Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative

The Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative provides high-quality, low-cost training and professional development to individuals working in the state's public and nonprofit sectors. A collaboration between UConn's School of Public Policy and our Connecticut partners, the program provides a shared learning environment that strengthens ties between public sector and nonprofit professionals.

Please note, face masks are recommended in the classroom but not required.


Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Anne McIntyre-Lahner

Does Your Work Work? The Basics of Planning, Preparing, and Performing Program Evaluation

With Anne McIntyre-Lahner, Evaluation and Impact Consultant, 35-plus years of experience in state and nonprofit leadership, and author of "Stop Spinning Your Wheels: Using Results Based Accountability to Steer Your Agency to Success"

Friday, September 29, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

This workshop is designed for managers and administrators who are interested in understanding how to utilize program evaluation as part of determining whether their efforts are making an impact for their clients/constituents/customers. This full-day workshop begins with an introduction to outcome-focused planning and measurement, using the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework; and will then explore four important phases of program evaluation: planning, developing, performing, and utilizing results. Participants will gain a basic understanding of program evaluation so that they can actively participate in, or confidently support, an evaluation, in order to understand whether their work is working.

  1. Planning: the purpose of the evaluation, and whether the program is ready for evaluation
  2. Developing the evaluation: evaluation rationale and appropriate models; involving staff and stakeholders; where to find evaluation resources
  3. Performing the evaluation
  4. Messaging and using evaluation results

Jason Jakubowski

Jason Jakubowski

Sarah Croucher

Sarah Croucher

Michael Bzdyra

Michael Bzdyra

Promoting Your Mission: Effective Advocacy & Lobbying for Nonprofits and Government Agencies

With Jason Jakubowski (President & CEO, CT Foodshare), Sarah Croucher (Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, UConn), and Michael Bzdyra (Sr. Lobbyist, FOCUS Government Affairs)

Friday, October 27, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Many nonprofits want to engage in advocacy in relation to their work. Whether it is supporting or opposing the passage of state-level legislation that will make a difference to their stakeholders, engaging in budget discussions, or working at the federal – or even municipal – level for visibility or legislative advocacy. However, many questions often face nonprofits when thinking about engaging in this work, perhaps creating wariness of participating in any form of political advocacy.

This workshop is intended as a one-day introduction to provide nonprofits or public sector leaders with tools for effective non-partisan advocacy and lobbying. We will cover the difference between advocacy and lobbying, laws and other regulations that constrain particular activities, and how the three levels of government (municipal/local, state, and federal) can be approached. We will also provide information on when to register as a lobbyist, disclosures that may be required, how government entities can lobby government, and some basics related to campaign finance and gift rules. We are also planning a panel discussion with bipartisan legislators (to be confirmed) to discuss how they have engaged effectively with nonprofits and public sector leaders. Participants will leave with the tools to begin to engage in advocacy or lobbying as a nonprofit or public sector leader, with effective building blocks to be impactful in the public policy arena at the local, state, or national level.

Alyssa Goduti

Alyssa Goduti

Beverly Catchpole

Beverly Catchpole

Essential Skills for Grant-Writing & Diversified Revenue Streams

With Alyssa Goduti, UConn SPP adjunct professor and President & CEO of Ädelbrook, and Beverly Catchpole, Chief Giving Officer of CT Foodshare

Friday, November 17, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Morning Session - Essential Skills for Grant-Writing:
The success of any nonprofit or government organization is contingent on its mission, vision, governance, ability to run quality programs and most importantly on its ability to raise funds. Organizations with the knowledge, skills and expertise to seek out and successfully win grants are more likely to thrive in this increasingly competitive funding environment. This morning session will help you better understand how to identify grant opportunities and develop winning proposals.

Afternoon Session - An Overview of Diversified Revenue Streams for a Strong and Sustainable Support:
This class will provide follow up to the morning session on securing grants and explore varied revenue streams and fundraising tactics. Much like a diversified financial portfolio, diversified  revenue streams enable your organization to weather the ups and downs of internal and external factors that can suddenly reduce your funding. The healthiest organizations rely on many sources of revenue for current funding needs, sustainability of programming and even provide revenue for the future. The class will include an overview of direct marketing – both digital and direct mail appeals, corporate sponsorships, the role of events, mid-level and major individual gifts, and planned giving. We will also learn about new technology to help drive revenue and review current trends in the philanthropic landscape.

Andre Santiago

How Leadership Influences Organizational Culture

With Andre Santiago, Vice President & Chief Program Officer at Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH)

Friday, December 1, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Leaders in all sectors and at all levels face increased challenges in today’s work world: hybrid, multi-generational teams are the new normal. To create and sustain environments and team dynamics that drive innovation, synergy, and collective success, leaders need high levels of emotional intelligence – not only effective management tools. In this session, attendees will explore how leadership affects organizational culture and will participate in interactive conversations and experiential activities around PIE - Purpose, Influence, and Empowerment. Establishing a shared vision for organizational and individual success leads to a stronger sense of belonging and fulfillment. Understanding personal power and group dynamics creates healthier environments. Incorporating inclusive and equitable practices produces more satisfactory and vibrant ecosystems as we continue to lead diverse teams.

Orlena Cowan-Bailey

Manager Essentials in the New World of Work

With Orlena Cowan-Bailey, Founder & Chief Elevation Officer (CEO), HR Zoom LLC

Friday, January 19, 2024
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

This workshop is full. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please contact maura.maloney@uconn.edu.

About the Program

One out of every three workers say their manager can’t lead a team? Organizations have lost over $232 billion in the past 5 years as a result of employee turnover. (SHRM Culture Report, 2019) The pandemic has explicitly proved that bad managers and toxic workplaces are liabilities. In contrast, people leaders are critical workplace assets that directly impact an organization’s ability to achieve and sustain organizational excellence. The future of work continues to evolve therefore leaders will need to do the same. The recruitment, development and retention of effective leaders is key. This session will equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to effectively lead the future of work and positively influence workplace cultures with the following learning outcomes using a combination of interactive learning approaches:

  • Understand key leadership functions that drive manager effectiveness
  • Avoid common leadership pitfalls
  • Increase confidence in their ability to effectively plan, organize, coach, motivate, delegate, and communicate to a team
  • Increase overall effectiveness in managing staff
  • Enable a more positive, inclusive and engaged workplace culture
  • Increase skills in influencing and contributing to change management
  • Become champions in reducing legal risk and managing sensitive people issues
  • Better understand employment laws such as records retention, EEO, FMLA, ADA, OSHA, etc.
  • Navigating courageous and tough conversations around employee performance and conduct.

Thomas (TJ) Jones

Ethics and Accountability in the Public Sector

With Thomas "TJ" Jones, Adjunct Professor (UConn SPP) and Private Consultant

Friday, February 23, 2024
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

This session will dive into the ethical expectations and obligations of public sector executives, managers, and employees - legal, moral, and practical. The interactive session will provide a framework for ethical decision-making, and provide tools for analyzing various scenarios that may confront public sector actors. Participants will confront fact-based scenarios and quandaries that arise in public service, and be asked to navigate the ethical issues that arise therefrom. Specific issues discussed and analyzed will include conflicts of interest; accepting gifts or favors; and, dealing with lobbyists and special interests. “Bright line” legal rules will be discussed, as well as nuanced ethical “norms” and culture in public sector work. Through this one-day course, participants will learn to better understand the relationship between ethical behavior and the overall success of public sector work.  Finally, the session will look into how public sector workers are held accountable for ethical behavior.

Rachel Leventhal-Weiner

Data Storytelling

With Rachel Leventhal-Weiner, Director of Evaluation and Impact, Federal Funding, CT Office of Policy and Management

Friday, March 15, 2024
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Great stories captivate an audience, convey a crucial message, and move people to action. Great data stories can do these things too, and in this workshop, participants will learn the conventions of telling a great data story. From crafting a narrative to considering your audience to leveling up your data visualization, participants will leave this session with action items they can incorporate into their work right away. Participants should have familiarity with their organization’s existing data reporting, and are encouraged to bring existing documentation or reports to workshop as a group.

Kenya Rutland

Building & Maintaining an Inclusive Team Culture

With Kenya Rutland, Principal and Chief Enthusiasm Officer, KJR Consulting

Friday, April 19, 2024
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Over the the last four years, quite a bit has happened around DEIB. Depending on your organization and its commitment to this work, you may have found yourself in the midst of growth and progress or confusion and chaos. The work may have began with a survey that yielded a need for learning and training. Though it was hard, many organizations pushed through and may have even pushed forward to go beyond the basics to systemic topics of racism and becoming antiracist in their day-to-day practices. Unfortunately, those initial years of activity were different for other. They experienced when we now see on a broader scale: inaction fueled by fragility, complacency, and the desire to protect dominant culture thinking in the name of woke agenda and anti-patriotic rhetoric.

This session is designed to provide a forum to engage in two conversations: first, a candid discovery of where we've been with DEIB and where we need to go. This includes making space for participants to share perspectives and experiences. Second, we will provide tools and resources to help individuals and teams get beyond the distractions to put inclusion to work for everyone within their organizations. During the session, participants will:

  • Discuss current events and a engage in a conversational assessment of the current state DEIB, personally and professionally.
  • Identify common pain points they have experienced in this work and explore why it has been challenging to move the work ahead.
  • Discover traits of inclusive cultures and define opportunities for development in the places they represent
  • Explore a model for engaging staff in a manner that is inclusive and that leverages their workplace strengths,
  • Learn tools for leaders to employ to inclusify their leadership styles
  • Create an action plan to incorporate key learning points into day to day activities.

This session is ideal for any DEIB leaders within organizations, any individuals looking for tools to support following through on commitments, and ultimately anyone who wants to support more inclusive cultures within their organizations.

Michael Schrier

Project Management in the Public Sector

With Michael Schrier, Director, YSM/West Campus Development, Yale University

Friday, May 17, 2024
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

In today’s public sector environment, delivering projects on-time and within budget while maintaining a focused project scope is increasingly expected. Strong project management skills are critical towards this end, but often employees lack the knowledge and training for effectively managing projects. Public sector projects are often subject to unique challenges not always found in private sector projects, such as conflicting and difficult to measure goals and outcomes, multiple stakeholders with varied interests, constraints imposed by administrative rules, policies and procedures, and are subject to political interests and close public scrutiny. Successful project management comes down to the effective management of the project scope, schedule, and budget.

An overview of:

  • Understanding and applying skills, tools, and procedures needed to manage projects in the public sector.
  • Developing and managing public sector project scope, budgets, costs, and schedules.
  • Understanding the challenges and distinguishing characteristics of public sector projects.
  • Leading, managing, and working successfully in project teams.

Additional workshops will be shared very soon!

Alyssa Goduti

Essential Skills for Grant-Writing Success: Research, Writing and Assessment Tools to Get Your Grant Applications to Stand Out

With Alyssa Goduti, UConn SPP adjunct professor and President & CEO of Ädelbrook

Friday, October 21, 2022
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Live virtual session

About the Program

The success of any nonprofit or government organization is contingent on its mission, vision, governance, ability to run quality programs and most importantly on its ability to raise funds. Organizations with the knowledge, skills and expertise to seek out and successfully win grants are more likely to thrive in this increasingly competitive funding environment. This session will help you better understand how to identify grant opportunities and develop winning proposals. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice grant-writing skills based on practical examples from their organizations or experiences.

What will you learn?

This session will provide vital information about how to approach grant writing in today’s competitive environment. You will gain an understanding of how to research and identify appropriate grant opportunities, develop strategies for approaching the grant writing process, and learn how to develop compelling responses to each component of the proposal. We will use real-life examples to help you practice proposal writing for your organizations so that you will be better prepared to deliver compelling and winning proposals.

Jason Fredlund

Jason Fredlund

Randi McCray

Randi McCray

Leadership Development Roundtable: An Introduction

With Jason Fredlund, Racial Justice Educator, Equity Consultant, LDR Facilitator, and Randi McCray, Founder, RM Consulting Services, CT, LDR Facilitator, both from Five Frogs.

Friday, November 18, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Our Introduction to Leadership Development Roundtable (LDR) is not a workshop, it is an experience. An experience designed to encourage you to reflect, refocus and refuel on your leadership journey. Many times, leaders find themselves operating on autopilot in their work towards equity.

This program is a condensed version of our 10-month program that will provide a meaningful opportunity to explore the breadth and depth potential of your impact. The day includes small group discussions, activities and exploration of leadership and equity concepts. Key topics include:

  • Self-awareness
  • Adaptive Leadership
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (getting to the root)
  • Race Equity (micro and macro responsibility)
  • How “I” and “We” Lead (spheres of influence and building an impact chain)

Key Themes and Intended Outcomes

  • Understanding and practicing adaptive leadership;
  • Exploring/identifying how you can lead change;
  • Dissecting the importance of race equity and DEIB mindsets; and
  • Forging lasting relationships with fellow leaders.
Kenya Rutland

Equity Based Decision Making

With Kenya Rutland, Principal and Chief Enthusiasm Officer, KJR Consulting

Friday, December 9, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

This workshop is full. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please contact maura.maloney@uconn.edu.

About the Program

The word "Equity" is everywhere - but what does it really mean? During this workshop, participants will define equity and differentiate it from equality.  We will also explore barriers that  reinforce systems of inequity including power dynamics and white supremacy. We will then introduce a model that provides participants with tools to support their organizations in their goals of incorporating equity into decision making. Participants will practice using new strategies to make equity informed decisions in the future.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

  • Decode unconscious biases by discussing the impacts of our thinking and decision making;
  • Learn about the neurological roots of unconscious bias and how it systematically influences our thoughts, perceptions, interactions, and decisions;
  • Discover the impact on biases and microaggressions in the workplace;
  • Develop skills for recognizing unconscious biases and microaggressions when they appear and learn to apply strategies for intentionally managing and addressing them more effectively; and
  • Create a personal and meaningful personal accountability plan for managing moments of bias and addressing microaggressions when they occur.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Introduction to Unconscious Bias
  • Decoding unconscious bias
  • The neurological roots of bias
Module 2: The Impact of Unconscious Bias
  • Impact on our actions, opportunities, confidence, and ability to be ourselves.
Module 3: Strategies for Disrupting Bias
  • Explore triggers
  • Manage the mindset
  • Rethink the people
  • Revise the process
Module 4: Defining Microaggressions
  • Microassaults
  • Microinsults
  • Microinvalidations
Module 5: Addressing Microaggressions
  • Discern
  • Disarm
  • Defy
  • Decide

Matthew Hart

Matt Hart

Chief Vernon Riddick

Chief Vernon Riddick

Promoting Positive Labor-Management Relations to Build a Resilient and High-Performing Team

With Matt Hart, Executive Director, Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), and Chief Vernon Riddick, Chief of Police, West Hartford, CT

Friday, February 24, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

This session is designed for those that are new to management and leading in a unionized environment, including new managers that are members of a collective bargaining unit themselves. A healthy and productive-labor management relationship is essential to prevent low morale, workplace disputes, and poor performance. In this session we will review the major laws and principles related to collective bargaining in Connecticut’s public sector and discuss approaches to promote positive labor-management relations to help build and maintain a resilient and high performing team.

David Garvey

Key Elements to Building Successful Alliances and Cross-Sector Partnerships

With David Garvey, Director of Partnership and Compliance of Career Resources Inc.’s WE RISE Together program

WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Friday, March 10, 2023
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

We will discuss what makes partnerships and alliances work through the voices of seasoned nonprofit alliance builders. We will then examine the inner-workings of a living Connecticut cross-sector partnership of government, nonprofit, and private enterprise (WE RISE Together) that is assisting formerly justice-involved individuals restart their lives; providing social support, workforce training and a pathway to employment. We will see how this multi-sector eco-system works through system change. We will then use the collective knowledge of the class to examine your initiatives and those of your fellow classmates; assisting you in bringing your cross-sector partnership to its next stage.

Jennifer Dineen

Leveraging the Power of Well-Made Surveys

With Jennifer Dineen, Professor, UConn School of Public Policy

Friday, May 19, 2023
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

This full-day workshop will provide an overview of the potential techniques for measuring attitudes and behaviors to inform the decision-making process.  Focus will be given to the basics of question wording, instrument construction and study design for surveys.  You will receive guidance on identifying the appropriate stakeholders and on determining which measure of stakeholder attitudes is most appropriate.  You will also have the opportunity to apply various learned measurement skills to real-world scenarios.

Alyssa Goduti

Essential Skills for Grant-Writing Success: Research, Writing and Assessment Tools to Get Your Grant Applications to Stand Out

With Alyssa Goduti, UConn SPP adjunct professor and President & CEO of Ädelbrook

Friday, October 8, 2021
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

About the Program

The success of any nonprofit or government organization is contingent on its mission, vision, governance, ability to run quality programs and most importantly on its ability to raise funds. Organizations with the knowledge, skills and expertise to seek out and successfully win grants are more likely to thrive in this increasingly competitive funding environment. This session will help you better understand how to identify grant opportunities and develop winning proposals. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice grant-writing skills based on practical examples from their organizations or experiences.

What will you learn?

This session will provide vital information about how to approach grant writing in today’s competitive environment. You will gain an understanding of how to research and identify appropriate grant opportunities, develop strategies for approaching the grant writing process, and learn how to develop compelling responses to each component of the proposal. We will use real-life examples to help you practice proposal writing for your organizations so that you will be better prepared to deliver compelling and winning proposals.

Anne Yurasek

Leading in Unclear & Challenging Times

With Anne Yurasek, Principal of Fio Partners

Friday, October 15, 2021
1:00 – 4:00 PM
Live virtual session

About the Program

A challenging and rapidly-changing environment has become the norm -- and with it, the need for resilient leaders and adaptive leadership. Adaptive leadership is a practical and empowering framework to mobilize teams during challenging times. It considers the range of external contexts and conditions that influence an organization and employs principles like emotional intelligence and organizational learning and collaboration to address them. During this interactive seminar, participants will explore the traits and practices of adaptive and resilient leaders, elements of adaptive leadership including distinguishing technical problems from adaptive challenges, outside-in thinking, engaging stakeholders, and fostering psychological safety and a culture of learning to both innovate and address risk.

Kenya Rutland

Disrupting Bias & Responding to Microaggressions

With Kenya Rutland, KJR Consulting

Friday, November 5, 2021
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus
Light lunch provided (may change based on public health guidance)

About the Program

Course Overview

At any given moment our brains are receiving 11 million pieces of information. Yet, we can only consciously process about 40 of those pieces. To make sense of the rest, we rely on our subconscious to filter information. Our brain does this using generalizations, beliefs, and stereotypes. This approach to processing information and making decisions can lead to biases we may not be even aware of. These unconscious biases are normal and in many cases they are useful. However, they can cause people to overlook great ideas and ignore an individual’s potential. They can also result in microaggressions. Microaggressions are everyday slights, indignities, put-downs, and insults that demean or offend others. They are often fueled by our unconscious bias, which means we may not even be aware of them and how they lead to exclusionary behavior.

Who Should Take This Course

Individuals that desire to make better decisions by becoming aware of their own biases, responding to microaggressions, and learning practical techniques to operate in a more inclusive manner.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

  • Decode unconscious biases by discussing the impacts of our thinking and decision making;
  • Learn about the neurological roots of unconscious bias and how it systematically influences our thoughts, perceptions, interactions, and decisions;
  • Discover the impact on biases and microaggressions in the workplace;
  • Develop skills for recognizing unconscious biases and microaggressions when they appear and learn to apply strategies for intentionally managing and addressing them more effectively; and
  • Create a personal and meaningful personal accountability plan for managing moments of bias and addressing microaggressions when they occur.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Introduction to Unconscious Bias
  • Decoding unconscious bias
  • The neurological roots of bias
Module 2: The Impact of Unconscious Bias
  • Impact on our actions, opportunities, confidence, and ability to be ourselves.
Module 3: Strategies for Disrupting Bias
  • Explore triggers
  • Manage the mindset
  • Rethink the people
  • Revise the process
Module 4: Defining Microaggressions
  • Microassaults
  • Microinsults
  • Microinvalidations
Module 5: Addressing Microaggressions
  • Discern
  • Disarm
  • Defy
  • Decide
Lyle Wray

Launching and Sustaining a Performance Management System

With Lyle D. Wray, PhD, Executive Director, Capitol Region Council of Governments

Friday, December 10, 2021
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Live virtual session

Setting up and sustaining a performance management systems for organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors can be challenging. To help get a successful result, we will consider among other elements suggest a way to look at audiences for performance management information, offer possible shortcuts to getting to a viable launch of a system and carefully consider the use of the information the is to be generated.

This half-day seminar will offer seven main suggestions for launching and maintaining a performance measurement system:

  • Situation assessment
  • Identify motivations for the performance management system
  • Plan a sequence of steps to establish and expand a performance management system
  • Use effective program interventions that are strategically organized
  • Use or adapt existing performance management system frameworks
  • Partner with residents and other stakeholders to the performance management system
  • Leverage advanced information technology tools in the performance management system

The approach will be interactive and participants are invited to bring a current or proposed performance management system for an organization along to the discussion.

The presenter has extensive experience in performance management at state and nonprofit levels, has authored books and chapters on the topic, and has taught a graduate course in the field.

Doe Hentschel

Doe Hentschel

Andre Santiago

Andre Santiago

Leading Positive Organizational Culture

With Dr. Doe Hentschel, Leadership Preceptor, and Andre Santiago, Vice President for Programs, Leadership Greater Hartford

Friday, February 4, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
This has been changed to be a live virtual workshop, not in-person.

About the Program

Course Overview

The global pandemic has exposed tremendous shortcomings in the workplace while creating new opportunities for positive transformation. New ways to interact and communicate with internal and external constituencies had to be invented. And as the possibility of returning to a pre-pandemic workplace approached, it became obvious that some of the changes we were forced to institute may have had the unintended consequence of enhancing our organizational cultures.  This workshop will provide an understanding of the foundations for a positive organizational culture. Drawing extensively on the award-winning book The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, the workshop will focus on “building ownership, providing support, and aligning group energy toward the arduous, error-filled, ultimately fulfilling journey of making something new.”

Who Should Take This Course

Individuals at all levels play a vital role in either creating, sustaining or changing the culture of an organization. If you want to learn more about healthy and vibrant organizational cultures, as well as strategies and best practices to achieve them, this workshop is for you.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will understand:

  • The importance of having a healthy organizational culture.
  • Definitions and assessments about organizational culture.
  • The dimensions of workplace ”safety.”
  • Trust-building and its importance in workplace relationships
  • Procedures to ensure the continuity and long-term success of an organization's culture.

What You’ll Do

Drawing on Daniel Coyle’s award-winning book, The Culture Code, the workshop identifies the key elements of successful organizational cultures:

  • Build safety; people feel they belong and are valued
  • Share vulnerability: shared risk builds trust and drives collaboration
  • Establish purpose: embrace shared goals and values

Through interactive and experiential group activities and conversations, self and organizational assessments, participants will expand their understanding of how to influence positive change within their organizations.

Christopher Brechlin

Demystifying Data Management and Security for Non-IT Managers

With Christopher Brechlin, Director of Data and Digital Systems, COMPASS Youth Collaborative

Friday, March 4, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

Your organization's data can guide you toward better outcomes for the people you serve or give you a competitive edge in funding applications. It can also be a tempting target for cyber criminals looking to ransom your systems or steal sensitive information. Managers don't need deep technical backgrounds to be good stewards of their data, but they do need to understand how it's generated, stored, and best protected.

Data management in the modern organization is no longer an exclusive IT or research function. Front-line staff, marketing and development teams, executives, finance and administrative staff are all essentially managing data on a daily basis and they need to be responsible for its safety and efficacy. The challenge for managers is that the landscape of software and terminology is rapidly evolving, making it difficult for non-technical staff to keep up with the growing list of tools they need to effectively leverage data in their day-to-day jobs. Luckily, the fundamental concepts and technologies used to manage data aren't complex and don't require highly specialized training to understand.

This course is for everyone from the accidental data and program managers at small nonprofits, to the department heads at large agencies. This is not a database administration or cyber security course. You will learn how to map data flows in your organization and how data is generated through operational processes, how to communicate with technical staff and consultants by speaking their language, and how to identify potential security risks among your staff. The primary objective is to help maximize the value you extract from your data by introducing aspects of data management that you didn't know you needed to know.

Anne McIntyre-Lahner

Practical Performance Evaluation for Practitioners and Funders

With Anne McIntyre-Lahner, Evaluation and Impact Consultant, 35-plus years of experience in state and nonprofit leadership, and author.

Friday, March 25, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

This full-day session will explore evaluation and performance management of publicly funded programs, including:

  • Evolving concepts and practices in evaluation and performance management
  • The importance of designing programs with outcomes and evaluation in mind; and
  • Engaging staff and providers in using data to understand performance
  • Using results to improve program performance

Learning Objectives:

  • Ability to describe the concepts of, and appropriate use of, program evaluation, performance management, and program monitoring; and differentiate between them
  • Understand and apply outcome-focused program design to new and redesigned programs
  • Develop strategies to engage staff and providers in evaluation efforts
  • Ability to understand and utilize results to improve program performance

MORNING:

We will explore the topic of evaluation in general, including

  • Current topics in the field of evaluation
  • Different types of evaluation, including different factors and contexts
  • The difference between performance monitoring and evaluation
  • Leveraging a performance system to support evaluation efforts
  • Understanding why and when to conduct an evaluation
  • Deciding whether you need an outside evaluator
  • The importance of involving staff and partners
  • Dealing with data anxiety and discomfort around working with data and evaluators

AFTERNOON:

The afternoon will include practical steps and actions as part of an effective program performance management program. These include:

  • Review of performance measures in the context of program evaluation
  • Understanding performance and data contextually
  • Leveraging existing data
  • Means-to-End thinking
  • Post-evaluation review
  • Using evaluation results to improve performance

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

  • Practitioners and funders who:
    • want to begin, or expand, use of data to understand performance
    • want to feel comfortable with evaluation and performance management
    • are interested in learning how to use results to improve performance
    • want to know if participants are better off because of their program
Franklin Tuitt

Strategic Diversity Planning & Management

With Frank Tuitt, VP, Chief Diversity Officer and Professor, UConn

Friday, April 15, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with 30 minute break)
Hartford Times Building, UConn Hartford Campus

About the Program

The current activism across the Nation advocating for a greater commitment to becoming just and antiracist organizations has highlighted the importance of meaningful, actionable engagement of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In this workshop, participants will learn how to align diversity initiatives within high level priorities of organizations, build partners in diversity initiatives across systems, and strategic areas to further equity and inclusion goals.

Kenya Rutland

Responding to Microaggressions: Strategies for Navigating Instances of Exclusion

With Kenya Rutland, KJR Consulting

Friday, December 18, 2020 ***REGISTRATION CLOSED - CLASS IS FULL***
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

About the Program

Course Overview

Microaggressions are verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities that communicate derogatory or negative prejudices towards a specific group. These instances can be intentional or unintentional based on our own biases. In this course, participants will decode unconscious biases, define microaggressions and how they show up around us, and discuss strategies for navigating incidents of exclusion. Participants will engage in group discussions to respond to case studies and conclude with defining what it means to be an ally.

Who Should Take This Course

This course is designed to meet participants wherever they are on their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

  • Decode unconscious biases by discussing the impacts of our thinking and decision making;
  • Gain an understanding of microaggressions and stereotypes;
  • Discuss the impact on biases and microaggressions in the workplace;
  • Engage in active dialogue within small groups as a means of responding to case studies;
  • Address microaggressions and learn how to actively respond; and
  • Discover how to become an ally.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Setting the Foundation
  • Understanding implicit bias and stereotypes
  • Decoding Unconscious Bias
Module 2: Unconscious Bias & Microaggressions
  • Defining microaggressions
  • Understanding how they show up
  • Death by 1000 Paper Cuts
Module 3: Relating to Our Organizations
  • Review case studies.
  • Learn how to identify microaggressions, microinequities, microsignals, and microaffirmations
Module 4: Addressing Microaggressions
  • Tools for responding to microaggressions
  • Discussing strategies for upstanding
  • Becoming an ally
Kenya Rutland

Managing Unconscious Bias

With Kenya Rutland, KJR Consulting

Friday, March 12, 2021 ***REGISTRATION CLOSED - CLASS IS FULL***
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

About the Program

Course Overview

At any given moment our brains are receiving 11 million pieces of information. Yet, we can only consciously process about 40 of those pieces. To make sense of the rest, we rely on our subconscious to filter information. Our brain does this using generalizations, beliefs, and stereotypes. This approach to processing information and making decisions can lead to biases we may not be even aware of.

Unconscious biases are a product of our upbringing and experiences. Having them is normal, and in many cases they are useful. But at the same time, unconscious biases can cause people to overlook great ideas, ignore an individual’s potential, and create a less than ideal work experience for their colleagues. Biases can impact every facet of a business, from recruiting staff, leadership effectiveness, and communication, to decision making and workplace interactions. It takes effort, but inclusive individuals learn to override their bias setting by recognizing when bias is at play and asking the right questions to make better decisions.

Who Should Take This Course

Individuals that desire to make better decisions by becoming aware of their own biases and learning practical techniques to operate in a more inclusive manner.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

  • Create a common language and explore experiences around diversity, equity, and inclusion;
  • Attain greater self-awareness and discover how to make choices that will help us leverage the power of diversity in our personal lives and work;
  • Explore how diversity impacts our own lives, workplace interactions, and many of our choices and behaviors
  • Introduce the concepts of unconscious bias and cultural dexterity, and engage in discussions to explore how our personal experiences define how we show up in the world;
  • Develop strategies for overcoming bias.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Foundation and Common Language
  • Define diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Four layers of diversity
  • Diversity and your life
Module 2: The Impact of our Experiences
  • Exploring our blind spots
  • Worldview hinderances
  • Levels of engaging
Module 3: Introduction to Unconscious Bias
  • Unconscious bias defined
  • Types of bias
  • Sources of unconscious bias
  • Three levels of relationships
Module 4: Strategies for Disrupting Bias
  • Exploring triggers
  • Managing the mindset
  • Rethinking the people
  • Revising the process
Alyssa Goduti

Essential Skills for Grant-Writing Success: Research, Writing and Assessment Tools to Get Your Grant Applications to Stand Out

With Alyssa Goduti, UConn DPP adjunct professor and President & CEO of Ädelbrook

Friday, March 26, 2021
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

About the Program

The success of any nonprofit or government organization is contingent on its mission, vision, governance, ability to run quality programs and most importantly on its ability to raise funds. Organizations with the knowledge, skills and expertise to seek out and successfully win grants are more likely to thrive in this increasingly competitive funding environment. This session will help you better understand how to identify grant opportunities and develop winning proposals. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice grant-writing skills based on practical examples from their organizations or experiences.

What will you learn?

This session will provide vital information about how to approach grant writing in today’s competitive environment. You will gain an understanding of how to research and identify appropriate grant opportunities, develop strategies for approaching the grant writing process, and learn how to develop compelling responses to each component of the proposal. We will use real-life examples to help you practice proposal writing for your organizations so that you will be better prepared to deliver compelling and winning proposals.

Kenya Rutland

Responding to Microaggressions: Strategies for Navigating Instances of Exclusion

With Kenya Rutland, KJR Consulting

Friday, April 9, 2021
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

About the Program

Course Overview

Microaggressions are verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities that communicate derogatory or negative prejudices towards a specific group. These instances can be intentional or unintentional based on our own biases. In this course, participants will decode unconscious biases, define microaggressions and how they show up around us, and discuss strategies for navigating incidents of exclusion. Participants will engage in group discussions to respond to case studies and conclude with defining what it means to be an ally.

Who Should Take This Course

This course is designed to meet participants wherever they are on their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

  • Decode unconscious biases by discussing the impacts of our thinking and decision making;
  • Gain an understanding of microaggressions and stereotypes;
  • Discuss the impact on biases and microaggressions in the workplace;
  • Engage in active dialogue within small groups as a means of responding to case studies;
  • Address microaggressions and learn how to actively respond; and
  • Discover how to become an ally.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Setting the Foundation
  • Understanding implicit bias and stereotypes
  • Decoding Unconscious Bias
Module 2: Unconscious Bias & Microaggressions
  • Defining microaggressions
  • Understanding how they show up
  • Death by 1000 Paper Cuts
Module 3: Relating to Our Organizations
  • Review case studies.
  • Learn how to identify microaggressions, microinequities, microsignals, and microaffirmations
Module 4: Addressing Microaggressions
  • Tools for responding to microaggressions
  • Discussing strategies for upstanding
  • Becoming an ally
Thomas Phillips

Building Effective Management and Leadership Skills: What is Required for the Next Generation of Public and Nonprofit Executives

With Thomas L. Phillips of TL Phillips Consulting Services

Friday, May 14, 2021
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (with 30 minute break)
Live virtual session

Please Note:
This workshop will require participants to purchase and complete the CliftonStrengths assessment survey prior to the workshop.  The survey fee will be an additional $19.99 (purchased separately). See more information in the following "About the Program" section.

About the Program

Overview

Connecticut is demographically one of the oldest states in the country.  Many public and nonprofit organizations are facing “brain drain” challenges related to the loss of senior executives, including their knowledge and expertise, as more “baby boomers” continue to retire.  In some cases, these organizations do not have well developed succession plans and are not properly enhancing existing and developing new required management and leadership skills/competencies of their mid-level executives, which would allow them to more effectively transition into senior executive level positions.  In addition, the current pandemic has caused much disruption and uncertainty, requiring many organization’s management teams to both pivot and adapt to their new normal.  It is therefore critical for both sectors to develop these individuals and their skills more proactively and aggressively, to ensure their organizations stay competitive, effectively serve their customers, and achieve long term sustainability.

Description

This half-day workshop includes six essential Learning Modules (LM) that cover a variety of important and timely management and leadership related topics. Each participant will be required to take the Top 5 CliftonStrengths assessment survey in advance of the workshop with the results collectively shared and discussed. This tool allows you to identify and play to your top 5 strengths at work and in your personal life. There is a cost of $19.99 to purchase and take the survey. The assessment tool should be purchased online by participants and completed no later than a week before the workshop, so you have time to review the results. The assessment can be purchased using the following link: https://store.gallup.com/p/en-us/10265/cliftonstrengths-for-students-top-5.

The workshop is also designed to be interactive through group exercises and collective dialogue, as much can also be learned from the participants.

The following are the list of Learning Modules that will be presented:

  1. Top 5 CliftonStrengths Assessment Survey Results
  2. Developing Critical Leadership Skills
  3. Organization/Individual Core Values
  4. Importance of Innovation
  5. Convener Skills
  6. Facilitation Skills

Outcome

Participants will enhance their existing and learn new management and leadership skills through both the LM sessions/ exercises and collective dialogue, which will help prepare them to more effectively assume higher senior executive roles and responsibilities in support of their organization’s mission and brand.

Who Should Attend?

Senior/mid-level managers being identified/cultivated by your organization or those individuals aspiring to higher level executive leadership career positions. Also helpful for current senior executives interested in honing their existing management and leadership skill sets.


2023-2024 Program Costs

Attendee Full Day Class Half Day Class
General Public $199 $99
Members and Grantees of Partner Organizations $149 $69
UConn School of Public Policy Alumni $99 $49
UConn School of Public Policy Current Students $0 $0

Location and Parking

In-person workshops are held at:
University of Connecticut Hartford Campus
Hartford Times Building
10 Prospect Street, Hartford, CT 06103

Please use the HTB entrance located on Front Street, across from Barnes & Noble. Follow posted signs to the program.

Parking
Connecticut Convention Center Parking Garage
100 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103

 


Our Partners

For more information or questions, please contact Maura Maloney at maura.maloney@uconn.edu or 959-200-3817.