In today’s rapidly shifting higher education landscape, long-term success depends on leadership that understands how to adapt quickly. Drawing from her Win-Win Workplace Framework and her New York Times bestselling book, Dr. Angela Jackson will share strategies for building agile leadership teams that thrive in complexity. Explore how to activate frontline leaders, strengthen decision-making, and create leadership models that adapt quickly to change.

A live question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. 

Learning Objective: Apply strategies for building agile leadership teams, empowering frontline leaders, and strengthening decision-making to effectively navigate complexity and drive institutional adaptability. 

This webinar is a part of the Talent Management and Professional Intelligence learning domains within the NACUFS Body of Knowledge.

Foodservice in higher education is always growing and changing to meet the needs of our students. Construction and renovation are a big piece of this change.  In this webinar, we will look at the different stages of projects from design to schematics, along with who to involve as stakeholders, as well as the financial impact of the project.

Geared towards Dining Directors, Auxiliary Directors, Associate Directors, Operations Managers, and anyone involved in capital planning (finance people, marketing, etc.), this event will include a learning session and time for Q&A.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the key stages of a construction or renovation project, from initial concept to schematic design.

• Identify essential campus and external stakeholders to involve at each phase of the project.

• Evaluate the financial considerations and budget impacts of facility updates in collegiate dining operations.

This webinar will help attendees consider their own purpose in life and how this purpose relates to their roles as leaders. It will step participants through a process by which they can craft a personalized, powerful purpose statement and relate this statement to each area of their lives. In addition, this presentation will cover how leaders can lead their teams and organizations in purpose-centered ways, such as having purpose-based discussions with their direct reports and organizing personal and professional goals around a person’s purpose. Key benefits that might result from leading with purpose include increased resilience, reduced professional burnout, greater self-awareness, and more effective goal-setting.

A live question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. 

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to create and articulate a personalized leadership purpose statement and apply strategies to enhance team resilience and align institutional goals with individual and collective purpose.

The Leading with Purpose webinar is a part of the Professional Intelligence learning domain within the NACUFS Body of Knowledge.

Higher education leaders are confronting challenges at an unprecedented pace. Beyond developing and executing data-informed strategic plans, building effective teams, and communicating across complex organizations, many now find themselves serving as crisis managers. This webinar will examine how leaders can adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape—and how data can be leveraged as a powerful tool in the process. Drawing on real examples from institutions, we’ll highlight practical ways data and information can support effective leadership in times of change.

A live question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. 

Part of the Business Administration and Professional Intelligence domains within the NACUFS Body of Knowledge.

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to identify and apply data-informed strategies to lead effectively through organizational change and crisis, leveraging real-world examples to enhance team performance, strategic planning, and cross-functional communication within higher education environments.

Executive Leadership Webinar Series 2025: Leading Through Change

Advance your leadership skills and adapt to today’s rapidly changing higher education environment.

This three-part series is designed for senior dining leaders who seek to lead with purpose, agility, and vision during times of transformation. Hear directly from thought leaders who will explore data-driven decision-making, purpose-centered leadership, and building agile, effective teams.

Part 1: Adapting to Rapidly Changing Higher Education Landscape & the Role of Data 

• Dr. Drew Allen, Associate Provost for Institutional Research & Analytics, Harvard University

Part 2: Leading with Purpose to Build Resilient Organizations

• Dr. Ryan P. Brown, Managing Director for Measurement, The Doerr Institute for New Leaders, Rice University

Part 3: The Win-Win Workplace: Creating Agile and Effective Leadership Teams 

• Dr. Angela Jackson, Best-Selling Author, Senior Adviser to the Harvard Project on Workforce, and founder of Future Forward Strategies

Gain actionable insights that connect personal growth with organizational success.

The NACUFS Financial Management Workshop is for anyone looking to advance their skills in the financial management of collegiate dining operations. It will take place on November 13–14, 2025, at Stanford University.

This workshop will allow you to take your financial management skills to the next level after completing the online  NACUFS Financial Management for Foodservice course, available on NACUFS Learn. 

• Grow your skills in person, capitalizing on opportunities for networking and in-depth sharing

• Learn how to effectively communicate your operation's financial status to your team and university administration

• Develop dining plans to maximize revenue

• Identify opportunities to increase revenue and decrease expenses

• Strategically plan for equipment replacement and renovations

• Utilize the InSights Operating Ratios Study by NACUFS to enhance your operation

• Prepare a cost/benefit analysis using data from the InSights Operating Ratios Study by NACUFS

• Create a training plan for your staff to use financial data in decision-making

• Enhance your skills in understanding and creating reports and dashboards

"Strong financial management skills are vital to the successful management of foodservice operations.  NACUFS is bringing together leaders in the industry to learn and share ideas on financial management best practices in the Financial Management Workshop. This collaborative gathering will provide the opportunity to learn financial strategies to better serve students and our universities and colleges.”  -- Rich Neumann, M.S., FMP

NACUFS 2025 Financial Management Workshop  Agenda (as of 8/26/25) 

Wednesday, November 12 

3:00pm – Optional Tour of Stanford University Dining 

5:30 – 6:30pm – Attendee Engagement Reception 

Thursday, November 13 

8:00am – Breakfast at Stanford Dining 

9:00am – 5:30pm – Financial Management Workshop (Day 1) 

Friday, November 14 

8:00am – Breakfast at Stanford Dining 

9:00am – 12:30pm – Financial Management Workshop (Day 2) 

Hotel and travel information is available on our website. Additional information will be sent as we get closer to the event date. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at education@nacufs.org.  

We look forward to having you join us at Stanford in November! 

At NACUFS' Engaging People Workshop, you'll spend two immersive days at Stanford University with your peers, gaining fresh perspectives on leadership, management, and employee retention. Whether you're an aspiring manager, new to management, or an experienced leader, the workshop offers practical tactics and valuable insights on motivation, conflict resolution, teamwork, recruitment, and more. 

This interactive course encourages collaboration among participants as you explore big-picture strategies and develop a comprehensive framework to manage your team effectively!

Unlock your full potential as a leader with these learning outcomes:

• Expand your professional network with individuals in collegiate foodservice who face similar challenges.

• Recognize how your preferred work style and the various styles within your team can serve as advantages through an informal personality profile.

• Understand the power of knowledge sharing to empower your staff, manage your time efficiently, and prioritize competing tasks effectively.

• Learn valuable tips for building professional relationships with peers, direct reports, and leaders.

• Develop confidence in handling difficult employee conversations and applying corrective actions by using attentive listening and feedback skills.

• Increase your awareness of how your communication style can influence your team, retain talent, attract new employees, and boost engagement. 

• Explore opportunities for self-reflection, practicing new skills, and developing action plans.

What are your peers saying about the workshop?

“This workshop is great for anyone who manages people, whether new in their leadership role or doing it for many years.”

“I thought that this workshop was wonderful, and I would love for more of my colleagues to take this workshop.”

“I can apply what I learned and immediately put it into execution. Most importantly, it enabled me to become and see myself as a better leader.”

“My biggest takeaway was how to show appreciation to others.”

“Jodi provided me specific direction around employee skill set development opportunities for my organization. I plan on presenting these ideas to my manager.”

“Attending the Engaging People Workshop was an eye-opening experience for me and changed my perspective on how I lead others. I plan to enroll all managers from my own team in the workshop!”

___

NACUFS 2025 Engaging People Workshop Agenda 

(as of 8/26/25) 

Tuesday, November 11 

3:00 pm – Optional Tour of Stanford University Dining 

Wednesday, November 12 

8:00 am – Breakfast at Stanford Dining 

9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Engaging People Workshop (Day 1) 

5:30 to 6:30 pm – Attendee Engagement Reception 

Thursday, November 13 

8:00 am – Breakfast at Stanford Dining 

9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Engaging People Workshop (Day 2) 

Hotel and travel information is available on our website. Additional information will be sent as we get closer to the event date. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at education@nacufs.org.  

How well-regarded is your dining program?  Who knows your incredible stories, programs, and people?  In these trying times when resources may be scarce, it is paramount that our stories be told at every level: Internally, on campus, locally, and even nationally.  It has been said that "It's not who you know, but who knows YOU!"  In this presentation, you will hear actionable ideas from across the country and best practices from leading dining programs.  You will also hear how to categorize storytelling examples based on various criteria in order to develop and deploy a comprehensive strategy.

This session will highlight the need and benefits of storytelling, explore target audiences, and help to build a strategy for your program.

This learning session is geared towards dining directors and marketing teams, and will include a live Q&A after the presentation. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Leverage storytelling to enhance your dining program’s visibility and influence.

2. Identify audience segments and craft targeted messages that resonate across different levels.

3. Create a storytelling strategy based on best practices and real-world examples.

Sponsored by Bergmeyer

This Quick Study Course covers essential tools for effectively managing budgets and forecasts. You will learn about the purpose and significance of budgeting, explore various types of budgets, and understand how they apply to daily operations and long-term planning. The short course will guide you through the components of a budget, providing practical steps to build and manage it efficiently. Additionally, you will develop skills to leverage financial history to make informed forecasts and strategic decisions.

Quick Study Courses are designed to be completed in under three hours. Once you've mastered this first topic, you may wish to complete the full Financial Management for Foodservice online course, which consists of six additional modules that focus on developing financial management skills specifically for collegiate dining. After completing all seven modules, you will be equipped to confidently handle financial planning and effectively communicate insights with stakeholders.

Have you ever wondered how your words and attitude can transform your experience working on campus? In this micro-course, inspired by Sarita Maybin's keynote presentation at NACUFS 2025 National Conference, you'll discover practical ways to foster positivity and handle challenging interactions in collegiate dining. Through engaging stories, interactive activities, and real-world examples, you'll learn how intentional communication and personal choices can uplift your team and create a welcoming atmosphere. By the end, you'll be equipped with actionable strategies to inspire positivity, respond constructively to negativity, and make a lasting impact every day.

By the end of this micro-course, you will be able to:

1. Recognize how your attitude affects the campus dining environment. 

2. Identify daily choices that create a positive tone for your team. 

3. Use constructive language to improve workplace interactions. 

4. Consider the lasting impact of your words and actions.