MI-ACE 2023 Conference Booklet

WOMEN LEAD IN A NEW ERA OF HIGHER EDUCATION

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF MI-ACE

JUNE 12—13, 2023

HOSTED BY

Welcome to the 2023 Michigan American Council on Education Women’s Network Conference (MI-ACE) of the Inclusive Excellence Group of the ACE Women’s Network. The conference is particularly special this year. We are celebrating 45 years of supporting women in higher education throughout the state of Michigan. We are the voice of women in higher education.

The conference theme, “Women Lead in a New Era of Higher Education” is timely as educational freedom is being challenged in unprecedented ways across the country. The most notable challenge is in states such as Florida where diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and gender programs are ending along with the elimination of critical race theory and gender related curriculums. Anxiety and depression rates are at an all time high. There is a need for higher education to provide wellness centers equipped to address the needs of all students, and to address the needs of LBGTQ+ student, students of color, and students with disabilities. These are just a few of the challenges facing higher education all while developing new strategies to meet the needs of post-COVID students and employees.

Within the next two days the conference offerings are designed to address these challenges and more. You will have many networking opportunities and learning experiences that are unique to MI-ACE. Check out the MI-ACE product table. This year we are offering the beautiful, custom-designed “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” pin. We encourage you to take the pins back to the women on your campus and honor them as they make a difference and move the needle, one step at a time.

In closing, thanks to each of you for attending the conference. We appreciate your expertise, leadership, mentorship, vision, knowledge, good humor, inspiration and the overall sisterhood you bring to this conference. Your commitment to attend the conference each year is the reason we have sustained for the past 45 years. You are MI-ACE’s greatest asset! Enjoy the networking opportunities and take advantage of what the conference has to offer. It is our hope you will return to your campuses, make a difference and stand out as leaders in this new era of higher education.

Warmly, Linda Logan, Ph.D.

MI-ACE State Chair Vice President Chief Inclusion Officer University of Olivet

GREETINGS MI-ACE CONFERENCE ATTENDEES,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 45th anniversary of MI-ACE and the 2023 annual conference.

For more than 45 years, the MI-ACE Women’s Network has provided hundreds of networking, university service, and professional development opportunities that have enriched and strengthened the foundational needs of women and their work in higher education. As MI-ACE celebrates more than four decades of being a catalyst for change, I would like to acknowledge the rich history and foundation built over the two days of the 2023 conference. In 1978, the collective vision was to create a network that addressed the barriers women faced in their efforts to reach their full leadership potential. Over the past four decades, this network has grown to become the voice of women leading in higher education.

For the past eleven years, I have had the opportunity to work with trailblazing women and allies from across the state of Michigan and beyond. It is rewarding and energizing to work with so many women and other supporters who are committed to envisioning a more equitable and inclusive campus where all women can be successful and flourish.

Progress is not realized in a vacuum and this work has continued because of the commitment and passion of more than 200 dynamic women who continue to support the work of MI-ACE. The MI-ACE board and numerous committees work tirelessly to ensure each event is relevant to the needs of our attendees and the challenges facing our campuses and communities.

Thank you to those of you who attend each year and provide feedback on the conference and other MI-ACE events. Your feedback has contributed to the continued high quality, excellence and success of this annual conference. To new conference attendees, we embrace your presence and contributions.

Today, I encourage you to take this time to reflect on your dreams; invest in your professional development; and network with other attendees.

Your time is now to learn, lead, and transform as we prepare for Women To Lead In A New Era Of Higher Education.

Let’s enjoy our time together!

Marlanna Landeros, MSW 2023 & 2024 MI-ACE Conference Chair

DEAR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 45th annual Michigan American Council on Education Women’s Network Conference.

You’re doing vital work, not simply for your universities, but for the entire higher education community. I so appreciate your vision of, “An open and just higher education environment in which women and men share their talents and voices equally to improve the quality of higher education.”

It’s a vision we share.

Diversity and academic excellence go hand in hand, and so it is essential that we continue to recruit, retain and promote women leaders in higher education. I believe it is also incumbent upon all of us in leadership to encourage our students, colleagues and peers to reach higher and further, to dream bigger dreams and then transform them into realities.

So let us continue to come together, supporting and empowering one another, and creating a stronger, more substantial and more sustainable network of women in higher education.

Sincerely,

Santa J. Ono President University of Michigan

DAY ONE - JUNE 12TH

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

8:00 AM — 9:00 AM

Registration

Breakfast and Photo Booth

9:00 AM — 9:30 AM

Opening Welcome

9:30 AM — 10:30 AM

Keynote Plenary

10:30 AM — 10:50 AM

Networking Break

10:50 AM — 11:50 AM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session College Mental Health

Outreach and Education

Programming

Breakout Session

Building Connection and Community: A Coordinated

Approach to Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Breakout Session

Pronouns 101

Breakout Session

Supervising is Hard!: Proactive Approaches to Becoming an Inclusive Boss

Breakout Session

Higher Education Budgeting and Finance

Breakout Session

Leveraging LinkedIn to Level-Up Your Career

Breakout Session

Let’s Get Mindful about Planning & Organizing

Breakout Session

MI-ACE Senior Level

Leadership Development

Job Shadow Program

11:50 AM — 12:30 PM

Lunch

12:30 PM — 1:45 PM

MI-ACE Public Policy Plenary

Women Lead in a New Era of Public Policy

1:45 PM — 2:00 PM Networking Break 2:00 PM — 3:40 PM

Afternoon Plenary

Investing in Yourself and Others: Bringing Arrive and Thrive Alive

3:40 PM — 3:45 PM

Remarks 3:45 PM — 4:00 PM

Break 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Institutional Representatives Meeting (IR Members Only)

4:30 - 6:30 PM

Poster Sessions

Photo Booth 5:00 - 6:30 PM Strolling Reception and Entertainment

DAY TWO - JUNE 13TH

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

8:00 AM — 9:00 AM

Registration

Breakfast and Photo Booth

9:00 AM — 9:30 AM

45-Year Tribute Video

Institutional Representative Award Ceremony

9:30 AM — 10:30 AM

Morning Plenary

The Career Benefits of Participation on Boards and Professional Organizations

10:30 AM — 10:45 AM

Networking Break

10:45 AM — 11:45 AM

Presidential Plenary

11:45 AM — 1:00 PM

Distinguished Women Award (DWA) Ceremony and Luncheon

1:00 PM — 1:15 PM

Networking Break

1:15 PM — 2:15 PM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session

Advancing Your Education and Staying In It

Breakout Session

MI-ACE Young Women Strong Leaders (YWSL): Developing Presentation Skills

Breakout Session

MI-ACE Distinguished Women Award (DWA) Panel

Breakout Session

The MI-ACE Public Policy Priorities, Your Campus, and You!

Breakout Session

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Peer Reviewer Opportunities

Breakout Session

Personal Safety On and Off Campus

Breakout Session

Being Strategic About Achieving Your Career Goals

Breakout Session Cafe Conversations

2:15 PM — 2:30 PM

Networking Break

2:30 PM — 3:30 PM

Final Plenary

Roles and Responsibilities in Higher Education: Ombuds, DEI and Civil Rights & Title IX

CONFERENCE WELCOME

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Host Institution Welcome

Marlanna Landeros, MSW - Conference Chair

Adjunct Faculty, School of Social Work and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Student Programs for the Division of Public Safety & Security

University of Michigan

Sonja Feist Price, Ph.D.

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

University of Michigan, Flint

Richard Holcomb, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Human Resources

University of Michigan

State Chair Welcome

Linda Logan, Ph.D.

State Chair, MI-ACE

Vice President & Chief Inclusion Officer

University of Olivet

Women of Color Collaborative Opening Remarks

Shai James Boyd, Ed.D.

MI-ACE Executive Board and WOCC Committee Co-Chair

Assistant Director of Development

Henry Ford College Foundation

OPENING KEYNOTE

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Keynote Speaker

Lynn Perry Wooten, Ph.D.

President, Simmons University

Lynn Perry Wooten, a seasoned academic and an expert on organizational development and transformation, became the ninth president of Simmons University on July 1, 2020. She is the first African American to lead the university.

Specializing in crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, and positive leadership—organizational behavior that reveals and nurtures the highest level of human potential—Dr. Wooten is an innovative leader and prolific author and presenter whose research has informed her work in the classroom and as an administrator.

With leadership at the core of her work, Dr. Wooten’s research has ranged from an NIH-funded investigation of how leadership can positively alleviate health disparities to leading in a crisis and managing workforce diversity. She is co-author of the Wall Street Journal best-selling book Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership — alongside The Prepared Leader (2022), Positive Organizing in a Global Society: Understanding and Engaging Differences for Capacity Building and Inclusion (2016) and Leading Under Pressure: From Surviving to Thriving Before, During, and After a Crisis (2010).

She is a past recipient of the University of Michigan Ross

School of Business’s BBA Student Award for Teaching Excellence as well as the school’s Andy Andrews Distinguished Service Award. She also was chosen as a “Next Generation Business Thinker” by the Financial Times.

Dr. Wooten is married to David Wooten, a chaired marketing professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, and they have two children, Justin and Jada.

10:30 AM – 10:50 AM

Networking Break

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session | Room: Sapphire College Mental Health Outreach and Education Programming

In this presentation, Stephanie Salazar and Taylor Pahl will review the development, implementation, and outcomes of mental health outreach programming aimed at raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting help-seeking among college student populations.

Stephanie Salazar, MPH, CHES, Presenter

Outreach and Education Programs Manager

Eisenberg Family Depression Center

University of Michigan

Taylor Pahl, MSW, LMSW, Presenter

Outreach and Education Programs Specialist

Eisenberg Family Depression Center

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Bronze

Building Connection and Community: A Coordinated Approach to Mental and Emotional Well-Being

In this interactive session, participants will discuss and practice several strategies that promote mental health awareness, positive social support, and compassion in the workplace. Participants will consider actions that can support a multilevel framework for mental health in their own academic institution.

Karen Schmidt, MPH, Presenter

Senior Director, MHealthy

University of Michigan

Kelcey Stratton, Ph.D., Presenter

Chief Behavioral Health Strategist Health and Well-Being Services

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Ruby

Supervising is Hard!: Proactive Approaches to Becoming an Inclusive Boss

This session will discuss an intersectional approach to support today’s diverse employees. Attendees will learn proactive approaches to create inclusive and accessible environments for their team. In addition to focusing on women of color, we will also discuss strategies to support neurodiverse team members.

Amber Benton, Ph.D., Presenter

Chief Officer for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

School of Music, Theatre and Dance

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Silver

The MI-ACE Senior-Level Leadership Development

Job Shadow Program

The purpose of this session is to provide job shadow program information to women in higher education who aspire to rise to executive level positions.

Nancy M. Giardina, Ed.D., Presenter

Professor of Movement Science

Department of Movement Science

Grand Valley State University

Marlene Kowalski-Braun, Ph.D., Presenter

Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Equity

Deputy Inclusion and Equity Officer

Grand Valley State University

Michelle Hunt Bruner, Presenter

Managing Director

Center for Positive Organizations

University of Michigan

Malia Roberts, Ph.D., Presenter

Senior Director of Graduate College Operations

Western Michigan University

Breakout Session | Room: Crystal

Let’s Get Mindful about Planning & Organizing

This workshop will focus on awareness as a tool to increase your efficacy and well-being and innovation. This session introduces mindfulness as a more efficient tool to plan and organize, professionally and personally.

Gloryvee Fonseca-Bolorin, Ph.D., Presenter

Associate Director of Research Mentor Engagement

Adjunct Lecturer, Career Coach & Consultant

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Copper

Pronouns 101

This session will allow articipants to deepen their

understanding of pronouns, developing inclusive pronoun practices. Participants will have the chance to practice using different sets of pronouns and create an action plan for implementing what they learn into their work.

Jesse Beal, M.A., Presenter

Director, Spectrum Center

University of Michigan

Lorant Peeler, Presenter

Program Specialist

Spectrum Center

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Gold

Higher Education Budgeting and Finance

Understanding the university budgeting process is essential to move into a manager or director position. Many administrators assume fiscal responsibilities without formal training and struggle to manage the budget successfully. This workshop will provide participants with the information necessary to understand the budget process.

Cheryl McPherson, MSA, Presenter Director, Business Affairs

Mike Ilitch School of Business

Wayne State University

Chastity D. Gaither, Ph.D., Presenter

University Innovation Alliance Fellow

Office of Undergraduate Education

Michigan State University

Breakout Session | Room: Granite

Leveraging LinkedIn to Level-Up Your Career

In this workshop, participants will learn the strategies

Tristan Layfield leveraged to be named a Linkedin Top Voice in 2020, including, the eight sections to have an

All-Star profile, how to strategically engage and the three categories of people to engage with how to create content to boost your visibility.

Tristan Layfield, Presenter Owner & Principal Coach Career Clarity Solutions

11:50 AM – 12:30 PM

Lunch

PUBLIC POLICY PLENARY

12:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Sponsored by MaryLee Davis, Ph.D.

Women Lead in a New Era of Public Policy

The panel presentation, which aligns with the conference theme, draws from U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s remarks regarding her decision to leave the U.S. Senate in 2024, “Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate. I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025.” Stabenow began her trailblazing career as part of her new generation when she was elected to the Ingham County Commission in 1974 and became the first woman to chair the Board.

A nonpartisan panel of women leaders in elected and appointed public policy positions will share how they are leading currently in a new era of public policy. They will talk about their experiences and pathways to becoming leaders in public service. Panelists will share how they and we can make a difference today and in the years to come by encouraging future generations to boldly lead and serve.

2022 - 2025 MI-ACE Public Policy Priorities

Overarching the public policy priorities listed below, is that the MI-ACE Women’s Network supports gender equity and equality. Also, the Network understands that local, state, and national public policies will set the tone for institutional change.

• Pay equity for women at all levels of positions

• Equal access at entry positions

• Equal pay to fill existing wage gaps

• Work - Life Integration

• Expanded family leave policies

• Access to affordable childcare

• Paid family leave

• Funding and access for efforts to understand and respond to mental health challenges and prevent violence that affects campus communities, particularly in underserved areas. Advocate for:

• Mental health education, services, and best practices to prevent and address anxiety, depression, suicide, and substance abuse

• Gun violence protection laws that safeguard communities, including higher education campuses

• Gun violence prevention and response training for law enforcement, faculty, staff, and students

Public Policy Plenary Welcome

Chris Benson, Ph.D.

MI-ACE Public Policy Co-Chair

Opening Remarks - Video

Senator Debbie Stabenow

Discussion Panelists

Connie Tingson Gatuz, Ph.D. Moderator Associate Vice President of Student Life University of Michigan

Senator Sarah Anthony Panelist

Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee

State University.

In 1960, Michigan voters approved a Constitutional Convention (Con Con), the first since 1908. Delegates were elected statewide to rewrite the constitution. Elliott, 42, ran and was elected a delegate.

Representative Angela Witwer Panelist

Chair, House Appropriations Committee

Eunice Jefferies, MBA Panelist

Chair, Eastern Michigan Board of Regents

2023 Public Policy Pioneer Recognition

Daisy Elliot, Historical

Daisy Elliott was a gracious and passionate civil rights leader, who opposed discrimination of any kind, and fought to improve the lives of Michigan African Americans and women. She brought her leadership to Lansing and left an indelible mark as a Michigan Constitutional Convention delegate, and Michigan State Representative, all leading to the establishment of the Civil Rights Commission and passage of the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act.

Moving to Detroit in the 1950s, Daisy Elliott began a career in real estate while working at a local branch of the Secretary of State. She also took classes at Wayne

At the Con Con, Elliott submitted a number of proposals to the Committee on the Declaration of Rights, Suffrage and Elections that would call for equal protection in the law for Michiganders based on race, creed, national origin or religion. She lobbied for the establishment of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission to investigate discrimination and civil rights violations as well has granting judgments for victims of discrimination. To this day, Michigan is the only state that has a civil rights commission protected in the 1963 Constitution still in place today.

Following the Con Con, Elliott ran and served in the Michigan House of Representatives for Detroit from 1963-1978 and then 1981-1982. Rep. Elliott (D) is most known for co-authoring legislation with Rep. Mel Larsen (R) that passed in 1976 as the Elliott-Larson Civil Rights Act. It declared:

“The opportunity to obtain employment, housing and other real estate, and the full and equal utilization of public accommodations, public service, and educational facilities without discrimination because of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, or marital status as prohibited by this act is hereby recognized and declared to be a civil right.”

In addition to Daisy Elliott’s historic accomplishments, she proposed that the state establish an intermediate appellate court, that ultimately resulted in the creation of the Michigan Court of Appeals. Daisy Elliott died in 2015 at the age of 98. Fellow lawmakers remembered her as a quiet, gracious woman who fiercely opposed discrimination of any kind. In 2020, Governor Gretchen

Whitmer formally dedicated a state office building in honor of co-authors of the Elliott-Larsen Act, State Representatives Daisy Elliott (D), and Mel Larsen (R). The state-owned Lewis Cass Building in downtown Lansing was renamed the Elliott-Larsen Building. In 2023, Governor Whitmer signed a bill that expanded the Elliott-Larsen Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender equity or expression.

Sources: Michigannology.org, Detroit Free Press, Michigan Women Forward, Michigan Radio, Michiganadvance.com, Michigan.gov/whitmer/news

Senator Winnie Brinks, Contemporary

State Senator Winnie Brinks is the first Female State Senate Majority Leader (for either party) in Michigan history. In 2013, Brinks became the 1st woman to represent Grand Rapids in the Michigan Legislature since Eva McCall Hamilton in 1920, the first woman elected to the State Legislature. As Senate Majority Leader, she has demonstrated her collaborative and inclusive leadership skills, including her committee chair assignments and legislative priorities.

In 2012, Winnie Brinks was working at a West Michigan nonprofit, when she was recruited to run as a Democratic Primary write-in candidate after then State Representative Roy Schmidt switched from Democrat to Republican on the Primary filing deadline. She won the primary and went on to defeat Schmidt in the General Election. Brinks served two terms in the House before running and flipping an open Senate seat in 2018.

In November 2022, Brinks won re-election joining her Democratic colleagues to win majorities in the House

and Senate. In January 2023, Brink’s Senate colleagues chose her to lead the Senate as Majority Leader, making her the first woman to ever lead the State Senate and her party’s first Senate Majority Leader in 40 years.

Brinks made further history in January 2023 when she appointed Senator Sarah Anthony to serve as the first Black woman to lead the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate President Pro Tempore Jeremy Moss as the highest ranking openly gay official in Michigan legislative history.

During an interview with Bridge Magazine, Brinks said it was “great for everybody In our state to see themselves reflected in the highest offices of the state.” She stated it was not difficult choosing her leadership team given their “proven track record.” Brinks said she is big on collaboration and consensus and hearing differing points of view.

Brinks has supported equal pay bills and participated in the Equal Pay Days at the State Capitol sponsored by the MI Equal Pay Coalition. In a December 2022 Bridge interview, Brinks said gun reform legislation is “on the top of our list for policy priorities,” including safe storage and red-flag legislation. She worked with both chambers to expand the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to include anti-discrimination protections for sexual and gender identity.

Brinks grew up as a child along with four siblings of Dutch immigrant parents on a family of dairy farm in Washington state. She came to Michigan to attend Calvin University and remained in Grand Rapids after graduation, working in education and nonprofit sectors until becoming a state legislator. Brinks and her husband, Steve, have three daughters.

Sources: Former Rep. Brinks website, current Sen. Brinks website, Bridge Magazine (12-23-22), michiganvote.gov, twitter.com, Michigan Advance (12-14-22)

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

Networking Break

AFTERNOON PLENARY

2:00 - 3:40 PM

Investing in Yourself and Others: Bringing Arrive and Thrive Alive

Be inspired by the conversation of women leaders navigating what professional development means to them, personally and professionally. In addition, you will invest in yourself and bring alive the seven impactful practices for women navigating leadership and encourage excellence by channeling your own well-being and best self to lead in a new era of higher education.

Discussion Panelists

Gabriella Scarlatta, Ph.D. Moderator

Provost, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

University of Michigan, Dearborn

3:40 PM - 3:45 PM

Closing Remarks

Women of Color Collaborative Closing Remarks

Stephanie J. Lee, Ed.D.

MI-ACE Executive Board and WOCC Committee Co-Chair

Administrative Associate

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Oakland University

3:45PM - 4:00 PM

Networking Break

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Institutional Representatives (IR) Meeting* Intergenerational Leadership in a New Era of Higher Education

Sadé D. Wilson, M.A.

IR - University of Michigan, Flint

Christina Do, B.A.

IR – Washtenaw Community College

CharMaine Hines, Ed.D.

IR – Wayne County Community College District

Sonya R. Jacobs, M.S. Panelist

Chief Organizational Learning Officer

Special Advisor to the President

Senior Director, Faculty and Leadership Development at the Medical School

University of Michigan

Lynn Perry Wooten, Ph.D.

Panelist & Author of Arrive and Thrive President, Simmons University

*This is for Institutional Representatives only

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Poster Sessions

Photo 360 Booth

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Strolling Reception and Entertainment

2023 Scholarship Recipients

Dr. Lynette Findley Annual Conference Scholarship Recipients

Dr. Jacqueline Taylor Lifting Women Scholarship Recipients

Malia Roberts, Senior Director of Graduate College Operations, Western Michigan University

Hunter Magrum, Senior Coordinator, Residential Life, Kalamazoo College

Tiana Bosley, Assistant Professor of Statistics, University of Olivet

Linda Lance, Financial Aid Associate, Henry Ford College

DAY TWO WELCOME

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Conference Greeting & Special Remarks

Marlanna Landeros, MSW - Conference Chair

Adjunct Faculty, School of Social Work and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Student Programs for the Division of Public Safety & Security

University of Michigan

45th Anniversary Video Tribute

A look back on the past 45 years of MI-ACE and celebrating the years to come.

Presentation of the Dr. Chiara Hensley

Outstanding IR Award

Presented by Co-Chairs Leah Monger, MLS, Retired Librarian, Ferris State University and Reva Curry, Ph.D., Vice-President of Instruction and Learning Services, Delta College

About Dr. Chiara Hensley

Dr. Chiara Hensley was formerly Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at Eastern Michigan University and had retired before her untimely passing from cancer. Chiara was a dedicated, strategic educator and leader with an emphasis on conflict resolution, collaboration, consultation, and social, economic and restorative justice. The Outstanding IR Award was renamed in her honor at the 2019 MI-ACE Annual Conference.

Saginaw Valley State University

Betsy Diegel, Ed.D.

Dr. Betsy L. Diegel has spent her entire professional career in higher education. She obtained her B.S. in Biology from Saginaw Valley State University where she was a student athlete, followed by an M.A. in Biological Sciences from Wayne State University where she found her love for teaching and served as a graduate teaching assistant. After beginning her career at

Davenport University in Midland, MI where she served as Associate Professor & Director of Academic Services, she completed her Ed.D. from Central Michigan University in Educational Leadership. Currently, Dr. Diegel serves at SVSU as the MiSTEM Director for the East Central Region. She resides in Midland, MI with her husband Chad, her son Wynn, and daughter Waverly. Her family is the center of her world! She loves watching her children play sports, spends time on Lake Huron in the summer, and loves to read. Dr. Diegel believes in work/life balance and empowering everyone to do their best!

Dawn Hinton, Ph.D.

Dr. Dawn Hinton is a product of Flint, Michigan. She obtained a BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan-Flint and later earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Western Michigan University. Dr. Hinton taught at Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) for 23 years where she earned the position of Professor of Sociology. She has served as the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and currently holds the position of Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at SVSU. She has served on the Board of the Michigan Sociological Association as treasurer and president. As a resident of Saginaw, Michigan Dr. Hinton recognizes her responsibility to the larger community. As a result, Dr. Hinton currently serves as the board chair for both the Saginaw Housing Commission and for the historic First Ward Community Center.

MORNING PLENARY

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

The Career Benefits of Participation on Boards and Professional Organizations

Panel of leaders focused on the importance of honing your leadership skills, finding the right organization for

you, and how to get involved in organizations that align with your values. Panelists will share their personal experiencse joining professional boards and organizations and how they find a balance between work, life, and staying involved.

Ayanna McConnell, M.A. Moderator

Acting Chief Executive Officer Alumni Association

University of Michigan

H. Sook Wilkinson, Ph.D. Panelist

Fully Licensed Psychologist

PRESIDENTIAL PLENARY

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

President’s Panel

In this panel of leaders across universities, presidents will address aspects of gender disparities within higher education and offer solutions on how to provide better support systems.

Steve Robinson, Ph.D. Moderator President

Lansing Community College

George Grant Jr., Ph.D. Panelist President

Saginaw Valley State University

Stormie Jacobs-Wakemup, M.S. Panelist

Regent

Vice Chair

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College

A. Reginald Best, M.A. Panelist

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Henry Ford College Foundation

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Networking Break

Bill Pink, Ph.D. Panelist President

Ferris State University

James Smith, Ph.D. Panelist President

Eastern Michigan University

DISTINGUISHED WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION

LEADERSHIP AWARD CEREMONY AND LUNCHEON

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Deveta Gardner, Ph.D., Presenter Associate Dean Western Michigan University

The MI-ACE Distinguished Woman in Higher Education Leadership Award was established by the Board in 2001 to recognize women who have made a significant difference in the lives of their colleagues, campus communities and profession. DWA honorees have often “broken the glass ceiling” and “moved the needle” for many of us. Each Distinguished Woman Awardee has been nominated by her campus President for notable service including:

• mentoring women to enhance their leadership skills in higher education

• promoting women into increasingly responsible roles in higher education

• planning and implementing programs for women providing advocacy for women’s issues in higher education

• serving as a catalyst for policy changes

• attaining a higher education leadership position in which the nominee serves as an inspiration or role model for other women

• being recognized state-wide, nationally or internationally for work on behalf of women in higher education

• demonstrating a philosophy of helping women that goes beyond job duties

• possessing a reputation for fairness, equity, and justice based on actions on behalf of women

• having a positive impact on women in leadership that goes beyond the nominee’s own campus including founding or originating events and programs to benefit women

• advancing women by breaking gender barriers in career roles

• conducting research on, writing about, or presenting on women’s leadership in higher education

MI-ACE Women’s Network 2022 Distinguished Woman Awardees

Maureen N. Eke, Ph.D. Professor of English Central Michigan University

Dr. Maureen Eke, an English professor and feminist human rights activist, has served in various capacities at CMU for 28 years. She is a self-identified African woman, where her vantage point as a scholar and global citizen have shaped her research, pedagogy, and praxis.

In addition to her scholarly work in African and African Diaspora literatures, post-colonialism, and women and gender studies, Dr. Eke pursues an activist research and outreach agenda that includes African women and development; youth empowerment and education; anti-racism; diversity/inclusion in education and organizations; conflict resolution and restorative justice; and human rights and social justice. As the current vice chair National Education Association Women’s Caucus, she advocates for the promotion of women into leadership positions in higher education and for the empowerment of women.

Dr. Eke has been recognized for her research and acts of service from the regional to the international level. She was recently elected by the City of Mount Pleasant to serve as a commissioner due to her wide-ranging reputation for advocacy; the needs of minoritized women, evidenced through her involvement in projects like the Refugee Board of Canada and US Immigration and Refugee cultural intervention for African women seeking asylum; and the Ahiazu (Nigeria) program for widows and the Jigwada (Nigeria) empowerment

education for women and girls initiative led by the African Humanitarian Research and Educational Organization.

Students openly express their appreciation for her willingness to be a visible representation of motherhood and woman-guided leadership in the community. She is an exemplary example of what it means for women to lead in a new era of higher education.

Barbara Patrick, Ph.D. Department Head and Professor, Department of Political Science Director of Civil Rights & Social Justice Center Eastern

Michigan University

Dr. Patrick, Professor and Department Head of the Political Science Department, is also the founder and director of EMU’s Civil Rights & Social Justice Center. Dr. Patrick establishes collaborative networks across campus and in the region to develop new pathways and explore solutions to problems and dilemmas. She has worked with the EMU President’s Commission on Women to develop a mentorship program supporting economically deprived and female students of color. In the summer of 2022, she launched the Mentorship for Success Initiative, and when students and faculty returned from the pandemic, she organized a two-day summer workshop on diversity, “Where Do We Go from Here: Assessing the Status of Students of Color Across the Campus”; Race Matters: Equity & Action in Education.

Dr. Patrick is a prolific scholar, accessible teacher and department head, student advocate, and mentor. She influences the tone and direction of conversations to design solutions or address selected issues. For 3 years

she served as Chairperson of the Faculty Senate Task force on Campus Climate, Race & Diversity Issues. She led an interdisciplinary team of faculty and students to create a 3-part video series entitled: “Creating a Culture of Belonging to EMU.” She has established relationships between EMU and Southern HBCU’s, resulting in a bridge program to EMU Graduate Studies. Dr. Patrick organized a roundtable discussion with Police Chiefs and Administrators serving 15 majority-minority or economically vulnerable cities in Southeast Michigan. Dr. Patrick is clearly a catalyst for policy change in areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice within higher education and her community. She is a “model of civic leadership and vision.”

Tara McCrackin, M.A. President, Kendall College of Art and Design Vice President Ferris State University

Tara McCrackin is the President of Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) and concurrent Vice President of Ferris State University.

President McCrackin is a leader and champion of women both on and off campus skillfully advocating for women’s’ concerns and broader diversity issues through numerous platforms. She actively increases opportunities for women by providing mentorship to elevate female leaders within KCAD by identifying female employees and students that are receptive to training and grows their leadership abilities. She has a strong, female representation within her leadership team and cabinet and encourages female voices for representation on committees and leadership roles within KCAD.

President McCrackin is also a high respected community leader and colleague being recognized for her outstanding leadership both at Ferris and in the Greater Grand Rapids community. She is the recipient of the 2023 Helen Gillespie Ferris Distinguished Woman Leader Award and in 2022 she was named a finalist for the Grand Rapids Camber 33rd Annual ATHENA Award. In addition, she has received numerous international, regional, and local awards in the area of interior design.

As a former Girl Scout Leader, President McCrackin was featured in the Girl Scout for Life video series. Under her leadership, KCAD/FSU sponsored the Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore Annual Leadership Conference. Her work with the Kids’ Food Basket has inspired countless KCAD students and employees to give time and talents to that organization. President McCrackin serves on boards for community organizations such as ArtPrize 2.0 Steering Committee, Diatribe Endorsement council, Jim Crow Museum Endorsement Council, and Mel Trotter Art and Experience Committee.

President McCrackin has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging within her campus and community. She is an inspiration to students, staff, faculty and community leaders.

Michele Kelly, Ph.D. Dean of Liberal Arts and Science Schoolcraft College

Dr. Kelly was a first-generation college student when she arrived at Central Michigan University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Communication. Since joining Schoolcraft College in 2018, she has worked tirelessly to promote the narrative that all community

college students are scholars and deserve access to excellence in the classroom. She is especially interested in what she describes as the magical and transformative connection between teachers and students in the classroom and her scholarly work includes papers and presentations on this topic.

When Dr. Kelly arrived at Schoolcraft, she immediately got to work resurrecting MI-ACE at the college and served as the Institutional Representative (IR) working to elevate women in higher education. She participated in the Leadership Shadow Program and is an active member and advocate for the Network.

Dr. Kelly completed both Leadership Macomb and Leadership Detroit and later served on its planning board where she promoted Arts & Culture and particularly the intersection of women’s agency in creative occupations. She served as a board member at the Anton Art Center where she focused on diversity and equity and was appointed to represent Macomb County on the Art Authority. She is a longtime member of Impact100 Metro Detroit, a group of women committed to collective giving with the aim of fueling positive change in our communities. She has served as a Board Trustee for the Michigan Philharmonic and an appointed Board Trustee from the Farmington Community Library. Clearly, Dr. Kelly is an advocate for women’s issues both locally and globally.

Past MI-ACE Distinguished Women Honorees: A Recognition of Women Who Have Made a Difference

2001 – Nancy L. Barker, Northwood University

2002 – Jacqueline L. Zeff, University of Michigan – Flint

2003 – Barbara C. Steidl, Michigan State University

2004 – Barbara Mieras, Davenport University

2005 – Elizabeth H. Simmons, Michigan State University

2006 – Beth Alexander, Michigan State University

2007 – Janet Pisaneschi, Western Michigan University

2008 – Nancy S. Miller, Hope College

2008 – Mary Jane Thomson, Alpena Community College

2008 – Claudia Douglass, Central Michigan University

2008 – Stephanie Bulger, Wayne County Community College District

2009 – Gayle Davis, Grand Valley State University

2010 – Kathleen M. Wilbur – Central Michigan University

2010 – Martha Warfield, Western Michigan University

2011 – Fatma Mili, Oakland University

2011 – Gilda G. Gely, Grand Rapids Community College

2012 – Caroline J. Simon, Hope College

2012 – Marcy Weston, Central Michigan University

2012 – Deborah Hautau, Alpena Community College

2013 – Phyllis Ivory Vroom, Wayne State University

2013 – Laurie Chesley, Grand Rapids Community College

2014 – Lillian Frick, Mid Michigan Community College

2014 – Rene Shingles, Central Michigan University

2014 – Martha E. Pollack, University of Michigan

2015 – Roberta C. Teahen, Ferris State University

2015 – Margaret Mosqueda, Delta College

2016 – Margaret Crouch, Eastern Michigan University

2016 – Patti Trepkowski, Grand Rapids Community College

2017 – Chief Theresa Stephens-Lock, Mott Community College

2017 – Christine Wallace, Kettering University

2018 – Olukemi Fadayomi, Ferris State University

2018 – Cindy Allen, Jackson College

2019 – Kay Keck, Kellogg Community College

2019 – Ann Austin, Michigan State University

2020 – Katie Kiacz, Mott Community College

2020 – Carla Koretsky, Western Michigan University

2020 – Rebecca Campbell, Michigan State University

2021 – Kim DiCaro, Wayne Community College District

2021 – C. Michelle Piskulich, Oakland University

2021 – DeLois Leapheart, Northwood University

2022 – Keri Becker, Grand Valley State University

2022 – Teresa Woodruff, Michigan State University

2022 – Tonya Bailey, Lansing Community College

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Networking Break

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session | Room: Silver

Advancing Your Education and Staying In It

This presentation is designed to encourage women who work in higher education, to pursue college degrees, especially advanced degrees, and overcome barriers so they will graduate with a master’s or doctorate degree, stay in higher education to be role models and support systems for students.

Betty Dennis, Ph.D., Presenter Director

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion College of Health and Human Services

Western Michigan University

Breakout Session | Room: Bronze

MI-ACE Young Women Strong Leaders (YWSL)

Informational Session & Developing Presentation Skills

This session will focus on professional development programs to build your career portfolio. Participants will also engage in career related stories and a needs assessment survey to support professionals in the early stages of their careers (1 to 3 years).

Linda Logan, Ph.D., Presenter Vice President Chief Inclusion Officer University

of Olivet

Deanna Kowaleski, M.A., Presenter Program Coordinator

Diversity & Community Involvement

Women’s Resource Center

Martha Grier, M.A., Presenter

Associate Vice Chancellor for Board and Public Relations Office of the Chancellor

Wayne County Community College District

Breakout Session | Room: Granite

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Peer Reviewer Opportunities

If you’re looking for ways to grow your skills and assist other institutions at the same time, consider becoming a HLC Peer Reviewer! This session will engage attendee in the benefits of peer service, expectations for reviewers, and minimum qualifications.

Reva Curry, Ph.D., Presenter Vice-President of Instruction and Learning Services Delta College

Joi Cunnigham, J.D., Presenter Vice President of Human Resources Oakland University

Breakout Session | Room: Amethyst

The MI-ACE Public Policy Priorities, Your Campus, and You!

Join in this interactive session and explore how public policy effects our campuses. The 2022-25 MI-ACE Public Policy Priorities and our new Guide to Public Policy on your Campus will be introduced to inform our discussion about how to effectively engage with policy on your campus, and how you can embrace and advance this work with your campus network.

Laurie T. Evans, Ph.D., Presenter MI-ACE Public Policy Committee MI-ACE IR Committee

Yvette McElroy-Anderson, Ed.D., Presenter Executive Director of Government Relations Wayne County Community College District

Breakout Session E | Room: Gold

Being Strategic about Achieving your Career Goals

As women in administrative roles, it is essential to build key leadership skills so that we can be more effective leaders and managers. Often for those with supervisory or non-supervisory responsibilities, we must guide and lead through influence. But we must do this strategically and intentionally. Our goal is for participants to leave this session with tools for a strategic approach to career planning, along with strategies, resources, and opportunities they can employ to successfully fulfill their goals.

Dorine Lawrence-Hughes, J.D., Ed.D., Presenter Assistant Dean

Division of Undergraduate Education, College of Literature, Science and the Arts

University of Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Emerald

How our Distinguished Award Winners are Leading in a New Era

Join the dynamic winners of the 2023 Distinguished Women in Higher Education Leadership award. Hear how they are leading in a new era while balancing the demands of a fast and ever-changing macro environment. Our awardees will share the skills they are sharpening and the habits they are managing to successfully lead. Joined by 2023 DWA award winners Dr. Maureen Eke, Dr. Barbara Patrick, Tera McCrackin and Dr. Michele Kelly.

Kimberly M. Hurns, D.M., Moderator Vice Chancellor for Student Services Oakland County Community College

Breakout Session | Room: Copper

Personal Safety On and Off Campus

This presentation will provide an overview of personal safety strategies and will cover topics typically handled by the U-M Special Victims Unit including stalking, intimate partner/ dating violence and sexual assault. We will discuss how to identify and respond to these incidents with a focus on early intervention and engaging confidential resources in your community.

Margie Pillsbury, Presenter

Lead Police Officer- Special Victims Unit

Investigations Coordinator

Division of Public Safety and Security

University of Michigan

Maureen Burke, Presenter

Lead Police Officer- Special Victims Unit

Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Division of Public Safety and Security

University for Michigan

Breakout Session | Room: Crystal/Sapphire

Cafe Conversations

Self-Guided Session

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Networking Break

FINAL PLENARY

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Roles and Responsibilities

in Higher

Education: Ombuds, DEI and Civil Rights & Title IX

Learn what brought these leaders to their current positions, how leadership has supported them to accomplish their missions, and what future initiatives look like for their insitutions and more.

LaQwana ‘Q’ Dockery, M.A., MSW Moderator

Program Manager Intercultural Center

University of Michigan, Flint

Julia Heck, M.A. Panelist

University Ombuds

Office of the Ombuds

Eastern Michigan University

Tanesia White, MBA Panelist

Civil Rights Director

Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX

University of Michigan

David J. Luke, Ph.D. Panelist

Chief Diversity Officer Director of the Intercultural Center

University of Michigan, Flint

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Gold Level

Wayne County Community College District

Mott Community College

University of Michigan Organizational Learning

Silver Level

The University of Olivet

Michigan Community College Association

Dr. Christine Hammond, Leadership Perspectives LLC

University of Michigan Women of Color Task Force

Bronze Level

Dr. MaryLee Davis

Dr. Claudia Douglass

Grier Consulting, LLC

Honor/Salutes

Dr. Jacqueline Taylor, Pondera Leadership Consulting