Leading Out Loud: Courageous Leadership in an Era of Silencing

Thursday, January 22, 2026

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: Marquis Salon 14 - Level M2

Primary Presenter(s)

Chinyere Oparah

CEO, Center for Liberated Leadership, and Professor
University of San Francisco, United States

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Co-Presenter(s)

Shannon Lundeen

President
Stephens College, United States
Danielle Holley

President
Mount Holyoke College, United States
Stephanie Luster-Teasley

Dean, College of Engineering
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, United States
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Brooke Vick

Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Swarthmore College, United States

What does it mean to lead with integrity when democratic values are under attack? In this timely and urgent session, senior higher education leaders will share strategies for navigating political interference, public backlash, and institutional fear—while remaining rooted in equity, care, and purpose. Drawing on the Liberated Leadership Framework, panelists will explore how embodied wisdom, collective care, and courageous action can sustain inclusive, justice-centered leadership through uncertainty and division. From managing new leadership transitions to responding to campus unrest and external pressures, they will offer real-world insights into what it takes to lead out loud. Attendees will gain concrete tools for fostering connection, protecting space for dissent, and staying grounded in liberatory vision. This session is designed for leaders across roles and institutional types who are ready to reject silencing—and to lead in ways that reflect the best of what higher education can be.