THE COLLECTIVE
2025
The Emerging Era of Career Services
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Join us in New Orleans, LA, to invigorate your perspectives, reignite valuable relationships, and embrace the emerging era of career services together. From historic homes and streetcar rides to above-ground cemeteries and world-class museums like the National World War II Museum, the opportunities for exploration in New Orleans are endless. Whether you’re an art aficionado, a history buff, or just looking to experience the city’s rich history and culture on a deeper level, you’ll find a variety of attractions that are sure to pique your interest.
Prepare to be captivated by the talents of local musicians and indulge in the refined comfort of The Barnett, a boutique hotel in NOLA's Warehouse District, close to art galleries, museums, Canal Street shopping & the famed French Quarter.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Day 1 - Tuesday, April 22, 2025
10:30 - 4:30 | Registration open
12:30 - 2:30 | Pre-conference sessions
4:15 - 5:30 | Opening Session: Foundations of A Career Ecosystem
++Dean Mollye Demosthenidy, JD, PHD, Tulane University
++Jeremy Podany, CEO, The Career Leadership Collective
5:30 - 6:30 | Opening Reception
Day 2 - Wednesday, April 23, 2025
7:30 - 8:30 | Breakfast
8:30 - 9:45 | MainStage Panel
10:00 - 10:45 | Ecosystem Transformation Sessions
10:45 - 11:15 | Networking Break
11:15 - 12:00 | Breakouts
12:00 - 1:30 | Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 | Breakouts
2:30 - 3:15 | Breakouts
3:30 - 4:15 | Breakouts
4:30 - 5:15 | Cohort Reunions
8:15 - 9:15 | Men and Women of Color Networking Reception
Day 3 - Thursday, April 24, 2025
8:00 - 9:00 | Breakfast
9:00 - 9:45 | Breakouts
10:00 - 10:45 | Breakouts
11:00 - 12:00 | Closing Keynote
++President Rodney K. Rogers, Bowling Green State University
ON THE MAINSTAGE
Rodney Rogers
President
Bowling Green State University
Rodney K. Rogers, Ph.D., serves as the 12th president of Bowling Green State University, which has more than 23,000 students and 5,000 full- and part-time employees across its five campuses. With extensive experience in business and higher education, Rogers has led the elevation and expansion of Bowling Green’s work in redefining student success to meet current and future workforce and societal needs. As the key architect in launching Life Design at BGSU, Rogers implemented a university-wide initiative that uses design thinking to empower students to fully leverage their college experience, preparing graduates for a successful career and life.
Mollye Demosthenidy
Dean, Newcomb-Tulane College
Tulane University
Mollye Demosthenidy, JD, MHA, is the Dean of Newcomb-Tulane College at Tulane University, She oversees Tulane Career Services as part of her portfolio and is a champion for innovation in career services. A clinical professor in the department of health policy and management, her academic interests lie in healthcare reform; the role of law and policy in improving healthcare outcomes; and the intersection of law, politics, and healthcare policy. Prior to joining the faculty at Tulane, she practiced law at two New Orleans firms, focusing on regulatory and transactional issues faced by healthcare providers. She holds a JD and an MHA, both from Tulane University, and a BS from Louisiana State University.
Jeremy Podany
CEO
The Career Leadership Collective
Talk: Foundations of A Career Ecosystem
Jeremy Podany is the Founder and CEO of The Career Leadership Collective, a consultancy that has done business with over 1,000 colleges and universities since 2017 on the systemic career development needs of higher education.
Daniel Liu
Assistant Vice Provost
Career Success
The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Alayna Hayes
Assistant Provost and Senior
Director of the Career Center
Vanderbilt University
Sara Newberg
Executive Director
Career Services Administration
University of Minnesota
Dr. Nina Davis
Executive Director
Career Services
North Carolina A&T State University
LOCAL MUSIC FEATURING
Formed in 2006, the Young Fellaz Brass Band has been a staple in the New Orleans live music scene for over 15 years. This enthusiastic and talented group of musicians honor the brass band tradition while innovating their own unique sound. Their new self-produced album Block Party (2022) is available on all major music platforms.
The Green Wave Brass Band (GWBB)
The Green Wave Brass Band (GWBB) is a select Tulane Bands ensemble that studies, rehearses, and performs New Orleans Traditional Jazz and Modern Brass Band music through an immersive learning and playing experience. Under the direction of Andy Bower and Andrew Szypula, the Tulane and Loyola University students in the GWBB learn and study the musical traditions of New Orleans by working and performing side-by-side with professional New Orleans musicians and culture-bearers. Musicians from acts such as Rebirth Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, Big 6 Brass Band, TBC Brass Band, and others have sat in with our students at performances and rehearsals.
ECOSYSTEM TRANSFORMATION SESSIONS
PRE-CON SESSIONS
April 22, 12:30-2:30
Facilitator
Jeremy Podany, CEO
The Career Leadership Collective
Goal
For participants to learn how to strategically integrate career services into the student life cycle. Discussion on best-practices, innovation, buy-in, implementation, and benefits will shape the session.
Facilitator
Nick Cattin, Senior Consultant
The Career Leadership Collective
Goal
For participants to learn how to increase staff morale and productivity. All participants will receive a free Working Genius assessment.
Facilitators
Brandee Poppaden-Smith
Amanda Butkiewicz
Arizona State University, Work+ Collective
Goal
For participants to learn how to strategically improve their student employment systems and processes. Discussion on best practices, innovation, buy-in, implementation, and benefits will shape the session.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
April 23, 11:15 - 12:00
A Life and Career of Purpose: Scaling the Life Design Framework Across a Large Decentralized University
Nathan Langfitt
The University of Texas at Austin
Transforming the Career Ecosystem: A Model for Strategic Innovation
Amber Kelley, Trish Welch, & Pam Saez
Austin Community College
Moving Career Teams to an Ecosystem Framework
Faith McClellan
Smith College
Building Strategic Partnerships to Scale Paid Internships
Christine Routzahn & Marykate Conroy
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
April 23, 1:30 - 2:15
In Your Face: Embedding Career Readiness in the Curriculum
Tricia Zelaya-Leon
The Ohio State University
Strengthening Career Ecosystems through Scalable Career Exploration Courses
Jillian Morley & Kevin Schwemmin
Utah State University
Scaling Career Services: The Playbook for Outpacing Resources and Expectations
Roshni Rao & Marta Sliwa
Johns Hopkins University
Building Confidence and Competence with AI in Career Development
Chris de Kok & Tory Nair
Aurora University
Crafting Impactful Employer Engagement Strategies Aligned with Your Institution’s Mission
Gerald Tang
Bridgewater State University
April 23, 2:30 - 3:15
Enhancing Student Success: The Role of Career Services in Boosting Retention and Graduation Rates
Jessica Perez & Carolyn Nobles
LaGuardia Community College
The 3 P's - How a Liberal Arts Career Center Scaled It's Connection to Campus
Curt McPhail, Dr. James Stukes & Dr. Tasha Smith-Tyus
Wofford College
Finding Your True North: Creating Equitable Access to Career Education Through Core Curriculum Integration
Krysta Foster
Michigan State University
A Faculty Fellow Summer Institute: Transparent and Intentional Integration of Career Readiness
Kaitlyn Anderson & Nancy Bilmes
University of Connecticut
Metro State’s Apprenticeship Pilots: An Exciting Model for Working Adult Students
Bill Baldus
Metro State University
April 23, 3:30 - 4:15
The Ripple Effect: Empowering Student Employees to become Career Influencers
Kristina Wright
University of Illinois
Career Center Brand Activation on Campus and Beyond: Grow Your Followers, Your Impact, and Donor Funds
Mandy Brockhaus
Loyola Marymount University
Reimagining Employer Relations through Strategic Collaborations and Social Media
Tatiana Randolph & Joshua Carrierre
Austin Community College
Building Inclusive Career Pathways for International Students: Overcoming Barriers to Work Opportunities
Marykate Conroy
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Collaborative Approaches to Career Equity and Access
Tara Malone, Lisa Carrozza & Wiley Dawson
University of Connecticut
April 24, 9:00 - 9:45
Ready, Set, Career: Integrating Career Readiness into the Classroom
Anna Ramos
University of Connecticut
Scaling Career Readiness within a Life Design Ecosystem
Gabe Dunbar & Steve Russell
Bowling Green State University
Beyond Internships: Scaling Work-integrated Learning for Career Mobility
Amanda Kennedy & Amanda Butkiewicz
Arizona State University
From Vision to Action: Learned Lessons and Tangible Strategies Along the Road to Building a Career Ecosystem
Alayna Hayes
Vanderbilt University
Exploring Alumni Success: Insights from the National Alumni Career Mobility Survey
Celeste Worthy & Kim Yousey-Elsener
Lightcast
April 24, 10:00 - 10:45
The Cronin Model: Transforming Internship Barriers into Career Opportunities
Dana Parker
University of Cincinnati - Clermont College
Dipping our Toe Into the Career Ecosystem Era
Wayne Thibodeau & Kelly Dorner
Oakland University
Liaison Power: Elevating Faculty Partnerships for Career-Ready Students
Kristie Marcum & Sarah Dobe-Hund
Miami University / University of Delaware
Disrupting Tradition: UConn & Canva Reimagine Career Planning
Amelinda Rossitto & Eran Peterson
University of Connecticut
From Campus to Career: Scaling Career Education with Technology, Partnerships, and Personalization
Dr. David Jones & Mr. Brandon Pledger
Morehouse School of Medicine
CONFERENCE HOTEL & TRAVEL
HOTEL BLOCK IS FULL
The Barnett, a Hyatt property, sits at the corner of Carondelet and Lafayette Street in a beautiful 1928 Art Deco building, flanked by museums and galleries.
A stone's throw from the French Quarter and home to some of the finest dining and drinks in the city, a rooftop pool, and a music venue right on site.
Accolades:
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2023 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards Top Five Hotels in New Orleans
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2023 Eater - Tasties Italian Eats in New Orleans, Josephine Estelle
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2022 Travel & Leisure - Top 5 Best Hotels in New Orleans
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2022 Rooftop Guides - #1 Rooftop Bar
TRAVEL TO NEW ORLEANS
The Barnett, a Hyatt property, is 16 miles from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
REGISTRATION
General Registration is Closed
Currently Registered Attendees may add a pre-con
PRICING OVERVIEW