June 16, 2025
Registration Opens
December 7, 2025
Early Bird Registration Deadline
January 9, 2026
Regular Registration Deadline
January 22, 2026
Institute Opens!
2026 NASPA Institute for New AVPs
Supporting the Profession AVP or "Number Two"
January 22 - January 24, 2026 Denver, CO
The NASPA Institute for New AVPs is a foundational three-day learning and networking experience designed to support and develop AVPs in their unique and challenging roles on campus. The Institute is appropriate for AVPs and other senior-level 'number twos' who report to the highest-ranking student affairs officer and who have been serving in their first AVP/'number two' position for no longer than two years.
Presented By
About
As a new assistant or associate vice president (or other 'number two') who reports to the vice president for student affairs (or other highest-ranking student affairs officer) on your campus, you have a unique and equally challenging position. The NASPA Institute for New AVPs is designed to support your successful transition into the AVP role and will help you navigate the complex individual and institutional challenges that are inherent in the 'number two' position. With the leadership of a faculty team comprised of accomplished AVPs and VPSAs, the Institute’s curriculum focuses on:
- Competencies required for success in the AVP role
- Leveraging intersecting personal identities for effective leadership
- Leading from 'the middle' and with a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lens
- Managing the role under hyper-ambiguous conditions
- Navigating complex and often high-stakes institutional politics
- Supervising and leading diverse, intergenerational teams
About the Institute Model:
This exclusive professional development program is an institute. Unlike conferences where participants choose to attend (or not) concurrent sessions, during this institute, all attendees will participate in the same cohort experience and are expected to engage fully in all aspects of the program, including meals. It is a very intensive experience, and the program will run into the evening each day.
All Institute participants must report to the highest-ranking student affairs officer on campus and have substantial responsibility for divisional functions. Join us in Columbus, Ohio, in January to improve your effectiveness in your challenging role and to expand your AVP peer network!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Institute participants are strongly encouraged to also attend the 2026 NASPA AVP Symposium, which will take place in the same location immediately following the Institute. A registration fee discount of 25% will be offered to institute participants who attend the Symposium. Upon completion of your institute registration, you will receive an email confirmation that contains a discount code for you to apply to your registration for the Symposium.
Registration
Registration as a member is based on individual membership status at the time of the event. If your current membership will expire prior to the event, you will have the option to renew at the time of registration to receive the member rate.
If you are not a current member and are employed by a college or university that is an institutional member, you can join as a professional affiliate member for an additional cost. If your institution is NOT a member, you can join as an associate affiliate member for a standard cost. Both membership types provide access to the individual member rate for the event. Please visit the membership section of the NASPA website to learn more about membership types and benefits. We hope you’ll consider joining today!
For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.
Registration Discount
- Institute participants are strongly encouraged to also attend the 2026 NASPA AVP Symposium, which will take place in the same location immediately following the institute. A registration fee discount of 25% will be offered to institute participants who attend the symposium. Upon completion of your institute registration, you will receive an email confirmation that contains a discount code for you to apply to your registration for the symposium. Learn more about the 2026 NASPA AVP Symposium.
|
REGISTRATION FEES |
||
|
Early Registration Through Dec 7, 2025 |
Regular Registration Dec 8, 2025 - Jan 9, 2026 |
No Late Registration |
|
NASPA Member |
||
|
$845 |
$945 |
-- |
|
Non-Member |
||
|
$925 |
$1025 |
-- |
|
HALF-DAY POST-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION |
||
|
NASPA Member |
||
|
$75 |
$95 |
-- |
|
Non-Member |
||
|
$175 |
$195 |
-- |
Additional Information
Registration Policies
Registration Cancellation Policy:
This program may be cancelled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. In this case, fees will be refunded; however, NASPA will not be responsible for additional costs, charges, or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, and/or travel agencies. NASPA is not responsible for weather or travel related problems and will not reimburse registration fees for these issues.
For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.
Questions?
|
NASPA Events Event Registration Support Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 265-7500 |
NASPA Staff Lead Sharon Gonzales Email: [email protected] |
Institute Schedule
This exclusive professional development program is an institute. Unlike conferences where participants choose from among concurrent sessions, during this institute all attendees will participate in the same cohort experience and are expected to engage fully in all aspects of the program, including meals and offsite activities. Please plan your travel so that you are able to participate in the entire institute. The institute schedule presented here is subject to changes.
January 22, 2026
January 23, 2026
January 24, 2026
|
9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. MT |
Institute Check-in |
|
|
12:30 p.m. - 1:35 p.m. MT (65 minutes)
|
Institute Welcome and Opening Sessions (Session 1) |
|
|
1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. MT (75 minutes)
|
Session 2: Leading from the Not-So-Middle |
|
|
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. MT |
Break |
|
|
3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. MT (90 minutes)
|
Fireside Chat |
|
|
4:50 p.m. - 5:50 p.m. MT |
Faculty-led Reflection Teams |
|
|
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. MT |
Institute Mixer |
|
|
6:45 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. MT |
Break |
|
|
7:15 p.m. MT |
Optional Group Dinners |
|
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. MT |
Breakfast and Optional Topic-specific Discussions (included with registration) |
|
|
9:10 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. MT |
Day 2 Introduction |
|
|
9:20 a.m. - 10:25 a.m. MT (65 minutes)
|
Session 3: Strategic Planning and Mission Alignment |
|
|
10:25 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. MT |
Break |
|
|
10:45 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. MT (65 minutes)
|
Session 4: Change/project management and managing unforced errors |
|
|
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. MT |
Institute Lunch & VPSA Panel |
|
|
1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. MT (90 minutes)
|
Faculty Coaching Sessions (1:1) / Break |
|
|
2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. MT |
Networking Refreshment Break |
|
|
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. MT (60 minutes)
|
Session 5: Supervising Content Experts and Across Generations |
|
| 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. MT | Faculty-led Reflection Teams | |
| 6 p.m. MT | Small Group Dinners (participants pay on your own) |
|
7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. MT |
Breakfast and Optional Topic-specific Discussions (included with registration) |
|
|
8:30 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. MT |
Introduction of Final Day |
|
|
8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. MT (60 minutes)
|
Faculty Breakout Groups |
|
|
9:50 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. MT (60 minutes)
|
Session 6: Communicating Impact and Data-Driven Decisions |
|
|
11:00 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. MT |
Faculty-led Reflection Teams |
|
|
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MT |
Institute Wrap-up |
|
|
12:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. MT |
Post-Institute Workshop (optional; requires registration) Post Con 1: From Mandate to Momentum: Strategic Agility in the Face of Legislative Disruption Post Con 2: The Written and Unwritten AVP Role in Campus Crisis |
|
Register Online for 2026 NASPA Institute for New AVPs
Institute Faculty
Accomplished AVPs and vice presidents for student affairs from a variety of institutional types will serve as the Institute's faculty.
Dr. Reyna M. Anaya
Dr. Reyna M. Anaya serves as the Vice President of Student Success at the Community College of Aurora (CCA). A student-centered leader, she is deeply committed to advancing equitable, transformative pathways to student success. Through inclusive and proactive leadership, she has strengthened student services not only at CCA but also across the Colorado Community College System.
A recognized voice in student affairs, Dra. Anaya actively contributes to the profession through scholarship and national service. She is engaged with organizations such as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE), and has previously served with the Association of Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) and the Colorado Coalition for the Educational Advancement of Latinxs (CoCEAL).
Her leadership and dedication have been widely recognized. Most recently, she was appointed Director-Elect of NASPA’s Community College Division for 2026–2028, named a 2023–2024 Fellow of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ La Academia de Liderazgo, and honored with the 2025 Community College Professional Award from NASPA’s IV-West Region as well as the 2023 Education Award from the Hispanic Women of Weld County.
Dr. Mary Blanchard
Dr. Mary Blanchard serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Experience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. With over 30 years of professional experience in higher education, Mary has served at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the University of Tulsa, Texas Woman’s University and Louisiana State University. Her leadership progression includes extensive experience in residential life/student housing and operations, student activities, volunteerism and service, student organization structure and policies, fraternity and sorority life, and crisis management. Mary was the first in her family to attend college, and attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, earning a BS in Liberal Arts, with a concentration in Psychology and Biology and a MA in Student Personnel Services. She earned her PhD in Human Resource Education and Workforce Development from Louisiana State University.
Currently, Mary serves on NASPA’s AVP Steering Committee, the Editorial Board of the Journal for College Student Success, and the Advocacy Group for FirstGen Forward (Forward Thinkers). She is a member of the NASPA Centering the Student Affairs Workforce Workgroup. Mary leads first-generation student support at UAB and student success initiatives in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and serves as a co-coordinator for the FirstGen Forward Network Leader for UAB. In 2023, Mary edited the book, First-Generation Professionals in Higher Education: Strategies for the World of Work.
For fun, Mary likes to go on weekend birding excursions with her husband, explore the biodiversity of the state of Alabama, read, and be Maisy to her grandchild, Estelle (the love of her life). Mary has been married to Steven Wallace for 33 years and has 4 daughters (Elizabeth (Estelle’s mom), Emma, Elani, and Elie).
Dr. Brittini Brown
Dr. Brittini Brown serves as the Associate Vice Provost for Student Engagement and Dean of Students, where she plays a vital part in leading the university’s efforts to facilitate and support student engagement and enhance the student experience, with a focus on fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. Drawing upon her significant student affairs leadership, programming, and assessment experience, Dr. Brown develops and implements strategies and manages operations supporting undergraduate student engagement, leadership development, and student development. She also serves as a partner and adviser to Student Affairs units across divisions to ensure that processes, outcomes, and engagement efforts for graduate student life meet both student needs and desired university outcomes.
Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Brown served as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she led areas including student life and engagement, event and conference services, facilities and operations, student affairs creative services, off-campus student services, civic life and democratic engagement, and risk management. Dr. Brown also previously held positions with Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Brown possesses a deep strategic and operational background serving students across learner groups as well as particular expertise in assessment and program efficacy. She has presented at numerous national conferences and her analyses, editorials, and research have been published in MSIs Unplugged, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and the American Council on Education Blog.
A native of Augusta, Arkansas, Dr. Brown is a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where she received her B.S. in Regulatory Science with a concentration in Industrial Health and Safety. She also holds a M.S. in Industrial and Agricultural Technology from Iowa State University and received her doctoral degree in Youth Development and Agricultural Education from Purdue University, where she was named a Distinguished Alumna.
Dr. Susannah Marshman (INAVP Director)
Dr. Susannah Marshman (INAVP Director) serves as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Leadership and Engagement at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. In this role, she provides strategic oversight for a broad portfolio of student engagement initiatives, including service initiatives, leadership development, student activities and organizations, sorority and fraternity life, student athletic ticketing, and operations within the student union. Her work is centered on creating meaningful pathways for student involvement and fostering experiences that enhance belonging and leadership growth across campus.
Prior to joining UTK, she spent eight years at Coastal Carolina University, advancing from Assistant Director of New Student and Family Programs to Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement. Notably, she assumed the AVP role in July 2020, playing a key leadership role during the university's return-to-campus planning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served as Interim Assistant Director in Greek Life at Florida State University and previously taught high school mathematics in Henrico, Virginia.
A passionate advocate for student development and engagement, she has led institutional efforts around hazing prevention and campus expression, chairing/co-chairing the Hazing Prevention Team, the Expressive Activity Steering Committee, and an institutional awards committee. She also played a pivotal role in the development of a student athletic credit policy that helped shape the institution’s approach to co-curricular learning and reward systems at the same time as implementing a Salesforce-based event management system.
She is an active member of NASPA and ACUI, and has been a member of her “home association,” NODA, since 2010. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and holds additional certifications in hazing prevention (UTK) and service excellence (Feel the Teal).
Dr. Marshman earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida State University, and both her master’s in Curriculum and Instruction and bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Virginia Tech.
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, she is a single mother to a vivacious eight-year-old and is proudly active as a Girl Scout troop administrator and cookie dealer. An avid fan of college sports and the Washington Commanders ("the struggle is real"), she’s also a dedicated DIY enthusiast who confidently takes on new skills—armed with determination and a few YouTube videos.
Dr. Rosalind Moore-Miller
Dr. Rosalind Moore-Miller serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement at The University of Alabama, where she oversees six departments, including the UA Student Union, SGA, University Programs, The Blackburn Institute, the Center for Service & Leadership, and Student Involvement who supports more than 650 student organizations. In this role, she guides the engagement of students in intentional learning opportunities and has advanced strategic processes such as UA’s Engagement Record, leadership development initiatives, and systems that strengthen the student experience from entry to graduation.
With more than 20 years in Student Affairs, Dr. Moore-Miller has held roles in Housing & Residential Communities, the Dean of Students Office, Fraternity & Sorority Life, and Graduate Student Services. Her contributions have been recognized with honors such as the Division of Student Life Mission Excellence Award, the Judy Bonner Prize Medallion, and the Dr. Kathleen Cramer Award of Excellence.
She has also held leadership positions within NASPA and other professional organizations, including past service on the NASPA Region III Advisory Board as a Knowledge Community representative, and as a past board member for the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. Dr. Moore-Miller holds a PhD in Instructional Leadership- Social and Cultural Foundations from The University of Alabama and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Jacksonville State University.
Dr. Gabe Willis
Dr. Gabe Willis serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Advocacy at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he leads a broad portfolio of units including Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, the Office of Student Advocacy, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the Office of the Dean of Students. In this role, he provides strategic leadership for crisis response, threat assessment, hazing prevention, and case management initiatives that ensure students are supported and connected to resources.
A returning faculty member for the NASPA New Assistant Vice President Institute, Dr. Willis also previously served as faculty for the NASPA New Professionals Institute, underscoring his long-standing commitment to the development of student affairs professionals. His national involvement reflects a deep affiliation with NASPA, where he has contributed to shaping conversations on leadership, policy, and professional growth in higher education.
Dr. Willis has extensive experience in policy development, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression, alcohol use and education, hazing prevention, and other risk-related behaviors. At VCU, he spearheaded the university’s first comprehensive Campus Expression and Space Utilization Policy, leading a cross-campus process that included drafting, education, and implementation. His policy work is complemented by years of leadership in threat assessment, having served as a member and co-chair of university threat assessment and response teams, ensuring timely and effective interventions to safeguard campus communities. With more than 15 years of higher education experience, Dr. Willis is also a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and a frequent presenter on topics of leadership and student advocacy. His career reflects a consistent commitment to advancing student success, reducing risk through thoughtful policy, and developing future leaders who are equipped to meet the evolving challenges of higher education.
Venue
All conference activities will take place at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center.
650 15th Street
Denver CO, 80202
NASPA has arranged special room rates for conference attendees at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center. Please use this link to reserve a room in our hotel block.
Reserving a room within our block by using the hotel's dedicated meeting website or toll-free telephone number not only benefits you; it also helps to support the conference. When you book within our conference block, you help NASPA keep meeting costs as low as possible and enable us to provide some of the important features meeting attendees have come to enjoy.
More Information
Travel
Parking
Weather
The average temperatures in Colorado, Denver are around 43° F during the day and 36° F in the evening. As the conference gets closer, please visit the Weather Channel for more information.
Please note, the hotel and meeting areas may be cooler temperatures. A sweater or jacket is recommended.
NASPA Global Health, Safety, and Responsibility
For complete and most up-to-date policies and procedures related to health and safety during our place-based events, please refer to this page: https://www.naspa.org/events/global-health-and-safety
Travel
Nearby Airport
The Denver International Airport (DEN) is 23 miles (30 minute drive) from the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Hotel and Convention Center.
Denver Airport Rail
Travelers can use A Line, the rail service from Denver International Airport to Union Station in LODO (lower downtown) and back, courtesy of Regional Transportation District (RTD). The Denver Airport Rail has six stops along the way and takes approximately 37 minutes at a cost of $10.50 each way.
You may also explore alternative transportation options here.
Sponsors
If you would like to sponsor the 2026 NASPA Institute for New AVPs, please contact Fred Comparato, Senior Director of Corporate Development, at 614-204-5994 or click the button below to send an email.
Thank you to our 2025 sponsors!
Code of Ethics
To read more about NASPA's Guiding Principles and Code of Ethics, please visit here.
Weather
The average temperatures in Denver, CO, in January are around 47°F during the day and 17°F in the evening.
As the conference gets closer, please visit the Weather Channel for more information.
Please note, temperatures in the hotel and meeting areas may vary, and we recommend layering clothing.