Join us September 24-25, 2025 in Chicago, IL
We’ve partnered with Google and created a high-impact summit specifically for senior institutional leaders. If you have a mandate to deliver — and not a lot of margin for error — this event is for you. No vendors or sales pitches. Just real higher-ed talk that leads to real results.
Request Your Invite
This is an invite-only event designed for higher ed presidents, provosts, CFOs, and cabinet-level executives. Space is limited. If you’re interested in attending, complete the form and a Collegis team member will be in contact. We hope to see you there.
Now Is Not the Time for Business
as Usual
Enrollment is dropping, closures are increasing, and AI is rewriting the rules faster than most institutions can react. Students are questioning the value of a degree, regulatory uncertainty is paralyzing progress, and boards are asking institutional leaders to deliver stability, transformation, and outcomes all at once. Now is not the time for business as usual.
DisruptED is for leaders who are ready to change the conversation. Not just talk about the future, but design it.
On September 25, the leading experts in higher ed will convene at Google’s West Loop Chicago offices to cut through the industry noise, make trends tangible, and challenge broken assumptions. It’s about revealing what’s really at stake and equipping you with the insights, strategies, and tools to move boldly and lead through volatility. It’s a space to ask better questions. It’s about meeting higher education where it is today and helping its leaders future-proof tomorrow.
This isn’t a moment for incremental change — it’s a mandate for reinvention. DisruptED is a call to action.
No Vendors. No Sales Pitches.
It’s Higher-Ed Real Talk.
At DisruptED, we unapologetically focus on what can actually work in this moment. We zero in on how to operationalize aspiration and innovation for maximum impact.
We’re not resurfacing antiquated “best practices” pulled from a slide deck in 2016. We’re bringing together an elite group of higher-ed experts, researchers, and leaders to learn what it takes to turn emergent technologies, AI, and trends into long-term, sustainable impact for your institution.
This is where decision-makers gather to confront the hard truths and build smarter paths forward.
Featured Speakers
Here are a few of the thought leaders speaking at Disrupted 2025 — with more being added in the months to come.
Phil Hill
Higher Ed Market Analyst, Phil Hill & Associates
Charlie Rose
Higher Ed Regulatory Expert, HMBR LTD.
Chris Hein
Chief Technology Officer, Google Cloud
Jeff Olsen
VP of Communications & Marketing, Del Mar College
An Invite-Only Event for Executives
Steering Institutional Strategy
DisruptED 2025 is a high-impact, boutique summit built for senior institutional leaders who have a mandate to deliver — and not a lot of margin for error. These are leaders who know incrementalism won’t save their institutions — and who want the data, technology, and strategic edge to help shape what’s next.
If you’re a president, provost, CFO, or other cabinet-level leader who is navigating high-stakes decisions about finances, operations, enrollment, or long-term sustainability, this room is for you.
If you’re trying to hold the line, this won’t be your kind of summit. If you’re ready to redraw it — welcome!
Here’s What’s on the Agenda
DisruptED skips the “polite panel” circuit with bold sessions that spark courageous conversations that confront higher ed’s hard truths head-on. Our presentations are geared toward higher ed’s power players and deliver depth without drag. It’s about unpacking the issues that prevent impact and giving you the tools, strategies, and confidence to build smarter paths forward.
Here are just some of the sessions — more to be announced at a later date.
Innovation can’t just live on whiteboards, in pilot programs, or in PowerPoints. It has to live where students do — in classrooms, in systems, and in every corner of the student experience. In this unapologetically honest keynote, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to move from moonshot thinking to scalable execution. You’ll hear how one of the nation’s most forward-thinking universities operationalizes bold ideas — not just to impress, but to drive measurable outcomes for learners. If you’re serious about innovation, it’s time to stop admiring the concept and start building the engine.
Everyone’s talking about AI, but most institutions aren’t ready for it. In fact, many are sprinting toward automation with a data foundation that’s fragmented, outdated, or flat-out unreliable. In this session, Collegis Education’s Dan Antonson and a Google AI expert deliver a much-needed reality check, covering what “AI readiness” actually means, what most institutions get wrong, and how to assess whether your data can support AI that delivers real results — not chaos. If you’re ready to start putting AI to work to drive enrollment, retention, or operations, this session will help you separate hype from reality — and give you a clear path forward.
Presenter:
Dan Antonson, AVP of Data and Analytics, Collegis Education
Higher ed isn’t facing a regulatory shift — it’s facing a reckoning. From financial aid overhauls and DEI rollbacks to escalating compliance threats, institutions are being hit with a wave of policy reversals that are already destabilizing operations. This unfiltered session breaks down what’s changing, what’s coming next, and why playing it safe may no longer be a viable option. You’ll leave with a candid look at the legal, financial, and reputational risks on the horizon — and a strategy for building institutional resilience through smarter governance, faster decision-making, and bold leadership in turbulent times.
Presenters
Charles Rose, Shareholder, Hogan Marren Babbo & Rose, Ltd.
Phil Hill, Higher Ed Market Analyst, Phil Hill and Associates
The OPM model was instrumental in allowing nonprofit institutions to lead in the development of online programs, but we are not in the 2010s any longer. Times have changed — there is an increasing need for a spectrum of offerings, institutions have or need to develop core competencies to reach nontraditional students, and we are no longer in a ‘build it and they will come’ era. In this session, renowned higher ed analyst Phil Hill dives into the reality of where OPMs may or may not be the best option. Learn how to transition from dependency to empowerment, and from contract-bound limitations to real strategic control. This is a roadmap for presidents and provosts who are ready to fully own their online (and hybrid) strategies.
Presenter
Phil Hill, Higher Ed Market Analyst, Phil Hill and Associates
If your IT strategy is still focused on keeping the lights on, you’re leaving money — and impact — on the table. In this session, learn how forward-looking institutions are flipping the script and treating IT like a revenue-generating asset, not just a cost center. We’ll unpack how to break out of “maintenance mode,” reframe technology investments through the lens of institutional ROI, and ensure every dollar spent on infrastructure, systems, or services moves the needle on enrollment, retention, and financial sustainability. If your tech stack isn’t delivering returns, it’s not a technology problem — it’s a leadership opportunity.
Presenters
Kim Fahey, President and CEO, Collegis Education
You can’t fix the student experience if you don’t actually know what it is. Too many institutions are investing in CRMs, launching new campaigns, or chasing enrollment growth without first understanding how prospects move (and stall) through the funnel. The result? Confusion, frustration, and lost students. In this session, hear how Del Mar College mapped the entire prospective student journey before their CRM rollout — uncovering broken touchpoints, hidden barriers, and simple fixes with major payoff. You’ll get a firsthand look at what they did, what surprised them, and how journey mapping can uncover the insights your institution needs to personalize at scale, boost conversion, and stop letting valuable prospects slip away.
Presenters
Jeff Olsen, Chief of Staff and VP of Communications & Marketing, Del Mar College
Wes Catlett-Miller, Sr. Director of Strategy and Innovation, Collegis Education
The enrollment cliff isn’t theoretical — it’s already reshaping the future of higher education. And while many institutions are scrambling to bring more students in, the real survival strategy lies in keeping the ones you already have. In this candid, data-informed session, higher ed expert Jim Fong and Collegis Education’s Chief Academic Officer Tracy Chapman unpack why most retention efforts are too reactive, too fragmented, or too soft to meet the moment. You’ll explore what a modern, institution-wide retention strategy actually looks like — one built on actionable data, aligned ownership across divisions, and intentional student engagement. If your institution is betting on top-of-funnel growth to carry you through the cliff, it’s time to rethink your odds.
Presenters
Jim Fong, Former Chief Research Officer, UPCEA
Tracy Chapman, Chief Academic Officer, Collegis Education
A modern data operation doesn’t have to mean more FTEs. Learn how colleges and universities can build nimble, high-performing data teams by tapping into a managed services model and treating your data functions as a centralized function of the institution. This talk explores strategies to scale your data capabilities without the overhead of full-time hires so you can drive institutional goals faster and more cost-effectively.
Jeff Certain, VP of Solution Development and GTM, Collegis Education
Kim Fahey, President and CEO, Collegis Education
Request Your Invite to DisruptED 2025
We’d love to see you at Disrupted 2025. To request your invitation, click the button, complete the form, and a team member will be in contact. It’s that simple.
Just Get to Chicago — We’ll Cover the Rest
Your time is valuable, and we respect that. As an invited guest to DisruptED 2025, we’ll waive the event fee and cover your lodging, meals, and more. You handle your travel to Chicago, and we’ll take care of the rest. Here’s a glimpse of what you can look forward to as an attendee at this year’s event:
Upon arriving in Chicago, take a moment to get settled in and join Collegis Education for a VIP rooftop welcome reception at Google’s Fulton Market office. You’ll mingle with other institutional leaders and meet the Collegis and Google teams while enjoying dinner and drinks. It’s a fantastic way to kick off what is sure to be a memorable and worthwhile event.
It’s not all work and no play. Once sessions wrap on September 25, it’s time to take in the best of the Windy City, and there is nothing more Chicago than a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Join your fellow attendees for a night out at the ballpark with VIP rooftop viewing of the Cubs vs. Mets game. You’ll enjoy dinner and drinks — including Chicago staples like Italian beef and Chicago dogs — as we cheer on the home team. Here’s hoping the W flies high at the end of the evening.
Guests who travel in to Chicago will stay at the The Emily Hotel — a boutique hotel experience in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market, inspired by the belief that art changes the way we look at the world. With comfortable, modernist rooms, and design-forward spaces featuring a curated collection of art from near and far, The Emily is a place for locals and visitors alike to collaborate, celebrate, and feel inspired.