The deadline to register is May 9.
Can’t join us this year? Share your email to stay in the loop for 2026.
Pricing:
Impact Partners and/or Organizations that Have Achieved COA Accreditation: $4750
Other Organizations: $5250
The Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), offered in partnership with Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business, equips senior-level managers and executives with the knowledge and skills to oversee day-to-day operations, and prepare for the future and greater systems change. Transactional meets transformational for this influential experience.
In addition to the weeklong in-person event, students participate in a full year of online learning, which includes interactive presentations, small-group discussions, experiential learning tours of community-based organizations, personal reflection and journaling, and more. To help students reinforce and apply their learning, they also complete self-designed projects that addresses an organizational challenge. The presentations are given before the assembly of participants and faculty.
ELI assembles a wide variety of faculty from the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, as well as academia. Social Current’s partnership with Quinlan means access to first-class faculty and specialized expertise, as well as the flexibility to create a program to transform students’ leadership skills. The curriculum will not only challenge, but offers a rare opportunity to focus on excellence, impact, and systems change.
An additional benefit of the program is that students receive mentoring from ELI alumni. Mentors and mentees are matched according to personal and professional leadership attributes. Hundreds of human and social services leaders have graduated from the institute and they continue to engage through alumni opportunities.
In this video, Dr. Cha-Tanya Lankford, director of Delaware programs at Pressley Ridge shares how the ELI curriculum continues to shape her as a professional and leader.
All cancellation requests must be made in writing and are subject to a $500 processing fee. Cancellation requests received after May 1 will not be refunded. Credit toward future Social Current events is not currently possible. Notice of written cancellation must be emailed directly to Trudy Gregory, lead operations associate at Social Current.
Social Current’s partnership with Loyola University Chicago, allows access to world-class faculty and academic rigor of a top-rated national university. Social Current and Loyola co-create the program for the in-person institute, and half of the instruction is provided by their faculty.
The Executive Leadership Institute takes an interdisciplinary approach to human and social services leadership, engaging faculty from Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business and School of Social Work. U.S. News & World Report nationally ranks Loyola’s online bachelor’s business program #8 and undergraduate business program #94. Its social work program is ranked #28.
Robena Spangler
Senior Director of Leadership and Organizational Development
Social Current
Robena Spangler is an innovative senior executive with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health, human services, and advancing equity and inclusion work. Most of her career has been dedicated to systems improvement within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Spangler held several leadership roles in the public and private sectors. She has provided professional coaching and leadership development for teams and individuals on a national level.
In addition to her public and private sector work, she is an adjunct instructor at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), responsible for facilitating accelerated programs in human services for adult learners. Her current role, as an EDI and leadership strategist, is to design and manage all aspects of Social Current’s leadership and organizational development portfolio. Spangler holds a bachelor’s in sociology and human services along with a master’s in leadership and professional advancement.
Robena on the Partnership: “Social Current is thrilled with our partnership with Loyola University Chicago. We work closely with their staff and faculty to design a leadership program that benefits both our students and their staff. Together, Social Current and Loyola deliver a top-tier experience for public and private social sector leaders, driving meaningful change. We are especially grateful for Kayla Gustafson’s professionalism in elevating the Executive Leadership Institute’s program to meet the needs of next-generation leaders in the human services sector.”
Kayla Gustafson
Program Manager of Executive and Professional Education Center
Loyola University Chicago
As program manager for the Executive and Professional Education Center at Loyola University Chicago, Kayla Gustafson collaborates with Quinlan School of Business faculty experts to develop high-quality professional development opportunities for individuals and supports customized business and management training programs for organizational partners.
A lifelong believer in the transformational power of education, Kayla began her career as a preschool teacher in an urban Montessori school. In 2021, after nearly a decade working with young children and families, she turned her focus to engaging adult learners. She brings a deep understanding of learning styles, lesson planning, and course design to her role.
Kayla on the Partnership: “The Social Current team brings such warmth and genuine collaboration to everything we do together for the Executive Leadership Institute. They’re not just partners – they’re passionate advocates who are constantly pushing the field forward with new ideas and resources. Together, we’ve built something special that helps social service leaders grow and thrive. This partnership embodies Loyola University Chicago’s core values of social justice and service to others – we’re helping develop compassionate leaders who will create positive change in their communities. It’s more than just a program – it’s about living our mission of being people in service to others.”
View and download the schedule with session descriptions as a PDF.
In this opening session, the CEO and President of Social Current will provide an inspiring introduction to the leadership journey ahead, offering insights into the current landscape of leadership and the unique challenges and opportunities of leading in today’s world. This session will set the tone for the program, emphasizing the importance of adaptive leadership and the impact leaders can have in shaping the future.
Presenter: Jody Levison-Johnson, president and CEO, Social Current
Workforce trends show that employees expect leaders to go beyond top-down recognition and self-care initiatives to actively improve engagement, retention, equity, and communication. Leaders are encouraged to practice empathy, inclusivity, psychological safety, and gratitude—but where should we focus first? The answer lies in understanding the brain and stress response system to create brain-friendly workplaces. This interactive session explores strategies to enhance cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and decision making. Participants will gain research-backed tools to foster executive functioning, psychological safety, and self-regulation while promoting adaptability, collaboration, and well-being. By aligning workplaces with how the brain thrives, organizations can drive both personal and organizational success.
Presenters: Karen Johnson, senior director of Change in Mind, and Kelly Martin, director of practice excellence, Social Current
This session will provide an executive-level overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be strategically leveraged to strengthen organizational resilience and effectiveness. Participants will explore key AI tools and how they can be applied to in streamline operations, enhance service delivery, and address critical challenges faced by human and social services organizations.
Presenter: Jonathan Singer, professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
For this session a panel of experts and executives will discuss the strategic integration of AI into human and social services organizations. The session will address opportunities for innovation, potential risks, and long-term implications of AI adoption in a rapidly evolving landscape.
In this panel discussion, leaders from MYSI will share how values-based leadership has shaped the organization’s mission to strengthen lives, provide help, and create hope for youth and their families. As MYSI celebrates its 60th anniversary, the panel will explore the agency’s recent transformation—including strategic planning, re-accreditation, and program enhancements—highlighting how intentional leadership, data-driven decision-making, and community partnerships have fueled impact. Participants will gain insights into how MYSI’s leadership team is fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration to equip young people with the tools, skills, and resources needed to thrive in adulthood.
Presenter: Andrea “Drea” Hall, president & CEO, MYSI Corporation
Join an engaging conversation about leading with purpose in a complex human services landscape with Executive Leadership Institute alumnus Mike Shaver. Formerly known as Children’s Home & Aid, Brightpoint has reimagined its mission to center families’ strengths, prioritize prevention, and pursue bold, data-driven solutions that create lasting change. Mike will share insights on transformational leadership, organizational evolution, and the role of equity and partnership in building systems that truly support children and families.
Presenter: Mike Shaver, president & CEO, Brightpoint
Executives and those in leadership positions frequently face ethical dilemmas that require balancing organizational goals, stakeholders’ interests, and social responsibility. Ethics are a bedrock of the social
responsibility and the integrity of the organization on behalf of the clients they serve. Codes of ethics are the operationalization of ethical principles. Without setting the Codes of Ethics in the context of an ethical framework, they can be performative and seemingly malleable. This presentation will posit that the ethics of organizations and their leadership are directly situated in the structure and mission of the organization and using real world examples illustrate how organizations can navigate this complexity in high-stakes decision-making.
Presenter: Jeanne Sokolec, BSW Director and clinical associate professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
This session will focus on building and leveraging generative partnerships by using a collaborative process model and applying leadership competencies for the next generation of social sector leaders.
Presenter: Robena Spangler, senior director of leadership and organizational development, Social Current
This interactive session will equip participants with practical approaches to harness data for strategic advantage, from leveraging public data sources to understand community needs to connecting operational metrics with customer outcomes. Participants will explore methods to move beyond activity/output tracking and funder-required measurements toward business-driven impact measurement and data strategies. At the end of the session, participants will leave with actionable frameworks to integrate data-driven approaches that advance their organization’s strategy and purpose.
Presenter: Katelyn Jones, vice president of impact insights and analytics, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
As health care organizations face evolving technologies, compliance requirements, and funding constraints, leadership must adopt a proactive approach—one in which data governance and organizational change management (OCM) are viewed as core priorities. This session challenges traditional leadership roles, exploring how leaders can drive lasting transformation by embedding governance and OCM into the organization’s foundation. Participants will walk away with actionable strategies to elevate their leadership approach and ensure long-term EHR and enterprise resilience.
Presenters: Chris Parry, CEO, Theresa Yera, director of EHR strategy & customer success, and Tina Kirkpatrick, director of EHR strategy & customer success, EHR Edge
As a culmination of the week’s learning, this reflective session will guide participants through a personal SWOT analysis, helping them assess their leadership strengths, areas for growth, opportunities, and potential challenges. By reflecting on the knowledge and insights gained throughout the week, leaders will identify strategic areas to enhance their leadership impact and align their development with the goals and challenges of their organizations. This session encourages both introspection and actionable planning to ensure continued growth beyond the program.
Presenter: Brandon Pendleton, adjunct professor, Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business
View and download the schedule as a PDF.
7 p.m. – Networking Dinner
8 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30 a.m. – Group 1 ELI Project Presentations
9:30 a.m. – Leading in the Moment
10:30 a.m. – Break
11 a.m. – Group 2 ELI Project Presentations
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Creating Brain-Friendly Work Environments: Strategies for Cognitive Flexibility & Well-Being (Part 1)
3 p.m. – Break
3:30 p.m. – Creating Brain-Friendly Work Environments: Strategies for Cognitive Flexibility & Well-Being (Part 2)
8 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30 a.m. – AI in Social Services: Tools for Resilient Organizations
10 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – AI in Social Services: Panel Discussion
Noon – Lunch
1:30 p.m. – Excellence: An Introduction to MYSI
3:30 p.m. – Break
4 p.m. – Strengthening Families, Transforming Systems: The Brightpoint Approach
7 p.m. – Networking Dinners (Offsite)
8 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30 a.m. – Ethical Leadership in High-Stakes Decision-Making
10 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – Leveraging Generative Partnerships for Next-Generation Leadership
Noon
1:30 p.m. – Driving Non-Profit Impact
3 p.m. – Break
3:30 p.m. – Advancing a New Leadership Paradigm: Strategic Stewardship in EHR Governance and Change
8 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30 a.m. – Strategic Leadership Reflection: A Personal SWOT Analysis
10 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – ELI Project – Overview and Q&A
Noon – Celebration Luncheon & Farewell
Quinlan School of Business
Loyola University Chicago
820 N Michigan Ave.
Chicago IL, 60611
The Executive Leadership Institute takes place on Loyola’s Water Tower Campus.
The Drake Hotel
140 East Walton Place
Chicago, IL 60611
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