


Keynote Presentation
Chancellor Rebecca Blank delivered the 2022 keynote presentation. In her address, Blank reflected on UW–Madison’s history of administrative firsts, transformative changes she has led over the past nine years, and challenges that await the next chancellor.
Breakout Sessions
Presenting Facts and Figures to Get Results
Presented by Sherryl Pertzborn, Administrative Director, Academic Affairs, School of Medicine and Public Health
In this session, attendees explored tools to understand their style as a presenter, assess their audience’s interests, clearly present financials and data, and manage what is actually a discussion, not a speech.
Zero-Email Inbox: Strategies and Techniques for Taming Email and Achieving Success Amid Distractions
Presented by Kelvin Alfaro, Internal Consultant, Office of Strategic Consulting
In this session, attendees learned proven strategies for getting a handle on an out-of-control inbox and for achieving success amid distractions. The session provided an overview of “deep work” tools and techniques to support reaching a zero-email inbox.
Managing Campus Communications During COVID
Presented by Marlena Holden, Chief of Staff, Student Health and Wellbeing; Stephanie Benson Gonzales, Director, Parent and Family Program; Brendon Dybdahl, Director of Marketing and Communications, University Housing; Kelly Tyrrell, Director of Research Communications, University Communications; Amy Gunderson, Marketing Manager, University Marketing
This session offered a behind-the-scenes look at how campus communications processes evolved during the pandemic and how content has been developed. Communications staff also shared lessons learned about organizational structure.
Health Equity in Practice: Amplifying Community Voices in the Grant-Making Process
Presented by experts from the UW Population Health Institute: Carleigh Olson, Policy and Technical Assistance Coordinator; Mary Kate O’Leary, Action Research Project Coordinator; Lola Awoyinka, Racial Equity Initiative Planning Coordinator; Soraya Willems-Neal, Special Projects Coordinator; Marcia Morales, Wisconsin Community Health Worker Outreach Specialist; and Kayla Tollefson, Financial Coordinator
In this session, attendees heard about lessons learned from a collaborative grant-making process undertaken as part of the Just Recovery for Racial Equity initiative, a COVID response partnership between the governor’s office, the UW Population Health Institute (PHI), the Department of Health Services, and community partners. Some of the strategies that were shared include power building, improving community capacity, and promoting resilience.

Six Case Studies in Organizational Development Through Quality Employee Training
Presented by Dean Mieske, Training & Organizational Development Specialist II, UW Administrative Transformation Program, and Dr. Richard Lookatch, Behavioral Clinician
This session highlighted six case studies, past and present, focusing on the relationship between high-quality employee training and sustained organizational performance. Attendees learned what it takes to develop high-quality training as well as how to navigate organizational undertow. Attendees also learned a variety of best practices for organizational, change, and project leadership.
Understanding the Coaching Process
Presented by experts from the Office of Strategic Consulting: Jill Ellefson (moderator), Director–Consulting, and Strategic Consulting Leadership Coaches: Deb Gurke, Jacob Hahn, Jeremy Kautza, Tena Madison, Charles Meyer, and Sarah Murphy
In this interactive session, attendees gained an understanding of what coaching is, what a coaching experience entails, and the benefits it offers for your professional development. The session featured hands-on experience with a coaching tool and a real-time demonstration of coaching to see coaching principles in action.
Adapting Corporate Best Practices for Use in Higher Education
Presented by Paul Hevesy, Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness, Stanley Black & Decker; Mary Graft, Business Process Analyst, The Organizational Performance Office, Arizona State University; John Garnetti, Managing Director, Office of Business Engagement, UW–Madison; Jenny Faust (moderator), Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Director, Office of Strategic Consulting, UW–Madison
In this session, attendees explored how universities can leverage and adapt ideas and practices from the corporate world. The panelists, who have experience in both contexts, shared their unique perspectives, as well as examples of ideas and practices that can transcend the cultural divide between these two worlds—and be applied to higher education settings, including UW–Madison.
Developing Diverse Leaders Who Reflect the Communities Being Served
Presented by Ricardo Wynn, HIV Capacity Building Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Health HIV Program, and Megan Reading, HIV Outreach Project Manager, Wisconsin HIV Outreach Project
In this session, attendees learned about an innovative project that increased capacity and leadership opportunities for LGBTQ men of color to take on leadership roles in HIV and other community organizations in Dane and Milwaukee counties. Attendees left with action steps to address racial and other disparities in the workplace.
The Art and Science of Project Management
Presented by experts from the Office of Strategic Consulting: Charles Meyer (moderator), Interim Director–Strategic Initiatives, and Strategic Consulting Project Managers: Barry Dobbs, Armando Farias, Lucien Gerondeau, Betsey Kenyon, Greg Laubmeier, Jim Martin, Leon Nel, Eric Phillips, Kelly Schumann, and Stacy Smith
This session featured a facilitated discussion with senior project managers and project coordinators from the Office of Strategic Consulting who are managing large campus-wide projects. Project managers shared tools, tips, and methods to address the art and science of project management.
Figuring Out File Sharing
Presented by Robin Fisher, Academic Program Specialist, Department of Theatre and Drama, and Past Information Technology Committee Member
This session explored file sharing systems, naming conventions, and search tools to make data and file management more manageable.