2025 UNH Leadership & Management Conference: From Potential to Power: Shaping the Future of Leadership

2025 UNH Leadership & Management Conference: From Potential to Power: Shaping the Future of Leadership
AC Hotel Portsmouth NH

Leadership is evolving—and those who succeed will be the ones who adapt, inspire, and lead with both vision and humanity.

Join UNH Professional Development & Training for a full-day conference designed to equip leaders at all levels with the mindset and skills needed to thrive in a changing world. This year’s theme, From Potential to Power, explores what it truly takes to lead with impact in the age of disruption, AI, and intergenerational change.

Through a series of expert-led, interactive sessions, you’ll gain tools to communicate more effectively, respond to uncertainty with agility, build emotionally intelligent teams, and foster inclusive, forward-thinking workplaces. The program blends leadership strategy with real-world application—offering insights you can put into practice right away.

Whether you’re navigating emerging technologies, leading through crisis, or stepping into your first management role, this conference will help you harness your potential and turn it into lasting influence.

Step into your power—and shape the future of leadership.

Fall 2025 Conference speakers and presentations include:

  • Keynote Presentation | TBD
  • Antifragile Leadership in the Age of Exponential AI |Alec Newcomb
  • Drop the Act: The Power of Presence in a Performative World | Michael Cinquino 
  • Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI: The Essential Human Advantage Amy Wood
  • Leading Without Losing Yourself: A Values-Based Approach to Authentic Leadership Cassie Crosby

Your Fall 2025 Leadership & Management Conference enrollment includes full access to the conference including:

  • Admission to keynote presentation
  • Admission to any of five concurrent sessions through the day
  • Complimentary breakfast and lunch
  • Free on-site parking
  • All conference materials

Fall 2025 Leadership and Management Conference Digital Badge

Participants who attend the  Fall 2025 Leadership and Management Conference will automatically receive a digital badge microcredential which verifies their accomplishment and skill can be shared on social media, blogs, and online portfolios. 

Upon completion of the Fall 2025 Leadership and Management Conference, participants will receive an email with further information on claiming their badge. For more information on digital badges with UNH PD&T,

 

9:00AM - 4:00PM
Portsmouth - AC Hotel
399.00 Workshop Fee
6
USNH Tuition Benefit Discount
10% Alumni Discount
Discount
UNHOCE Discount
0.6
PDT-BusLM-186
225276

Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI: The Essential Human Advantage | Amy Wood

As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, emotional intelligence (EQ) has become the key predictor of success, empowering you to understand yourself and others, work collaboratively with both humans and technology, and stand out through empathy, adaptability, and authentic connection. This workshop explores the core components of EQ and their heightened importance in an AI-driven world, equipping you to operate with self-discipline and motivation, inspire others with skills AI cannot replicate, lead confidently through change, and manage challenging situations with agility, leveraging emotional intelligence as your defining advantage.

 

Antifragile Leadership in the Age of Exponential AI | Alec Newcomb

While most leaders focus on surviving AI disruption, antifragile leaders thrive on it. This isn't about building resilience, it's about creating organizations that get stronger from AI-driven volatility. Discover the systematic approach leaders are using to empower their teams to succeed in the age of AI. 

  • Data Points from AI Implementations and the shrinking half-life of skills
  • Four pillars of antifragility (decentralized decision-making, continuous up-skilling, data-driven experiments, psychological safety).
  • Map emerging AI disruptions to current org capabilities; identify “fragile vs. antifragile” practices.
  • Develop your team's competitive edge through AI-enhanced capabilities: seeing patterns others miss, humans + AI checklist, and making sense of complex data landscapes.
  • How to get your team to commit to action via two-week sprints 

You will leave this session with

1. A practical framework for spotting AI shifts before they impact your team.

2. Checklist for turning every project into a learning loop.

3. Template for individual “AI Talent Canvas” to pair AI with your team's strengths.

4. Decision matrix for when to lead with human judgment vs. AI vs. hybrid approaches

The question isn't whether AI will disrupt your industry; it's how you lead your organization to emerge stronger. Leaders who master antifragility don't just survive the AI revolution; they use it as fuel for unprecedented growth.

 

Drop the Act: The Power of Presence in a Performative World | Michael Cinquino 

In an age of nonstop content, performative communication, and digital overload, real presence is becoming a lost art. This interactive presentation explores how we can cut through the noise—not by being louder, but by being more human.

Drawing from performance training, psychology, and real-world communication strategy, Michael Cinquino shares practical tools for developing a strong, authentic presence in any setting—on stage, on camera, or in conversation. While technology continues to evolve, our ability to be seen, heard, and felt remains our greatest professional asset. Attendees will leave with a renewed understanding of how presence builds trust, drives influence, and creates connection—on or off the screen.

 

Leading Without Losing Yourself: A Values-Based Approach to Authentic Leadership |Cassie Crosby

It's easy to lose yourself in leadership. The demands grow, expectations shift, and before long, you're performing how you think you should—instead of leading how you want to. Even the highest-performing leaders can lose sight of themselves in the demands of leadership.

This session offers a chance to pause and realign through a values-based approach to authentic leadership. You'll engage with AI-powered tools designed to deliver rapid insights, perfect for busy leaders who need clarity without lengthy processes. Through guided exercises, you'll clarify your core values and develop the language to lead with greater intention and consistency.

Whether you're navigating complexity, stepping into a new role, or seeking greater presence in high-stakes environments, this session will give you the clarity and tools to lead authentically into the future, without losing yourself in the process.

Intergenerational Leadership | David Liddell

9am: Registration & Continental Breakfast 

9:30am: Welcome 
9:45am: Keynote Speaker TBD 

10:30am: Break

10:45am: Concurrent Sessions A

Antifragile Leadership in the Age of Exponential AI | Alec Newcomb 

Leading Without Losing Yourself: A Values-Based Approach to Authentic Leadership | Cassie Crosby

12:00pm: Buffet Lunch 
1:00pm: Concurrent Sessions B

Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI: The Essential Human Advantage | Amy Wood 

Intergenerational Leadership | David Liddell

2:15pm: Break

2:30pm: Final session 

Drop the Act: The Power of Presence in a Performative World | Michael Cinquino 

3:45pm: Closing Remarks

Conference Ends at 4:00 pm

 

AC Hotel Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront
299 Vaughan St, Portsmouth, NH 03801