Lead Yourself. Lead Others. Lead the Future.
An Event for Emerging Leaders in the Higher Ed Industry
November 8, 2026 | Greater Denver, CO
The Next Leader Experience at the 2026 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education is designed for higher education marketing professionals who are preparing for their next leadership role. Whether you’re leading projects, managing people for the first time or positioning yourself for a director- or executive-level opportunity, this experience gives you space to grow your skills, broaden your perspective and build connections that help you lead with confidence.
Thank You to Our Sponsor
Why Attend
Build Leadership Skills
Move from tactical execution to big-picture thinking and vision-setting.
Learn the Language
Refine your communication structure and financial fluency to navigate buy-in for your ideas.
Define Your Path Forward
Return to your institution with the confidence and promotion-ready skills to start closing the gap.
Registration
AMA Member: $399
Non-Member: $499
Registration for the Symposium is Required
Register for the 2026 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education and add on the Next Leader Experience during registration.
Already registered for the Symposium? Add on the Next Leader Experience here.
Please note: the Next Leader Experience and Senior Leader Experience run concurrently, so you may only participate in one.
What You’ll Gain
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers facing similar challenges and interests, fostering new professional relationships, collaborations and the exchange of best practices.
- Personal and Professional Growth: Enhance your skills and knowledge, help develop a sense of certainty to contribute at a higher level, and foster mentorship opportunities with senior leaders.
- Strategic Advantage: Position yourself and your institution ahead of the curve by strengthening the alignment between leadership vision and execution.
Agenda
All Times in MT
You can also view the full AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education agenda and filter by Next Leader Experience format.
Your Leadership Journey Begins Before Symposium
Date and time will be announced closer to the event.
The experience starts with a virtual pre-conference webinar focused on Leading the Self, the foundation of effective leadership.
Through guided self-reflection, leadership assessments and structured writing exercises, participants will explore their leadership strengths, values, decision-making tendencies and areas for growth. This session is designed to help attendees build greater self-awareness, identify personal leadership goals and arrive at Symposium ready to maximize every conversation and learning opportunity.
Speaker: Myla Edmond
Sunday, November 8
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Next Leader Experience Luncheon
Meet your Next Leader Experience cohort over lunch before the afternoon programming begins. This dedicated networking opportunity is designed to foster meaningful connections with peers from institutions across the country and begin building a professional network that extends well beyond Symposium.
12:30 – 5:00 PM
Leadership Development Sessions | Lead Yourself. Lead Others. Lead the Future.
The afternoon is organized around two essential dimensions of leadership: Leading the Team and Leading the Organization.
12:30 – 1:00 PM
Leading the Team
Develop the skills needed to effectively lead people by exploring topics including leadership communication, team development, and addressing organizational literacy gaps that impact collaboration and performance. Organizational structures and navigating the org chart.
Speaker: Jenny Petty, SimpsonScarborough
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Interactive Leadership Roundtables
Choose the conversations most relevant to your career goals during a series of facilitated roundtable discussions. Topics include:
- Governance and institutional leadership
- Strategic planning and executive decision-making
- How universities make money: understanding higher education finances
- Vendor and agency landscape
- Shared Turf: Athletics and institutional partnerships
- Crisis communications and leadership during challenges
These small-group discussions provide practical insights and candid conversations with experienced leaders who have navigated these issues firsthand.
Speakers:
Lindsay Nyquist, Chief of Staff, Occidental College
Rob Zinkan, Ed.D, Founder and Principal, Navigate Gray
Seth Odell, Founder & CEO, Kanahoma
Teresa Valerio Parrot, Founder & Principal, TVP Communications
Jason Cook
Tracey Halvorsen
2:45 – 3:45 PM
Leading the Organization
Effective leaders make thoughtful decisions – even under pressure. Carrie Phillips and Melissa Richards will lead an interactive workshop focused on strategic decision-making.
Every day, leaders make thousands of decisions, but the most significant ones often become the most difficult. Competing priorities, diverse stakeholder perspectives, and organizational complexity can slow progress and create uncertainty. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn a practical framework for making clear, defensible decisions using stakeholder assessments and decision matrices. Through guided case studies and real-world scenarios, attendees will practice applying the framework and leave with tools they can immediately use within their own institutions.
Speakers:
Carrie Phillips, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Melissa Richards, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, SUNY Oneonta
3:45 – 4:45 PM
Talent Trends: Insights from Recruiters
The landscape for marketing and communications talent is evolving rapidly. Recruiters from across the industry will share insights on how shifts across higher education, agencies, consumer brands, and adjacent industries are creating new opportunities — and new challenges — for attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent.
This interactive conversation will explore what organizations are looking for in emerging leaders, how career paths are changing, the skills that set candidates apart, and how professionals can position themselves for future opportunities. Participants will gain valuable perspective on the evolving talent market and practical guidance for navigating their own leadership journeys.
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Senior Leader & Next Leader Reception
Conclude the day by bringing together participants from both the Senior Leader and Next Leader Experiences for an exclusive networking reception. Connect with fellow attendees, speakers and invited guests to continue conversations, reflect on the day’s insights, strengthen relationships across leadership levels and expand your network before joining the official AMA Symposium Welcome Reception.
Your Experience Continues Throughout Symposium
The Next Leader Experience extends well beyond Sunday. Throughout the conference, participants will receive access to exclusive networking opportunities with members of the Senior Leader Experience community and a VIP experience signing with keynote speaker Priya Parker, including a gifted copy of her new book The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict. These unique touchpoints are designed to deepen relationships, provide mentorship opportunities and create meaningful connections with leaders across higher education marketing.