ACE Women’s Network Leadership Conference

Moving the Needle on a Grand Challenge: Achieving Gender Parity Through Systemic Change

The 2027 ACE Women's Network Leadership Conference invites higher education leaders, faculty, staff, advocates, allies, and change-makers to build the skills and strategies needed to advance gender equity through systemic change.

Grounded in the Change Leadership Toolkit 2.0—an evidence-based framework developed by the University of Southern California Rossier’s Pullias Center for Higher Education—this highly interactive conference will help participants move beyond addressing symptoms of inequity to tackling the root causes of institutional barriers.

Through guided reflection, practical workshops, peer dialogue, and real-world case studies, participants will assess their own leadership practices, strengthen key change leadership skills, and develop a personalized action plan to implement on their campus or within their state network. Institutions and state networks are encouraged to bring teams of two or more individuals to foster collaboration and sustain momentum after the conference.

After the conference, participants should return to their home institutions with:

Renewed hope and replenished inspiration, even in the face of a seemingly daunting path ahead
An expanded toolkit for leading systemic change efforts back home—whether via their State Network or on their campus—that incorporates creativity and collaboration
A sense of agency and the courage to cocreate conditions that help move the needle on gender parity in educational, personal, and professional advancement and success
An accessible network and community of colleagues with similar values but differing and divergent perspectives to help sustain the work of transformative change leadership

This event is open to all who are interested in advancing and supporting women in higher education leadership. Members of the ACE Women’s Network are particularly encouraged to attend. Please note that limited seats are available; the 2026 conference sold out.

Learn more about the ACE Women’s Network. For questions about the ACE Women’s Network or the content of this conference, contact womensnetwork@acenet.edu.

Wednesday, March 3, 2027*

1:00–1:30 p.m. - Welcome and Opening Remarks

1:30–2:45 p.m. - Overview of the Ecosystem Model of Systemic Change Leadership

2:45–3:00 p.m. - Break

3:00–3:30 p.m. - Individual Reflection

3:30–4:30 p.m. - Small Group Dialogue

4:30–4:45 p.m. - Break

4:45–5:45 p.m. - Focus Session #1–Prepare for Success Over the Long-Term

5:45–6:00 p.m. - Large Group Closing for Day One

6:00–7:00 p.m. - Council of Fellows and Women’s Network Leadership Joint Reception

Presentation of the annual Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award and the 2027 ACE State Network Leadership Award

7:30–9:00 p.m. - ACE Women’s Leadership Dinner

Presentation of the ACE Donna Shavlik Award

Thursday, March 4, 2027*

8:00– 9:15 a.m. - Morning Plenary

9:30–10:30 a.m. – Focus Session #2

10:30–10:45 a.m. – Break

10:45–11:45 a.m. – Focus Session #3

noon–1:00 p.m. – Networking Lunch

1:15–2:15 p.m. – Afternoon Plenary

2:15–3:00 p.m. – Closing Remarks and Transition

*Agenda subject to change

The ACE Women’s Network supports women interested in pursuing leadership opportunities in higher education by facilitating connections, enabling local leadership training, and sharing best practices, particularly at the annual ACE Women’s Network Leadership Conference. Each state network is led by a state chair who works with institutional representatives and at least one presidential sponsor to develop programs that identify, develop, encourage, advance, connect, and support women in higher education careers within that state. The state networks are linked through their connection with the American Council on Education (ACE) and the ACE Women’s Network Executive Council, a group of senior women executives who serve as both mentors and advisers to ACE regarding overall ACE Women’s Network functions.