Leadership Pikes Peak Summer Conference
Leading with Purpose: Agile Leadership In Changing Times
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 9am-5pm
Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS
5225 N Nevada Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
We invite you to partner with Leadership Pikes Peak and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for the 2026 Leadership Pikes Peak Summer Conference, an annual gathering of community leaders, professionals, and emerging leaders from across the Pikes Peak region. Through their leadership in business, education, government, and nonprofit organizations, Leadership Pikes Peak participants help strengthen our community and contribute to the region’s long-term vitality. Your sponsorship helps make this high-quality professional development and networking event possible while aligning your organization with leaders who are committed to collaboration, civic engagement, and positive community impact.
LPP Community Leadership Conference (24 June 26)
AGENDA
| Time | Event | Speakers & Moderators | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Check In & Coffee | ||
| 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM | Opening Remarks | Dr. Joseph Wehrman | Shockley Theater |
| 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM | Morning Plenary Panel “Purpose in Practice: Agile Leadership Lessons from LPP Alumni” | Shockley Theater | |
| 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Networking Break | ||
| 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM | SPEAKER SESSION I “Examining the Legacy of Leadership Pikes Peak and Community Capital: A Qualitative Inquiry” | Dr. Philip Morris, Sloan Gonzales, Deanna Johnson | Shockley Theater |
| 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM | SPEAKER SESSION I “Authentic Leadership in Uncertain Times: Staying Grounded When Everything Shifts” | Sarah Jackson | Chapman Hall |
| 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM | Networking Break | ||
| 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Keynote: A Call to Serve | Dr. Joe Sanders | Shockley Theater |
| 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM | Lunch | Ross Lobby | |
| 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM | SPEAKER SESSION II “Commanding Presence: Leading Through Change with Lessons from Space & the Space Force” | Greg Von Williams | Shockley Theater |
| 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM | SPEAKER SESSION II “Leading Change from Within: How Internal Transformation Drives Systemic Impact” | Mary Ellen Benson, Debbie Sagen | Chapman Hall |
| 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM | SPEAKER SESSION III “The C-Sweet: A Peer Model for Strengthening Local Leadership” | Nadine Hensler, Chelsea Gondeck, Dani Bolling | Shockley Theater |
| 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM | SPEAKER SESSION III “If We Were Honest About Burnout” | Elena Joy Thurston | Chapman Hall |
| 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM | Networking Break | ||
| 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM | LPP Alumni Awards | Shockley Theater | |
| 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM | Networking Break | ||
| 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM | Afternoon Plenary Panel “From Insight to Impact: Shaping the Future of Leadership in the Pikes Peak Region” | Shockley Theater | |
| 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM | Closing Remarks | Dr. Joseph Wehrman | Shockley Theater |
| 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Happy Hour | Ross Lobby |
