Women’s Leadership Speaker Series

About the Series

The Women’s Leadership Speaker Series is a collaboration between ACE and the ACE Women’s Network Executive Council designed to attract, develop, and support women leaders in higher education. The series will include four events each year, featuring inspiring leaders and recognized experts discussing their accomplishments, challenges, and insights.

Each event in the series will provide our state networks with the opportunity to engage with these leaders and experts, host conversations about important topics with women leaders in their states, and promote action that strengthens the pipeline for women’s leadership in higher education.

Details and links to recordings for the first two events are below; check back soon for additional 2022 events in the Women's Leadership Speaker Series.

Past Events

A Conversation With Thasunda Brown Duckett

March 5, 2022

WNEC chair Judy Sakaki engaged TIAA’s CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett in a conversation about issues important for women leaders.

This event took place at the ACE Women’s Leadership Dinner in San Diego, in conjunction with ACE2022, ACE’s Annual Meeting.

View Recording

Participants

Thasunda Brown Duckett

President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA

Thasunda Brown Duckett

President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA

Judy Sakaki

President, Sonoma State University (CA), and Chair, Women’s Network Executive Council (WNEC)

Judy Sakaki

President, Sonoma State University (CA), and Chair, Women’s Network Executive Council (WNEC)

Advancing to Leadership Roles in Higher Education: A Conversation with Scholars Barbara Cozza and Ceceilia Parnther

February 8, 2022

The inaugural event of the ACE Women’s Leadership Speaker Series featured scholars Barbara Cozza and Ceceilia Parnther from the Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership at St. John’s University discussing their upcoming book, Voices from Women Leaders on Success in Higher Education. The book, scheduled for release in February 2022, advises aspiring and current women leaders on how to advance into higher education leadership roles.

Ted Mitchell, president of ACE, and Judy K. Sakaki, chair of the ACE Women’s Network Executive Council and president of Sonoma State University, joined the dynamic conversation with the authors.

View Recording

Participants

Barbara Cozza

Chairperson and Professor, Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership, St. John’s University

Barbara Cozza

Chairperson and Professor, Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership, St. John’s University

Ted Mitchell

President

Office of the President

Former college president and top federal policymaker Ted Mitchell became president of the American Council on Education (ACE) on September 1, 2017. Mitchell brings a wide array of experience and accomplishments from across the higher ...

Ted Mitchell

President

Office of the President

Ceceilia Parnther

Assistant Professor, Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership, St. John’s University

Ceceilia Parnther

Assistant Professor, Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership, St. John’s University

Judy Sakaki

President, Sonoma State University (CA), and Chair, Women’s Network Executive Council (WNEC)

Judy Sakaki

President, Sonoma State University (CA), and Chair, Women’s Network Executive Council (WNEC)

About the ACE Women's Network

The ACE Women’s Network facilitates the networking of women interested in pursuing leadership opportunities in higher education. A four-part structure—Network Executive Council, independent, state-based networks with state chairs, presidential sponsors, and institutional representatives—facilitates these connections, allows for sharing of best practices, particularly at the State Chairs Annual Conference, and enables local leadership training by the state networks.

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