Join Us at the CSPEN 12th Annual Conference!
August 10-13, 2026
Austin Marriott Downtown
Austin, Texas
Get ready for an incredible in-person experience at the CSPEN 12th Annual Conference. Connect with professionals, share ideas, and dive into exciting sessions. It’s the perfect chance to expand your network and learn from the best. Don’t miss this awesome event that brings everyone together face-to-face. See you there!
Monday, August 10
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 7 am – 2 pm | Grey Rock Golf Club Register for Golf Join CSPEN for a fun golf tournament where your next 18 holes are mere minutes from downtown Austin, yet worlds away in the heart of the Texas hill country on 160 acres of stately oaks and majestic views. |  |
| 9 am – 1 pm | CSPEN Exclusive :: Old Austin Walking Tour & BBQ Lunch Register for Event  View Full Image | Sponsored by |
| 3 – 5 pm | Workshop :: AI in Action: From Static Data to Student-Centered Decisions | Sponsored by |
| 3 – 5 pm | Regulatory Workshop :: Navigating OBBBA Changes Across Your Institution | Sponsored by |
| 6 – 8 pm | ShinyRibs Concert | Join CSPEN for a night of fun you’ll be talking about for years as we host the nationally-acclaimed Austin band: SHINYRIBS ShinyRibs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B Funk, horn-driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing and roots-rock. Led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continually swaps out an electric guitar for ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on-stage antics that will have you laughing, dancing, singing and begging for more. |
Tuesday, August 11
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 9 – 9:30 am | Breakfast in Exhibition Hall | |
| 9:30 – 10:30 am | Welcome General Session | |
| 10:30 – 11:30 am | Sessions | 1. The Canvas Breach and the Digital Campus: Lessons for Online Colleges Presenters: Ken Styron, Columbia Southern and Yolanda Gallegos, Gallegos Legal Group, LLC 2. Cheating, Overusing… and Refusing: The New AI Challenge for Faculty Presenter: Lisa Blue, Eastern Kentucky University 3. The Hidden Leaks In Your Enrollment Funnel – How to find them and fix them Presenters: Lyda King, Western Technical College and Angela Poia, MDT Marketing 4. Optimizing the Workforce, Education and Employer Intersection: Turning Collaboration into Sustainable Wage Careers Presenters: Andrea Snow, Pima Medical Institute and Micaela Pearson, Career Team |
| 11:45 am – 12:45 pm | Light Lunch in Exhibition Hall | |
| 12:45 – 1:45 pm | Sessions | 1. Beyond Social: How to Reach Gen Z Prospects Through the Rest of Their Day Presenter: Brandt Bodamer, adduro.io 2. What I Got Wrong: A CEO’s Playbook on How to Diagnose and Fix Leadership Failures in Real Time Presenter: Josh Swayne, Charter College 3. How a School and Student Loan Servicer Partnered to Modernize Institutional Financing Through Automation and APIs Presenters: Tony Comstock, Pima Medical Institute, Nicolas Morabito, UNISA and Matt Chinn, UNISA 4. Academic Integrity in an AI-infused World: Curriculum Strategies for Healthcare Student Success and Professional Workforce Readiness Presenter: Karin Sherrill, Nurse Educator and Tammy Detrich, FA Davis 5. SIS Workshop – SIS SOS: Finding Our Way Out of the Tangle Panel Discussion |
| 1:45 – 2:45 pm | Sessions | 1. War on Talent Presenter: John Assunto, Hudson Group 2. From Assumptions to Access: Addressing the Hidden Curriculum That Shapes Learner Success Presenter: Raye Mahlberg, Nightingale College 3. Bridging the gap between admissions and FA Presenter: Renee Ford, DJA 4. AI Anxiety – Dealing with the Inevitable Presenter: Mike O’Brien. Conext 5. Why Search Engine Optimization is important for Career Colleges to Attract New Students Presenters: David Mohr, Salud Education, Darryl Maddox, Gragg Advertising and Fred Frantz, Gragg Advertising |
| 2:45 – 3:45 pm | Break | Sponsored by |
| 3:45 – 4:45 pm | General Session – Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Committee Negotiated Rulemaking Update | Panel: Jeffrey Bodimer, Post University, Michale McComis, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, Jennifer Blum, Principal, Blum Higher Education Advising, PLLC |
| 4:45 – 6:30 pm | Reception in Exhibition Hall |
Wednesday, August 12
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 8 – 8:30 am | Breakfast | |
| 8:30 – 9:30 am | General Session | |
| 9:30 – 10 am | Coffee Break | Sponsored by |
| 10 – 11 am | Sessions | 1. Too Much, Too Fast: Solving Cognitive Overload in Modern Healthcare Programs Presenters: Bethany Stiles, Fortis College and Dinez “Dee” Swanson, Elsevier 2. From Assessment to Action: Building Infrastructure for Continuous Improvement Presenter: Michelle Landa, Bay Atlantic University 3. What If Your Marketing Data Could Tell You What to Do Next? Presenters: Chris Sheppard and Joy McClure, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture 4. Audit Updates for Schools Participating in Title IV Programs Presenter: Amy Bales, US Department of Education 5. Responding to the Regulations: Regulatory Advocacy Strategies and Legal Challenges Panel: Jonathan Helwink, Helwink PLLC, Brandon Sherman, Saul Ewing, Evan Moltz, Thompson Coburn LLP, Tres Cleveland, Thompson Coburn LLP, and Brandt Hill, Thompson Coburn LLP |
| 11 am – Noon | Sessions | 1. Earnings Edge: Your Roadmap to DOE Accountability Presenter: Jeffrey Bodimer, Post University 2. Trading Up the Next Generation in an AI Driven Workforce Presenter: Brian Huff, Midwest Technical Institute and Delta Technical College 3. Beyond Content: Designing Learning That Shows Up on the Job Presenter: Marcy Baughman, Macmillan 4. Your Campus Speaks. Make sure it says the right thing Presenters: Samantha Greenberg, New England Tractor Trailer Training School, NETTS and Scott Helms, Celsius Marketing 5. Federal Legislative Update Panel: Mark Brenner, Universal Technical Institute, Conwey Casilias, University of Phoenix, Jillian Kline, Strategic Education Inc., Jacob Bonifield, DeVry University, Kristina Gill. Duane Morris, and T.C. Wolfe, New Century Government Affairs |
| Noon – 1 pm | Lunch | |
| 1 – 2 pm | Sessions | 1. Improving Lead Quality Without Sacrificing Volume Presenters: Gina Fong Seidler, National Holistic Institute, Fred Carini, Bellus Academy and Saj Butt. Enrollment Resources 2. From AI Awareness to AI Workforce Readiness: Practical Models for Career Colleges Presenters: Eran Lasser, Wawiwa, Shelley Morris, FeedBackSystems, and Bob Paxton, ABHES 3. Understanding the Composite Score Presenters: Christopher DeLuca, Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C. and Chris Adams, SST Accountants 4. Minimizing the Negative Impact of the Covid Payment Pause Presenters: Mary Lyn Hammer and John White, Champion Col-EDGE Solutions 5. Tracking Tech Shortage in Career Education Panel Discussion |
| 2 – 3 pm | Sessions | 1. AI-Powered Licensing: How the AZ State Board leverages AI to streamline school-level compliance Presenter: Kevin LaMountain, Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education 2. Beyond the Enrollment Cliff: Are You Ready to Climb and Thrive? Presenters: Joe Mowery, Miller Motte College and Gina Castleberry, Ancora High School 3. Responsible AI Adoption in Career Ed: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities! Presenter: Sharon Schwarzmiller, McGraw Hill 4. From Manual to Systematic -A Reporting-Year Risk Framework for Career Services Leaders Presenter: Brandon Tigges, Job Machine 5. Marketing in the Age of AI Panel Discussion |
| 3 – 3:30 pm | Break | Sponsored by |
| 3:30 – 4:30 pm | Sessions | 1. Building Alliances and Partnerships to Drive Enrollment Presenters: Dr. Bob Paxton, ABHES and Aaron Paxton, Bryan University 2. Beyond the Crisis: Private Lending Opportunities Amid Rising Student Loan Defaults Presenter: Norman Rodriguez, Yrefy 3. From Training Providers to Talent Infrastructure: Redesigning Career Colleges in the Age of AI Presenter: Charlie Buehler-Hoard, Northline Strategy 4. Mastering The New Era of Search: How career colleges can win enrollment in an AI-led student journey Presenters: Stephanie Gallo, Pima Medical Institute, Brad Stephenson, Level Agency and Josh Muskin, Level Agency |
| 4:30 – 5:30 pm | General Session | |
| 5:30 – 7 pm | Reception in Exhibition Hall |
Thursday, August 13
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 8 – 8:30 am | Breakfast | Sponsored by |
| 8:30 – 9:30 am | General Session | |
| 9:30 – 10:30 am | Sessions | 1. Focus on Earnings Accountability Presenters: Eric Evans, Bryan University and Aaron Lacey, Thompson Coburn LLC 2. Successful collection trends and methods in 2026 Presenter: Andrew Shumway, DASH 3. Closing the Clarity Gap: Aligning Purpose and Performance to Drive Institutional Success Presenter: Taryll Connolly, Franklin Covey 4. Externships Will NEVER Be the Same: How Attendance Software Transformed Student & Faculty Experiences Presenters: Ryan Barnhart, Education Affiliates, Karen L. Ferguson, Education Affiliates, and Natalie Gleason, Portico |
| 10:30 – 11:30 am | Sessions | 1. Do You Know Your Numbers? Why monthly financial statements matter. Presenter: Michael Wherry, McClintock & Associates 2. A Bird’s Eye View of the Future Presenter: Sally Samuels, FAME 3. The First 90 Days: Where Student Success is Won or Lost Presenters: Melissa Soderberg, Charter College and Shellee Kilbride, Prospect Education 4. Built for the Modern Learner: Transformation for an AI-First Student Journey Presenters: Casey Liddle, Education Dynamics and Lindsay Mitchell, Education Dynamics |
| 11:30 – Noon | Conference Wrap Up with Jeri Prochaska and Tom Netting | |
| 12:15 – 4 pm | Academic Innovation Leadership Summit Join Macmillan Learning on Thursday, August 13, immediately following the closing session at CSPEN in Austin, for an inaugural invitation-only Academic Innovation Leadership Summit. The program will begin with a hosted lunch featuring Macmillan Learning’s CEO, followed by interactive discussions focused on key content and technology priorities, designed to ensure participant perspectives are actively incorporated into the conversation. The summit will conclude with a group dinner at one of Austin’s premier restaurants. Participation is limited to 15 invited attendees. Please contact Deb Postlewait for more information. | Sponsored by |
