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Keynote speaker, Joe DiPaolo, chief operating officer at Icario, delivers talk at the conference

Regional faculty and experts share research, insights and applications regarding "Preparing for the Future, Now” 

��ɫ��Ƶ University’s College of Business, Communication, and Leadership (CBCL) hosted its third annual conference at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne on Thursday.  

“The goal is to not only provide a platform to learn about the rapid change in technology and critical topics shaping industries worldwide, but to inspire action in those areas while breaking down barriers between the classroom and the boardroom,” said Dean of the CBCL, Travis Berger, Ph.D. “Whether professionals were aiming to stay ahead in their respective industries or students were looking to gain insights into their future careers, this conference provided a platform to engage, network, collaborate, and lead.” 

Centered on the theme “Preparing for the Future Now,” the event had over 30 local and regional presenters and over 200 attendees to consider how advances in technology have impacted people, organizations and society through dynamic conversations, insights, research and applications. Joe DiPaolo, chief operating officer at Icario, gave the keynote address ‘Tomorrow, Built Today: How Leaders Prepare for What’s Next."  

“We can’t talk about preparing for the future without touching on AI... [At Icario] we engage members to take the actions that are good for their health, and AI is becoming a critical part in how we make that happen. Whenever I roll out a new AI initiative, I've been using the same analogy now for probably four or five years.  When it comes to getting ahead, you want the best people on your team sitting next to you every day not to take your job, but to make you better. That's how we think about AI at Icario and by framing it that way, our teams have taken initiatives and run with this.” 

DiPaolo went on to discuss how implementing AI or any innovative technology or strategy is not just about automation, but augmentation. He shared that while there may be a lot of uncertainty surrounding AI or any new technology or tactic, that it should not prevent people and organizations from positioning themselves not just to survive, but to thrive.  

“I’ve enjoyed coming to this conference for the last three years to keep in touch with the ��ɫ��Ƶ community and alumni network as well as learn from the presenters,” said Senior Marketing Coordinator at Herbein + Company, Inc., Wyatt Hessler ‘22. “The conference gets better and better each year. This year, the keynote speaker was inspirational and shared his experience looking at the total picture when planning for the future. He spoke about how what we are doing today might not be perfect, but that it should not stop us from finding solutions and using new technologies like AI.” 

In addition to the keynote, the conference featured speakers such as Global Sustainability Senior Manager EnerSys, Christina J. Sivulka; President & CEO of Pennsylvania’s Americana Region, Heather Zimmerman; Deputy Chief Probation Officer for Chester County Juvenile Probation, Jay Leamy, Ph.D.’24; Penn State Berks’  E. Michele Ramsey, Ph.D and Cheryl L. Nicholas, Ph.D.; World Campus Chaiken Center’s Dawn Coder, Ed.D. and Michelle C. Wiley and more.  

Over 30 regional and local presenters highlighted the following themes: Leadership, Diversity, and the Future of Education; AI, Business, and Media Integration; Leadership for a Sustainable Future, Education, Technology, and Resilience; Personal Development and Workforce Challenges; Social Media and Marketing Trends and Leadership and Student Development.