This episode explores how effective technology leadership often grows from unexpected experiences rather than planned career paths. Through stories of growth, change, and self-discovery, the conversation highlights the importance of curiosity, relationships, and people-centered leadership in helping young leaders navigate complexity and create meaningful impact.
This episode explains how remote, hybrid, and in-person work models are evolving in higher education and how they impact productivity and collaboration. It also highlights the difference between inclusion and genuine connection while exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs and increasing the importance of human skills such as adaptability and communication.
![EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: Instructional Continuity in the Face of Major Disruption [infographic]](https://er.educause.edu/-/media/images/multimedia/2026/june-2026-instructional-continuity-quickpoll-infographic-header.png)
Recent disruptions to the educational systems that support many colleges and universities have highlighted the need for institutions to develop plans for instructional continuity to safeguard the educational activities of higher education.
In this episode, Sophie and Jenay talk with Brian Zahn and Eric Markle from The George Washington University about their experience using agentic AI to modernize enterprise systems, improve developer productivity, and manage organizational change.
This conversation examines how higher education leadership is adapting to artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to balance risk and experimentation while preparing institutions and students for rapid technological change.
President Trump has signed a new executive order focused on artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and cybersecurity, directing federal agencies to strengthen their cyber defenses, expand access to AI-enabled cybersecurity tools, and establish a voluntary framework for collaboration with AI developers.
The interruption of service for the Canvas LMS after a ransomware attack left many in higher education reckoning with how to sustain academic activities when critical services are down.
Large-scale data-management initiatives sit at the intersection of technical work and organizational change management.
Sophie and Jenay talk with Hans van Oostrom and Liz Norell about findings from the 2026 EDUCAUSE The Impact of AI on Learning Assessment Report and how AI is reshaping conversations about learning assessment in higher education.
The suggested readings in this installment of the "Leaders Are Readers" series focus on stewardship as a cornerstone of enduring leadership, highlighting how great leaders develop people and sustain long-term success through humility, continuous growth, and responsibility to future generations.
