THURSDAY

Title: From Inside the System to Partners in Change: How CE Skills Fuel Leadership, Consulting & Entrepreneurship
Presenters: Erika Lehman, Jeanne Eschbach, Fern Chan, George Rosales, Caelynn Prylo
Description: This panel features former continuing education professionals who have taken their experience and turned it into successful consulting and entrepreneurial ventures. Panelists will share how their time in CE equipped them with the skills, mindset, and versatility to continue supporting adult learners, community needs, and institutional goals, just from a different seat.
Title: A Collaborative Model for Workforce Readiness
Presenters: Erin O'Hara-Leslie, Christina Hasemann, Danielle Britton, Dr. Kimberly McLain
Description: This session explores a cross-campus collaborative, employer-informed redesign of a degree program into a stackable credential pathway. With grant-funded labs, flipped classroom design, and simulation-based learning, it’s a replicable model for workforce readiness. Attendees will collaborate on building their own “ideal team” to develop similar programs.

Title: Leading and Sustaining Change in Continuing and Higher Education
Presenter: Jen Miller
Description: As continuing education professionals, you are often at the forefront of innovation—responding to shifting learner demographics, advancing workforce partnerships, integrating non-credit credentialing, and reimagining program delivery models. Whether leading institution-wide initiatives or managing program improvements, your work requires the ability to navigate and guide change effectively across campus contexts.

Title: From Language Learning to School-Based Employment: Building a Career Pipeline for “New” New Yorkers
Presenters: Maz Nikoui, Anika Kent
Description: This session explores an innovative program that prepares immigrant adults in NYC for entry-level roles in the NYC Department of Education through language and job readiness training. Attendees will examine the program structure, early outcomes, key partnerships, and challenges while actively learning about replicable strategies to build workforce pipelines to meet community needs.

Title: Noncredit and Credit Alignment – Lessons Learned from Strengthening Community Colleges Project
Presenters: Denise Zieske, Marianne Niese, Sheila Myers, Debbie Beall, Lauren Lankau
Description: Representatives from five SUNY community colleges will discuss their experiences with expanding noncredit and credit alignment at their institution. Specific examples and best practices of how to approach, partner between campus departments and document this work will be shared.

THURS CONT'D

Title: Cannabis Education: Cultivating What’s Next
Presenter: Bex Fine-Firesheets, Tiffany Walters, Jhack Sepulveda
Description: What's next for cannabis education in New York State? How do educators continue serving communities most impacted by prohibition – even without guidelines or funding from government institutions? What do our communities actually need and want to learn, both for the current moment in this industry and the future? This panel will bring together cannabis educators from across New York to discuss their experiences and these important questions.

Title: Empowering Students with In-Demand Skills: The TC2 Microcredential Initiative at City Tech Presenters: Benito Mendoza, Sean Carey
Description: Learn how City Tech’s TC2 Hub empowers students through microcredentials that validate real-world skills. This session offers a roadmap for designing and implementing a digital badge ecosystem that enhances career readiness and fosters academic engagement across disciplines and continuing education.

Title: Leadership That Moves: Creating Change Through Care, Culture & Connection
Presenters: Khadijah Frederick,  Rafayel Hovannisyan 
Description: This energizing workshop empowers educators to lead with care, creativity, and cultural awareness. Dive into real-world strategies, wellness-driven practices, and student-centered approaches that meet today’s learners where they are and walk away with tools to lead boldly, intentionally, and with lasting impact.
Titles: Future-Ready: Partnering with Workforce Development Boards to Align Continuing Education with Emerging Labor Market Needs
Presenter: Brian Williams
Description: This session will explore the strategic value of partnerships between higher education and local Workforce Development Boards to respond to future workforce trends, align curriculum with in-demand skills, and co-develop credentialing programs that meet the needs of both job seekers and regional employers. Presenters will also break down how WIOA funding can be leveraged to reduce tuition barriers and increase access to short-term, industry-recognized training programs.
Title: Creating Bridges to Success- The Power of Partnerships and Consortiums
Presenter: Robert Zandi
Description: The CUNY Offshore Wind Advisory Network (OWAN), a consortium of 4 CUNY colleges, teamed up to educate and empower New Yorkers. We strategically collaborated to reach a wide audience, increase student interest, and boost placement in our programs. Join us to find out how collaborating can benefit your organization!

Title: From Silos to Synergy: Building One Vision, One Team
Presenters: Andrea Huda, David Kohn, Fanny Soriano
Description: Lehman College’s SCPS invested in a facilitated leadership retreat to break silos, build trust, and unify vision. Learn the strategies, frameworks, and breakthrough moments that helped directors realign priorities and foster collaboration. Participants will leave with actionable tools to strengthen leadership teams and amplify institutional impact.

FRIDAY 

Title: Stronger Together: How SUNY and CUNY Are Aligning to Meet Our Workforce Needs
Presenters: Chris White, Lauren Anderson
Description: SUNY and CUNY are aligning workforce priorities, programs, and partnerships to create seamless talent pipelines. Learn how this collaboration expands access, meets employer needs, and drives inclusive economic growth, fueling real momentum for New York’s future workforce and economic mobility.