Featured Speakers

Sunday Opening Plenary - Len Gutkin

Melanie Gottlieb

Higher Education at a Crossroads: Politics, Policy, and the Future

The landscape of higher education is being reshaped by shifting political dynamics, legislative debates, and cultural tensions that impact institutions at every level. For the SEM 2025 Opening Plenary, we welcome Len Gutkin, Senior Editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, to provide a candid and thought-provoking examination of the current state of the academy. Drawing on his sharp analysis and deep engagement with higher education’s cultural and political crossroads, Gutkin will explore the forces influencing colleges and universities today—from challenges to academic freedom and institutional autonomy, to the policy debates shaping entry, affordability, and equity.

This session will ground our conference in the broader context in which enrollment professionals and academic leaders are making decisions. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the pressures and possibilities facing higher education—and how these realities intersect with the work of shaping strategic enrollment management for the future.

Monday Plenary Panel

Session Moderator: Justin Draeger
SVP of Affordability, Strada Education Foundation

Rewriting the Rules: Student-Centered Principles for Enrollment Management

Enrollment leaders face an impossible puzzle: pricing that makes sense, aid that matters, and sustainability that lasts. Too often, the result confuses students and erodes public trust. In this session, an Enrollment Management Advisory Group comprised of campus practitioners will unveil student-centered guiding principles and a practical action framework. Panelists will unpack tough tradeoffs, share real campus examples, and invite your feedback, equipping you with tools to move beyond the enrollment hamster wheel.

Chuck Knepfle
Vice President for Enrollment Management, Portland State University

Dr. Luisa Havens Gerardo
Vice President for Enrollment Management, The University of Texas at Arlington

Rachelle Feldman
Vice Provost of Enrollment, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Daniel Barkowitz
Assistant Vice President of Financial Assistance at the University of Miami, NASFAA Financial Aid Administrator, Certified™ (FAAC)

Tuesday Plenary Panel

Session Moderator:
Jack Miner
Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at University of Cincinnati

The Evolving Landscape of Intercollegiate Athletics and Their Role In Enrollment Management

The last few years have seen significant changes in the relationship between universities and the student athletes they serve. We have seen a shift from a highly regulated and restricted system to an evolution on Name, Image, and Likeness payments, and revenue sharing. At the same time, changes like the transfer portal and constant conference realignment has kept the landscape ever changing. We will learn about the current landscape and its impact on our efforts not only in attracting student athletes but also retaining them as part of our overall enrollment strategy.

Amber Burdge
Director of Athletics, New Mexico State University

Erick Harper
Director of Athletics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

TJ Shelton
Director of Athletics, Case Western Reserve University

Wednesday Closing Plenary - Shola Richards

Shola Richards

Strong Enough to Be Kind™️: Building Campus Cultures That Strengthen Strategic Enrollment Management

In today’s competitive and rapidly shifting higher education landscape, enrollment leaders are asked to deliver results while navigating constant change, limited resources, and rising stress across teams. But what if the true differentiator in achieving sustainable SEM success isn’t strategy—it’s kindness?

In this inspiring and practical session, workplace kindness expert and bestselling author Shola Richards reveals how being Strong Enough to Be Kind™️ is a strategic advantage for leaders driving institutional outcomes. Through three actionable pillars—Start Within, Just Today, and Go First—participants will explore how to lead with courage, compassion, and clarity to:

Strengthen trust and collaboration across cross-functional enrollment teams.
Address conflict and unproductive behaviors before they derail progress.
Build morale and resilience in the face of uncertainty and change.
Create campus cultures that attract and retain top talent and empower student success.

When SEM leaders are strong enough to be kind, they don’t just drive numbers—they create environments where people and performance thrive together