Connect with us at the 2025 Association for Collaborative Leadership (ACL) Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Be sure to stop by our presentation:

Building the Bench: Consortial Models for Leadership Development

As the pressures and pace of higher education as a sector continue to increase, leaders on campuses across the country need opportunities to expand their strategic capacity and their personal resilience. This session will explore various models for consortial leadership development programs, examining purpose, program structures, funding models, content focus, and cohort recruitment strategy.

Your Attendees.Your Attendees.

  • Emma Jones EVP, Leadership
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    Persona The Entertaining and Influential Producer


    With more than 20 years of experience working with colleges, universities, and associations, Emma designs unique leadership experiences underpinned by her strengths in strategy and storytelling. Emma guides national partnerships to build higher education leadership benches for the future, supporting and developing presidents and senior-level leaders across the sector. She is an advocate for empowering women and gender-diverse leaders and for changing the prevailing narratives about higher education by inspiring innovation.

    Emma Jones


    With more than 20 years of experience working with colleges, universities, and associations, Emma designs unique leadership experiences underpinned by her strengths in strategy and storytelling. Emma guides national partnerships to build higher education leadership benches for the future, supporting and developing presidents and senior-level leaders across the sector. She is an advocate for empowering women and gender-diverse leaders and for changing the prevailing narratives about higher education by inspiring innovation.

  • Matt Gerien SVP, Strategic Communications
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    Persona The Sophisticated and Confident Captain

    Matt Gerien, Senior Vice President at Carnegie, is an experienced communication leader who works to enhance clients’ brand reputation through cohesive and human-centered communications. From campus to Capitol Hill, Matt has advised college and university presidents and senior leaders on strategic and crisis communications matters. Before joining Carnegie, he served as chief communications officer at Rhodes College. Matt also spent a decade as a television journalist covering local and national news. He began his communications career as a congressional press secretary.

    Matt Gerien

    Matt Gerien, Senior Vice President at Carnegie, is an experienced communication leader who works to enhance clients’ brand reputation through cohesive and human-centered communications. From campus to Capitol Hill, Matt has advised college and university presidents and senior leaders on strategic and crisis communications matters. Before joining Carnegie, he served as chief communications officer at Rhodes College. Matt also spent a decade as a television journalist covering local and national news. He began his communications career as a congressional press secretary.