Network for Change and Continuous Innovation - NCCI
833.469.6224 info@ncci-cu.org
NCCI positions higher education institutions to be agile, lifelong learning models to transform lives and communities around the world.

Volunteer

NCCI welcomes the innovation and collaboration of current and aspiring leaders within the profession. Discover the numerous of ways for members to engage through volunteer opportunities.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering with NCCI can help you:

  • Develop and refine skills to enhance current function on your campus
  • Grow their professional network and build valuable connections
  • Be a champion and advocate for change
  • Learn more about the professional offerings of NCCI
  • Obtain professional recognition
  • Give back time and talents to make an impact on the NCCI community

NCCI Volunteer Engagement Model

Colleague

Gain exposure to the NCCI community as a Colleague.

Qualifications
Anyone who is an active member of NCCI.

Time Commitment
Colleagues serve an ongoing commitment for the duration of their institution’s membership.

Engagement Examples

  • Community of Practice member
  • Newsletter reader
  • NCCI program attendees
Contributor

Serve as operational support for events, workshops, and webinars as a Contributor. This role is an opportunity for members to become more familiar with NCCI through hands-on experiences.

Qualifications
Anyone who is an active member of NCCI.

Time Commitment
Contributors serve periodic commitments based on the engagement or program.

Engagement Examples

  • Event, session, or webinar host
  • Conference welcome staff
  • Timekeeper at conference sessions
Connector

Share expertise at events, workshops, and webinars as a Connector.

Qualifications
A recognized professional with a deep understanding of a particular area or topic.

Time Commitment
Connectors serve periodic commitments based on the engagement or program.

Engagement Examples

  • Webinar facilitator or moderator
  • Event or webinar speaker or panelist
Collaborator

Provide guidance and advice within an area of NCCI as a Collaborator.

Qualifications
A NCCI member willing to support a program committee’s efforts.

Time Commitment
Collaborators serve a year-long commitment, typically from September through August.

Engagement Examples

  • Annual Conference Committee Member
  • Membership & Outreach Committee Member
  • Professional Development Committee Member
  • Volunteer Development Committee Member
Catalyst

Provide guidance and advice regarding the overall activities and organization of NCCI as a Catalyst.

Qualifications
A NCCI member with at least one-year experience on a committee or community of practice.

Time Commitment
Catalysts serve a two-year commitment.

Engagement Examples

  • Vice Chair of a Committee: Annual Conference, Membership & Outreach, Professional Development, or Volunteer Development
  • Chair of a Committee: Annual Conference, Membership & Outreach, Professional Development, or Volunteer Development
  • Community of Practice Leaders: Change Management, Internal Consulting, Leadership, or Lean
Champion

Contribute to the strategy and overall interests of NCCI as a Champion.

Qualifications
A NCCI member committed to advancing the Association’s strategies, finances, and governance to further enhance the community and lead the future of NCCI.

Time Commitment
Champions serve a three-year commitment, with potential for a second term.

Engagement Examples

  • NCCI Board Member

Current Opportunities

Engage as a NCCI Colleague by joining our communities of practice and attending our online learning programs!

We’re now looking for conference speakers! Be a NCCI Connector and submit a session today!

Apply to serve on the NCCI Board of Directors by April 5.

NCCI Volunteer Spotlight

Our volunteers are the heart of NCCI. Who are our volunteers? Check out the volunteer spotlight below!

Kendra Lewis-Strickland
Programs Coordinator, South Big Data Innovation Hub, Georgia Institute of Technology
NCCI Volunteer Development Committee Member
 
KendraStricklandHeadshot175_1910359.pngWhat current project are you working on at your institution?
I am currently developing a volunteer engagement model focused on improving the Hub’s visibility by increasing community volunteer engagement.
 
How has your NCCI volunteer experience benefited your professional development and/or work at your institution?
The volunteer experiences have benefited my professional development because it has allowed me to work on projects of interest related to culture and engagement development. The volunteer experiences have benefited my work at Georgia Tech because I have used the models created for NCCI to showcase a potential model that will encapsulate our particular organizational goals. This helped executive leadership begin to envision how to increase the Hub’s visibility through volunteerism.
 
What is the most memorable aspect of your NCCI connection?
I have searched for my ‘tribe,’ and the ability to connect with individuals with a similar interest to discuss topic area challenges, solutions, and literature is fantastic.
 
What influenced your decision to engage with NCCI as a volunteer?
I desire to learn more about the change ecosystem, connect with people with similar interests, and explore the intersection between my skill sets and career goals.
 
Share a fun fact with us:
I finished my doctoral degree and had my first child during the 2020 pandemic!
Taylor Cupples
Director of Finance and Administration, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
NCCI Annual Conference Committee Chair
 
Taylor Cupples HeadshotWhat current project are you working on at your institution?
For the last 18 months I have worked with the UTHSC College of Pharmacy to update the college’s clinical education affiliation agreements. The college has roughly 150 sites for student rotations. I have been able to reduce the overall number of agreements while maintaining/increasing the number of rotation slots by negotiating centralized, comprehensive agreements with larger, multi-site clinical partners.
 
How has your NCCI volunteer experience benefited your professional development and/or work at your institution?
While every institution is unique, the drive for effective change is not. The NCCI network has provided a direct line to numerous professionals across North America who have more experience in driving effective change. This group of professionals has never waivered when asked for guidance nor mentorship.
 
What is the most memorable aspect of your NCCI connection?
The most memorable aspect of my NCCI connection is the friends I have made from every corner of our profession! When we are able to meet in person (and virtually) it’s great to catch up and hear not only their professional and institutional achievements but also about their lives away from work.
 
What influenced your decision to engage with NCCI as a volunteer?
I was influenced by watching my former supervisor interact with NCCI. She put a substantial amount of work into the organization through leadership, committees, and mentoring other professionals but the community she was able to build far outweighed the work her volunteerism required.
Kristi Reese
Associate Director, Academic Strategies, Rasmussen University
NCCI Membership & Outreach Committee Member & Incoming Board Member
 
Taylor Cupples HeadshotWhat current project are you working on at your institution?
Rasmussen University is revamping its technology request and approval process, and I have been tasked with being the chair of a new Technology Steering Committee. What makes this project interesting to me is that it puts me in a position to have visibility to most projects taking place across the university, and I have incorporated a project framework my team has been developing for a while. By working this framework into the committee’s process, its buy-in has significantly accelerated.
 
How has your NCCI volunteer experience benefited your professional development and/or work at your institution?
Being involved in the Membership and Outreach Committee has informed how I communicate to others in my institution about what my team does and the benefits we provide. This promotion of my team’s work is not something I formally thought of or always had the language to speak to, but being a part of a group dedicated to doing this for NCCI has translated to my own work as well.
 
What is the most memorable aspect of your NCCI connection?
Shortly after becoming a member of NCCI, I attended the 2019 Annual Conference in Denver. This conference was the first time I experienced being surrounded by others in similar roles in higher education and where the content was consistently applicable to me. I especially enjoyed signing up for a group dinner at a local restaurant and meeting others with similar professional interests. Experiences like that dinner reinforced for me the welcoming nature and sharing attitudes of NCCI members.
 
What influenced your decision to engage with NCCI as a volunteer?
So many of NCCI’s members and leaders are generous with sharing their experiences, knowledge, time, and talents. An organization that fosters this generosity is one I wanted to promote and be a part of expanding. Volunteering with the Membership and Outreach Committee seemed like an excellent opportunity to do so.
 
Share a fun fact with us:
I am a musician and have played the viola since I was ten. I have a Master’s degree in music theory but my primary involvement in music these days is playing improv viola with the band at my church and playing with the semi-pro symphony in my area.
Alicia Webber
Process and Change Consultant, University of California Davis
NCCI Professional Development Committee Member
 
Taylor Cupples HeadshotWhat current project are you working on at your institution?
UC Davis launched our Aggie Enterprise initiative earlier this year. This project includes implementing a new financial system, redesigning business processes, and launching a new chart of accounts, all set to go live in 2023. I joined the team as a change practitioner on the Change, Communications and Training work stream. It’s exciting to see campus leadership recognize the value of change management, and commit dedicated CM resources so early on in the project.
 
How has your NCCI volunteer experience benefited your professional development and/or work at your institution?
As a volunteer I engage with new technology, people, skills, & concepts all the time. One recent example is the PDC’s work on our conference booth. During just that process I learned about two new programs for virtual engagement, collaborated with other NCCI committees, & had the opportunity to take the lead on some of our content development. Volunteering gives me a fresh perspective to bring back to my institution, energizes me to be an advocate for change, and adds to my toolkit.
 
What is the most memorable aspect of your NCCI connection?
The most memorable aspect is the relationships I’ve built with brilliant and passionate thought-partners and friends. 
What influenced your decision to engage with NCCI as a volunteer?
I attended my first conference in 2018, and was immediately struck by the generosity, enthusiasm and warmth of NCCI members. When a colleague invited me to volunteer, it was a great opportunity to get more involved and connected with the NCCI community. I chose to serve on the PDC because of my passion for learning and connecting others with new ideas, knowledge and resources.
 
Share a fun fact with us:
I’m a champ at Disney pub trivia, competing with my team, ‘Happily Ever Answers’.
Clayton Taylor
Director, Organizational Performance, Arizona State University
NCCI Internal Consulting Community Co-Chair
 
Taylor Cupples HeadshotWhat current project are you working on at your institution?
I am fortunate that my team works on projects across the entire institution. Right now I am engaged in launching the ASU Spark Method professional certification program, and training university staff to apply Lean Six Sigma methods. I am also working with a number of units to develop strategic plans, goals and metrics, and tie them to specific outcomes that need to be achieved in the next twelve to thirty-six months.
 
How has your NCCI volunteer experience benefited your professional development and/or work at your institution?
I have enjoyed meeting NCCI members from a number of institutions. In sharing my knowledge and experience with others, I am also learning best practices from them. This has given me an opportunity to evaluate the work I am performing at Arizona State University, and incorporate new ideas in the services my team provides to our customers.
 
What is the most memorable aspect of your NCCI connection?
The most memorable aspect has been working with Jenny Faust, Mary Graft and Allison Lara as we launched the consulting community of practice. They have all been great to collaborate with, and have been outstanding in providing support and feedback as we have worked together on this effort.
What influenced your decision to engage with NCCI as a volunteer?
NCCI has provided me with opportunities to learn from other members and member organizations. I am grateful for the information that was shared with me, and that has helped me grow my department and my team. I wanted to give back to the NCCI community and provide help to others.
 
Share a fun fact with us:
I love the sport of archery, and am a competitive target archer.