UPCEA Emerging Leaders Program

Emerging Leaders are UPCEA members who are mid-level professionals who aspire to more senior roles in professional, continuing, and/or online (PCO) higher education. The UPCEA Emerging Leaders Program is embedded within our conferences, giving UPCEA members two entry points each year in which to engage in this valuable opportunity for leadership development: the Annual Conference (held in the spring) and the regional conferences (held in the fall).

Beginning with a pre-conference, participants take part in a deep dive into leadership skill development. Within the conference, participants are invited to attend sessions tagged “Emerging Leaders,” which means that they are designed to offer skill development in areas critical for senior leadership like strategic planning, innovation, and leading teams. There will also be special opportunities allowing ample time to network with peers and senior leaders. At the end of the conference a facilitated capstone session will provide an opportunity to reflect upon the experience, make plans to continue the journey, and to take the next steps to earn a badge that recognizes these achievements.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS:

Pre-Conference: Individual and Organizational Excellence in Higher Education
With three immediately actionable insights in mind, this interactive workshop will examine leadership behaviors within the context of professional, continuing, and online higher education. First, to identify and leverage personal leadership strengths, you'll complete and discuss the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment. Second, to identify the unique strengths and challenges of your organization, you'll review Excellence in Higher Education — a model for organizational assessment and improvement. Finally, you'll identify opportunities to apply your personal leadership strengths to address the needs of your organization.

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.

Advance registration is required.
The UPCEA Emerging Leaders program registration fee includes the pre-conference (continental breakfast, instrument provided), the facilitated capstone session, dedicated content throughout the conference, facilitated networking, and opportunities to join a post-event cohort and to earn a formal credential (badge). Emerging Leaders Program registration is in addition to full conference registration, which is required for the Emerging Leaders Program participation.

EMERGING LEADER PROGRAM FACILITATORS:

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

Dr. Gigliotti is Assistant Director for Leadership Programs of the Center for Organizational Development & Leadership at Rutgers University, 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 serves as the co-director of the Rutgers Leadership Academy, co-director of the Distinction in Leadership in Academic Healthcare Program, and part-time lecturer in the Department of Communication. His research interests explore the intersection of organizational communication, leadership, and crisis communication, particularly in the context of higher education. Ralph’s 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 the forthcoming Leadership: The Dynamics of Communication and Social Influence in Personal and Professional Settings (Kendall Hunt Publishing).

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.