Featured Speakers
At this year's conference, thought leaders, innovators, and change makers from across higher education and beyond will take the stage to share bold ideas, inspiring stories, and practical strategies for shaping the future of learning. Get to know the voices who will challenge, energize, and guide us as we reimagine what’s possible. Check back often as we continue to announce our featured speakers!
Workshop Facilitators
Our pre-conference workshops are led by experienced educators, practitioners, and NWCCU staff who bring deep expertise and real-world insights to each session. Meet the facilitators who will guide these interactive workshops and help participants explore practical strategies and emerging ideas to support their work.
Beth M. Duckles
Research Consultant, Social ScientistBeth M. Duckles, Ph.D. is an organizational development consultant who supports evidence-based strategy development for science and tech organizations. She specializes in mixed-methods research and strategic facilitation, helping teams navigate complex, cross-disciplinary challenges. Her work includes conducting research and strategic planning for scientific institutions, supporting community development for open science grantees, and advising social impact organizations on research strategy.
She has collaborated with a wide range of organizations, including Mozilla, Chan Zuckerburg Initiative, Nike, Meta/Oculus, and the Hertz Foundation. She has also worked on AI governance as an Affiliate at Data & Society’s AI Red Teaming in the Public Interest Project and as a senior researcher at the AI Risk and Vulnerability Alliance.
Previously, she served as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the Department of Energy and led the inaugural Bucknell in D.C. program on Energy and the Environment. She also spent a year as an embedded ethnographer at the U.S. Green Building Council. She holds an MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of Arizona and a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from Earlham College.
Natasha Jankowski
Director, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeDr. Natasha Jankowski is Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the former Executive Director of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). Under her leadership, NILOA was the proud recipient of the ACPA Contribution to Higher Education award. Previously, she served as research associate professor and graduate program coordinator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Illinois, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Kent State University, and a B.A. in philosophy from Illinois State University.