[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-4px|||||” custom_padding=”|0px||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row module_id=”mcguigan” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_id=”shugart” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||-37px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h2>\nMichelle Ray<\/h2>\n
Sunday, March 29 | 5:00-6:15 p.m.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 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 \u2014 in any situation. In our opening keynote session, Michelle Ray <\/strong>will help us discover the power of personal responsibility. She’ll highlight strategies we can use to:<\/p>\n About Michelle Ray<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”mcclure” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_id=”homa-eric” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||-37px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Monday, March 30 | 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n About Josh Ulman<\/strong><\/em> About Bailey Graves Sponsored by\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”wrzesniewski” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” module_id=”shugart” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”0px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Tuesday, March 31 | 3:00-4:15 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n Disruption is the new normal in higher education \u2014 but the cost is clear: overwhelmed employees, stalled innovation and declining engagement. Many workplaces unintentionally run on stress-fueled endurance, hoping people can simply \u201cpush through.\u201d But neuroscience and organizational psychology tell a different story: resilience isn\u2019t about endurance, it\u2019s about rewiring how we work. In this keynote, Dr. Vijay Pendakur<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n About Vijay Pendakur<\/strong><\/em> Sponsored by\u00a0 \u00a0 [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Featured Speakers Michelle Ray Sunday, March 29 | 5:00-6:15 p.m.\u00a0 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/12\/MICHELLE-RAY-200x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n
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 \u2014 specifically, the shift in where and how we work, generational dynamics, talent shortages and managing disruption while keeping the \u201chuman factor\u201d of leadership top of mind. She is a recognized thought leader in leadership, having worked with some of the world\u2019s 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.”<\/em><\/p>\n
\nJosh Ulman and Bailey Graves – Washington Update<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2026\/01\/Josh-Bailey.jpg\")
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 <\/strong>and Bailey Graves <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
<\/strong>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.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/03\/Fidelity_Logo_Blk-150.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\nVijay Pendakur<\/h1>\n
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<\/p>\n
Dr. Vijay Pendakur has reinvented himself more than once \u2014 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 \u2014 Zynga, VMware and Dropbox \u2014 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 \u2014 the same human skills that fuel resilience in disruption.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/03\/TIAA_2024_150.png\")
<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nDr. Michael J. Sorrell<\/a><\/h2>\r\nSunday, October 20 | 5:00-6:15 p.m.\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n\r\nDr. Michael J. Sorrell\u00a0<\/b>is the longest-serving president in the 146-year history of Paul Quinn College. During his 11 years of leadership, Paul Quinn College has become a small, private, minority-serving institution that, by focusing on the most persistent, prevalent and pressing problems of our society, is remaking higher education and becoming a movement.\r\n\r\nDuring President Sorrell\u2019s tenure, Paul Quinn College has won the HBCU of the Year, the HBCU Student Government Association of the Year and the HBCU Business Program of the Year. Additional achievements include the college being recognized as a member of the President\u2019s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the creation of the New Urban College Model, achievement of full-accreditation\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhitney Johnson<\/a><\/h2>\r\nMonday, October 21 | 8:30-10:15 a.m.\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/annual2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2018\/09\/WhitneyJohnson_005-1-246x300.png\")
Whitney Johnson<\/strong>, CEO of WLJ Advisors, is an innovation and disruption theorist, best-selling author, sought-after executive and performance coach, and management consultant. She is recognized as one of the world\u2019s most influential management thinkers by\u00a0Thinkers50<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Fortune<\/em>. Johnson specializes in helping leaders grow their awareness, building the skills needed to achieve maximum success in their organizations. Senior executives seek out Johnson\u2019s coaching and consulting expertise because she understands that productive workplace cultures begin with the leader. She excels at helping leaders break through to new levels of personal and organizational effectiveness. Johnson\u2019s services utilize her exclusive proprietary tools, such as her S-Curve coaching framework and team disruption diagnostics, which were first developed after co-founding the Disruptive Innovation Fund with Harvard Business School\u2019s Clayton Christensen. At WLJ Advisors, she has mastered her formula for helping executives and organizations harness the unpredictability of change so they can thrive in today\u2019s volatile business environment.\r\n\r\nJohnson\u2019s best-selling book,\u00a0Build An A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve,\u00a0<\/em>is being used by leaders globally to build the culture and attract the talent they need to reach their big goals. This follow-up to her critically acclaimed\u00a0Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work (2015),\u00a0<\/em>outlines the key strategy to having an engaged, productive and innovative workforce, which is having a plan for developing all employees \u2014 no matter where they are on their personal learning curves. Using her book\u2019s frameworks, Johnson works with leaders to shape how their organizations embrace and manage disruption by leading individuals and teams up the S-curve of change.\r\n\r\nPrior to WLJ Advisors, Johnson was an award-winning Wall Street analyst. She is one of Marshall Goldsmith\u2019s original cohort of 25 for the #100 Coaches Project, is a coach for the Harvard Business School\u2019s Executive Education program, frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, a LinkedIn influencer and hosts the Disrupt Yourself Podcast.\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nMichele Norris<\/a><\/h2>\r\nTuesday, October 22 | 8:00-10:15 a.m.<\/strong>\r\n
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<\/h2>\r\nMichele Norris<\/strong>\u00a0is a Peabody Award-winning journalist, founder of The Race Card Project and executive director of The Bridge, The Aspen Institute\u2019s new program on race, identity, connectivity and inclusion.\r\n\r\nFor more than a decade Norris served as a host of NPR\u2019s\u00a0All Things Considered\u00a0<\/em>where she interviewed world leaders, American presidents, Nobel laureates, leading thinkers and groundbreaking artists. She has also produced in-depth profiles, interviews and series for NPR News programs as well as special reports for\u00a0National Geographic<\/em>,\u00a0Time Magazine,\u00a0<\/em>ABC News and Lifetime Television. Norris created The Race Card Project, an initiative to foster a wider conversation about race in America, after the publication of her family memoir,\u00a0The Grace of Silence<\/em>.\r\n\r\nBefore joining NPR in 2002, Norris spent almost 10 years as a reporter for ABC News in the Washington Bureau. She has also worked as a staff writer for\u00a0The Washington Post<\/em>,\u00a0Chicago Tribune\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0The Los Angeles Times<\/em>. In 2014, Norris earned a Peabody award and the Distinguished Dialogue Award for her work on the Race Card Project.\r\n\r\nIn 2009, she was named \u201cJournalist of the Year\u201d by the National Association of Black Journalists. The NABJ recognized Norris for her coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign \u2014 when she co-hosted NPR\u2019s Democratic presidential candidates\u2019 debate, covered both conventions, anchored multi-hour election and inauguration live broadcasts and moderated a series of candid conversations with voters on the intersection of race and politics. That series earned Norris and\u00a0Morning Edition\u00a0<\/em>Host Steve Inskeep an Alfred I. DuPont -Columbia University Award for excellence in broadcasting.\r\n\r\nNorris was honored with NABJ\u2019s Salute to Excellence Award, for her cove","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-454","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=454"}],"version-history":[{"count":170,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5750,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/454\/revisions\/5750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.cupahr.org\/spring2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}