Annual Conference

Connected for Change: Bridging People, Purpose, and Progress

July 15-17, Pittsburgh

“Connected for Change: Bridging People, Purpose, and Progress” is designed for change leaders across higher education, recognizing that effective change is not optional; it is essential.

Attendees will learn frameworks for leading large-scale transformation, tools for overcoming resistance and strengthening stakeholder buy-in, strategies for fostering cross-functional collaboration, and networking opportunities with peers committed to innovation and growth.

Registration
Schedule
sessions
travel

Registration

The 2026 Annual Conference offers valuable professional development. Included in your registration fee:

  • Six educational session blocks
  • Three all-conference sessions
  • Structured opportunities to network with professionals across academic and administrative functions

Full conference registration will include an opening reception, lunch during the business meeting, and breakfast on both Thursday and Friday.
The cancellation policy for this event is available here.

Register NOw
Early (through May 14)
  • Member: $895
  • Nonmember: $1,095
Regular (May 15–July 1)
  • Member: $995
  • Nonmember: $1,195
Late (After July 1)
  • Member: $1,100
  • Nonmember: $1,300

The cancellation and media release policies for this event, agreed upon at the time of registration, are available HERE.

Keynotes

Dwayne Pinkney, Wednesday, July 15, Opening Session

Dwayne Pinkney is the University of Pittsburgh’s executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer. He advises the chancellor on financial strategy and oversees core administrative operations, leading 1,400 staff who support the University’s mission and strategic plan (the Plan for Pitt 2028). Pinkney brings extensive experience in higher education finance and administration, including leadership roles at Indiana University, Virginia Tech, and UNC–Chapel Hill. His early career included stints with the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, and later with the University of North Carolina System Office.

He serves on the boards of the UPMC Health Plan and Fred Rogers Productions, Inc. and on the NCAA Finance and Audit Committee’s Investment Subcommittee. Pinkney holds an MPA from Pitt, a Ph.D. in political science from UNC–Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina A&T State University.

Christina Cassotis, thursday, July 16

Christina Cassotis is CEO of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, operating Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Allegheny County Airport (AGC). Over the past decade, Cassotis has led an era of transformation at PIT, redefining the role of the region’s airports from traditional transportation infrastructure to strategic assets driving innovation, economic opportunity and regional competitiveness. Under her leadership, PIT has become one of the strongest growth stories at a mid-size airport in the country, serving nearly 10 million passengers across 63 nonstop destinations in 2024.

Cassotis’s strategy is anchored in the belief that airports exist to help communities achieve their greatest potential. At PIT, that belief drove an approach built around Western Pennsylvania’s unique strengths, pairing the region’s manufacturing heritage, energy resources, world-class universities and vibrant tech and healthcare industries with the airport’s capabilities to create competitive advantages and deliver lasting value. Signature results include PIT’s new terminal, completed in November 2025 as the first U.S. terminal designed and built from the ground up post-pandemic, and the world’s first airport microgrid, ensuring uninterrupted operations at zero cost to taxpayers.

During Cassotis’s tenure, PIT was named Air Transport World’s Airport of the Year. Cassotis was named 2024 Pittsburgher of the Year by Pittsburgh Magazine and was the first person to be named Director of the Year for medium airports by Airport Experience News (AXN) twice, in 2017 and 2025. The daughter of a pilot, Cassotis holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and began her career at the Massachusetts Port Authority, operator of Boston Logan International Airport.

Daryl Weinert, Friday, July 17

As vice president for operations, Daryl Weinert oversees multiple university units focused on facilities, infrastructure, and risk management. Under his leadership, the division and its partners work together to support our campus community and foster an exemplary learning and working environment.

Weinert arrived at Carnegie Mellon in 2018, initially serving as chief of staff and vice president for strategic initiatives. In these roles, he was an advisor to the president, helping to implement the university’s priorities and goals in close collaboration with senior university leadership and external stakeholders. He facilitated, coordinated, and when appropriate, provided leadership for a broad set of university-wide initiatives, with a focus on those cutting across multiple administrative and academic units.

During the pandemic emergency, Weinert guided CMU’s response, serving as COVID coordinator from 2020–22. He also served as the interim vice president for research from 2021–23, overseeing the Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation, Center for Business Engagement, Government Relations, Research Operations and the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship.

He received a B.S. in industrial and operations engineering and a B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan in 1986. In addition to his CMU duties, Weinert currently serves as a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Daryl Weinert

Schedule

The schedule below is a tentative overview of the full conference. You may view accepted educational sessions online now.

Wednesday, July 15  
  • 7:30–6 p.m. – Registration Open  
  • 8 a.m.–Noon – Preconferences* 
  • 12:15–1:15 p.m. – First-Time
    Attendee Welcome
  • 1:30–2:15 p.m. – All Conference Session
  • 3:10–5:10 p.m. – Educational Session
    Block 1 (two-hour workshops) 
  • 5:30–6:30 p.m. – Opening Reception 
  • 7–8:30 p.m. – Table Talk Group Dinners
Thursday, July 16 
  • 8 a.m.–Noon – Registration Open  
  • 8:30–9:15 a.m. – Continental Breakfast  and
    Affinity Group Meetings  
  • 9:30–10:20 a.m. – Educational Session
    Block 2 (50-minute session) 
  • 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Educational Session Block 3 (75-minute session)
  • Noon–2 p.m. – Lunch/Business Meeting
    and Keynote  
  • 2:15–3 p.m. – Poster Session/Networking 
  • 3:10–4 p.m. – Educational Session Block 4 
    (50-minute session)  
  • 4:10–5 p.m. – Educational Session Block 5 
    (50-minute session)  
  • 6–8 p.m. – Optional Group Dinners 
Friday, July 17    
  • 8:30–10 a.m. – Buffet Breakfast and
    All-Conference Session
  • 10:15–11:30 a.m. – Educational Session
    Block 6 (75-minute session)  

Additional Schedule Information

  • From Prompt to Practice: Building A Personal AI Assistant in Real Time
  • Practical Process Improvement: A Comprehensive Crash Course
  • New to Higher Ed: Gathering is meant for those who have been in higher education for less than two years; discussion centered on unique challenges experienced while building a network of professionals in a similar season.
  • New to Your Role: Join others who have been in their role less than a year but are not necessarily new to higher education. Share what you’ve learned as you’ve navigated a move into fields such as change management, continuous improvement, or strategic planning.
  • Change Management Professionals: Engage and collaborate with other change management professionals to exchange best practices and share ideas and insights that are unique to change management in higher ed.
  • NCCI Private Schools: Take the opportunity to join other NCCI members for a thoughtful discussion of the unique challenges faced by private institutions in the evolving higher ed landscape.
  • Facilitators of Strategic Planning: Engage in a collaborative discussion on facilitating effective strategic planning within higher education organizations. Share and gather best practices, lessons learned, and guiding advice to navigate the complexities of aligning goals, fostering collaboration, and driving outcomes.
  • NCCI Community Colleges: Join an NCCI community college-focused discussion for sharing strategies and best practices for improving student retention, supporting diverse student populations, and enhancing successful transfer pathways.
  • Preparing for a New Administration: Join this dynamic conversation on preparing your organization to successfully adapt to and collaborate with a new administration at your institution. Share your insights and best practices that can be considered to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Navigating DEIB in 2026: The evolving environment presents challenges and opportunities – share with others how your institution is navigating these changes.

Travel

Hotel

The Omni William Penn will be the host for meetings and accommodations in Pittsburgh. Make your reservations now to take advantage of the discounted NCCI rate of $229!

The last day to take advantage of this rate is Friday, June 12, 2026.

RESERVE HOTEL
Airport

The Pittsburgh International Airport is the closest airport to the conference venue, located just under 20 miles away. For more resources to plan your trip, check out these resources from Visit Pittsburgh.