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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Conference 2023 Speakers to be announced soon!
Monday, Oct. 24 - Marilee Bresciani Ludvik
Marilee Bresciani Ludvik, Ph.D. serves as chair and professor of the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department at the University of Texas Arlington. Prior to that, she served as professor of postsecondary educational leadership at San Diego State University, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Assessment at Texas A&M University and in a variety of student affairs, academic affairs, and alumni relations leadership roles at various types of institutions. Bresciani Ludvik also served as a Faculty Fellow within the Office of Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation as well as the Office of Analytic Studies and Institutional Research at San Diego State where she assisted in connecting student learning and development outcomes to equity performance indicators in a manner that can inform improvements in-class, out-of-class, and program design and delivery.
Marilee has written 13 books, published over 200 scholarly articles, and empowered over 200 institutions and their leaders on organizational learning assessment and accountability decision-making processes. In addition, Marilee assists organizational leaders identify and leverage opportunities to collaborate across division lines, using mindfulness-based inquiry practices, nonviolent communication, difficult conversation practices, paradigm busting processes, compassion practices, restorative justice, and design thinking.
Marilee is a certified meditation and yoga instructor, certified Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute teacher (the program developed at Google), and a Qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher on the certification path. Marilee is also a certified transformational life coach who uses the evocative method.
Dr. Bresciani Ludvik co-directs the Intrapersonal Competency Cultivation Research Team that seeks to leverage student’s first-person experience to close equity gaps through the cultivation of malleable skills known to significantly predict student success. Marilee’s research specifically focuses on applying social and emotional neuroscience and mindful compassion inquiry practices to inform the design and evaluation of workshops, curriculum, and coaching to decrease students’, faculty, and administrators’ stress and anxiety while also increasing their attention and emotion regulation, cognitive flexibility, and enhancing compassion towards self and other.
Dr. Bresciani Ludvik’s work has been honored with awards such as the ACPA-College Student Educators International's Contribution to Knowledge Award in 2022, the International Association for Student Personnel Pillar of the Profession Award in 2012, the International Association for Student Personnel George Kuh Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature/Research in Higher Education in 2013, the American College Personnel Administrators Diamond Honoree in 2016, the UNESCO/MGIEP Senior Research Fellow in 2017, and the International Association for Student Personnel Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member in 2019. She has also recently been inducted into the University of Texas Arlington National Academy of Inventors.
Tuesday, Oct. 25 - Dr. Mary E. González
In November 2012, Mary E. González was elected State Representative for House District 75—an area that includes east El Paso County, the fastest growing parts of the city of El Paso and the towns of San Elizario, Socorro, Clint, Fabens, and Tornillo. Mary was raised in Clint, Texas and graduated from Clint High School. She is currently serving her fourth term at the Texas House of Representatives.
Mary serves on the Appropriations Committee, the Public Education Committee, and is Vice Chair of the Local & Consent Calendars Committee in the Texas House. Throughout her time as a State Representative, she has authored numerous bills to improve public schools, increase economic development, and support agriculture in House District 75 and throughout the state. She is currently serving her second term as Vice Chair for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, a second term as Secretary of the House Border Caucus, and the Chair of the new Texas House LGBTQ Caucus.
Mary González was also elected Vice Chair of the Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs. a national non-partisan, 501 (c)3 non-profit organization comprised of the elected Latina/o officials serving as the chairs and vice chairs of their respective state Hispanic Legislative Caucuses from across the country, as well as other Latina/o members serving in leadership position.
Mary received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master's Degree from St. Edward's University, and her Doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction- Cultural Studies in Education at UT-Austin. Previously, she has worked at the National Hispanic Institute, the University of Texas at Austin, and as the Assistant Dean for Student Multicultural Affairs at Southwestern University. Mary currently serves as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for Allgo, Texas' state-wide Queer People of Color organization.
As a result of her accomplishments, she was named "Freshman of the Year" by the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, a "Champion of Equality" by Equality Texas two sessions in a row, and the 2015 "Advocate of the Year" by the same organization. In 2015, she was the youngest inductee into the El Paso Women's Hall of Fame. She also received the Progressive Movement Leadership Award from the Young Elected Officials Network at their 2017 National Convening and as a "Leader of Promise" by the YWCA of Greater Austin in Honor of her commitment to eliminating racism and empowering women. In 2017, González was nominated for the national Victory Fund Award, an award created to honor state LGBTQ elected officials. Most recently, Rep. Mary González was awarded the “Champion for Children” title by the Equity Center, a Texas-based nonprofit organization that strives to create a more equitable public school finance system.
Mary has been recognized by Latino Leaders Magazine for her leadership in education, was recognized as one of ten "Next Generation Latinas" by Latina Magazine, and as one of the 10 newly-elected politicians to watch in the nation by NBC Latino.
Wednesday, Oct. 26 - Dr. Becky Spurlock
Dr. Becky Spurlock serves as Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at The University of Texas Permian Basin. In this role, she leads a team of professionals who create transformative opportunities and encourage growth in an inclusive community focused on learning, leadership, and student success. She also serves as the Executive Director of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute and holds an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Educational Leadership Department of the College of Education.
Prior to her time at UT Permian Basin, Dr. Spurlock served as the Associate Vice President and Senior Associate Dean of Student Life at the University of the South (colloquially known as Sewanee), and as the Associate Dean of Students at Belmont University. She came to Belmont after working at Trinity University in San Antonio for eight years, first as the Director of Career Services and later as the Director of Campus & Community Involvement. Earlier in her career, she worked at Texas State University, St. Mary's University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. As a first-generation college student, she believes in the transformational power of higher education.
An educator, sought after speaker, and leader in the field of Student Affairs, she regularly teaches, speaks, and consults on developing community, leadership, strategic planning, and assessment. Dr. Spurlock has more than 20 years of experience in Student Affairs—with duties that have included residence life, academic advising, career services, Greek life, student activities and student unions, the first-year experience, conduct, and Title IX. A high-energy speaker, Dr. Spurlock is known for her ability to engage audiences, address difficult topics, and connect through humor.
Trained in narrative analysis and as a qualitative researcher, Dr. Spurlock uses stories to connect, teach, and deepen relationships. Dr. Spurlock has a Ph.D in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University as well two degrees from Texas State University, a B.S. in Recreational Administration and an M.Ed in Counseling and Guidance. In 2017, Dr. Spurlock completed the Management and Leadership Education Program Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Spurlock has served on the NASPA Board of Directors, is the Past Region III Director, and she recently completed terms on the NASPA Center for Women Board of Directors and the NASPA AVP Steering Committee. Dr. Spurlock was recently appointed as the director for the NASPA Region III/SACSA Mid-Manager’s Institute for 2020. She is also the recipient of the John Koldus Award for Outstanding Service to NASPA Region III. NASPA is the leading voice for the Student Affairs Profession worldwide.