TENNAIR 2026: Full Schedule

Embassy Suites Nashville - Airport

August 5-7, 2026

1:00pm CDT

Getting in Tune with Modern Data Tools: A Practical Introduction to R and Python

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Have you ever found yourself asking, “Isn’t there a better way?” While many projects begin with simple spreadsheets, the iterative nature of analytic research often leads to repetitive manual work and avoidable errors. Join us as we introduce R and Python, two of today’s most powerful, free, and open-source data science platforms, by walking through a side?by?side analysis of the same...
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Speakers

Brian Joy

Senior Institutional Research Analyst, Belmont University

Brian Joy is a Senior Institutional Research Analyst at Belmont University who focuses on integrating data into strategic decision-making across the institution. He collaborates with administrators, faculty, and staff to turn complex data into actionable insights. Brian is passionate... Read More →

Derrick Dupuis

Director of Institutional Research, Nashville State Community College

Derrick Dupuis is the Director of Institutional Research at Nashville State Community College, where he leads institutional reporting, analytics, and data strategy in support of student-centered policy and planning. His work focuses on student success, data governance, assessment... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Pre-Conference Workshop

3:30pm CDT

Navigating the IPEDS Access Database Content

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

This will be an interactive walkthrough of the IPEDS Access tables. I have planned a few exercises and discussions that highlight a few potential pitfalls in the application of this data. We will also address a few ways in which Tech uses this data in our office (identifying benchmark institutions, Program Elevations/Letters of Notifications). It would help to have some familiarity with the...
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Speakers

Matthew Trengove

Director of Institutional Assessment, Research & Effectiveness, Tennessee Technological University

I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram or Snapchat...just not into all that. Wishing you well though!

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:30pm - 5:30pm CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Pre-Conference Workshop

6:30pm CDT

Trapped Escape Game | Optional Networking Activity | Sign-Up by 7/29 Required | Participants Pay Their Own Admission

Wednesday August 5, 2026 6:30pm - 7:30pm CDT

Trapped Escape Game Nashville

This is a fun networking opportunity. Meet us at the venue at approximately 6:15. The game will start at 6:30. This event does include an extra cost:$33.99 plus tax (group rate). Please be sure to add this item to your schedule to indicate your interest and help us gather a count by completing this form: Trapped Escape Game Interest – Fill out form

Wednesday August 5, 2026 6:30pm - 7:30pm CDT
Trapped Escape Game Nashville

Networking

8:30am CDT

Opening Remarks

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 8:40am CDT

Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:30am - 8:40am CDT
Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

8:40am CDT

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Jules White

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:40am - 9:20am CDT

Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 8:40am - 9:20am CDT
Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

9:30am CDT

Finding Harmony in Assessment: A Data-Informed Approach Using the Meta-Assessment Rubric

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

In today’s complex higher education environment, the need for actionable, data-informed assessment has never been more pressing. Amid shifting expectations and diverse stakeholder needs, the Meta-Assessment Rubric offers a structured, collaborative tool to evaluate and elevate institutional assessment practices.This session explores how institutions can use the Meta-Assessment Rubric to create...
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Speakers

April Mattews

Outcomes Assessment Management Analyst, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

April Matthews is the Outcomes Assessment Management Analyst at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). In this role, she guides the academic and non-academic areas through the process of submitting outcomes assessment information in support of continuous improvement throughout... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 1

9:30am CDT

Tennessee’s Private Colleges and Their Economic Impact: What the Numbers Mean—and Why They Matter

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT

Alabama Ballroom

This session provides a comprehensive overview of TICUA’s most recent statewide economic impact study, which examines the combined contributions of Tennessee’s 34 private colleges and universities on the state. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how institutional spending, student expenditures, alumni earnings, and workforce alignment contribute to a collective $22.4 billion...
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Speakers

Cameron Conn

President, TICUA

Cameron Conn, PhD, is President of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), where she leads state and federal advocacy efforts and advances collaborative initiatives that support student success. She is particularly focused on translating campus data... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT
Alabama Ballroom

Concurrent Session, 5

9:30am CDT

Visualizing Foot Traffic Across Our Campuses: WSCC's Campus Flow Dashboard

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

A question that Walters State sought to answer for many years was "When is the best time to have an event on campus?" In 2025, we created a dashboard titled the "Campus Flow Dashboard" that helped constituents visualize when students arrived, when students were in class, when students were (probably) waiting on their next class, and when their day at WSCC ended. What we did not realize at the time...
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Speakers

Alex Smyth

Data Analyst, Walters State Community College

Alex Smyth is a Data Analyst at Walters State Community College. His work focuses on making data more widely available on campus and advancing data-informed decision-making in higher education.

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 1

9:30am CDT

Welcome to Institutional Research! An Introduction to the Field, its Past, and its Future

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT

Virginia Ballroom

In this session, four experts will engage in a panel discussion on the evolution of institutional research (IR). Aimed primarily at newcomers to the TENNAIR Conference and to early-career professionals, this concurrent session will delve into IR’s essential roles, responsibilities, effective practices, and future directions. The panelists, representing different sectors of Tennessee higher...
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Speakers

Melissa Hunter

Senior Director of Data Strategy, TBR College System of Tennessee

Melissa Hunter is Senior Director of Data Strategy at TBR, where she oversees systemwide data collection, validation, and reporting. Her work focuses on data governance, standardization, and developing dashboards and tools that support consistent, reliable data for decision-making... Read More →

Matt Rehbein

Executive Director for Institutional Research and Analytics, Lipscomb University

Matt Rehbein is in his 16th year working in institutional research and analytics at Lipscomb University. His work focuses on traditional IR functions such as student success, program review, and compliance reporting while incorporating a newly assigned focus on revenue management... Read More →

Denise Gardner

Assistant Provost and Executive Director of Institutional Research and Strategic Analysis, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Jacob Kamer

Data Strategist, Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Jacob Kamer is Data Strategist at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, where he leads the agency's data governance, science, development, and analytics functions.

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 1

10:20am CDT

Short Break

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:20am - 10:40am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom Foyer

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:20am - 10:40am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Foyer Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

10:40am CDT

Creating Harmony in Program Review: Administrative Tools, Templates, and Strategies That Promote Success. "

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

Effective academic program review is often assumed to rest primarily on the quality of program level responses. However, experience suggests that the success of program review is largely shaped long before programs begin writing, by the administrative structures, tools, timelines, and guidance that frame the process. When intentionally designed, this infrastructure can reduce rework and confusion,...
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Speakers

Megan Miller

Assessment Coordinator, East Tennessee State University

Megan Miller serves as Assessment Coordinator for Institutional Effectiveness at East Tennessee State University. In this role, she oversees the institution’s Quality Assurance Funding, including the management of the academic program review process. She is committed to streamlining... Read More →

Cheri Clavier

Assistant Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison, East Tennessee State University

Cheri Clavier, EdD, serves as Assistant Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation at East Tennessee State University, where she leads assessment initiatives and accreditation processes. She holds degrees in chemistry, education, and leadership from ETSU and the... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 2

10:40am CDT

Finding the Right Rhythm: Advancing Data Governance at Scale

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

In this third installment of our ongoing data governance series, we provide an updated look at how the University of Tennessee, Knoxville continues to mature its approach through coordinated strategy, functional engagement, and technical modernization.This session will offer an overview of the institutional strategy guiding data governance, including efforts to support shared decision-making and...
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Speakers

Dale TeGantvoort

Research Analyst, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dale TeGantvoort is a Research Analyst at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he supports regulatory reporting and compliance efforts, as well as the university's data governance initiative. His work focuses on improving the functional efficiency of data governance through... Read More →

Caroline Mann

Associate Director, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Caroline Mann is Associate Director at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she leads data governance and regulatory reporting efforts. Her work focuses on ensuring that the data reported by the university is accurate and reliable through robust data validation processes... Read More →

William Fulford

Research Analyst, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

William Fulford is a Research Analyst at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he supports regulatory reporting and compliance efforts, as well as the university's data governance initiative. His work focuses on improving the technical efficiency of data governance through... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 2

10:40am CDT

Show Me The Money: Institutional Research Teams Up With The Chief Revenue Officer

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT

Alabama Ballroom

The Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) is a relatively new and potentially game-changing position in the higher education landscape. In 2025, Lipscomb University aligned its IR/Analytics function with its newly appointed CRO to establish real-time insight and best practices for monitoring, forecasting, and projecting revenue. This presentation will showcase the first twelve months of the results of this...
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Speakers

Matt Rehbein

Executive Director for Institutional Research and Analytics, Lipscomb University

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT
Alabama Ballroom

Concurrent Session, 1

10:40am CDT

What Looking at TELS Tells Us: Evaluating the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT

Virginia Ballroom

Please join staff from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for a deep dive into a comprehensive analysis of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) program. TELS is a set of 13 distinct financial aid programs that provide support for students to pursue college, funded from the state’s education lottery revenue. However, recent revenue projections from the State Funding Board...
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Speakers

Joseph Sturm

Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Joseph Sturm is a Graduate Assistant at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Penn State University with an interest in exploring how enrollment management policies and practices influence college-going outcomes for underrepresented st... Read More →

Josh Skiles

Data Scientist, Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Josh Skiles is the Data Scientist at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, where he supports stakeholders across the agency in making data-driven decisions to better support students/institutions and improve educational outcomes in the state.

Joseph Barton

Director of Research and Strategy, Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Joseph Barton is the Director of Research and Strategy at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, where he leads THEC's annual reporting functions and coordinates ad hoc reporting efforts.

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:40am - 11:30am CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 2

11:30am CDT

Lunch on Your Own

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT
- -

11:30am CDT

Past President's Lunch - by Invitation Only

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT

Nashville Tap House

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT
Nashville Tap House

1:00pm CDT

Segmental Meeting - Locally-Governed Institutions

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

1:00pm CDT

Segmental Meeting - Private & Independent Schools

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Arkansas Ballroom

This is a session description.

Speakers

Amy Heckman

Director of Data and Technology, Tennessee Independent Colleges & Universities Association

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Arkansas Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

1:00pm CDT

Segmental Meeting - Univerisity of Tennessee System

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Virginia Ballroom

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

1:00pm CDT

Segmental Meetings - Tennessee Board of Regents

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

This is a session description.

Speakers

Amy Moreland

Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Tennessee Board of Regents

Amy Moreland is the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the Tennessee Board of Regents, where she leads the system's data, policy, and innovation research.

Thursday August 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

2:00pm CDT

ADA compliance

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

This session will walk through the process for creating ADA compliant reports, best tips to be successful, and ways to avoid potential conflicts.

Speakers

Shelby Smith

Data Analyst, Tennessee Tech University

Shelby is a research analyst at Tennessee Tech university.

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 3

2:00pm CDT

Navigating the IR Multiverse: The Effective Use of AI in Institutional Research

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Alabama Ballroom

The world of Institutional Research (IR) contains multiple overlapping realities—compliance reporting, strategic analytics, student success initiatives, accreditation, data governance, and the never-ending requests for insights. Complicating matters, IR professionals operate in an increasingly complex landscape of data, stakeholders, technologies, and expectations. This session will introduce...
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Speakers

Lige Hensley

Co-Founder, CEO, InvokeLearning

Lige Hensley is a proud alumnus of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has spent more than 25 years creating transformational opportunities through the innovative use of technology across multiple industry sectors.

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Alabama Ballroom

Concurrent Session, 3

2:00pm CDT

Strategies for Demonstrating Compliance with SACSCOC Institutional Effectiveness Standards

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

As a member of the Reaffirmation Class of 2026, Tennessee Tech University recently submitted a successful Compliance Certification with no findings related to Institutional Effectiveness. This session will cover the narrative structure and evidentiary documentation that was developed to demonstrate compliance with SACSCOC Standard 8.2a. A key component of the evidentiary materials included a table...
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Speakers

Kevin Harris

Associate Director, Institutional Assessment, Research & Effectiveness, Tennessee Tech University

Dr. Kevin Harris is the Associate Director of the Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Improvement at Tennessee Tech University. Kevin supports assessment and accreditation initiatives at Tennessee Tech and leads institutional effectiveness reporting. His research interests... Read More →

Lindsay Young

Senior Analyst, Institutional Assessment, Research & Effectiveness, Tennessee Tech University

Lindsay Young is a Senior Analyst in the Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness at Tennessee Technological University, where she works in institutional effectiveness, supporting assessment, accreditation, and compliance processes. She played a key role in... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 3

2:00pm CDT

Understanding Student Time to Completion

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Virginia Ballroom

Traditional completions metrics tell us the number of earned credentials, but not what the student journey to completion looks like. This session presents a dashboard that emphasizes time to completion by examining key enrollment behaviors, including enrollment gaps and major changes. By focusing on students’ paths rather than solely their endpoints, this approach keeps student success at the...
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Speakers

Kati Murphy

Institutional Research Analyst, Nashville State Community College

Kati Murphy is an Institutional Research Analyst at Nashville State Community College. Her work includes supporting institutional data needs and developing analyses focused on student success, with an emphasis on understanding student pathways and keeping student experiences central... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 3

2:50pm CDT

Short Break

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:50pm - 3:20pm CDT

Tennessee Ballroom Foyer

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 2:50pm - 3:20pm CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Foyer Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

3:30pm CDT

Analytics for Advocacy: Lessons Learned from Building the Impact Credential Model

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT

Alabama Ballroom

The Impact Credential Model is the result of SCORE’s effort to align Tennessee around a collaborative vision for the educational credentials we want every Tennessean to attain. Through building an analytical model (twice!), SCORE encountered challenges demanding innovative solutions. In this session, the audience will learn what the Impact Credential Model is, how SCORE translated...
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Speakers

Henry Savich

Data Engineer, Tennessee SCORE

Henry Savich is the education and workforce data specialist at Tennessee SCORE, a nonprofit education advocacy and research organization working to catalyze transformative change in Tennessee education. Henry’s work straddles analytics and advocacy, striving to elevate the role... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT
Alabama Ballroom

Concurrent Session, 4

3:30pm CDT

From Data Modernization to AI-Enabled Decision Making in Institutional Research

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT

Virginia Ballroom

As higher education institutions invest in artificial intelligence, Institutional Research (IR) offices are uniquely positioned to translate these capabilities into meaningful, trusted insights. However, AI adoption is only as effective as the data foundations that support it.This session explores how data modernization efforts—standardized definitions, governed data pipelines, and scalable...
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Speakers

Gregory Schutz

Director of Workforce Data, Tennessee Board of Regents

Greg Schutz is the Director of Workforce Data at the Tennessee Board of Regents, where he leads the development of the system's Workforce Student Information System.

Melissa Hunter

Senior Director of Data Strategy, TBR College System of Tennessee

Christopher Mowery

Business Intelligence Engineer, TBR College System of Tennessee

Chris Mowery is a Business Intelligence Engineer at TBR, where he develops and maintains data pipelines, reporting tools, and dashboard solutions that support systemwide data reporting and analysis. His work focuses on data integration, performance optimization, and ensuring that... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 4

3:30pm CDT

From Data to Decisions: Intelligence and Automation for Smarter Academic Operations

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

Academic operations have long existed in silos, leaving valuable data across scheduling, curriculum, and assessment untapped. Today, embedded intelligence is changing that. Discover how Coursedog's unified platform combines cross-functional data with AI-powered reporting, automated workflows, and contextual recommendations to help institutions anticipate challenges, act with confidence, and create...
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Speakers

Ben Chester

Sr. Director, Enterprise Partnerships, Coursedog

Benjamin Chester is Senior Director of Partnerships at Coursedog, where he works with colleges and universities, technology providers, and strategic partners to help institutions modernize academic operations. His work focuses on building collaborative partnerships that support curriculum... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 4

3:30pm CDT

How Does Your Campus See IR? Understanding Office Positioning Through Theory-Informed Listening Sessions

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

Institutional Research (IR) professionals often seek to go beyond simply providing data to contribute more to analysis, consultation, and strategic decision-making. However, their ability to do so is shaped not only by what they produce, but by how their work is perceived across campus. When IR is primarily understood as a reporting or compliance function, opportunities to engage more deeply in...
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Speakers

Rocky Walker

Director of Institutional Research & Assessment, Lee University

Rocky Walker serves as the Director of Institutional Research & Assessment at Lee University in Cleveland, TN, and is a doctoral student in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt University. He began his career in Student Development, having experience as a Resident... Read More →

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:30pm - 4:20pm CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 4

5:00pm CDT

Reception - Networking Hour with Live Music by WSCC's Data Analyst, Alex Smyth

Thursday August 6, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Carolina Ballrooms

This is a session description.

Thursday August 6, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Carolina Ballrooms Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

6:00pm CDT

Trivia Night (immediately following reception)

Thursday August 6, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm CDT

Carolina Ballrooms

Speakers

Rion McDonald

Thursday August 6, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm CDT
Carolina Ballrooms Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

8:00am CDT

Higher Ed Leaders Panel

Friday August 7, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom

This is a session description.

Friday August 7, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

9:00am CDT

Innovation in Tune: Orchestrating a Stakeholder-Driven Strategic Planning Process

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

Innovation requires more than bold ideas—it requires alignment and accountability. This session highlights JSCC’s six-month, inclusive strategic planning process that intentionally brought diverse voices into tune to define a shared, measurable direction.The process began with a review and revision of the mission statement, followed by parallel work from five subcommittees focused on Academic...
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Speakers

Amber Nelms

Executive Director of Institutional Research and Accountability, Jackson State Community College

Dr. Amber Nelms is the Executive Director of Institutional Research and Accountability at Jackson State Community College, where she leads institutional research, planning, and effectiveness. She also serves as the Institutional Accreditation Liaison for SACSCOC. Her work focuses... Read More →

Darlette Samuels

Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Jackson State Community College

Dr. Darlette Samuels is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Jackson State Community College, where she leads institution-wide initiatives that advance innovation and sustainable growth. She works closely with the President to support strategic priorities, strengthen external... Read More →

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 5

9:00am CDT

Stop Publishing Static Surveys: How to Build Interactive Visualizations That Scale

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

What if your survey dashboard didn’t just show results, but let users explore, compare, and ask better questions in real time? This presentation is a hands-on guide to building interactive survey visualizations that are reliable and scalable. The first half will focus on the backend infrastructure required to support complex survey data over multiple years, including data modeling, performance...
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Speakers

Derrick Dupuis

Director of Institutional Research, Nashville State Community College

Jordan Whitehouse

Master's Student, Vanderbilt University

Jordan Whitehouse is a Data Science Master’s student at Vanderbilt University, where she leads and contributes to projects focused on data analysis and organizational insights. Her work focuses on data analytics, data visualization, and database programming, with an emphasis on... Read More →

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 5

9:00am CDT

Turning Workforce Data into Decision-Making Power: Integrating Education and Labor Market Data for Career and Program Alignment

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Virginia Ballroom

This session highlights how the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) is using integrated education and labor market data to support workforce-aligned decision-making across its community colleges and colleges of applied technology. Presenters will showcase a coordinated suite of system-level tools that link student outcomes, labor market demand, and near–real?time institutional data to inform action...
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Speakers

Amy Moreland

Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Tennessee Board of Regents

Amy Moreland is the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the Tennessee Board of Regents, where she leads the system's data, policy, and innovation research.

Alex Gorbunov

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Assessment, Tennessee Board of Regents

Alex Gorbunov has worked in the TBR offices of Academic Affairs and Policy and Strategy since 2017. Previously, he served as Associate Director of Research at Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Alex holds a Ph.D. in higher education policy and leadership from Vanderbilt Unive... Read More →

Gregory Schutz

Director of Workforce Data, Tennessee Board of Regents

Greg Schutz is the Director of Workforce Data at the Tennessee Board of Regents, where he leads the development of the system's Workforce Student Information System.

Friday August 7, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 5

9:50am CDT

Short Break

Friday August 7, 2026 9:50am - 10:20am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom Foyer

This is a session description.

Friday August 7, 2026 9:50am - 10:20am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Foyer Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

10:20am CDT

Exploring Transfer Programs Across Tennessee's Community Colleges

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT

Tennessee Ballroom

Approximately 80% of students in Tennessee's community colleges enroll in transfer programs, yet fewer than 30% successfully transfer to a four-year institution. Students who complete transfer degrees but do not go on to earn a bachelor's degree often face weak labor market outcomes, earning less, on average, than peers with other community college credentials. Improving outcomes for these...
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Speakers

Robert Quittmeyer

Director of Policy Research, Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR)

Robert Quittmeyer is the Director of Policy Research at the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), where he leads the Division of Research and Innovation's Policy Lab. His work focuses on how existing state and system policies affect student success.

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
Tennessee Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 6

10:20am CDT

From Demo to System: AI-Augmented Analytics in Production at a Small Private

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT

Virginia Ballroom

In March, I gave a TENNAIR workshop showing Claude fix a broken script, recover from missing data, and generate a president's report from a CSV. Those demos were a slice of a larger system. This session shows the rest of it.Union University does not have a formal IR office. I function as the institutional research and data infrastructure layer alongside our SACSCOC and assessment leadership. Over...
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Speakers

Bryson McNichols

Data Analyst, Union University

Bryson McNichols is a Data Analyst at Union University, where he leads data warehousing, executive reporting, and IR-adjacent analytics in partnership with Union's accreditation and assessment leadership. His work focuses on AI-augmented analytics workflows, data governance, and translating... Read More →

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 6

10:20am CDT

One Team, One Look: Strategies for Uniform Reporting in Institutional Research

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT

Mississippi Ballroom

As institutional research and data teams scale to meet increasing reporting needs, ensuring visual and analytical consistency becomes important. Without deliberate standardization, reports developed by multiple team members often differ in layout, naming conventions, and design - leading to confusion, misinterpretation, and diminished stakeholder trust. In this presentation we 1) share strategies...
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Speakers

Jim Lenio

Director, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Nick Humensky

Data Developer, University of Tennessee System

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am CDT
Mississippi Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

Concurrent Session, 6

11:30am CDT

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner

Friday August 7, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm CDT

Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom

This is a session description.

Friday August 7, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm CDT
Tennessee/Virginia Ballroom Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

12:30pm CDT

Lunch & Awards/Business Meeting

Friday August 7, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Carolina Ballrooms

This is a session description.

Friday August 7, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Carolina Ballrooms Embassy Suites by Hilton - Nashville Airport

1:00pm CDT

3:30pm CDT

6:30pm CDT

8:30am CDT

8:40am CDT

9:30am CDT

9:30am CDT

9:30am CDT

9:30am CDT

10:20am CDT

10:40am CDT

10:40am CDT

10:40am CDT

10:40am CDT

11:30am CDT

11:30am CDT

1:00pm CDT

1:00pm CDT

1:00pm CDT

1:00pm CDT

2:00pm CDT

2:00pm CDT

2:00pm CDT

2:00pm CDT

2:50pm CDT

3:30pm CDT

3:30pm CDT

3:30pm CDT

3:30pm CDT

5:00pm CDT

6:00pm CDT

8:00am CDT

9:00am CDT

9:00am CDT

9:00am CDT

9:50am CDT

10:20am CDT

10:20am CDT

10:20am CDT

11:30am CDT

12:30pm CDT

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