Registration is now closed for the
2022 Wise Leader Virtual Conference
Please click on the green button below
to visit this year's conference page now.
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
Why should I attend the Wise Leader Conference?
Are you interested in a safe virtual environment to engage with wise leaders about any of the following?
- Leading Yourself and Others in Higher Education and Beyond
- Making Wise Decisions
- Getting Along Well With Individuals and Teams
- Seeking Opportunities for Promotion or New Ventures
- Promoting Wellbeing for Yourself and Others
- Exercising Firm Faith that Works Through Love
Good News!
The Wise Leader Conference will provide a safe virtual space for leaders in higher education and beyond who are passionate about not only sharing leadership strategies but also helping their fellow leaders understand who is The True Source of their wisdom and the biblical principles that inform the strategies that they use to lead themselves and others wisely.
I want to attend the Wise Leader Conference
Registration is now closedCONFERENCE TRACKS
Lead Yourself and Others
This track includes, but is not limited to, leadership strategies for communicating; optimizing resources; helping your learners, team or staff succeed; coaching; mentoring; and leading change.
"Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14).
Make Wise Decisions
This track includes, but is not limited to, leadership strategies for seeking God's kingdom first, planning strategically, discerning God’s plan for your life, and deciding when to say yes or no.
"We should make plans—counting
on God to direct us."
(Psalms 37:5).
Get Along Well With Others
This track includes, but is not limited to, leadership strategies for working with individuals and teams, getting buy-in from others, negotiating, and using your tongue wisely.
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalms 133:1).
Seek Opportunities for Promotion or New Ventures
This track includes strategies to pursue a new position, venture or business; promoting a cause; and networking.
"For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another " (Psalms 75:6-7).
Exercising Firm Faith That Works Through Love
This track includes, but is not limited to, strategies for walking by faith and not by sight; integrating firm faith at your work; exercising diligence and patience; and working with excellence through love.
"If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all"
(Isaiah 7:9).
Promote Healthy Wellbeing for Yourself and Others
This track includes, but is not limited to, leadership strategies for promoting healthy lifestyle, encouraging others,
and helping the hurting.
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper
in all things and be in health, just
as your soul prospers"
(3 John 3:2).
OUR WISE SPEAKERS
Dr. Antija Allen
Director of the Academic Center for Excellence and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pellissippi State Community College
Dr. Tonya Amankwatia
Assistant Vice Provost, Distance Education and Extended Learning at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Dr. Michael Dailey
Director of Distance Learning and Instructional Design, Office of Distance Education, Kentucky State University
Dr. Debra Ferdinand-James
Senior Lecturer at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus
Dr. Julaine Fowlin
Assistant Director of Instructional Design at Vanderbilt University
Dr. Doyle Friskney
Senior Fellow, Academic Affairs, Council on Post Secondary Education; Retired Chief Technology Officer, University of Kentucky
Dr. Ericka Hollis
Assistant Provost of Academic Innovation and Faculty Development at Regis College
Dr. John Huss
Professor of Education, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. Rohan Jowallah
International Speaker on Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and Instructional Designer, University of Central Florida
Dr. Yvonne Larrier
Founding President of GCSCORED, Inc.; Department Chair and Associate Professor, Counseling and Human Services Department, Indiana University South Bend
Dr. Angila Moffitt
Director, Online BA in Early Childhood Education and M.Ed. Educational Administration Programs and Professor
at Northwestern College, Iowa
Dr. Lora Pilgrim
Director (Interim), Office of Online Learning, The University of the West Indies
Dr. Anthony Pina
Chief Online Learning Officer and
Director of Online Education at
Illinois State University
Dr. Amelia Rose
Founder of Family Life Patheways, Keynote Speaker, and Multidisciplinary Education and Social Services Professional
Dr. Melony Shemberger
Associate Professor of Mass Communication and Faculty Regent at Murray State University
Dr. Janice Staab
Founder of Life Science Coaching; Life and Career Coach; Writer; Teacher; and Philosophical Counselor
Dr. Karie Stamer
Director or Online RN-BSN Program and Associate Professor of Nursing at Northwestern College, Iowa
Justin Stewart
Faculty Career Coach, Allen Ivy Prep Consulting; Co-Editor of Bestseller, titled We’re Not OK: Black Faculty Experiences and Higher Ed. Strategies
Dr. Erica Vonk
Director, Center for Innovation & Leadership; Assistant Professor
at Northwestern College, Iowa
Dr. LaDonna Young
Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Motivate Lab (University of Virginia); former Dean at Southwest Tennessee Community College
Dr. Firm Faith Watson
Director, Faculty Development Center, Murray State University; President and Founder Firm Faith University
I want to attend the Wise Leader Conference
Registration is now closed
Hi, I'm Firm Faith
As a child, I despised my name. Now, I realize that God has called me to help leaders like you exercise firm faith to make the wise decisions that you need to make, to achieve the desires that He has placed in your heart. I was blessed to see this verse with my name:
"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9)."
The verse below reminds me of how God is leading me to serve you through love.
"... All that matters is faith, expressed through love" (Galatians 5:6).
I invite you to join me and other wise leaders for the Wise Leader Conference from the comfort of your own location! Please share this special invitation with others.
What leaders noted about Firm Faith's Work (Unsolicited)
Virtual Course Design Challenge Participant
"I can honestly say that putting your tips and tools into practice made me feel more confident, helped me to stay focused on the objectives, and I am sure it will reflect in students' learning too in a positive way...I already have seen a major improvement in the way I look at handling my courses.
Your name and your talk will always be there in my mind...
Your firm faith principles are also very inspiring….emotional enough to force me to think deeply about life and strong enough to help people stay motivated…
I learned a lot from you both about the course and about life….
Thank you so much for all your efforts. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of your class."
Dr. Mahwish Anjam, Dean and Assistant Professor, College of Business,
Al Ghurair University, Dubai
The Wise Leader Challenge Participant and This Works for Me Virtual Summit Speaker
"You have always been one of the most innovative and forward-thinking individuals in higher education.
I appreciate what you’ve been doing.
You are a leader.”
Dr. Doyle Friskney,
Senior Fellow, Academic Affairs, Council on Post Secondary Education;
Retired Chief Technology Officer, University of Kentucky
This Works for Me
Virtual Summit Speaker
"Please know that what you are doing is of great service to educators. It's an innovative way to produce anytime/anywhere professional development, on demand. It is great to learn from my peers in their areas of expertise, and I thank you for including me in your scaffolded learning community.
I wish you continued success and applaud your work."
Dr. Denise Malloy
Executive Director, HBCU C2
Global SMART Technology Innovation Center, Tennessee State University
Virtual Course Design Challenge Observer
"Thank you for sharing your model of Weekly Challenges with us and allowing us to sit in on your Zoom call. Our Challenges have been going extremely well...Your program model had such an impact on us..."
Dr. Carla Vecchiola,
Director, Hub for Teaching & Learning Resources, University of
Michigan-Dearborn
Leadership Coaching Institute Participant
Firm Faith, "You are truly a gift to higher education."
Dr. Debra Ferdinand-James,
Senior Lecturer, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
Virtual Course Design Challenge Participant
Thank you for running your Virtual Course Design challenge last summer in a way that was open to the broader academic community. I learned a lot not only from the content that you presented, but also through appreciating the design of the associated Canvas course...
I also appreciated the meetups you hosted on Zoom to talk through some of the ideas. I enjoyed meeting others from outside my college who were facing the same challenges.
Overall, I feel grateful to have had this structured and supportive environment in which to think through my choices and celebrate everyone’s progress at the end of the session.
I have brought my perspectives from the challenge back to my campus to help my colleagues as they re-designed their courses. I have also since redesigned most of my Canvas course spaces following principles from your [challenge], and I believe that this has helped my students navigate the online spaces of my course even better.
I intend to keep these design features when we return face-to-face.
Thanks again for making an impact!
Dr. Elizabeth Leininger,
Assistant Professor, Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida
Leadership Coaching and Consultation
"Firm Faith was instrumental in my decision to pursue my passion through entrepreneurship. For the past two years, I have been growing ATTECS, LLC - an independent center for teaching and learning. But, it came about as a result of much deliberation and reflection: "What is your heart's desire?" discussion
with Firm Faith really helped clarify my choice."
Dr. Ella Epshteyn
Founder/CEO, ATTECS, LLC
Virtual Course Design Challenge and ALIVE Challenge Participant
"Thank you so much for the benefit of your wisdom...
learned so much and shared with others. The students will benefit from the learning I received from you!."
Dr. Arlene Nicholas, Professor, Faculty Fellow, 5-Year Program Coordinator,
Salve University
ALIVE Challenge Participant
"It was extremely helpful to have a conversation with you today. I just left the meeting with the Provost, and they like the approach to the faculty academy.
I truly enjoyed the learning experience!" [in the Accelerated Leadership in Virtual Environments Challenge]
Dr. Michael Dailey
Director of Distance Learning and Instructional Design, Office of Distance Education, Kentucky State University
About Firm Faith
Dr. Firm Faith Watson serves as Director of the Faculty Development Center at Murray State University. She is a leadership coach and the President and Founder of Firm Faith University, the official sponsor of the Wise Leader Virtual Summit, the Wise Leader Challenge, the
Wise Leader Institute, the Lead Others in Virtual Environments (LOVE) Membership, and the Wise Leader Conference.
Watson designed and facilitated professional development to serve leaders in the United States and beyond including the Leadership Coaching Institute, the Accelerated Leadership in Virtual Environments (ALIVE) Challenge, and the Virtual Course Design Challenge. She also hosted the This Works for Me Virtual Summit.
Watson collaborated with leaders at Murray State University to host the Fall Faculty Summit, New Faculty Orientation, New Faculty Academy, and to lead the university's major transition to online learning during the pandemic. Her email is [email protected].
