Left to right: William Hawkins - Silver Consolidated Schools, Dr. Verenice Gutierrez – Cobre Consolidated School District, Dr. Fred Montalvo – Hatch Valley Public Schools, Nicholas Wohlgemuth – Deming Public Schools, Dr. Hector Giron - Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community SchoolSILVER CITY, NM — The Western New Mexico University Educational Leadership program recently hosted its inaugural conference, Shaping the Future of Educational Leadership, drawing administrators, alumni and aspiring leaders from across the state. The two-day in-person event reached its 50-person capacity within a week of opening registration. It was designed to foster professional networking and advance a "futures-literate" model of educational leadership.
"We need to develop leaders who are prepared to lead in an emerging and evolving future that is full of disruption, complexity, and challenge," said WNMU Director of the Educational Leadership Program Robert Neu, ED.S. "Future leaders need to prepare their staff to prepare their students for the future that they are inheriting. What we are doing today is not getting our kids ready for their tomorrow."
Educational leadership must evolve from a primarily top-down, planned approach to one that integrates planning with generative leadership, enabling schools to adapt while maintaining a clear sense of direction."
The conference program, approved by WNMU Dean of College of Education Cindy Martinez, Ed.D., addressed a unique need for the university's primarily online graduate program. While students frequently interact via Zoom, an annual survey of graduates revealed a strong desire for in-person peer networking before graduation. Participant feedback underscored this need, with attendees noting the value of meeting classmates and faculty members in person for the first time.
The event opened Thursday at the Miller Library with Leadership in Motion, a session led by Neu and Associate Professor Eman Ahmed, Ph.D., on resilience and adaptation. Thursday also featured a District Leadership Panel Discussion with regional school superintendents from Silver Consolidated Schools, the Cobre Consolidated School District, Deming Public Schools, Hatch Valley Public Schools, and Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community School.
"Transparency, accountability, and communication are foundational elements of positive educational leadership," said Ahmed. "Our goal is to create a coherent capstone experience that integrates leadership theory, practice, and reflection while preparing students to lead with authenticity, adaptability, and purpose."
Thursday evening featured a presentation by Adjunct Faculty, College of Education Gregory Howell on balancing metrics with professional experience, followed by a collaborative Think Tank activity.
Friday's schedule commenced with Cualli Tonalli ("Good Day"), an outdoor Indigenous morning greeting and ceremonial practice led by Hector Giron, Ed.D., and Roberto Moctezuma from the Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community School, followed by a session on Navajo educational leadership frameworks presented by Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education Perry James, Ed.D.
The final day also highlighted human-centered technology and artificial intelligence adoption strategies led by Saul Nunez of the Gadsden Independent School District. WNMU educational leadership students later facilitated the Student Leadership Café to share innovative projects.
A graduate panel discussion showcased firsthand insights from program alumni currently working as administrators across New Mexico, including Javonna Leos of Las Cruces Public Schools, Lisa Prendergast of Grants Cibola Community Schools, and Anna Weaver of Alamogordo Public Schools.
The conference concluded Friday afternoon with an exit reflection and survey session. The survey found that 97% of respondents rated the conference as "excellent" and 3% as "good," with 74% saying it exceeded their expectations. Survey responses reflected a diverse group of attendees, including 56% WNMU Educational Leadership students, 28 % practicing administrators, and a mix of prospective students and other educational stakeholders.
Data also evidenced strong enthusiasm for the event's future, with more than 77% of respondents stating they are "very likely" to attend and almost 84% noting they are "very likely" to recommend the experience to their colleagues. Program organizers plan to establish the conference as an annual event to support regional school district leadership development.
