Cbo Speaks

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve asked our recent interviewees about important topics for our listeners and collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes. In this episode, our CBOs share their thoughts on governance and the CBO’s role within the institution.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve asked our recent interviewees about important topics for our listeners and collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes. In this episode, our CBOs talk about analytics and how to do meaningful and collaborative work with data that answers the right questions.

Dr. Kim Hadley is the Vice President of Finance & Administration and Assistant Professor of Business at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. In this episode, Dr. Hadley joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about how her background as a professor informs everything she does, keeping up to date with the pulse of the students, and the role of faith for her as a CBO.   “It’s been a refreshing place to be for my faith,” she says. The role as a CBO is the same, but there are differences for her because of the focus of the university. “Faculty and staff are expected to integrate faith into every aspect of their teaching.” She goes on to say that each individual may think differently and integrate it differently, but from a budget perspective, they still need to make room for all of it.   Join us for a conversation with Dr. Hadley as she talks about the power of collaboration between institutions, learning to make budget talk exciting for faculty meetings, and the joy in bringing a daycare center to

In this very special 100th episode, our host, Donna Schiele, joins NACUBO president and CEO Susan Whealler Johnston to welcome back three interviewees from our first season of CBO Speaks to see where they are now:   * Bronté Burleigh-Jones, chief financial officer at American University (listen to Bronté in episode 4) * Gregg Goldman, vice chancellor and chief financial officer at the University of California, Los Angeles (listen to Gregg in episode 5) * Gerald Hector, senior vice president for administration and finance at the University of Central Florida (listen to Gerald in episode 7)   These distinguished guests share what they’ve accomplished since their last interview seven years ago, some of their favorite NACUBO memories, and what they’re doing today that they never imagined they’d be doing as a CBO. Join us to hear their thoughts on the biggest challenges facing higher education today, their advice for current and future CBOs, and why they think now is a great time to be a CBO.

Mitchell Wein is the Senior Vice President for Finance and the Chief Administrative Officer for Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Wein joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about his passion for the mission of academia and transforming lives, spreading your time across multiple goals, and how there are many differences between the private and public sectors but that they share many similarities as well.   “There are different ways to solve the problem or the opportunity or the challenge in front of us. Let’s talk about them. There’s pros and cons and trade-offs,” he says. He says he doesn’t come at these things anymore with the mindset that there’s only one way to get them done. “It’s really very similar in that it is analytical, it is conversational, it is collaborative. We did that in the private sector talking to clients, and we absolutely do that inside Haverford College today,” he says.   Join us for a conversation with Wein as he talks about how dining is a key part to the st

Sherry Mondou is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. In this episode, Mondou joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about her 31 years in higher education at Puget Sound, changes she's seen over the years, and things that haven’t changed.   “You never know what’s going to come up on any given day in higher education,” she says. She advises that anyone coming into this world be patient with the process of shared governance. “Giving people the opportunity to advise or to give feedback and weigh in is very valuable and makes higher education special,” she says.   Join us for a conversation with Mondou as she talks about being committed to the school’s mission and understanding the common goals; and why she encourages fresh thinking, even when it makes the work hard.

Teri Zamora is the Vice Chancellor of Fiscal Affairs at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas. In this episode, Zamora joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about connecting to varied community college populations, giving your team what they need to become what you want them to be, and building in SMORs - Small Moments of Reflection - to your schedule.   “I try to build in five to 10 minutes between appointments so I can actually make notes on what I need to follow up on,” she says. She continues that it’s incredibly easy to forget those small details when you don’t take the time to make the notes. “Being too busy is not good. Try to build in to act on those things you just talked about,” she says.   Join us for a conversation with Zamora as she talks about what she’s brought with her from her past careers, being accountable for yourself, and the importance of always keeping students at the center of all the decisions you make.

Bradley Kendrex is the Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and Mesa Community College in the Maricopa Community College system in the Phoenix, Arizona area. In this episode, Kendrex joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about the challenges of being CBO at two colleges simultaneously, how continuing as an instructor helps him stay current, and the ever-changing times in which we’re living.   “Higher education is renowned for being planted in tradition and staying current and trying to keep steady through whatever is going on in society, but I feel like we’re in more tumultuous times than we always acknowledge,” he says. He continues that we need to start opening doors and windows that have been excluded in the past and have the hard conversations about what is core, what is important, and what needs to be done to grow and sustain that part of the community.   Join us for a conversation with Kendrex as he talks about the importance of having a broader contex

Dr. Sara Thorndike is the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Treasurer at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Thorndike joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about keeping the pulse on the needs of your team, finding ways to create work/life balance, and why people skills may outweigh the technical skills in this role.   “Understanding that you have to know how to collaborate and partner and feel comfortable building trust & negotiating. Building that team. Those are the skills that are important for a CBO to cultivate because it’s about partnerships,” she says.   Join us for a conversation with Dr. Sara Thorndike as she talks about the importance of diversity, equity, & inclusion; the importance of trust in relationship building; and the power of mentorship.

Randy Livingston is the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia. In this episode, Livingston joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about his transition from the public sector and adapting to a different system, learning to get everyone’s endorsement, and the importance of learning to communicate with those who don’t speak the language of finance.   “As the CFO, while you’re required to gain support and consensus, you are getting that from people who don’t really know much about the financial world,” he says. He continues that you need a certain amount of desire to be as leading as possible to make sure they’re understanding the implications in changes presented. That’s the key to success in this role.   Join us for a conversation with Randy Livingston as he talks about the truth behind working yourself out of a job, shaping your data for each constituency, and the joy of working with people.

Christina Dalton is the Vice President for Business and Finance at West Virginia State University in Institute, West Virginia. In this episode, Dalton joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about advocating for diversity in higher ed institution roles, particularly accounting roles, and why it’s important for students graduating to understand financial literacy.   “Being empathetic to your team members, that’s part of what makes a person successful in this role,” she says. She continues that it’s easy to be focused on your goals, but you have to be mindful that you’re not putting too much pressure on your team members. Giving people grace is an important skill to learn.   Join us for a conversation with Christina Dalton as she talks about being a young chief financial officer, her love for the industry, and why she holds such a strong place for it in her heart.

Shahrooz Roohparvar is the Vice President of Administration and Finance at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. In this episode, Roohparvar joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about turning every crisis into an opportunity, and working more toward investment and innovation for the student experience.   “We can always look back and think about those enjoyable memories of the college-going experience,” he says. He continues that it’s important to make those experiences resonant to students today but adapting them by including more safe spaces on campus, more inclusive environments, putting DEI initiatives in place, and more.   Roohparvar also discusses his longstanding passion for teaching and student success and how he’s using his CBO role now to really make an impact on the student experience. Join us for a conversation with Shahrooz Roohparvar as he talks about building strong student experiences that are memorable and safe, and the importance of finding new paths to revenue.

Dr. Janet Wormack is the Vice President for Administration and Finance at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. In this episode, Dr. Wormack joins our new host Donna Schiele to talk about navigating as an African American female in a role that’s generally male-dominated, and the power of mentors and networks to find the strength to stay on the path to a successful career. “I am a big supporter of making sure you take care of the people behind you,” she says. She adds that it’s important to be invited to the table at early stages so that you can see how those above you do it, and also be in a position where you can make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. Dr. Wormack appreciates the mentoring she received and believes that mentoring not only helps those coming up after you but also helps you improve and become a better CBO. Through mentorship and work, Dr. Wormack always stays positive about where she is and where she’s going. “My future always looks bright. There’s always something new on the horiz

As we kick off Season 8, our host Megan Strand bids us adieu as she heads off to start a new career. Here, she introduces us to Donna Schiele, our new host of the show.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve been asking each of our interviewees to sum up their thoughts, in less than a minute, on various topics that are top-of-mind for our listeners right now. We’ve collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes and today we’re hearing from business officers about analytics. Colleges and universities are embracing analytics and using data, technology, and specialized knowledge to answer questions, reveal institutional needs, predict outcomes, or improve financial performance. Let’s hear from our CBOs on how they’re using analytics on campus to best prepare their institutions for the future.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve been asking each of our interviewees to sum up their thoughts, in less than a minute, on various topics that are top-of-mind for our listeners right now. We’ve collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes and today we’re hearing from business officers about the economic model. When higher education leaders envision the future of their institution, they’re challenged to think about the ideal financial or economic model that will support their mission, which can often mean shifting and growing in new directions. Our CBOs shared some ways they’ve been grappling with this complex topic on their campuses.

In this special episode, Megan Strand joins Jill Creighton, host of the SA: Voices From the Field Podcast, and two former CBO Speaks guests, Nicole Trufant and Gerald Hector, to look at how student affairs officers and business officers can work together towards mutual success. The discussion ranges from seeing business officers as human to how student affairs and business office professionals can help each other promote justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. They talk about the importance of transparency, open communication, and building relationships with people at all levels to improve collaboration across all departments. It’s a great conversation between these four people and a great way to spend time with the NASPA team.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve been asking each of our interviewees to sum up their thoughts, in less than a minute, on various topics that are top-of-mind for our listeners right now. We’ve collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes and today we’re hearing from business officers about collaboration. We often hear that success isn’t found in silos, but rather in working with colleagues across campus and the higher education sector toward a shared goal or purpose. Our CBOs are experts on how a collaborative approach is key to achieving their institution’s mission and supporting the mission of higher education in general.

Kevin Davenport is the Vice President of Finance & Administration at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia. In this episode, Davenport joins Megan Strand to talk about the value of learning from every opportunity and why the saying ‘if you’ve never failed then that must mean you’re not trying hard enough’ means so much to him. “CBOs need to be able to really challenge themselves and to work outside of their comfort zone, not being afraid to fail,” he says. Too many people fall into patterns of comfort and stop challenging themselves. It’s critical to always be finding ways to push yourselves to improve and become a better CBO.  “In order to grow, you really gotta do something different, you know? And take yourself out of what you feel most comfort with.”  Join us for a conversation with Kevin Davenport as he talks about how every opportunity of success or failure is a chance to improve yourself and how even a pandemic can be a good thing if you use it to become better and stronger.

Welcome to this special bonus episode of CBO Speaks. We’ve been asking each of our interviewees to sum up their thoughts, in less than a minute, on various topics that are top-of-mind for our listeners right now. We’ve collected their responses to share with you in these mini topical episodes and today we’re hearing from business officers about advocacy. Whether it’s regarding legislative or agency activity, public perception of higher education, or other timely issues, NACUBO is your constant advocate in action. Let’s hear from our CBOs on how they’re working to be advocates for higher education at the student, community, state, and national levels.