Simmons University Leadership Institute

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Simmons University Leadership Institute Global authority on the intersection of leadership, equity, and inclusion – with an emphasis on achieving gender parity.

The founding of Simmons University Institute of Inclusive Leadership in 2019 builds on the University’s rich heritage of igniting positive action, fostering everyday leadership and striving for lasting social justice. Our vision is simple: Manifest equity in leadership in our lifetime. We accomplish this by offering leaders groundbreaking inclusivity programs that support underrepresented populations. We design, build, and deliver innovative on-site and online instruction that can be customized for any organization’s leadership journey.

The Simmons Leadership Conference is back for 2027! 🎉📅 March 23, 2027📍 Boston + online from anywhereFor nearly five deca...
10/06/2026

The Simmons Leadership Conference is back for 2027! 🎉

📅 March 23, 2027
📍 Boston + online from anywhere

For nearly five decades, the Simmons Leadership Conference has brought leaders together to hear fresh perspectives, make meaningful connections and return ready to make an impact.

At the 48th Simmons Leadership Conference, we’ll explore what it takes to Lead What’s Next: How do we lead alongside AI? Sustain ourselves through change? Build teams that thrive? Turn new possibilities into meaningful impact?

And this is just the beginning. Our 2027 speaker lineup and much more are coming soon.

👉 Be among the first to know when registration opens: https://ow.ly/zntY50ZUvpg

What happens when someone sees things differently than you do?Do you get defensive? Dig in? Stay quiet? Or can you get c...
09/29/2026

What happens when someone sees things differently than you do?

Do you get defensive? Dig in? Stay quiet? Or can you get curious enough to understand what you might not be seeing?

That was at the heart of today’s Thrive365 Connected Conversations experience with Samantha Tan.

Together, our community explored how to recognize our reactions to difference and engage in ways that help us move forward productively, using difference as a strength rather than something to overcome.

Through small-group conversations, we considered:

→ What assumptions might I be making?
→ What helps me understand another perspective, even when I disagree?
→ What becomes possible when a different perspective makes the work better?

This is Thrive365 in action: creating space throughout the year to reflect, practice, connect and continue learning together.

And we’re off!Last week, we welcomed an incredible group of women leaders for the first in-person session of the Greater...
09/22/2026

And we’re off!

Last week, we welcomed an incredible group of women leaders for the first in-person session of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women’s Leadership Program.

There was something special about seeing this new cohort come together for the first time. Participants began building the relationships that will carry them through the program, while also turning the lens inward to explore who they are as leaders and how they show up for others.

Together, they explored their individual leadership styles, the strengths they bring to their teams, and the ways they can flex their approach to lead more effectively across different people and situations. One of the ideas at the heart of the session: there is no one best way to lead. Each leadership style brings distinct value, and greater self-awareness gives us more choices in how we lead.

Just as importantly, this first day was about creating the kind of community where meaningful learning can happen. Participants shared their stories, established norms for learning together, and began creating the trust and connection that will make the months ahead so powerful.

A huge thank you to Kerry Seitz for facilitating such an engaging and thoughtful first session, to Erin Wederbrook and our partners at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for their continued partnership, and to Caitlin Dodge for helping us kick off the program as our opening keynote speaker.

We can’t wait to see where this remarkable group of women leaders takes the journey from here.

Today, we’re welcoming the first cohort of women leaders to the Women’s Leadership Program!For 16 years, we’ve been prou...
09/16/2026

Today, we’re welcoming the first cohort of women leaders to the Women’s Leadership Program!

For 16 years, we’ve been proud to serve as the academic partner for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Leadership Program, helping more than 1,500 women leaders build the confidence, skills, and connections to accelerate their careers and expand their impact.

Today, our in-person cohort begins its journey, with our virtual cohort kicking off next week on September 24.

Through leadership assessments, facilitated learning, strategic networking, and real-world application, participants will have the opportunity to stretch how they lead, learn from one another, and put new ideas into action at work.

We’re thrilled to welcome this year’s participants and continue a partnership that has helped women leaders across Greater Boston and beyond step into what’s next.

🎥 Hear from past attendees - watch the trailer: https://ow.ly/pzbv50ZNTVA

What if the differences on your team could become a source of progress, not friction?That’s the focus of our newest Thri...
09/02/2026

What if the differences on your team could become a source of progress, not friction?

That’s the focus of our newest Thrive365 learning resources now available to everyone who joined us at the 2026 Simmons Leadership Conference ( ).

🎧 One resource to start with: our podcast conversation with Pete Church, Chief People & Culture Officer at Point32Health.

Pete joins Susan MacKenty Brady to explore what it takes to build a strong, connected culture, especially when teams and organizations are navigating change.

It’s a great listen for anyone thinking about how to bring people together when perspectives, experiences, and priorities differ.

👉 Listen now: https://ow.ly/BfSk50ZHXuO

And if you’re part of our Thrive365 community, head into the platform to explore the full collection of new resources designed to help you turn difference into progress.

What if the differences between us aren’t obstacles to overcome, but one of our greatest sources of leadership potential...
08/20/2026

What if the differences between us aren’t obstacles to overcome, but one of our greatest sources of leadership potential?

That’s the question at the heart of All the Difference, the new co-authored book by our CEO, Susan MacKenty Brady, Stuart Kliman, and Lieutenant General Leslie C. Smith, U.S. Army (Retired).

In our August edition of Leadership Insights, we’re exploring the ideas behind the book and what we’re learning as we put them into practice.

Inside, you’ll find:

→ A conversation with Lynn Perry Wooten on the leaders and practices that make a difference
→ Reflections on Difference Intelligence™ since the book’s launch
→ A timely look at why AI is making human leadership more valuable from Jennifer Martin

Read now: https://ow.ly/kNaa50ZBXgR

Who are the leaders who make all the difference in our lives?Often, they’re the people who see our potential before we s...
08/12/2026

Who are the leaders who make all the difference in our lives?

Often, they’re the people who see our potential before we see it ourselves.

Susan MacKenty Brady recently sat down with Lynn Perry Wooten, president of Simmons University, to explore the leaders, experiences, and practices that shape who we become.

They talk about lifelong learning, the power of reflection, leading across differences, and the influence of Lynn’s mentor, Laurita Thomas.

A thoughtful conversation about what it means to become a better leader and help others thrive.

👉 Read: https://ow.ly/5TWL50ZyWcq

AI isn’t making human leadership less important. It’s making it more valuable.As AI takes on more technical and analytic...
08/11/2026

AI isn’t making human leadership less important. It’s making it more valuable.

As AI takes on more technical and analytical work, distinctly human capabilities like judgment, empathy, trust, adaptability, and connection matter more than ever.

In this blog, Jennifer Martin, Director of Workforce Readiness at Cisco, and Susan MacKenty Brady explore what AI means for leaders and organizations, and why investing in human capability is essential in an AI-enabled world.

👉 Read more: https://ow.ly/2aMp50ZyaxV

Today’s Thrive365 Connected Conversations was a wonderful reminder of the power of coming together as a community.Thank ...
07/21/2026

Today’s Thrive365 Connected Conversations was a wonderful reminder of the power of coming together as a community.

Thank you to Samantha Tan for guiding us through an inspiring conversation on the power of presence in leadership, and to everyone who showed up with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from one another.

Together, we explored three ways to make our presence count:

✨ Presence with yourself. What grounds you? What brings you joy? As Samantha shared, enjoyment is a strategy for cultivating resilience.

✨ Presence with others. How do people experience themselves when they're in the room with you? What becomes possible when people feel truly seen?

✨ Presence in the world. How do you show up so that something larger can come through you?

The heart of the session was the conversation. In small groups, leaders shared personal stories, reflected on moments when their presence made a difference, and considered one small shift they can make to show up with even greater intention.

Thank you to every member of the Thrive365 community who made today's conversation so thoughtful, generous, and engaging. This is what Connected Conversations is all about: creating space to connect, reflect, and grow together.

What makes a leader effective when the future feels uncertain?It's a question many leaders are asking as they navigate c...
07/16/2026

What makes a leader effective when the future feels uncertain?

It's a question many leaders are asking as they navigate change, build trust, and help their teams thrive.

Those are the themes at the heart of All the Difference, the new book by Susan MacKenty Brady, Stuart Kliman, and U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith. To celebrate the book's release, we've published a new blog exploring its central ideas and the authors' recent Fortune article, which examines why the pressure to project certainty can actually undermine leadership and team performance.

If you're thinking about how to lead with greater trust, inclusion, and purpose, we invite you to read our latest blog and join the conversation.

Read the blog: https://ow.ly/2IGj50ZnyZU

Address

Boston, MA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16175213858

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