In this episode, HEARD welcomes  Mike Bilfinger, Assistant Director of Public Policy at AACRAO, for a look back at what went down in the first year of President Trump's second term, and what is coming up in 2026 and beyond. We discussed Project 2025 details that came to fruition, changes to the Department of Education that are likely to last beyond this administration and the impact to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and new ways we will all be asked to measure the value of higher education. We round things up with how we can (and currently do) make a difference in affecting positive change for students and our institutions. 

This episode features a series of brief conversations at the 2025 AACRAO Leadership Meeting. At the end of June, members of AACRAO staff joined volunteers from the AACRAO Board, Program Committee, Community Liaisons, and state and regional leaders to kick off another year of content delivery. HEARD asked attendees how they were feeling, what they were taking away, and if (and how) they could make a difference. This episode also honors Dr. Whitney West, former AACRAO leader, community member, and HEARD guest who passed away earlier this summer. 

You'll have to listen to the full episode for that nugget.

HEARD was joined by returning AACRAO pod guest Ed Clark, Chief Information Officer at The California State University System, to talk about CSU's significant investment in a far-reaching AI strategy and how he believes it will support the nation's largest 4-year public, highly diverse, university system. We about the "sweet spot" where AI can make a difference, and where it can be destructive; the challenges AI presents for diversity, equity, and inclusion and, also, how it can empower new research and ideas across a variety of disciplines. A key takeaway from this conversation: You have to be a part of what is going on if you want to understand it, and if you don't understand it, you can't make it better. Also, please revisit Ed's interview on For the Record, "Demystifying Information Technology Services," (season 6, episode 4).

On this episode, the HEARD crew spoke with David Williams, Law School Registrar at North Carolina Central University (or NCCU for short) in Durham, North Carolina. NCCU is a historically black college and university or HBCU, and David shared his passion for customer service and how it was influenced by his own experience attending an HBCU. We talked about customer service as less of a function of the workplace and more of an attitude and experience that can make all the difference in creating a sense of inclusion for students (and everyone). David talked about his hands-on approach, how he leverages technology during busy times, and how his background as a music educator helped him with patience. 

In this special episode recorded live at the 2025 AACRAO Annual Meeting, HEARD hosts Portia LaMarr and Ingrid Nuttall spoke with Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries on how resilience can help us thrive in times of uncertainty. Dr. Jeffries is a College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Associate Professor of History at The Ohio State University where he teaches courses on the Civil Rights and the Black Power Movement. Dr. Jeffries spoke with the AACRAO community on how resilience is more than weathering a storm; it is taking action today to build the future we want a generation from now.  As a celebrated scholar, educator, and public historian, Dr. Jeffries provided insights into how higher education and the role of enrollment professionals have created gateways and opportunities for global citizens. This is an emotional, at times funny, and compelling conversation.

At the 2025 AACRAO annual meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to join today's guests for an exploration of neurodivergence in their session, Firing the Synapses of Connection. In this episode, HEARD welcomes Ellissa Thomen, Associate Registrar at the University of Iowa, Sara Sullivan, Associate Registrar at Cornell University, and Sara's son Will Sullivan, currently a student at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids Iowa for a very personal conversation about their own journey on the spectrum of neurodivergence. This conversation brought some tears and a lot of laughter. 

Big lessons: Be brave enough to be yourself, listen to the people around you, and never hesitate to tell someone how awesome they are.

Here are some additional resources shared by our guests:

• ADDitude The ADHD Diagnosis and Testing Guide for Patients
• Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults
• Harvard Health: What is neurodiversity?
• What is the Neurodiversity Umbrella?

For this episode, HEARD sits down with Roslyn Perry, AACRAO's Vice President for Access and Equity and Registrar and Associate Dean of Records at Allegheny College. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is at the front and center of the current political agenda and dominates so much discourse. We spoke to Ros about how she sees this affecting her institution, how AACRAO is beginning conversations about supporting the community, and what "safe space" means right now. 

Also, please consider emailing [email protected] or messaging Portia, Tashana, or Ingrid on LinkedIn to share your thoughts for how the HEARD podcast can support you in future episodes.

Join Portia, Tashana, and Ingrid for a conversation with Bill Gil, Senior Director of Government Relations for AACRAO, to unpack what we might expect for higher education under the next Trump administration. Bill walks us through current initiatives under President Biden and how they might wrap up or be left unfinished; the impact of committee leadership on legislative initiatives; and whether or not we are likely to see a dismantling of the Department of Education. We discussed the impact to immigration, DACA students, and DEI, and discussed the power of individual and collective action.

In this special episode of HEARD, Portia, Tashana, and Ingrid take a moment as the year nears its close to catch up and reflect on allyship, imposter thinking, belonging, blue bracelets, and strengths (among other things). If you've been a listener since the beginning, you've been hearing their friendship unfold as they dive deeper into DEI topics. This episode is a slice of the conversations that happen in between the episodes as the gang plans what comes next, reflects on what they've learned, and push each other to think differently.

On this episode, Portia, Tashana and Ingrid spoke with Chris Boldon, Director or Workforce Data Management in the Office of Human Resources at the University of Minnesota. Chris reached out after listening to our episode on destructive leadership behaviors, offering to provide some information about HR's role in supporting employees dealing with harmful workplace dynamics. And, as luck would have it, Chris is also a researcher on empathy, a topic we've been interested in exploring because of how frequently it is referenced as foundational to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. We talked about what empathy actually is, the difference between empathy and compassion, why both are important, and how empathy can be learned.