This page will continuously be updated with conference information.

Campus and community members are invited to come together to continue building on the skills needed to thrive as a mid-level manager.

Event Date: May 20, 2026  
Location: JMU College of Business, 421 Bluestone Dr, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Session Block 1

ADKAR in Action: Your Secret Weapon for Thriving Through Change
Jennifer Campfield, Assistant Vice President for Academic Initiatives and Planning
10:10 – 11:00

We’ve all heard the expression that change is the only constant, and now that change is coming faster than ever. Come to this session to learn (or refresh yourself on) the ADKAR model for successfully guiding ourselves and others through change. We will explore the model in a relaxed environment… and share some laughs along the way! We’ll also explore how to take care of ourselves as we navigate the seas of change.

Aligning Actions and Values: Values-Based Exercises for Leadership
Amanda Kellogg, Director, Professional Development for SPCE
10:10 – 11:00

This session will begin with a general discussion of "work-life balance" and a brief presentation of some research related to meaningful work and employee well-being. Participants will then complete two values wheel exercises designed to highlight any discrepancies between their values and the way their time/attention is actually spent. Supported by small-group discussions and individual reflection/goal-setting activities, this session is designed to help participants identify strategies to bring more of what they value to their work (and to leave more of what they don't value out of their lives).

Leading Above the Line: Conscious Leadership Practices for Clarity, Accountability, and Growth
Heidi Z Hochstetler, Transformational Life Coach | Integrative Enneagram Practitioner | Conscious Leadership Facilitator
10:10 – 12:00

(Please note that the time of this session lasts until 12:00. You will not be able to select a session from Session 2.)

Mid-level leaders play a critical role in translating priorities into effective team performance while navigating change, complexity, and competing demands. This interactive session introduces Conscious Leadership & Living as a practical framework for strengthening leadership effectiveness, interpersonal communication, and personal accountability. Participants will explore the distinction between being above the line—open, curious, and committed to learning—and below the line—defensive, reactive, and focused on being right or avoiding discomfort. Through guided reflection and real-world application, leaders will learn to recognize when they drift below the line, reconnect to their leadership commitments, and foster trust-centered workplace cultures. Attendees will leave with practical tools to enhance self-awareness, navigate challenging conversations, and lead with clarity, ownership, and integrity.

Why (and How) You Should Coach Your Team Members
Bob Kolodinsky, Owner, Head Coach, MBA Professor, and Emeritus Faculty Member
10:10 – 12:00

(Please note that the time of this session lasts until 12:00. You will not be able to select a session from Session 2.)

Learn (more) about a skill that great managers use routinely, AND how it will help strengthen your Emotional Intelligence as well as those you supervise. Practice this skill in a no-pressure environment. Apply this skill next week!

Session Block 2

Department-Level Strategies for Building a Caring Organization
Ryan Boals, Associate Director for Corporate & Foundation Relations
11:10 – 12:00

Organizations continue to face burnout, disengagement, and turnover in the wake of the pandemic and the “Great Resignation.” While organizational change often feels slow or out of reach, mid-level managers are uniquely positioned to translate caring leadership principles into everyday departmental practice.

This session explores how teams can operationalize a culture of care through supervision, team norms, workload sustainability, inclusive engagement, and employee voice—without requiring large structural or budgetary changes. Participants will examine practical strategies drawn from contemporary research on employee well-being and apply them to real managerial contexts. Through guided reflection and applied planning, attendees will leave with concrete tools and a short implementation framework to begin embedding care within their own teams. By starting at the departmental level, mid-level leaders can serve as catalysts for long-term cultural transformation across the organization.

Hidden Influence: Leading as a Middle Manager
Carson Lonett, Assistant Vice President, Executive Advisor to the Vice President of Student Affairs
11:10 – 12:00

The middle manager occupies a pivotal, dual-lens position, translating strategic vision into operational impact while navigating complex relational dynamics across the department. This session explores how managers can find their voice, lead across visible and invisible silos, refocus feedback and discussion, while supervising upwardly. Through self-awareness activities, practice, and discussion, participants will learn how to authentically leverage their influence with their supervisors and serve as the bridge between leadership and their area.

Session Block 3

Putting Trust Back on the Agenda
Christina Wulf, Assistant Director for Office of Disability Services, and Brennan Maupin, Systems Technician for IT-Technical Services
1:10 – 2:00

Putting Trust Back on the Agenda conveys a communications model that developed out of a period of strained communication between a supervisor (Christina Wulf) and a direct report (Brennan Maupin). The model can be duplicated or adapted, not only for supervisor-supervisee relationships, but also for groups or teammates. During the presentation, we will consider how to use the model in the attendees’ workplaces, discuss how to present the model to colleagues and teammates, and identify how to address challenges and resistance.

Building a Talent Pipeline: How to Attract Qualified Applicants
Katie Webb, HR Recruitment Specialist, and Jennifer Kester, Assistant Director of HR, Recruitment & Employment Services
1:10 – 2:00

With an ever-changing labor market, supervisors are often faced with needing to manage job openings and recruitments. This presentation will provide supervisors information on how to best engage with proactive outreach tactics, build a talent pipeline, and set up their recruitments for success. From discussing how to most effectively write a job advertisement, to learning about applicant evaluation strategies, to exploring local opportunities to interact with potential applicants, this training will cover the full life cycle of attracting and hiring talent that will add value to your organization.

Weathering the Conversation Storm
Sasha Griffith, Associate Director for Programs & Assessment, and Ren Oliver, Professional Development Specialist
1:10 – 3:00

(Please note that the time of this session lasts until 3:00. You will not be able to select a session from Session 4.)

Weathering the Conversation Storm is a hands-on workshop designed to move participants from learning to action in difficult conversations. After a brief introduction to core tools and why avoidance makes conversations harder, participants work through case studies, guided discussion, and structured role practice. Interactive activities reinforce skills and build confidence, so participants leave with practical experience navigating challenging dialogue, not just theory.

Building High Performing Teams
Kristin Gibson, Associate Director, Services & Engagement
1:10 – 3:00

(Please note that the time of this session lasts until 3:00. You will not be able to select a session from Session 4.)

Gain an understanding of how to take a more intentional role in fostering a higher level of performance for the individual and teams you lead. Content draws upon leadership lessons of Patrick Lencioni (5 Dysfunctions of a Team) and sports coaching.

In this workshop, participants will gain an increased ability to identify common reasons for underachievement with individuals and teams, to intervene effectively as a leader to increase performance, and to articulate coaching leadership skills applicable in the workplace.

Session Block 4

Roundtable Discussion: Inclusivity in the Workplace — New Employee Edition
Art Dean, Associate Vice President for Access, Compliance, and Engagement
2:10 – 3:00

Welcoming new employees into our workplaces is an active effort that takes intentional planning. The payoff is priceless as new team members feel valued from day one.
During this roundtable discussion, we will discuss how we onboard employees in ways that support connection and belonging. The time together is designed to encourage honest dialogue and shared learning as we explore new (and proven) methods for building your new team.

Where Do We Start? Leading Your Team Through Innovation
Patrice Ludwig, Interim Assistant Vice President for Research & Innovation; Campus Coordinator, 4-VA and STAIR
2:10 – 3:00

Most teams have no shortage of problems to solve. What they lack is a starting point. This workshop introduces mid-level managers to the Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) framework, a practical lens for understanding what people actually need and why current solutions fall short. Developed by Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School, JTBD reframes innovation not as brainstorming but as structured listening.

Participants will work through a shared scenario, apply the framework in small groups, and leave with a one-page tool they can use with their own teams the following week. No prior innovation experience is required. The framework applies equally to higher education, corporate, nonprofit, and government contexts.