MBA CSEA 2017 Global Conference
 
Program Details
View a low resolution version of our printed program, which will be provided on-site.

Bridge Building Sessions
Wednesday, June 28 | 9:15 - 10:45 am

As we head into what will be a fantastic week of professional development, networking and idea sharing, we will kick off the conference with our "Bridge Building Sessions" Similar to our Take Off Sessions last year, Building Bridges allows for those conference attendees who share similar roles at their university or company to connect and share ideas, ask questions and share information in a session of like-minded colleagues. We hope these sessions will in fact build a bridge into a fantastic MBA CSEA 2017 conference.

Spotlight Speaker Series
Wednesday, June 28 | 11:15 am - 12:15 pm
and Breakout Session 1, Wednesday, June 28 | 1:45 - 3:00 pm
Click here for a full list of all conference breakout sessions.

Featuring three dynamic experts who bring their inspirational stories to MBA CSEA in TED-style talks, followed by in-depth topical breakout sessions to connect on a deeper level.

Elizabeth Merrick

Head of Customer Insight and Product Analytics at Nest
“Finding Inspiration Outside of Your Wheelhouse”

Finding inspiration! Companies and people so often wear competitor goggles, where they only look for innovation and inspiration from those similar to themselves. However, some of the most brilliant ideas come when you build a bridge to seek inspiration in new places. Yes, there are some gimmicky mashups like a cronut or a snuggie, but some of the most meaningful innovation comes from these unlikely bridges. One example is how high fashion bridges with chemistry to make sustainable but incredibly fashionable clothes made out of algae. Elizabeth is the Head of Customer Insight and Product Analytics at Nest, an Alphabet company focused on smart home innovation, leading a team of world-class analysts focused on global product development, customer experience, and customer value. Elizabeth holds an MBA from the University of Florida and is finishing an M.S. in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University.

Speaker bio:
Elizabeth Merrick leads a team of world-class analysts focused on global product development, customer experience, and customer value. Previously, Elizabeth was the Senior Manager of Customer Insights and CRM at omnichannel retailer, HSN, where she pioneered a number of new methodologies and approaches for insight-based marketing. Elizabeth holds an MBA from the University of Florida and is finishing an M.S. in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University.

Nikita T. Mitchell
Senior Manager at Cisco and Advocate for Women in Business
"Discovering Your Truth: How to Connect the Dots in Your Life"

In pursuit of success, it's easy to lose sight of the journey. Sometimes it's not until we hit a roadblock that we find ourselves able to pause and reflect. Nikita shares how she's learning to connect the dots in her own ambitious pursuit of success and provides insights into how you too can learn from your professional journey. Nikita is a Senior Manager at Cisco where she strategizes and plans initiatives for the company’s $20B Americas Sales organization. Her career spans experiences at Deloitte Consulting and as a ProInspire Fellow in the nonprofit sector. Nikita earned her MBA from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business where she was the MBA Association’s first black female president, a leader for the Haas Gender Equity Initiative, and a Principal for the $2.5M Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund.

Speaker bio:

Nikita T. Mitchell is a Senior Manager at Cisco where she strategizes and plans initiatives for the company’s $20B Americas Sales organization. Her career spans experiences at Deloitte Consulting where she gained a reputation for driving executive-level conversations for long-term strategic planning, and as a ProInspire Fellow in the nonprofit sector. Nikita earned her MBA from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business where she was the MBA Association’s first Black female president, a leader for the Haas Gender Equity Initiative, and a Principal for the $2.5M Haas Socially Responsible Investment Fund. She received her BBA from Howard University. Currently, you can find Nikita serving on the board for Watermark and serving as the Oakland City Chair for Walker’s Legacy: A Women in Business Collective (when she is not catching up on a good novel or training for a half-marathon). Read more at nikitatmitchell.com.

Scott Hammerle
Author, Public Speaker and Executive Leader
“Building a Legacy of Connection and Inspiration”

Scott showcases how Walt Disney created connections with guests in the park, how Scott’s father made connections in a short life, and how attendees can learn to build a legacy through everyday activity by learning from both of them. Scott Hammerle is an accomplished, 5-star rated speaker with twenty years of experience and author of the leadership book "Lessons from the Castle." Scott’s 10-year career with Walt Disney World began as Prince Charming, where he interacted with hundreds of thousands of people in a way that few will ever get to do. Scott was selected by the President of Walt Disney World as a member of their Ambassador team where he traveled the country and spoke on behalf of Disney in person and on television and radio. Scott is now a top-rated executive for a Fortune 500 hospitality company.

Speaker bio:
Scott Hammerle is an accomplished, 5-star rated speaker with twenty years of experience and author of the leadership book "Lessons from the Castle". Scott’s 10-year career with Walt Disney World began as Prince Charming, where he interacted with hundreds of thousands of people in a way that few will ever get to do. He was also selected by the President of Walt Disney World as a member of their Ambassador team where he traveled the country and spoke on behalf of the Disney brand in person and on television and radio.

Scott is now a top-rated executive for a Fortune 500 hospitality company. Scott blends the engaging stories of his days as a Theme Park Prince with personal examples of how we can apply what Disney does successfully in our own lives.


Breakout Session 2: Innovation Speaker Series
Wednesday, June 28 | 3:45 - 5:00 pm
Click here for a full list of all conference breakout sessions.

New to the Conference this year is our Innovation Speaker Series. In this session will have  thought-provoking breakout sessions led by experts in a variety of fields presenting on the following topics:

  • How to Equip Leaders for the Machine Age
    Shannon Hall, Ph.D., Founder and Coach, Epic Teams
    How do you prepare students for a stable career when lifetime employee contracts are a thing of the past? How do you thoughtfully guide them, knowing that the emerging Machine Age is altering the workplace landscape as we know it? In this talk, we’ll discuss the influence of two key trends, the Tour of Duty and the Age of AI. We’ll discuss the top 10 management skills leaders need to succeed in the near-term world of flexible employment and
    AI “co-workers.”
  • Foster an Innovative, Collaborative Environment through Mindfulness
    Peter Weng, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute
    Developed at Google and backed by science, Search Inside Yourself (SIY) teaches how the skills of mindfulness are a win-win for business by building emotional intelligence and cultivating wellbeing. Mindfulness can help in our day-to-day jobs, helping us navigate challenge with more ease, helping build connections with others, and opening the space for innovation and creativity. Developed by some of the world’s leading neuroscientists and mindfulness teachers, SIY has now been taught to more than 20,000 people in more than 100 cities around the world. In our hyper-connected, always-on world, SIY takes a unique approach: helping people learn to live more skillfully by developing attention
    inward. Greater self-awareness forms the foundation for emotional intelligence.
  • Impact Measurement and Storytelling with Data
    Lauren Shaughnessey, Director of Measurement and Learning, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco
    Most non-profits acknowledge the importance of collecting data to communicate their results, but how often does this data move beyond the outputs you can count to actually demonstrating outcomes? How does an organization move from individual anecdotes to programmatic impact? During this session you’ll hear a case study on how Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco has invested deeply in data measurement to better demonstrate the organization’s impact and the lessons learned along the way. Audience participants will have the opportunity to work in small groups to think how to apply these lessons to their own organization.
  • The What, Why and How of Creating a Thriving Culture
    Rebecca Rodskog, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, FutureLeaderNow
    During her session, Rebecca will take a deep dive into the “what,” why” and “how to” on cultivating an organizational culture where your people can thrive. Pulling from her extensive exposure and experience working with organizations innovating in the workplace such as Google, Airbnb, Donorschoose.org, Whole Foods and more, Rebecca will not only create the burning platform for why this is important, but also give you the inspiration and actions needed to move forward.
  • The Art of Leading Through Change
    Annemarie Estess, 20 Rock, Co-Founder, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, ACC; Kathi Antonson, 20 Rock, Partner, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
    Innovation is, in essence, igniting change with purpose. And change for human beings can be both as exciting and productive as it is disorienting. In this interactive workshop, we will explore a model that outlines the predictable pattern of change. Together we will uncover common pitfalls and peaks of the change cycle, and discuss how making conscious choices at those turbulent stages can help us sustain creative progress in our work.
  • How can Design Thinking help you redesign a better recruitment or counselling experience?
    Helene Cahen
    Innovation Consultant, Trainer Facilitator and Coach; Julia Kramer, Innovation Consultant, Graduate Student Researcher
    In this experiential and iterative workshop, participants will learn the basic principles of design thinking and apply them to the MBA recruitment and counseling experience. They will learn a human-centered, prototype-driven approach and will leave the session with an increased understanding of how to combine empathy, creativity, and rationality to meet user needs, creating successful solutions and innovative new services and experiences.


Breakfast Plenary Speaker
Thursday, June 29 | 8 - 9 am

Candice Nguyen Hamant, de la Peña & Holiday LLP
Politics and Impact on Recruitment among International Students
The political climate has impacted the manner in which many (domestic and global?) employers are recruiting and hiring new talent. As a result, employers may need to adjust their processes. And, students should be aware of and how to manage the hiring practices of diverse employers. Since MBA Career Centers work with students, we need to be aware so we may be better equipped to discuss the concerns of employers and students.


Keynote Speaker
Thursday, June 29 | 9 - 10 am

Erik Qualman

The Power of Focus
What’s the difference between winners and losers in a digitally distracted society? Focus. Winners focus on what matters most. While simple, it’s not easy. The #1 killer of promising careers, teams and businesses is a lack of focus. We either try to do too much, or we put our time, treasures and trust into the wrong buckets. Qualman will share specific focus techniques used by the world’s most successful people and organizations.

Speaker Bio
#1 Best Selling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in 47 countries and reached 25 million people this decade.


His Socialnomics work has been on 60 Minutes to the Wall Street Journal and used by the National Guard to NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.

What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and his books are used in over 200 of the world’s top universities.

His latest book, How to Sell on LinkedIn, is becoming mandatory reading for sales teams. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs.

Breakout Session 3: Gateway Sessions
Thursday, June 29 | 10:30 - 11:45 am
Click here for a full list of all conference breakout sessions.

This session will feature facilitated discussions specific to topical areas of interest, including:
  • Specialized Masters Programs
  • Part-time MBA Programs
  • Employers
  • International Students
  • Advanced Practitioners
  • New Practitioners

Breakout Sessions 4 and 5: Peer-led Programs
Thursday, June 29 | 1:45 - 3:00 pm and 3:45 - 5:00 pm
Click here for a full list of all conference breakout sessions.

These sessions will include traditional breakout sessions, led by our school and employer members. Learn and share best practices on topics such as:

  • Coaching Frameworks and Resources For Working With Social & Environmental Impact-Focused MBAs
  • Cultural Confluence: Three best practices for all intercultural recruiting stakeholders
  • The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Process – How to Enhance MBA Student Employment Effectiveness
  • Building a Global Employer Engagement Strategy