A four-part virtual series aimed at improving your nonprofit board and management
Date: Thursdays, October 2021 | Virtual
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Dates and Times:
November 2, 2021 | 10am - 6pm
November 3, 2021 | 10am - 6pm
November 4, 2021 | 10am - 4:30pm

Date: November 18, 2021
Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Leadership diversity is a high-profile issue for companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 500 organizations. Current events, ESG priorities, and developing disclosure requirements from federal and state regulators, venture capital funds, and institutional investors push early-stage and established ventures and corporations to rethink diversity and inclusion within their governance structures. This issue is becoming more salient as at least ten publicly traded companies have been sued in shareholder derivative lawsuits alleging that corporate boards breached their fiduciary duties by failing to ensure diversity and inclusion in the boardroom. Despite substantial research establishing the social and economic benefits of diverse boards, changing the face of corporate governance remains difficult for many companies.

This virtual program will focus on three areas:
- The Evolving Landscape of Board Diversity
- The Benefits of Board Diversity and Ethical Considerations
- Practical Steps to Eliminate Bias and Implement Meaningful Change

Program participants include:

Moderator: Dr. Ellen Burts-Cooper, Senior Managing Partner, Improve Consulting and Training Group

Panelists:
- Todd Federman, Managing Director, North Coast Ventures
- Pamela Gibbs, Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion
- Eric Douglas Keene, Managing Director, RSR Partners and Founder, Keene Advisory Group
- Kimberly Reed, Managing Director of Talent at Blue Point Capital Partners
- Richik Sarkar, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

A cohort of up to 35 Fellows will engage in a powerful series of virtual convenings led by some of the most influential artists, academicians and thinkers of today. Keynotes by resilience researcher Dr. Angela Duckworth and leadership expert Simon Sinek will inspire, and program faculty – including university presidents, music school deans and teaching artists from institutions ranging from The Juilliard School to the University of Richmond to the Heifetz Institute – will blend practical advice, skill building and creativity. (Learn more about the speakers and faculty.) The program concludes with an in-person convening coinciding with SphinxConnect in January 2022.

Through purposeful curriculum and personalized mentorship, Fellows will gain a competitive edge in the complex world of academia.

Focus Areas and Key Dates
· The Academic Job Market: June 25-27
· Navigating the Search Process: July 30-August 1
· Effective Teaching: August 27-29
· The Politics of Academia: October 22-24
· Peak Performance and Influencing at All Levels: December 3-5
· Putting it All Together (in person at SphinxConnect): January 27 - 29, 2022

A Community of Future Faculty Leaders

The Fellowship is open to Black and Latinx music professionals by competitive application. Candidates should aspire to a career in academia, or may already be pursuing a career in an adjunct or junior faculty position. The fellowship is offered at no cost to participants, and Black and Latinx musicians and scholars from across disciplines and genres – from classical to jazz, from performance to pedagogy – are eligible to apply.

The cohort of exceptional future faculty leaders will learn and grow together, gaining the skills, insights and networks to flourish professionally and influence generations of musicians.

Applications are due May 1, 2021.

A Conversation on Employee Well-being
Date: March 4, 2021

Developing High-Performance Teams

Managing and Leading Planned and Unplanned Change

5 Critical Elements to Building Workplace Trust

Addressing 7 Factors that Help Manage Workplace Stress