Keynote Presentations

This year’s conference has three can’t-miss keynote presentations by Tarrant County College District Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley, Judge Glenda Hatchett; and Bob Johansen, 10-year forecaster and former president and CEO of the Institute for the Future.

Erma Johnson Hadley

“It’s Really Up to You”

Sunday, September 25 • 5:00-6:15 p.m.

No matter our area of work, we sometimes get caught up in the moans and cries about what should be done about something; how something didn’t get done the right way; or how long it took to make something happen. In essence, it may be easier (and more comfortable) to whine than to step out and lead a process, program or idea to fruition. Just how does one do that and win? How do organizations move from where they are to where they want to be? How do you maneuver through landmines and make things happen? Erma Johnson Hadley contends, “it’s really up to you” to make things happen!

Hadley’appointment to the position of chancellor for the Tarrant County College District in Fort Worth, Texas, is the culmination of a 41-year career with the college that has taken her from the classroom as a business instructor to the top leadership position in the district. She has served as the assistant director of personnel and equal opportunity officer, vice chancellor for HR, and vice chancellor for administration where she oversaw the college district’s entire workforce, guided successful efforts to recruit and train faculty and staff, and was responsible for civil rights policies and compliance.

Throughout her career, Hadley has enjoyed many honors and successes. In 2010, she was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame by the Governor’s Commission for Women and was recognized by the Fort Worth Business Press among its 2010 Great Women of Texas.

Her civic, business and community service spans more than 35 years serving on numerous committees, boards, commissions and task forces, including leadership roles in the majority of these organizations. She is the first African-American woman to serve as chair of three high-profile boards in North Texas: the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport board, the Tarrant County Hospital District board of managers and the North Texas Commission.

Hadley holds a bachelor’s degree from Prairie View A&M University and a master’s degree from Bowling Green University. She also holds an honorary doctorate in education from Paul Quinn College.

Judge Glenda Hatchett

“Discovering the Community Table”

Monday, September 26 • 8:45-10:15 a.m.

Personal bias, negative stereotypes and discrimination are alive and well, but by building inclusive communities — in our neighborhoods, workplaces and institutions of higher learning — we are poised to nurture positive change and cultivate an environment in which everyone is able to contribute in meaningful ways. Renowned judge and author Judge Glenda Hatchett will share a message that will inspire us to live with purpose, be true to ourselves and make a difference by finding positive ways to contribute to the tapestry of our communities. Through Judge Hatchett’s stories, we can examine the critical role higher education human resource professionals play in advancing the profession as well as shaping our future leaders.

A visionary who knows how to get results, Judge Hatchett is renowned in the legal community for her groundbreaking courtroom style. Best known for her revolutionary “interventions,” she is widely respected for her work with today’s youth, which not only sets her apart from other judges, but also establishes her as a leader in the justice system nationwide. Judge Hatchett is also the author of the national bestseller Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say — a book based on her extensive professional experiences as a jurist and her own personal experience as a mother of two boys.

Judge Hatchett also serves as national spokesperson for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a nonprofit volunteer organization that trains volunteers to represent abused and neglected children and help them navigate the court system. She was the first African-American chief presiding judge of a state court in Georgia and received the NAACP’s Thurgood Marshall award.

Bob Johansen

“Leaders Make the Future”

Tuesday, September 27 • 8:45-10:00 a.m.

Do you have what it takes to be a leader in today’s climate of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity? What are the leadership skills you need to thrive in the future — given the external forces of the next decade? Learn the 10 essential new skills every leader must master to overcome new threats and create useful opportunities. Social scientist Bob Johansen will draw from his current book Leaders Make the Future to help us navigate change and identify the new face of a leader.

Johansen has been doing 10-year forecasting for 35 years — with remarkable accuracy — and currently serves on the board of directors for the Institute for the Future (IFTF), the only future think tank ever to outlive its forecasts, where he was president and CEO from 1996-2004.

He has explored many varied social and organizational impacts of new technologies — beginning with the Internet when it was in its infancy. Before his role as president, Johansen created and led IFTF’s program on emerging information technologies — now called the Technology Horizons Program.

A complimentary copy of Johansen’s latest book Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain Age will be available to all conference attendees after his keynote presentation. Johansen is the author or co-author of six previous books, including Upsizing the Individual in the Downsized Organization, GlobalWork, Leading Business Teams, Groupware, Teleconferencing and Beyond and Electronic Meetings. He also is working on a new book on faith in the future — with an emphasis on the potential impact of spirituality in all its varied forms on business, society and individuals.

A social scientist with an interdisciplinary background, Johansen holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Johansen also has a Master of Divinity degree, with a focus on world religions.