Featured Speakers
Morning Plenary Session – A Conversation about Mentoring, Student Success and Relationship-Rich Education
Peter Felten
Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and Professor of History
Peter Felten is executive director of the Center for Engaged Learning, professor of history, and assistant provost for teaching and learning at Elon University. He teaches in both History and the Masters in Higher Education program at Elon – and he regularly works with undergraduate and MA students on research. Peter has published seven books about undergraduate education, including Connections are Everything: A College Student’s Guide to Relationship-Rich Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2023) co-authored by Isis Artze-Vega, Leo Lambert, and Oscar Miranda Tapia – with an open access online version free to all readers.
He has served as president of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) and also of the POD Network, the U.S. professional society for educational developers. He is on the advisory board of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and is a fellow of the Gardner Institute, a foundation that partners with higher education institutions to enable student learning, well-being, persistence, and success. During the fall 2024 semester he served as Educator-in-Residence at the National University of Singapore.
Leo M. Lambert
President Emeritus and Professor, Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education
Leo M. Lambert served as Elon University’s eighth president from 1999 to 2018, leading the institution through a transformative era of national recognition and student-centered innovation. Under his leadership, Elon launched two ambitious strategic plans that elevated academic excellence, global engagement, and experiential learning—hallmarks of Elon’s modern liberal arts model.
During his tenure, Elon established the School of Law and School of Health Sciences, earned a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, and significantly expanded its residential campus and athletic facilities. Lambert championed equity and access, founding the Elon Academy and the Center for Access and Success to support students with financial need and first-generation college aspirations.
A thought leader in higher education, Lambert co-authored The Undergraduate Experience and is currently writing a book on mentoring in undergraduate education. He has received numerous national honors and serves on boards advancing student success and institutional leadership.
Lambert assumed the title of president emeritus in 2018 and continues to teach in Elon’s School of Education.
Sarah Hansen
Vice President for Student Life, The University of Iowa
Sarah Hansen is Vice President for Student Life at the University of Iowa, overseeing 15 departments and a $120 million budget. Student Life at Iowa is fully engaged in boundary-spanning efforts She leads efforts focused on well-being, diversity, equity, inclusion and leadership development. Throughout her career, Hansen has led transformative change on complex issues, including alcohol harm reduction, campus safety, and elevating student employment as a high-impact practice.
Hansen’s research interests revolve around student success, reflection and integration of learning across contexts. She has presented nationally and published chapters on student employment as a high-impact practice and cultivating habits of reflection in students. IOWA GROW® has appeared in Felten, Lambert, et al’s “The Undergraduate Experience,” George Kuh’s work on high-impact practices, The New Yorker, Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Additionally, Hansen created the nationally recognized IOWA GROW® (Guided Reflection on Work) student employment intervention, which improves retention and graduation rates for participants, particularly for first-generation and underrepresented students. More than 250 institutions worldwide have adopted the program on their campuses.
Darris R. Means
Professor of Educational Leadership and Dean’s Fellow for Rural Education, Clemson University
Darris R. Means is a professor of educational leadership and Dean’s Fellow for Rural Education in the College of Education at Clemson University. Prior to Clemson University, Darris was on the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Georgia. Prior to becoming a faculty member, he served as an administrator for Elon University’s Elon Academy, a college access program that works with high school and college students from low-income families and/or those without a family history of college attendance to support their post-secondary education enrollment, persistence and graduation.
Darris uses critical, participatory, and visual methodologies and methods to examine and address spatial, racial and class inequities in education. He is a co-editor of two books, Case Studies for Student Development Theory: Advancing Social Justice and Inclusion in Higher Education and Race and Rurality: Considerations for Advancing Higher Education Equity. His scholarship also appears in the Review of Higher Education, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Innovative Higher Education, and Journal of College Student Development. Darris currently serves as the President-Elect Designate for the National Rural Education Association, and he is also on the advisory group for The Institute for College Access & Success’ Rural Reconnect Initiative.
Afternoon Plenary Session – The Future of Student Affairs in Higher Education
Jonathan A. McElderry
Dean of Student Inclusive Excellence and Assistant Professor, Elon University
2025–2026 President, ACPA – College Student Educators International
Jonathan A. McElderry is a nationally recognized leader in student affairs and inclusive excellence, serving as the president of ACPA— the first Elon staff member to hold the position. Since joining Elon in 2022, he has led strategic, student-centered initiatives aligned with the Boldly Elon commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive campus community. A first-generation college graduate, McElderry brings a deep personal and professional dedication to mentoring, identity development, and student success.
Before Elon, he served as assistant dean of students and executive director of the Intercultural Center at Wake Forest University. His career includes leadership roles at the University of Missouri and extensive service within ACPA.
McElderry is the author of more than 18 chapters and articles, one edited volume, two forthcoming edited volumes and a number of national presentations. He has received numerous awards for his scholarship, leadership, and impact on the student affairs profession.
He holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri, a master’s from Ohio University, and a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University.
Chris Moody
Executive Director, ACPA – College Student Educators International
Since December 2017, Chris Moody has served as Executive Director of ACPA, guiding the organization’s strategic direction and operational leadership. He oversees the transformative work of the ACPA Leadership Council and advocates for higher education priorities as a member of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, engaging with federal and congressional stakeholders to elevate the student affairs profession.
Moody earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wake Forest University, a master’s in college student development from Appalachian State University and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from The George Washington University.
His two decades of higher education experience include significant roles at American University, where he served as the assistant vice president of campus life. Other universities where he has served include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Appalachian State University, the University of Memphis and Semester at Sea.
Michael N. Christakis
Vice President for Student Affairs, University at Albany
Board Chair, NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Michael Christakis serves as vice president for student affairs at the University at Albany, SUNY, where he leads initiatives that support student recruitment, engagement, and success across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Since his appointment in 2015, he has championed a campus culture that advances student achievement, holistic development, and strong collaboration among students, faculty, and staff.
With more than two decades of experience in student affairs, Christakis has held a range of leadership roles since joining UAlbany in 1999. He has shaped divisional strategy, risk management, assessment practices, and professional development. His leadership extends nationally through service on the APLU Council on Student Affairs and a distinguished tenure on the NASPA Board of Directors. He also served as national president of Omicron Delta Kappa and now chairs the NASPA Board of Directors.
A dedicated educator, Christakis teaches in public policy and political science and has been honored with multiple teaching awards. He holds a Ph.D. and M.P.P. from the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College and a B.A. from Alfred University.
Amelia Parnell
President, NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Amelia Parnell is a nationally respected higher education leader and the current president of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. With a career grounded in advocacy, research, and policy, she is widely recognized for her ability to make complex issues accessible and actionable—particularly when it comes to student success, equity, and institutional transformation.
Before being named president, Parnell served as NASPA’s vice president for research and policy, where she led the association’s scholarly initiatives and cultivated strategic partnerships across higher education. Her work has shaped national conversations around college affordability, student learning outcomes, and data-informed decision-making. She is the author of You Are a Data Person, a book that empowers student affairs professionals to embrace their data identity and enhance their impact.
A dynamic speaker and educator, Dr. Parnell frequently presents at conferences and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and PBS NewsHour.
She holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Florida A&M University.