampshire University

Dr. Jasmeial “Jazz” Jackson has served as Associate Dean of First Year Experience and Retention Programs at Southern New Hampshire University since 2016. In this role, Dr. Jackson is a collaborative partner with every institutional division, ensuring a holistic, intentional student experience that equips learners with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully transition to college work and achieve their academic goals. He works on strategic teams across the university to coordinate college-wide retention initiatives, while concurrently teaching as an Adjunct Professor.

Dr. Jackson is passionate about supporting his local community through volunteerism philanthropy. He serves as the Communication Chair and Chair Elect for the UPCEA New England Regional Committee and Secretary on the executive board of the Young Professionals Network of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. He also serves as a mentor at Northeastern University and a Big Brother at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Manchester, New Hampshire. He lives by a quote by Mahatma Gandhi “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”  You can connect with Dr. Jazz Jackson on LinkedIn and Twitter.  

• Suzan Nelson, Ph.D., St. Joseph's College

Dr. Nelson is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Master of Science in Education Program at St. Joseph’s where she manages five master’s degree programs. She currently teaches online courses in curriculum design and assessment, research design, digital strategies and Capstones. Additionally, Dr. Nelson has been a subject matter expert and Secondary Research Advisor for doctoral students at University of New England.

Following a long career in school librarianship where Dr. Nelson served as President of the Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL), she has worked in higher education as the Director of the University College of Saco, a part of the University of Maine System and at St. Joseph’s College.

Active in several boards and associations, Dr. Nelson has served as Regional Chair of the New England UPCEA Committee and currently is the Chair of the Programming Committee.
Academically, Dr. Nelson complete a Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in Educational Leadership in Curriculum Design and a CAGS in Business Administration.  She was awarded the first National Board Teacher Certification in Library Science at the high school level in the state of Maine and received a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2010 from Walden University.

• 

  Amanda Turner, Coordinator, OCE Admissions
  UMass, Lowell
  

Amanda Turner is the Coordinator of Undergraduate Admissions for UMass Lowell’s Division of Online & Continuing Education.  She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the OCE Admissions Office, supporting the recruitment and enrollment of students into both certificate and degree programs. Amanda’s team is also responsible for the New Student Orientation programs facilitated by the Division of Online & Continuing Education. As a first generation college student who has worked in academia for the past 8 years Amanda is passionate about ensuring students are making higher education decisions that make sense for their future. She has served on the Chapter Advisory Board for the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority since 2012. She holds a Bachelor’s of Sociology and M.Ed from UMass Lowell and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Leadership in Education.

• Deborah Wright, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Deborah Wright is a first-generation college student and an “army brat”. The impact of both of those identities has greatly influenced her character and career as she enjoys travel, meeting new people and experiencing cultural adventures. With an undergraduate degree in photography she can often be found trekking around in search of people to meet and new places to go.

Throughout her professional career she has focused on leading programs that provide access to education for non-traditional students. Her service spans from recruiting students to serving as the administrator of the programs in which they are enrolled. Her titles have included enrollment representative, campus director, associate vice-president and vice-president for adult studies, director and dean. It is these multiple influences and experiences in leadership that have led her to pursue her doctorate in Global Leadership. She has attributed her master’s degree in business administration directly to her successful 25-year career in higher education administration. During that time, she has also delved into corporate training and business consulting. Currently serving as the dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Education at Wentworth Institute of Technology, she is actively involved with the Boston community serving on several committees, and boards advancing workforce development, apprenticeship programs and leadership initiatives for women. Additionally, she is active with her church in Lexington, where she serves on the welcome team, the women’s ministry and is a training advisor for the woman’s leadership team.

Regional Planning Committee Meeting for those interested in joining the 2019 committee