Conference Agenda and Presenters
Agenda
Online Pre-conference Workshop – Wednesday, April 22, 2026
*Optional Add-On (additional registration fee of $119 each)
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Pre-conference Workshop Copilot and Microsoft 365: A new era of productivity Greg Creech, MCAS-I, CompTIA CTT+, Techedutainment Services, Inc. |
| 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Pre-conference Workshop Copilot and Microsoft 365: A new era of productivity Greg Creech, MCAS-I, CompTIA CTT+, Techedutainment Services, Inc. |
In-person Pre-conference Workshop – Thursday, April 23, 2026
*Optional Add-On (additional registration fee of $119 each)
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Pre-conference Workshops Facilitate to Elevate: Leadership Skills for Administrative Professionals Katie Chapman, PhD, UGA Office of Learning and Organizational Development Cheryl Kennedy, PhD, UGA Center for Continuing Education Streamline, Simplify, Succeed: The Path to Operational Excellence Candice Abolarin, MBA, Mariposa Marketing Agency |
| 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Pre-conference Workshops Facilitate to Elevate: Leadership Skills for Administrative Professionals Katie Chapman, PhD, UGA Office of Learning and Organizational Development Cheryl Kennedy, PhD, UGA Center for Continuing Education Streamline, Simplify, Succeed: The Path to Operational Excellence Candice Abolarin, MBA, Mariposa Marketing Agency |
Conference Day – Friday, April 24, 2026 (in-person and online)
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | Check-in/Registration |
| 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Keynote Opening Session Influence Without Authority: The Power Admin Professionals Hold Every Day Laura Finney, Author and Entrepreneur, Laura Finney Enterprises |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Morning Break |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Morning General Sessions AI & Admins, The Dynamic Duo Robbie Parks, MBA, UGA Small Business Development Center |
| 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. | Networking Luncheon |
| 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions Navigating Change in Workplace Brittany Adams-Pope, PhD, UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development Beyond the Job Description: Building Your “Career Capital” Charles Crisman, UGA Gwinnett Understanding Professional Boundaries: Building Trust in Your Role Kristine Garcia, UGA Office of Global The Power of the Pause: Finding Balance in a Busy World Jeana Griffith, PhD, Alight Counseling and Consulting What Shape are You? Exploring Personality Styles Brendan Leahy, PhD, UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development Upward Influence: Strategic Approaches for Success Trina Smith, MLIS, Georgia Southern University Advance in Excel with Essential Tools Brian Simmons, PhD, MSW, UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Afternoon Break |
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions (Repeated) |
Sessions and Presenters
Influence Without Authority: The Power Admin Professionals Hold Every Day
Administrative professionals are the unseen force that keeps organizations moving forward, shaping communication, and setting the tone for leadership long before a title ever enters the conversation. This opening keynote invites attendees to recognize the power they already carry, the impact of their presence, their judgment, and their ability to lead from where they are, leaving them with renewed confidence, a deeper sense of value, and practical insight into leading with purpose exactly where they stand.
Laura Finney, Author and Entrepreneur, Laura Finney Enterprises
Laura Finney is an author, financial educator, entrepreneur, and founder of She Prospers. With decades of experience working alongside executives across industries, she understands the vital role administrative professionals play in organizational success. She has served as President of Toastmasters at The Square,
a board member for Harlem Zen, Inc., and is a repeat speaker at the University of Georgia’s Administrative Professionals Conference.
Copilot and Microsoft 365: A new era of productivity
Microsoft’s Copilot and Microsoft 365 suite has constant changes with new productivity features almost daily. With Copilot’s artificial intelligence our Microsoft 365 apps have many new features and enhancements to existing features. This interactive workshop will explore using Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook. We encourage participants to share their productive ways of using these applications with Copilot and other AI apps. Let’s learn and enjoy using our artificial intelligence with the Microsoft 365 applications to save time and increase productivity.
Greg Creech, MCAS-I, CompTIA CTT+, Techedutainment Services, Inc.
Greg Creech is a longtime presenter at the University of Georgia’s Administrative Professionals Conference in Athens. An entertaining educator with a passion for technology and people, he uses humor and energy to make learning, especially tech, fun and accessible. He is a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist–
Instructor with certifications in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Windows and has received top honors from the University Continuing Education Association and the Association of Continuing Higher Education for his teaching excellence.
Facilitate to Elevate: Leadership Skills for Administrative Professionals
Administrative professionals are often behind-the-scenes leaders who ensure teams stay connected, organized, and productive. In this interactive lecture, participants will explore how facilitative leadership differs from traditional leadership models and why it is especially relevant for administrative professionals.
Katie Chapman, PhD, UGA Office of Learning and Organizational Development
Katie Chapman is a leadership development specialist at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. She directs the LEAD21 Program, where she plays a key role in coordinating, developing, and implementing this national leadership development program. Additionally, she supports the leadership development needs of Cooperative Extension employees. Chapman holds a Ph.D. in learning, leadership, and organizational development, along with degrees in adult education and agricultural communication.
Cheryl Kennedy, PhD, UGA Center for Continuing Education
Cheryl Kennedy holds a PhD in Adult Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development, with a graduate certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies from the University of Georgia. As a program specialist at the university’s Center for Continuing Education, she facilitates a range of educational programs. Dr. Kennedy is dedicated to research that promotes women’s growth, focusing on gender, culture, and society. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Streamline, Simplify, Succeed: The Path to Operational Excellence
In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to identify inefficiencies, improve communication, and create processes that save time and reduce stress. Through hands-on activities, you’ll explore how to document workflows, map out processes, and introduce simple systems that enhance productivity and collaboration. Walk away with practical tools and strategies to lead operational change, increase your impact, and position yourself as an essential driver of organizational success.
Candice Abolarin, MBA, Mariposa Marketing Agency
Candice Abolarin is the Founder and Lead Strategist of Mariposa Marketing Agency, where she helps organizations grow through workshops, consulting, and Fractional CMO support. She specializes in strategic marketing assessments and KPI dashboards that help teams reach their goals faster. Previously, she was a
Business Consultant with the UGA Small Business Development Center, advising 300+ companies and helping secure over $8M in capital. She is a UGA graduate with an MBA from the Buckhead campus.
AI & Admins, The Dynamic Duo
Discover how you can use the power of AI tools to streamline daily tasks and organize your workflow. This session will explore practical applications of various AI tools, empowering you to work smarter, not harder.
Robbie Parks, MBA, UGA Small Business Development Center
Robbie Parks is a business consultant, facilitator, and speaker with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. With over 20 years of experience, she assists entrepreneurs in launching, managing, and growing their businesses. Her expertise includes marketing, graphic design, CRM implementation, SEO, and information technology. Parks holds an MBA from UGA and a BS in Information Technology. She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional and has a certificate in nonprofit organization management.
Navigating Change in Workplace
This session will explore the many intricacies of change within the workplace environment. Since change is inevitable, it must be considered at several levels, including the individual, workplace relationships, teams and organization. Participants will explore the nature of change, identify the benefits of change, discuss barriers to change, explore several theories/models of change management.
Brittany Adams-Pope, PhD, UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
As public service faculty at the Fanning Institute, Brittany Adams-Pope mainly works within the youth development practice group and assists the institute’s other practice groups as needed. Her expertise includes developing leadership programs focused on authentic, transformational and servant leadership. She has worked with a wide variety of populations and strives to create unique leadership programs for all ages. In addition, she is a certified Equine-Assisted Facilitator in the up-and-coming field of equine-assisted coaching and facilitation. Prior to joining the Fanning Institute in 2019, Adams-Pope served on the faculty at the University of Florida and the University of Louisville. She is currently a member of the Association of Leadership Educators, International Leadership Association and Equine Experiential Education Association.
Beyond the Job Description: Building Your “Career Capital”
Many administrative professionals fall into the trap of “just doing their job,” leaving their most strategic contributions invisible to leadership and creating an “empty bank account” of professional recognition. Beyond the Job Description: Building Your “Career Capital” will go beyond the standard job description to introduce the concept of “Career Capital,” a framework that turns daily tasks into measurable assets. You will learn how to track your hidden value found in three kinds of currency: Time, Money, and Stability and discover a practical system that you can use to demonstrate your impact during performance reviews and salary negotiations.
Charles Crisman, UGA Gwinnett
Charles Crisman is an academic leader with more than 20 years of experience supporting adult learners and career readiness. He provides personalized coaching in career development, research organization, and professional and academic writing and has led impactful academic support initiatives, including peer tutoring programs that improved student outcomes. For the past nine years as Director of the UGA Gwinnett Campus Learning Resource, he has helped students connect their learning to real career growth and advancement.
Understanding Professional Boundaries: Building Trust in Your Role
Administrative professionals often serve as the first point of contact for clients, students, faculty, staff, and executives. This interactive session explores how to maintain healthy boundaries while holding trusted positions, balancing both professionalism and respect. Through interactive activities, real-world scenarios, and group reflection, participants will learn how to maintain ethical, respectful, and supportive relationships while honoring their professional responsibilities.
Kristine Garcia, UGA Office of Global Engagement
Kristine Garcia is an Immigration Advisor at the University of Georgia’s Office of Global Engagement, supporting international students through complex immigration processes with accuracy and empathy. With experience in higher education and diplomatic service at the Philippine Embassy in Helsinki, Finland,
she brings a strong commitment to professional boundaries, ethical practice and building trust.
The Power of the Pause: Finding Balance in a Busy World
This workshop offers individuals the opportunity to discover how incorporating intentional pauses throughout the day can positively impact both mental and physical well-being. These benefits can lead to improved workplace relationships, increased productivity, and enhanced creativity. Through interactive discussions, guided exercises, and hands-on practice with various self-care techniques, participants will be encouraged and motivated to integrate short self-care breaks into their daily routine.
Jeana Griffith, PhD, Alight Counseling and Consulting
Dr. Jeana Griffith is a licensed clinical psychologist and mental health leader with more than 20 years of experience supporting individuals, teams, and organizations. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati and her master’s and doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at Emory University School of Medicine. She previously served as Director of Integrated Health Services at Georgia State University and now leads Alight Counseling and Consulting, LLC, providing culturally responsive care for individuals ages 17 and older.
What Shape are You? Exploring Personality Styles
This session is designed to unravel the intricacies of individual personalities. This engaging session invites participants to explore various personality styles through dynamic activities and discussions. Participants will identify their predominant personality traits, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Whether seeking personal insight or aiming to enhance team dynamics, this session will provide valuable tools to support navigating interpersonal relationships with finesse.
Brendan Leahy, Ed.D., UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Brendan S. Leahy, Ed.D., specializes in community leadership programs, instructional design, applied research, and leadership assessments, including Emergenetics. He works across a range of Fanning Institute initiatives focused on leadership development, youth leadership, facilitation, and community and
organizational strategic planning. Previously, he served as President of Leadership Plus and Associates and as UGA coordinator for the SciTrain University initiative in partnership with Georgia Tech and the U.S. Department of Education.
Upward Influence: Strategic Approaches for Success
This session empowers you to move beyond traditional concepts of administrative support to become a “force multiplier” through the strategic art of upward influence. Attendees will discover how to leverage informal influence and proactive followership to align personal growth with institutional success. We will explore and discuss ways you can turn your unique insights, problem-solving skills, and your talents for relationship management into strategic assets for the executive partnership.
Trina Smith, MLIS, Georgia Southern University
Trina R. Smith has over 25 years of administrative and managerial experience in both higher education and corporate environments. Between 2013 and 2025, she served as the executive assistant to two university presidents and two vice presidents. She recently took on the role of Chief of Staff for Academic Affairs at Georgia Southern University. She is pursuing an EdD in higher education leadership at Georgia Southern, with plans to graduate this year. Her doctoral research focuses on the followership experiences of EAs to provosts and she is a strong advocate for recognizing the administrative assisting profession as one of influence and strategic support. Trina earned her MLIS (Library and Information Studies) and MALS (Liberal Studies) degrees from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her BA in History from Furman University.
Advance in Excel with Essential Tools
Brian Simmons, PhD, MSW, UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Dr. Brian Simmons joined the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in 2013, where he is currently a Public Service Faculty in the Survey Research and Evaluation Support Division. He leads the Institute’s survey research team, partnering with organizations to design and implement rigorous evaluation and data collection strategies. As an Excel power user, Dr. Simmons brings advanced expertise in tools like complex formulas, PivotTables, and Power Query to streamline workflows and uncover actionable insights—skills he actively applies in both professional and personal settings.