NELD Agenda: Chicago

Monday, July 13

• 3 p.m. Check-in available at Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 E Wacker Dr)
• 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. NELD Welcome Reception
  • Location: BIG Bar, Hyatt Regency (2nd Floor, East Tower)
  • Join us at the BIG Bar to unwind, receive your nametag, and get reacquainted with the cohort! Enjoy complimentary heavy appetizers and catch up with your peers ahead of the week's events. Drinks will be available for individual purchase.

Tuesday, July 14

• 8-9 a.m. Breakfast provided; (Hyatt: Roosevelt 3A)
• 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Hyatt: Roosevelt 1AB) Full-day session with Vanessa Lin: Energizing Leadership: Knowing Others
  • Building on the self-awareness work from Session I, this all-day session shifts focus to the interpersonal dimension of leadership. Developed with the Staley School of Leadership and Lights On Consulting, the day challenges the cohort to shift from being "experts and advisors" to using a coaching approach that co-creates solutions. Through interactive input and hands-on skill practice, attendees will master three core competencies: deep listening and mirroring, crafting powerful questions, and navigating courageous conversations. The cohort will leave with practical tools to lead teams through change, build trust, and drive alignment within their communities.
  • There will be a built in lunch break from Noon-1:30 p.m., lunch on your own.
    
• Dinner on your own (Optional evening group outing to Obama Presidential Center Campus, leaving hotel at 6pm).

Wednesday, July 15

• 8-9 a.m. Breakfast provided (Hyatt: Roosevelt 3A)
• 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Hyatt: Roosevelt 1AB) Half-day session; Energizing Leadership: Knowing Others
  • The second day with Vanessa focuses on external impact, group dynamics, and real-world application. The cohort will transition from individual coaching conversations to understanding how to scale these competencies to influence broader systems, navigate group dynamics, and integrate coaching directly into their everyday workflows. This half-day session emphasizes collaborative practice and strategic simulation to cement these leadership habits.
• 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your own.
• 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Location TBA) Cohort Team Building: The Mystery League Challenge
  • To finish the day, we will engage in a high-energy, collaborative team-building experience hosted by The Mystery League. Think of it as an escape room brought right to your table: a two-hour immersive session of puzzle-solving and strategic collaboration. Working in small teams of about six, everyone will tackle the same game simultaneously, with a live facilitator on hand to provide guidance and hints to ensure every team crosses the finish line. This challenge mimics real-world leadership scenarios under pressure. Teams must quickly organize, leverage diverse strengths, and communicate clearly to solve complex problems. True to our coaching framework, no single person has all the answers. Success requires moving away from the "expert" mindset and instead listening deeply, asking powerful questions, and co-creating solutions as a collective unit.
• Dinner will be on your own. Coordinate with the cohort to explore the food scene together!

Thursday, July 16

• 8-9 a.m. Breakfast provided (Hyatt: Roosevelt 3A)
• 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Hyatt: Roosevelt 1AB) Final Session & Next Steps: Turning Learning into Action
  • To conclude our time together, we are dedicating time to peer-led, topical roundtable conversations. This is your opportunity to dive deep into the specific challenges, innovations, and ideas that matter most to you and your institutions. Rather than choosing topics for you, we want this to be driven entirely by the cohort. Leading up to Thursday, we will gather input from all of you to determine our discussion themes. Keep an eye out for a call for topics earlier in the week, and start thinking about the Extension trends, leadership questions, or institutional hurdles you’d most like to unpack with your peers!
    
    We will synthesize our takeaways and map out concrete strategies you can immediately implement back at your home institution. We will also spend time prepping for our final in-person session in Washington, DC!