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This informational webinar about Social Current Impact Partnerships will feature a spotlight on the 2025 institute, Nov. 8 from 2-2:45 ET.
The Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), offered in partnership with Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business, equips senior-level managers and executives with the knowledge and skills to oversee day-to-day operations, and prepare for the future and greater systems change. Transactional meets transformational for this influential experience.
ELI assembles a wide variety of faculty from the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, as well as academia. Social Current’s partnership with Quinlan means access to first-class faculty and specialized expertise, as well as the flexibility to create a program to transform students’ leadership skills. The curriculum will not only challenge, but offers a rare opportunity to focus on excellence, impact, and systems change.
ELI features 70 hours of content, where students learn through interactive presentations, small-group discussions, experiential learning tours of community-based organizations, personal reflection and journaling, and more. To help students reinforce and apply their learning, they also complete self-designed projects that addresses an organizational challenge. The presentations are given before the assembly of participants and faculty.
An additional benefit of the program is that students receive mentoring from ELI alumni. Mentors and mentees are matched according to personal and professional leadership attributes. Hundreds of human and social services leaders have graduated from the institute and they continue to engage through alumni opportunities.
In this video, Dr. Cha-Tanya Lankford, director of Delaware programs at Pressley Ridge shares how the ELI curriculum continues to shape her as a professional and leader.
Undraye Howard, PhD
Vice President of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement
Undraye Howard currently serves as vice president of equity, diversity, and inclusion at Social Current. In his roles over the years, he has provided invaluable consultation to community-based organizations. In his current role, he leads Social Current’s efforts in providing strategy, solutions, and support for the development of leaders in the social sector, with an emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Through his strategic leadership and direction, he and a team of network leaders have co-created helpful resources, consultation, and workshops that uplift and disseminate best practices to help community-based organizations advance their EDI journeys.
In addition, Dr. Howard was instrumental in developing Social Current’s leadership development model, the rEvolutionary Model, which helps develop the skills of change leaders to drive toward system and population-level results. Dr. Howard also leads the annual Executive Leadership Institute, which is held in partnership with Loyola University’s Quinlan School of Business. This transformational experience equips leaders with the knowledge and skills to create greater systems change.
Dr. Howard also has a deep appreciation and connection to the greater Milwaukee community. He sits on the board of AD2LUV Senior Housing (2006-present), Father Hood Initiative (2012-present), and the board of Holy Cathedral (1999-present), where he also led as youth director and deacon. He also served as a member on the State of Wisconsin Strengthening Families and Children.
Dr. Howard holds a doctorate in business from Bellevue University. He received his master’s in communication and bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Robena Spangler
Senior Director of Leadership Development and Organizational Excellence
Robena Spangler is an innovative senior executive with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health, human services, and advancing equity and inclusion work. The majority of her career has been dedicated to systems improvement within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Spangler held several leadership roles in the public and private sectors. She has provided professional coaching and leadership development for teams and individuals on a national level. In addition to her public and private sector work, she is an adjunct instructor at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), responsible for facilitating accelerated programs in human services for adult learners. Her current role, as an EDI and leadership strategist, is to design and manage all aspects of Social Current’s leadership and organizational excellence portfolio. Spangler holds a bachelor’s in sociology and human services along with a master’s in leadership and professional advancement.
Quinlan School of Business
Loyola University Chicago
820 N Michigan Ave.
Chicago IL, 60611
The Executive Leadership Institute takes place on Loyola’s Water Tower Campus.
Hotel Felix
111 W. Huron St
Chicago IL, 60654
The Drake Hotel
140 East Walton Place
Chicago, IL 60611
Learn more about our special discounted rates.
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