Transformational Leadership Conference
Saturday, February 5, 2022

Join us a we kick off the Transformational Leadership Series! The series will be introduced by President Elsener. Then, we will be focusing on two speakers who will be sharing some practical action steps you can take in your leadership journey. They will discuss how you can develop your own values and goals, and how you can begin building skills at college that will carry you throughout your career.

Featured speakers

Daniel J. Elsener, President of Marian University

Living a Life of Integrity: Defining Values, Shannon Brasovan, CYO of Practice Indy

Values are the bedrock of living a life of integrity and love... the trouble is, many of us are operating on borrowed values. Once we get clear on what we truly value, we can begin to access them. In this lecture, we will be discussing what values are, how to distinguish our values from values we have borrowed from our influences and how we can begin to set goals and live into our values with more intention.

Marketing - and Making the Most of - your College Experience, Wendy Faust, Executive Director of Development & Alumni Engagement

Whether you’re a first-year student and exploring how to get involved at Marian, or you’re nearing the end of your collegiate experience, let’s talk about the skills you have learned (or can learn!) and how to maximize them both personally and professionally in the future.

Wendy Faust works on staff in the Office of Institutional Advancement at Marian and has spent her career focused on education and leadership. She credits her exposure to leadership and involvement opportunities in college as the sole motivator for how she’s shaped her professional journey — even now, more than 23 years after college. 

Transformational Leaders at Marian are healthy in mind, body, and spirit. In this week's session, our speakers will focus on the importance of mental health, stress management and what you can do to limit burnout as you learn to balance the many ​commitments in your life.

Sabrina Straub, MSW, LCSW, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Sabrina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has experience working in community mental health centers, has worked as a private practitioner, and has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families. Sabrina is a member of Phi Alpha Honor Society as well as the National Association of Social Workers. Sabrina has been an adjunct professor at Marian for several years, and also participated in implementing a school-wide behavior modification program in a Wayne Township elementary school. 

Clif Knight, MD, Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs and Associate Professor of Family Medicine

Dr. Knight is an Indianapolis native and grew up less than 5 miles from Marian University. He earned a B.S. degree in Medical Technology from Ball State University and the St. Francis School of Medical Technology in Beech Grove, Indiana. He graduated from the Indiana University School Medicine and then completed Family Medicine residency at Community East in Indianapolis and subsequently Faculty Development fellowship through the Department of Family Medicine at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He achieved Certified Physician Executive designation through the American Association for Physician Leadership and the Certifying Commission in Medical Management. 

As a leader, cultural competency and global awareness will be critical pieces to your leadership puzzle. Our institutional outcomes call on Marian graduates to display respect for individual differences by embracing and learning from diverse cultures, perspective, and traditions. In this session, learn about the importance and how you can grow in your cultural and global awareness.

Featured speakers

Emil Ekiyor, CEO and Founder of InnoPower Indy Inc.

Emil is the CEO of InnoPower, a client-focused community development organization that works with communities and stakeholders to navigate the challenges of realizing their vision for communal change. InnoPower has a unique focus on innovations in and for minority communities, creating capacity-building opportunities for underrepresented businesses and by developing finance-smart leaders, and leveraging external financing and networks to support venture growth and take-off. ​

Additionally, Emil's impressive resume includes serving as the CEO and Founder of Enabek Solutions, former President of the Indianapolis Chapter of Indiana Black Expo, National Executive Director for the GEO Foundation, and he has also played defensive end for the Raiders, Buccaneers, and Falcons.

Transformational leaders have the ability to solve problems in an inquisitive, thoughtful, creative, informed, and just manner. In this session, you'll learn skills and techniques that will help you work through problems and grow in your conflict management skills.

Featured speakers

Jeff Kaufman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Dr. Kaufman joined Marian University in 2013 after over 20 years serving in various professional capacities, such as business owner, corporate trainer, and consultant. Both as a small business owner and corporate trainer, he saw the importance of connecting a solid K-12 education to career success.

Dr. Kaufman holds a bachelor of arts degree in general education from Western Illinois University, a master of science degree in conflict management from Kennesaw State University, and a Ph.D. in education focusing on workforce preparation and advancement from Southern Illinois University. His research interests center on conflict education, management, and mitigation in work and educational settings.

Rev. George LaMaster, Ph.D., Chair of Department of Communication 

Not “Conflict Resolution.”  Not “Conflict Management.”  Conflict transformation is the key to effective leadership with moral integrity.  The criterion for successfully engaging in conflict is not ending it or getting what you want but advancing just and equal relationships.  The secret is this: strong leadership requires controlling yourself rather than influencing other people.  For all of us who navigate stressful “people” problems, this short workshop offers immediate relief – and practical wisdom.  

Transformational leaders are able to apply exceptional listening and oral communication skills to build and sustain relationships. In this session, you will learn skills and techniques for improving your communication skills, ​with a focus on body language, non-verbal communication, and group dynamics.

Rhetorical sensitivity encourages communicators to appreciate the interconnected and implicit dynamics of human interaction, from understanding the different roles one plays in communication to seeing the multiple ways that messages can be framed. For emerging leaders who will use communication as their primary tool for forming bonds with multi-faceted teams and inspiring them toward a common goal, rhetorical sensitivity provides a solid, but adaptive foundation. This workshop offers practical insights into the applied nature of rhetorical sensitivity and demonstrates its usefulness in building effective speaking and listening practices.  

Featured speakers

Drew Stewart, Assistant Professor of Communication

Prof. Drew Stewart is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and joined the MU faculty in the fall semester of 2017 as the Assistant Director of Forensics. Now the Director of Forensics, Prof. Stewart teaches courses in public speaking, debate, and business and professional communication. He earned his B.A. in Speech Communication from Carson-Newman University in 2011 and his M.A. in Strategic Communication from the University of West Florida in 2013.

Kyle Kellam, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Communication

Dr. Kyle Kellam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and joined the MU faculty in the fall semester of 2012. Dr. Kellam’s research interests include the rhetorical study of games, race, and the body, and he primarily teaches courses in public speaking and rhetorical studies. He earned his B.S. and M.A. degrees in Communication Studies from Ball State University in 2002 and 2005 respectively and his doctorate from the Wayne State University in 2012.

What role do faith and ethics play in leadership and how can you use them to shape ​your own leadership style? In this session, we'll explore what it means to exhibit self-awareness of faith and ethical beliefs, and how you can evaluate and address ethical issues.

Evan Casey, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Liberal Arts

Evan Casey serves as an assistant professor of liberal arts at Saint Joseph's College of Marian University - Indianapolis. In this role, he works with other faculty to deliver innovative curriculum, serve as a student mentor, assist with recruiting of future students, and help foster relationships with area businesses. He cares about mentoring his students in a way that allows them to convert it to wisdom for their lives every day.

Evan Casey will dive into a deeply personal time in his faith journey and show how the initial horrors of lack of integrity in the faith community leads to a journey of self-realization and a new development of faith.

Elizabeth Coit, Executive Director for Walker Center for Applied Ethics

Elizabeth Coit serves as the inaugural executive director of Marian University’s Walker Center for Applied Ethics. There, she oversees and directs all of the Walker Center’s operations while collaborating with the Walker Center Board of Visitors, Marian faculty, Indiana business leaders and other stakeholders to design and implement a long-term strategy to advance the Walker Center’s mission.