Simmons University Leadership Institute

Simmons University Leadership Institute Global authority on the intersection of leadership, equity, and inclusion – with an emphasis on achieving gender parity.

The founding of Simmons University Institute of Inclusive Leadership in 2019 builds on the University’s rich heritage of igniting positive action, fostering everyday leadership and striving for lasting social justice. Our vision is simple: Manifest equity in leadership in our lifetime. We accomplish this by offering leaders groundbreaking inclusivity programs that support underrepresented populati

ons. We design, build, and deliver innovative on-site and online instruction that can be customized for any organization’s leadership journey.

We are proud to celebrate the second year of our in-house Leadership Accelerator Program for women managers and director...
05/15/2026

We are proud to celebrate the second year of our in-house Leadership Accelerator Program for women managers and directors at the Department of Children and Families.

This intentional investment in critical leaders reflects DCF’s commitment to developing and empowering women across the organization.

The program featured the core components of our Strategic Leadership Accelerator, including learning focused on self-awareness, resilience, gender and leadership, networking, and negotiation.

Congratulations to this year’s participants for their commitment to growth, leadership, and impact.

📣 Leadership Insights | May Edition 📣What began at this year’s Simmons Leadership Conference continues to grow through T...
05/14/2026

📣 Leadership Insights | May Edition 📣

What began at this year’s Simmons Leadership Conference continues to grow through Thrive365, our ongoing community for leadership learning, reflection, and connection throughout the year.

This month’s newsletter features leadership insights and conversations from SLC47 speakers and Thrive365 faculty, including:

✨ New reflections from Susan MacKenty Brady, Juliet Funt, and Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva
🎙️ A powerful new podcast featuring Andrés Tapia on why people are your greatest return
🌎 Leadership in action at WorkHuman Live and Illumina HQ

👉 Explore the latest conversations, tools, and leadership resources: https://ow.ly/QrcK50YZL0p

Recently, our VP of Women’s Leadership Kerry Seitz had the opportunity to facilitate a session with the Pacific Subregio...
05/13/2026

Recently, our VP of Women’s Leadership Kerry Seitz had the opportunity to facilitate a session with the Pacific Subregional Sales Leadership team at Illumina HQ in San Diego focused on Investing in Your Best Self.

Together, this group engaged in the real work of leadership: reflecting on who they are at their best, what enables that version of themselves to show up consistently, and what gets in the way.

What stood out most was not just the insight, but the action. Leaders committed to supporting one another in leading from their best more consistently and intentionally.

That’s where meaningful culture change begins: through shared accountability, reflection, and the everyday practice of leadership.

Leadership is built one moment at a time.In this new blog, Susan MacKenty Brady reflects on what became an unexpected le...
05/12/2026

Leadership is built one moment at a time.

In this new blog, Susan MacKenty Brady reflects on what became an unexpected leadership trilogy across her books: mastering your inner critic, learning how to thrive without losing yourself, and leading through difference.

A few reminders that stood out:

>> Leadership is not built in grand declarations. It is built in moments.

>> Thriving is not a permanent state. It is a repeated choice to return to what sustains you.

>> Difference, while difficult, might still have something to teach you.

Perhaps most importantly, none of us becomes who we are meant to become entirely alone.

Read the reflection: https://ow.ly/h0Wh50YXREE

Today marked the next step in our Thrive365 journey, and it was incredible to see hundreds of leaders from our community...
05/06/2026

Today marked the next step in our Thrive365 journey, and it was incredible to see hundreds of leaders from our community come together virtually.

What started at this year’s Simmons Leadership Conference continues to grow through Thrive365, where we are staying connected and learning together all year long.

In dialogue with Juliet Funt, our CEO Susan MacKenty Brady brought to life one of the most pressing challenges leaders are navigating right now: overload.

A few ideas that stood out:

>> Overload blocks performance. When everything feels urgent, focus and impact suffer.

>> White space requires tradeoffs. Saying no is part of leading with intention.

>> Your value is not your busyness. Strong leaders protect space for what matters most.

One simple but powerful reminder:

👉 Leadership is not about doing more. It is about choosing what matters and protecting space for it.

This is what Thrive365 is all about, turning insight into action together.

What is one thing you might do less of this week?

Every “yes” feels like progress until it starts costing you focus, clarity, and impact.In this new blog by SLC47 main st...
04/29/2026

Every “yes” feels like progress until it starts costing you focus, clarity, and impact.

In this new blog by SLC47 main stage speaker and Thrive365 faculty member Juliet Funt, she unpacks why leaders who do less often achieve more.

Overcommitment can look like leadership in the moment, but over time, it fragments attention and dilutes what matters most.

If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin, this is your invitation to rethink what’s really required to lead well.

Read the blog: https://ow.ly/pAlq50YQJoa

This just in from   in Orlando: a packed room, real talk, and a leadership capability that’s quickly becoming non-negoti...
04/28/2026

This just in from in Orlando: a packed room, real talk, and a leadership capability that’s quickly becoming non-negotiable.

Today, our CEO Susan MacKenty Brady took the stage alongside Lieutenant General (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and Peter Church (Chief People & Culture Officer, Point32Health) for a powerful session: All the Difference: Turning Difference into Trust, Performance, and Value.

The message was clear—and urgent:
Difference isn’t the problem. Not knowing how to lead through it is.

In fast-moving, AI-accelerated environments, the cost of avoiding tension or smoothing over competing perspectives is real: lost insight, eroding trust, and stalled ex*****on. What looks like alignment on the surface often masks missed opportunity underneath.

Grounded in real leadership moments (not theory), this session offered an early look at the forthcoming All the Difference framework—and what it actually takes to lead when stakes are high and perspectives don’t easily align.

If today proved anything, it’s this: The leaders who will thrive next aren’t the ones who avoid difference—they’re the ones who know how to lead through it.

Most leadership experiences are memorable in the moment but forgettable in the weeks that follow.So what actually makes ...
04/27/2026

Most leadership experiences are memorable in the moment but forgettable in the weeks that follow.

So what actually makes one stick?

In this reflection from SLC47, Kristen Palson explores what it really takes to design leadership experiences that do more than inspire.

The answer is not more content or bigger stages.
It is something far more intentional: https://ow.ly/V7nx50YK49X

Because the future of leadership development is not just about what people hear. It is about what they experience together.

There’s a difference between inspiration… and real, lasting leadership change.In her latest blog, Samantha Tan captures ...
04/21/2026

There’s a difference between inspiration… and real, lasting leadership change.

In her latest blog, Samantha Tan captures what made SLC47 so powerful and why it didn’t end when the day was over.

👉 Read the blog: https://ow.ly/rcyx50YK21n

Samantha was the mastermind behind the Connected Conversations experience at SLC47, those intentional moments where leaders moved beyond networking into something deeper: real dialogue, reflection, and connection.

And that same energy is continuing.

As a Thrive365 faculty member, Samantha is leading highly interactive virtual sessions throughout the year, creating space for leaders to not just learn, but to process, practice, and apply what connected leadership truly looks like.

Because as she reminds us: leadership doesn’t change from hearing ideas, it changes when we engage with them, together.

What happens when one SLC47 keynote speaker reflects on another?Something powerful.After hearing Misty Copeland take the...
04/17/2026

What happens when one SLC47 keynote speaker reflects on another?

Something powerful.

After hearing Misty Copeland take the stage, opening keynote Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva had an unexpected realization:

We are so focused on managing change…
that we are forgetting the power of continuity.

Misty did not navigate chaos by moving faster.
She relied on structure. Repetition. Discipline.

And it sparked a shift:
>> The more volatility we face on the outside
>> The more stability we must create on the inside

This is what connected leadership looks like.

Read Nadya’s reflection:
https://ow.ly/c26R50YLgIr

What is one thing you are choosing to keep steady right now?

TODAY marked the start of something bigger ✨We officially kicked off the Thrive365 journey with a live virtual session l...
04/14/2026

TODAY marked the start of something bigger ✨

We officially kicked off the Thrive365 journey with a live virtual session led by Samantha Tan, welcoming back leaders who joined us on March 17 for the 2026 Simmons Leadership Conference (SLC47).

For the first time in 47 years, SLC is no longer a one-day event. Thrive365 turns it into a year-long journey.

SLC47 participants now have year-round, just-in-time support to put their learning into action ⚡

Today’s session focused on a critical and often overlooked leadership skill: sustaining energy. Participants explored what truly restores them, where energy gets depleted, and how small shifts can make a difference.

This is what Thrive365 is all about:

Turning insight into action.
Turning connection into momentum.
Turning a moment into a movement.

A special shoutout to some of the organizations represented today: Cisco, Boston Children's Hospital, Dell, Federal Express Corporation, Manulife, MAPFRE, Natixis, Pfizer, Point32Health, Sensata, Shields, and Travelers. We're thrilled to welcome you to the Thrive365 community.

Together, we are better. 🚀

Address

Boston, MA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16175213858

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Simmons University Leadership Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Simmons University Leadership Institute:

Share