Leadership and Change Management

Building Bridges, Not Silos: How Strong Campus Partnerships Impact IT Success

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 01:15:33 +0000

Building Bridges, Not Silos: How Strong Campus Partnerships Impact IT Success Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 18:15

This presentation explores how strong campus partnerships influence IT and change management success. Attendees will learn practical ways to build and nurture campus partnerships, get insights on how to effectively leverage relationships with key campus partners to achieve outcomes, and have the opportunity to apply their learnings within the session.

Hapy Ting

Communication Specialist at UC Riverside

Hapy Ting is a seasoned communications professional with a background in content writing, digital marketing, and social media community management. She joined UCR ITS as a Communication Specialist, focusing on IT project communications and change management. She recently earned the distinction of being a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner.

Prior to joining UCR ITS, she was the social media community manager of well-known consumer brands in the Philippines, including Pizza Hut and KFC. She also spent time as a content writer for digital and content marketing agencies, and as a Program Manager for Microsoft Education APAC. Hapy is passionate about connecting with people, with a penchant for building relationships over a cup of coffee.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

The proposed session promotes building collaborative partnerships across departments.

June 27, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 27, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

MR 10

Global Process Owner Model, How to prevent projects from failing

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 23:44:16 +0000

Global Process Owner Model, How to prevent projects from failing Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 16:44 More than 70% of business technology projects fail due to poor business requirements from functional stakeholders. One way of reversing this trend is empowering Global Process Owners (GPOs) to help prevent failures. As organizations transition business processes to Oracle Cloud and other SaaS solutions, true transformation requires more than just implementing the latest technology or relying on external system integrators. Achieving lasting success depends on strong business engagement and ownership, with functional experts serving as GPOs and working alongside our IT teams. In today’s evolving landscape—where efficiency and measurable ROI are critical—IT and business leaders must establish a governance model that drives continuous finance transformation. This session will explore how to build a governance framework that enables better decision-making with fewer decision-makers, stronger stakeholder engagement with fewer meetings, and ultimately, higher project success rates.

Christina Fischer

Senior Projects Systems Manager at UC San Francisco

Christina Fischer is a project manager in the Controller’s Office at UCSF, where she is leading the implementation of a global process owner governance model to support the department’s transition to Oracle Cloud. Prior to joining UCSF, Christina spent over 20 years at Oracle Corporation, where she implemented and supported Oracle Financials. During her tenure, she successfully developed and led Global Process Owner models that fostered effective joint ownership of business- and IT-led initiatives. Christina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Emory University.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

My topic involves building virtual teams in a methodical way so they can plan for organizational changes that will result from moving to Oracle Cloud of any large SaaS service. Leadership MUST buy into a GPO Model, or the whole thing will fail.

June 27, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 27, 2025 @ 11:30 am

MR 7

How To Launch an Overdue Project With High Expectations and High Visibility

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 22:55:33 +0000

How To Launch an Overdue Project With High Expectations and High Visibility Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 15:55

The panel will explore the challenges and complexity of launching a new website to modernize the platform for an organization after years of delays and changing requirements. Featuring multiple presenters, we will share how University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources migrated from a homegrown content management system to Drupal, addressed stakeholder expectations, managed promises, and delivered foundational products to over employees, academics, and volunteers. Attendees will gain insights into navigating leadership and change management, as well as strategies for coordinating with stakeholders to address concerns and standing up a new governance council to guide future decisions. The goal of this panel is to share lessons learned to inform decision-making and avoid the pitfalls of the existing platform. One presenter will act as a moderator to facilitate and help guide the flow of the panel.

Scott Leaf

Project Manager at Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Scott Leaf is a Project Manager at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources with experience managing enterprise-wide implementations. Known for stepping into projects midstream and driving them to completion, Scott Leaf more recently has delivered ServiceNow for HR and IT as well as a major website replacement initiative. Scott begun his UC career supporting the UCPath project, which included launching the UC ANR business unit. This foundational work gave him a strong understanding of UC ANR's business and technical landscape—insight he continues to apply to current and future projects.

Jaki Hsieh Wojan

Interim CIO and CISO at Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Jaki Hsieh Wojan is the Deputy Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. With extensive experience in information security and IT leadership, Jaki Hsieh Wojan oversees cybersecurity strategy and risk management at UC ANR. In her dual role, she drives initiatives that ANR's digital landscape while aligning security priorities with broader technology goals. Jaki Hsieh Wojan is passionate about her role and finds purpose in the dynamic challenges and opportunities that come with leading information security and IT strategy.

Kit Alviz

Program Policy Analyst at Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Kit Alviz is a Program Policy Analyst specializing in evaluation capacity building, including providing trainings and technical assistance in program evaluation and applied research methods, with the goal of improving educational programs and communicating their public value. My favorite part of my job is implementing participatory evaluation projects. I manage organizational reporting and monitoring efforts, including a homegrown information system.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

This session would focus on the complexities of launching a new website to modernize the platform for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources after years of delays and changing requirements and resources. It emphasizes the importance of effective leadership and change management in navigating stakeholder expectations, managing promises, and delivering a foundational product.

June 26, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 4:45 pm

RC A

Using Data to Craft a Compelling Story

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:54:28 +0000

Using Data to Craft a Compelling Story Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 14:54 When you are trying to craft a narrative, tell a story to help someone see a certain point of view, or simply trying to influence someone to go along with your proposal, using data can help your audience see your point. How you present that data is important to help your message stand out. This session will cover tips for putting together your story whether it is delivered via email, a presentation, a written report, or even informally in an elevator pitch.

Michelle Hardwick

Chief Data Officer at UC Riverside

Michelle Hardwick is the Chief Data Officer for UCR. Her primary goal is to create intuitive and insightful data products that drive data-informed decisions and boost data literacy across the campus. With over 20 years of experience in data, Michelle has overseen multiple implementations of data warehouses, BI, analytics, and machine learning across many industries. She is passionate about improving storytelling with data and effective data visualizations. Michelle has a BS in Computer Science from Winona State University and an MBA from Utah State University.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

This session is about how to start the conversation in proposing a change.

June 26, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 3:45 pm

RC A

Tech LDP: A Decade of Inspiration and Innovation

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:40:41 +0000

Tech LDP: A Decade of Inspiration and Innovation Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 14:40 Our campus established a technology leadership development program in 2015, combining classroom learning with leadership lessons and one-to-one mentorship. Over the past decade, we have graduated five cohorts and are completing our sixth. We have collaborated with our leadership to enhance the program's relevance and inclusivity, and we have adapted it to be more responsive to the evolving world. The audience will learn how to initiate a program, secure leadership support, ensure inclusivity and relevance for participants, and sustain the program with an all-volunteer team. We will share our innovations and strategies and discuss how we've evaluated and improved the program year over year.

Armanda Edwards-Newman

Technical Project Manager at UC San Francisco

Armanda Edwards-Newman is a Technical Project Manager at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she leads transformative technology initiatives that drive operational efficiency and innovation across the healthcare enterprise. With over 15 years at UCSF and over two decades in IT and project leadership, Armanda is recognized for her ability to guide complex, cross-functional projects from strategy through execution, all while building trust, inclusion, and shared momentum. A longtime advocate for professional development and inclusive leadership, Armanda brings both technical expertise and a people-centered approach to her work. She holds certifications in project management, mentorship, and anti-racism dialogue, and is passionate about lifting others as she climbs.

Erik Wieland

Customer Success & Solutions Architect at UC San Francisco

I've been at UCSF for 27 years, and in that time, I've been a help-desk and field tech, a web developer, a sys-admin, an operations lead, a departmental IT director, a customer engagement manager, a solutions architect, an application manager, a product manager, and an associate director. I have moved from individual contributor to senior leadership and back – twice. I love data and process. I founded a successful tech leadership development program. My favorite title is mentor.

Brett Gerstenberger

MuleSoft Supervisor at UC San Francisco

Brett Gerstenberger is the MuleSoft Supervisor at UCSF, where he leads the MuleSoft team in expanding the platform’s usage, enhancing integrations, and supporting enterprise-level projects. With a BA in English Literature and 25 years of diverse technical experience, Brett is a co-chair of the UCSF Tech Leadership Development Program. Throughout his career, he has run computer labs, supported classroom technology, led IT Help desks, and served as a system administrator, technical architect, and solution engineer. Known for his unbridled optimism, sharp wit, unending imagination, and superior baking skills, Brett brings a unique and engaging perspective to the tech community.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

This talk could fall under Leadership and Change Management (seems like the best fit) or Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Digital Age.

June 26, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 26, 2025 @ 11:30 am

RC D

There and Back Again: A Manager's/Individual Contributor's Tale

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:46:11 +0000

There and Back Again: A Manager's/Individual Contributor's Tale Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 13:46 Every technology professional faces a choice at some point in their career: To move up, should I pursue a people manager role? If I don't, does that limit my career growth? I have moved from senior management "back" to individual contributor twice in my career. People management and individual contributor roles have pros and cons, and the same person can succeed in both, but what matters is whether you feel satisfied in the role. I will discuss the differences between leadership and management roles, share my tips for people considering people management, and help you determine what matters to you and how to act on this knowledge. I'll also talk about why I'm happy, 27 years into my UC career, that I'm once again an individual contributor.

Erik Wieland

Customer Success & Solutions Architect at UC San Francisco

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

I'm happy to let the planning committee pick, but my talk is about being a leader who has transitioned from individual contributor to senior management and back - twice.

June 26, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 3:45 pm

MR 10

Brewing Efficiency: Unlocking the Power of Lean Coffee for Continuous Improvement

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:13:38 +0000

Brewing Efficiency: Unlocking the Power of Lean Coffee for Continuous Improvement Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 11:13

Get ready to perk up your problem-solving skills and energize your team's collaboration! In this highly interactive and immersive session, you'll participate in a live Lean Coffee event, where you'll learn by doing and experience the thrill of tackling real challenges in a fast-paced, time-boxed environment. Inspired by the Lean philosophy, Lean Coffee is a dynamic and efficient approach for harnessing the power of collective intelligence, prioritizing what matters most, and driving meaningful conversations that lead to actionable outcomes. Audience Takeaways: 1. Participate in an interactive Lean Coffee session to experience the methodology firsthand 2. Learn how to facilitate Lean Coffee in your own organization 3. Network with like-minded professionals and share experiences and best practices 4. Supercharge your team's collaboration and continuous improvement.

Mojgan Amini

Director of Transformational Healthcare at UC San Diego Health

Mojgan Amini is an enthusiastic leader with a proven track record in driving large-scale innovation and digital transformation. She specializes in spearheading and implementing world-class solutions, collaborating with C-suite executives, and enhancing team engagement and productivity. Passionate about continuous improvement, modernizing operations and fostering a positive workplace culture, she leverages solid methods to tackle complex challenges and deliver measurable results. Mojgan has played an active leadership role at UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health for close to 20 years.

Stewart McMaken

Business Systems Analyst at UC San Diego

Stewart is a Senior Business Systems Analyst in IT Services at UC San Diego, with over 20 years of experience delivering IT software solutions across higher education institutions including UT Austin, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego. He brings a wealth of expertise in business analysis, systems implementation, and process improvement, with a focus on aligning technology with operational needs to drive organizational efficiency.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

Open to placement in appropriate session track.

June 26, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 3:45 pm

RC D

Harness the Power of Storytelling

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 17:58:13 +0000

Harness the Power of Storytelling Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/27/2025 - 10:58 For the past decade IT professionals have recognized the power of story. All IT roles, from the system administrator to the chief information officer, have been admonished to forgo the tech spec recitals, and the jargon in favor of storytelling to obtain support for critical initiatives, or demonstrate value to the rest of the organization. But what is meant by the oft-used phrase ‘tell our story’? In this session, award-winning author Faye Snowden will help answer this question and others by defining what we mean by story, and sharing narrative storytelling techniques adapted expressly for I.T. professionals. Participants will leave with practical storytelling tools that will help them deliver their message and move their audiences.

Faye Snowden

Executive Director, Technology Program Office at UC Berkeley

Faye’s entire career has been focused on the information technology field in private industry, and higher education where she has served over 23 years in technical and IT leadership roles. Her broad experience includes system administration; help desk design, implementation and leadership; infrastructure (network and telecom); project and program management; business analysis; and teaching project management at the university level. She has a master’s of English from University of California, Stanislaus, and credentials in project management, business analysis, Lean Six Sigma, and ITIL foundations. She is a fellow of the Next Leaders Fellowship program and an alum of the MOR Leaders Program.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

The world of higher education is extremely volatile in this current environment. We have to be both nimble and thoughtful when leading the organization through change. This session on storytelling will help IT professionals better communicate to stakeholders about change, obtain their support, and understand what their stakeholders need from IT in order to be successful.

June 26, 2025 @ 2:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 2:45 pm

MR 9

Asynchronized Swimming: Getting Great Performances from your Remote and Hybrid Team

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:59:01 +0000

Asynchronized Swimming: Getting Great Performances from your Remote and Hybrid Team Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/20/2025 - 10:59 In the world of hybrid and remote work, collaboration can sometimes feel like trying to perform synchronized swimming, while miles apart. In this talk, we’ll dive into the art of building trust, fostering knowledge-sharing, and aligning teams in a digital environment. Just like synchronized swimmers, remote teams rely on coordination, communication, and routine to stay afloat. We’ll explore how to keep your team performing great stunts, even when working from different time zones or behind different screens. From your deckwork to lifts, this talk will offer practical strategies and tips to help your team perform seamlessly—without losing their breath. Get ready to embrace the waves of remote life and learn how to build a collaborative, high-performing team that moves as one!

Jessica Hilt

Manager of Awesome at UC San Francisco

Jessica Hilt is the boss of Developer Experience at UCSF, which is a fancy way of saying she helps engineers love their work, their tools, and maybe a meeting or two (we know, it’s a stretch). With over a decade in higher ed tech, she specializes in open-source collaboration, emotional intelligence, and turning skeptics into allies—sometimes with strategic storytelling, sometimes with snacks.

She’s a longtime advocate for community development, a conference speaker, and a founding member of UCSD’s Women in Tech group. Outside of work, Jessica writes horror, teaches performance storytelling, and yes—performs synchronized swimming routines, preferably with dramatic flair and glitter.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Intermediate

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

This talk fits the Leadership and Change Management track as it addresses key challenges in managing remote and hybrid teams. It focuses on building trust, fostering communication, and aligning teams in a digital environment, which are essential leadership skills for navigating change. By offering practical strategies for improving coordination and performance, the session equips leaders with tools to drive successful team outcomes, enhance productivity, and manage organizational shifts in the evolving work landscape.

June 26, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - June 26, 2025 @ 1:45 pm

RC F

Cultivating Sustainable Agile Adoption: People, Process, and Productive Failures

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 21:36:48 +0000

Cultivating Sustainable Agile Adoption: People, Process, and Productive Failures Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/14/2025 - 14:36 Agile success demands more than tools; it requires a people-centric approach. This interactive session delves into a strategy prioritizing comprehensive training, active stakeholder engagement, and dedicated change leadership to cultivate a thriving Agile culture. We'll demonstrate the efficacy of an "opt-in" model, over forced implementations. This approach, rooted in understanding team needs and building trust, fosters organic adoption through incremental wins and demonstrable value. Learn to transform Agile failures into growth opportunities by leveraging Agile Centers of Excellence, office hours, and dedicated communication channels for knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving. We'll focus on key strategies: people-centered transformation, shifting from process-driven to people-focused; opt-in Agile adoption, emphasizing tailored, experimental strategies; learning from failures, building a culture of growth; and iterative progress, prioritizing gradual improvement.

Rehan Tahir

Associate Director - Portfolio Management Office at UC Riverside

With over 15 years of experience in project and program management, I am currently the Associate Director of the Portfolio Management Office at the University of California, Riverside. In this role, I oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of strategic and operational projects in the ITS portfolio. I have a strong background in managing complex and cross-functional projects in the education sector, using agile, software, and process improvement methodologies. I hold multiple certifications, such as PMP, ITIL, and Six Sigma. My mission is to enhance the quality and efficiency of the university's services and systems, and to support the academic and administrative goals of the institution. I am passionate about learning, innovation, and collaboration, and I bring diverse perspectives and experiences.

Patrick Wagman

Associate Director, Portfolio Management Office at UC Riverside

Patrick Wagman, PMP, A-CSM, is an Associate Director in the Portfolio Management Office for Information Technology Solutions at the University of California, Riverside. He is responsible for managing and mentoring a team of IT project managers and a business analyst supporting a variety of IT projects and programs across the ITS Portfolio. He helps develop business analysis, project, program, and portfolio processes. He has over twenty years of experience in management and leadership, quality assurance of personnel and programs, information systems, project management, business process analysis and adult education. He has presented at past UCTECH, EDUCAUSE, and EDUCAUSE Connect events. He has 15+ years instructor and meeting facilitation experience, including certification as a "People Skills" facilitator.

Session Format

Standard Presentation

Session Skill Level

Beginner

Session Status

Accepted

Session Track

Leadership and Change Management

Session Track Reasoning

We heavily emphasize the people side of Agile transformation, which is fundamentally a change management process. We discuss strategies for fostering a culture of change, addressing resistance, and empowering teams, all core aspects of leadership and change management.

June 26, 2025 @ 10:45 am - June 26, 2025 @ 11:30 am

MR 9