Role: Panel Speaker & Client Representative

In connection with Johnny C. Carter (CEO of Funnel) I was selected to represent student housing experts as a panelist at Funnel Forum, a national event hosted by our CRM vendor, Funnel. Speaking to an audience of approximately 300 industry professionals, I joined other leaders from prominent property management companies to discuss the real-world impact of Funnel’s software on property operations and resident engagement.

During the panel, I shared insights on:

• The operational efficiencies achieved through the CRM implementation

• How the software supported standardization and scalability across properties

• The role of CRM in improving lead management, team workflows, and resident communication

I received strong positive feedback from both audience members and event organizers, recognizing the clarity and candor of my contributions. The experience further positioned Redstone—and myself—as thought leaders in technology adoption within the property management space.

In 2023, I served as Conference Chair for the Utah First Year Experience Consortium, hosted on our campus and attended by representatives from nearly all Utah higher education institutions, as well as several from neighboring Idaho.

As chair, I led the planning and execution of a full-day event featuring approximately 25 breakout presentations focused on improving first-year experience, student retention, and academic outcomes. My responsibilities included:

• Coordinating keynote speakers and session presenters

• Managing event logistics, communications, and outreach

• Creating space for collaboration and knowledge-sharing across institutions
  
  

In addition to my leadership duties, I also presented at multiple sessions, including a highlight presentation on our institution’s Early Alert Program, showcasing our proactive efforts to support at-risk students through data-driven interventions.

The conference was widely regarded as a success and strengthened cross-institutional relationships while advancing shared goals around student success and persistence.

At the 2022 National Symposium on Student Retention, I presented on the topic: "Connect, Support, and Engage! Text Your First-Year Students With Purpose." This session focused on leveraging text messaging as a high-impact practice to meet students where they are and improve engagement and retention outcomes.

Our presentation covered:

• Why students prefer text messaging over calls or emails, especially first-year students balancing academic and personal transitions

• The demographic and behavioral personas of our incoming student population

• Real examples of how we used targeted messaging strategies to increase student support touchpoints

• Response rate data and impact metrics showing improved communication outcomes
  
  

This presentation highlighted how intentional, well-timed messaging can create scalable, personal support systems that help students feel more connected to campus resources and more likely to persist.

At the 2022 National Symposium on Student Retention, I co-presented a data-driven session titled “Implementing Predictive Analytics: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” sharing Utah Valley University’s real-world experience deploying predictive analytics to support student success.

Our session offered a transparent, practical look at:

• The successes of using predictive models to target high-risk students

• The challenges of adoption, cultural resistance, and data interpretation

• The lessons learned, including what we would do differently if starting over

• How predictive analytics can be used to elevate retention strategies when aligned with thoughtful intervention design
  
  

This presentation helped institutions understand the complexities of predictive analytics beyond the software—focusing on implementation, stakeholder buy-in, and the ethical use of student data to drive meaningful support.

At the National Symposium on Student Retention, I co-presented “IPEDS Outcome Measure: Using Past Results to Predict the Future,” a session designed to help public and regional universities more accurately measure and communicate student persistence and graduation rates.

This data-driven presentation walked participants through:

• The calculation method behind the IPEDS Outcome Measure

• How this metric offers a more inclusive view of student success, especially for nontraditional and delayed-graduation pathways

• The impact of using this measure to inform institutional strategy and support

• What the adoption of this metric means for future accountability and equity in retention reporting

Our goal was to equip attendees with a clear, practical model they could replicate to enhance their own reporting, planning, and student success efforts.

At the National Symposium on Student Retention, I co-presented “Creating a Culture of Accountability and Ownership for Student Success” alongside the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. This session focused on the challenges and strategies involved in building cross-functional alignment around student success outcomes.

We explored the common issue that when many stakeholders are involved, responsibility can become diffused, leading to unclear ownership of results. Our presentation outlined how we addressed this at our institution by:

• Bringing key decision-makers together from both academic and student affairs
  
  

• Defining clear areas of responsibility aligned with institutional priorities
  
  

• Building a shared understanding of how each team contributes to retention and completion metrics
  
  

• Fostering a culture where accountability is seen as shared investment, not blame
  
  

The session provided actionable strategies for other institutions looking to move from fragmented efforts to collaborative, data-informed action plans that drive meaningful student success.

At the Utah Association of Collegiate Admissions and Registrars conference, I presented a session titled “Fulfillment and Burnout,” focused on helping higher education professionals navigate the emotional and professional challenges of their work.

In this session, we explored:

• The causes of burnout specific to education and student services roles

• Strategies for finding purpose and fulfillment in day-to-day responsibilities

• Tools for managing personal bandwidth and mental load

• Practical approaches to leading both up and down the organizational ladder, with or without a formal leadership title

The presentation combined research-backed insights with real-world examples, offering attendees a space for reflection and a set of actionable takeaways to support sustainable, purpose-driven work in high-demand environments.

Role: University Recruiter, Presenter, and Mentor

During my time as a university recruiter, I led over 500 presentations across Utah high schools as part of Utah Higher Education Day, connecting with audiences ranging from 10 to 1,000 students. Over the course of two and a half years, I served not only as a recruiter but as an instructor, mentor, and coach—helping students recognize the value of higher education and understand how college could meet their personal, financial, and academic goals.

Each presentation was tailored to the specific needs and concerns of the student audience, often addressing common barriers such as affordability, academic readiness, and belonging. My approach focused on empathy, empowerment, and clear messaging—ensuring that students saw college as a realistic and transformative next step.

To further support this mission, I also produced this promotional video, designed to inspire students and visually represent the opportunities awaiting them in higher education.

The impact of this work was measurable: every region I served—including smaller, rural districts—became a feeder area for UVU, contributing to an average 6% year-over-year enrollment growth. These experiences also helped me refine my skills in public speaking, instructional design, and persuasive communication, which continue to influence my work in leadership development and education today.