Michelle Ray

Sunday, March 29 | 5:00-6:15 p.m. 

If you were asked to identify the leaders in your organization, would you choose them based on their job descriptions? Often, we think of leadership as a title. But the truth is, leadership is about character. Simply put, a leader is a person who can take ownership of their thoughts and, consequently, their actions — in any situation. In our opening keynote session, Michelle Ray will help us discover the power of personal responsibility. She’ll highlight strategies we can use to:

• take charge of our mindset and ignite the power of personal leadership;
• say “no” to negativity for greater productivity, positive results and stronger relationships;
• build a personal leadership blueprint; and
• tap into our innovative potential to bring out the best in ourselves.

About Michelle Ray
With three decades of experience researching leadership, accountability, change and workforce trends, Michelle Ray has a deep understanding of the new realities demanding the attention of leaders today — specifically, the shift in where and how we work, generational dynamics, talent shortages and managing disruption while keeping the “human factor” of leadership top of mind. She is a recognized thought leader in leadership, having worked with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, governments, associations and Fortune 500 companies, and has authored two books: “Lead Yourself First! Indispensable Lessons in Business and in Life” and “Leading in Real Time: How To Drive Success in a Radically Changing World.”

Josh Ulman and Bailey Graves – Washington Update

Monday, March 30 | 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Federal policy decisions from Washington, D.C., continue to shape the day-to-day realities of higher education institutions across the country. From legislative proposals in Congress to regulatory actions from the current administration, these developments have real implications for hiring practices, compliance requirements, workforce planning and campus operations. In this keynote session, Josh Ulman and Bailey Graves from CUPA-HR’s government relations team will provide a timely update on the federal legislative and regulatory landscape affecting higher education and translate complex policy activity into practical insights you can apply on campus.

About Josh Ulman
Josh Ulman is the founder of Ulman Public Policy and serves as CUPA-HR’s chief government relations officer. For nearly 20 years, Josh has assisted businesses, associations, governments and coalitions in developing and implementing strategies for achieving their legislative and regulatory objectives. Throughout his career, he has represented a wide range of industries and interests on many diverse issues and has been a key player in important legislative and regulatory initiatives. He has helped form and served on the management committees for a variety of coalitions and currently manages a coalition consisting of hundreds of business and professional associations. He regularly presents to in-house counsel and other C-suite officers and is often a keynote speaker at national conferences for clients and other associations.

About Bailey Graves
Bailey Graves is a senior associate at Ulman Public Policy and a member of CUPA-HR’s government relations team. In her role at Ulman Public Policy, she manages relationships with several higher education association clients, leading on policy analysis, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and policy-related research and communications for issues including labor and employment, Title IX, immigration, accessibility, and cybersecurity and data privacy.

Sponsored by   

Vijay Pendakur

Tuesday, March 31 | 3:00-4:15 p.m.

Disruption is the new normal in higher education — but the cost is clear: overwhelmed employees, stalled innovation and declining engagement. Many workplaces unintentionally run on stress-fueled endurance, hoping people can simply “push through.” But neuroscience and organizational psychology tell a different story: resilience isn’t about endurance, it’s about rewiring how we work. In this keynote, Dr. Vijay Pendakur will unpack the hidden costs of disruption fatigue and share a practical framework for building personal and organizational resilience. Through science-backed insights and real-world examples, we’ll learn how to shift from reactive survival to sustained performance. He’ll show us how, with a focus on everyday behaviors (and not grand gestures), we can equip employees and managers with tools to stay engaged, adapt quickly and navigate uncertainty with confidence.

About Vijay Pendakur
Dr. Vijay Pendakur has reinvented himself more than once — and each leap has deepened his expertise in navigating disruption. He began his career in higher education, serving in senior leadership roles at five universities, including as the dean of students and presidential advisor at Cornell University. From there, he transitioned into the corporate world, taking on VP and C-level roles at three public companies — Zynga, VMware and Dropbox — where he led global teams focused on workplace culture, leadership development and employee engagement. Today, he is the founder of Vijay Pendakur Consulting, advising large companies and complex mission-driven nonprofits, on how to thrive in times of constant change. His best-selling book, “The Alchemy of Talent,” distills decades of experience into practical frameworks for building trust, belonging and connection on teams — the same human skills that fuel resilience in disruption.

Sponsored by