The deadline to register is May 1.
Can’t join us this year? Share your email to stay in the loop for 2026.
Pricing:
Impact Partners and/or Organizations that Have Achieved COA Accreditation: $4750
Other Organizations: $5250
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.
In addition to the weeklong in-person event, students participate in a full year of online learning, which includes 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.
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.
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.
All cancellation requests must be made in writing and are subject to a $500 processing fee. Cancellation requests received after May 1 will not be refunded. Credit toward future Social Current events is not currently possible. Notice of written cancellation must be emailed directly to Trudy Gregory, lead operations associate at Social Current.
Social Current’s partnership with Loyola University Chicago, allows access to world-class faculty and academic rigor of a top-rated national university. Social Current and Loyola co-create the program for the in-person institute, and half of the instruction is provided by their faculty.
The Executive Leadership Institute takes an interdisciplinary approach to human and social services leadership, engaging faculty from Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business and School of Social Work. U.S. News & World Report nationally ranks Loyola’s online bachelor’s business program #8 and undergraduate business program #94. Its social work program is ranked #28.
Robena Spangler
Senior Director of Leadership and Organizational Development
Social Current
Robena Spangler is an innovative senior executive with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health, human services, and advancing equity and inclusion work. Most 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 development portfolio. Spangler holds a bachelor’s in sociology and human services along with a master’s in leadership and professional advancement.
Robena on the Partnership: “Social Current is thrilled with our partnership with Loyola University Chicago. We work closely with their staff and faculty to design a leadership program that benefits both our students and their staff. Together, Social Current and Loyola deliver a top-tier experience for public and private social sector leaders, driving meaningful change. We are especially grateful for Kayla Gustafson’s professionalism in elevating the Executive Leadership Institute’s program to meet the needs of next-generation leaders in the human services sector.”
Kayla Gustafson
Program Manager of Executive and Professional Education Center
Loyola University Chicago
As program manager for the Executive and Professional Education Center at Loyola University Chicago, Kayla Gustafson collaborates with Quinlan School of Business faculty experts to develop high-quality professional development opportunities for individuals and supports customized business and management training programs for organizational partners.
A lifelong believer in the transformational power of education, Kayla began her career as a preschool teacher in an urban Montessori school. In 2021, after nearly a decade working with young children and families, she turned her focus to engaging adult learners. She brings a deep understanding of learning styles, lesson planning, and course design to her role.
Kayla on the Partnership: “The Social Current team brings such warmth and genuine collaboration to everything we do together for the Executive Leadership Institute. They’re not just partners – they’re passionate advocates who are constantly pushing the field forward with new ideas and resources. Together, we’ve built something special that helps social service leaders grow and thrive. This partnership embodies Loyola University Chicago’s core values of social justice and service to others – we’re helping develop compassionate leaders who will create positive change in their communities. It’s more than just a program – it’s about living our mission of being people in service to others.”
This session will provide an overview of adaptive leadership. This practical leadership framework is designed to help individuals and organizations adapt and thrive in challenging environments and was originally developed by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky at Harvard University. In thinking how they can apply the concepts to their work, participants will explore ways to break ranks with old systems, recast their work as leaders to mobilize change, and bring forth new possibilities as a leader and for overall organizational health.
Presenter: Robena Spangler, senior director of leadership and organizational development, Social Current
Workforce trends clearly show that leaders are more effective when they move beyond top-down, employee recognition and self-care initiatives and meaningfully partner with staff. However, it is difficult to know where to start, especially given the many expectations placed on leaders. Luckily, there is a foundational framework to guide our actions. We can use knowledge about how our brains function to improve engagement, retention, communication, and organizational culture.
This session will explore concepts and strategies for building brain-friendly workplaces to enhance cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and sound decision making. Participants will gain practical, research-backed strategies to foster executive functioning, psychological safety, and self-regulation, all while setting healthy expectations that promote adaptability, collaboration, and well-being. By aligning workplaces with how the brain thrives, organizations can cultivate a culture where employees more easily plan, adapt, and innovate.
Presenters: Karen Johnson, senior director of Change in Mind, and Kelly Martin, director of practice excellence, Social Current
This session will provide an executive-level overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be strategically leveraged to strengthen organizational resilience and effectiveness. Participants will explore key AI tools and how they can be applied to in streamline operations, enhance service delivery, and address critical challenges faced by human and social services organizations.
Presenter: Jonathan Singer, professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
For this session a panel of experts and executives will discuss the strategic integration of AI into human and social services organizations. The session will address opportunities for innovation, potential risks, and long-term implications of AI adoption in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Executives frequently face ethical dilemmas that require them to balance organizational goals, stakeholder interests, and social responsibility. This session will provide a strategic framework for making ethical decisions under pressure and use real-world case studies to illustrate how leaders can navigate complexity while maintaining integrity.
Presenter: Jeanne Sokolec, BSW Director and clinical associate professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
This session will focus on building and leveraging generative partnerships by using a collaborative process model and applying leadership competencies for the next generation of social sector leaders.
Presenter: Robena Spangler, senior director of leadership and organizational development, Social Current
This session will focus on the strategic use of data to inform decision-making, prioritize resources, and implement transformative organizational strategies. Participants will examine practical methods for aligning data insights with mission-driven objectives.
Presenter: Katelyn Jones, vice president of impact insights and analytics, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
This session will focus on inclusive, collaborative, and community-driven leadership that highlights influence over control, collaborative impact, addressing structural barriers and shared power.
Presenter: Robena Spangler, senior director of leadership and organizational development, Social Current
This reflective session will guide participants through a structured analysis of their personal leadership strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Leaders will identify strategic areas for growth and development to enhance their impact within their organizations.
Presenter: Brandon Pendleton, adjunct professor, Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business
Networking Happy Hour
8-8:30 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30-10:30 a.m. – Session 1: ELI Project Presentations
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Session 2: Introduction to Adaptive Leadership
1:30-3 p.m. – Session 3: Brain Science and Workforce Well-being (Part 1)
3:30-5:30 p.m. – Session 4: Brain Science and Workforce Well-being (Part 2)
8-8:30 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30-10 a.m. – Session 1: AI in the Social Services Part 1 – Tools for Resilient Organizations
10:30 a.m.-Noon – Session 2: AI in the Social Services Part 2 – Panel Discussion
1-6 p.m. – Organizational Visit and Panel Discussion
7-9: p.m. – Networking Dinners (Offsite)
8-8:30am – Morning Motivations
8:30-10 a.m. – Session 1: Human Centered Design Thinking
10:30 a.m.-Noon – Session 2: Leveraging Generative Partnerships for Next Generation Leadership
Noon-1:30 p.m.
1:30-3 p.m. – Session 3: Using Data to Implement Strategy
3:30-5 p.m. – Session 4: Advancing a New Leadership Paradigm
8-8:30 a.m. – Morning Motivations
8:30-10 a.m. – Session 1: ELI Projects – Overview and Q&A
10:30 a.m.-Noon – Session 2: Individual SWOT Reflections with Brandon Pendleton
Noon-2 p.m. – Farewell Lunch & Town Hall
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.
The Drake Hotel
140 East Walton Place
Chicago, IL 60611
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