Higher Learning 2025

Keynote & Featured Speakers

April 5–8, 2025, Chicago

Keynote Speakers

David Allison

Human values expert, CEO of a global research firm, two-time bestselling author, founder of the Valuegraphics Project 

David Allison is a human values expert, CEO of a global research firm, two-time bestselling author, and founder of the Valuegraphics Project. He is focused on changing how we understand ourselves, the people around us, and those we hope to engage with in our work. As the founder of the Valuegraphics Project – the first global inventory of core human values – he has transformed human values into measurable data and created an entirely new type of human-centric insights. He helps big brands like PayPal, Five Star School Supplies, the United Nations Foundation, and Google connect with people by honoring their values.  

After decades of helping big brands engage people, David Allison recognized that demographics weren’t working like before. Gender roles were blurred, age has nothing to do with how we behave, and our income doesn’t change what’s in our hearts. Instead, our values drive our behavior and our shared values that engage people and influence outcomes. So he launched the Valuegraphics Project to turn human values into data and create a revolutionary new approach to inspiring action – with the enormous power of shared human values. 

Today, after nearly a million surveys in 152 languages, David is the world’s foremost human values expert, with two bestselling books and an international speaking career. Innovative organizations like PayPal, Lululemon, and the United Nations Foundation use David’s data to connect with people in new, more profound ways – by honoring what they value. He coined the term valuegraphics to describe his unique approach to understanding people, which now appears next to demographics in textbooks used on campuses worldwide. Valuegraphics have been featured in Forbes, INC Magazine, and the Harvard Business Review, and his latest book, “The Death of Demographics,” was hailed by critics as “Convincing, insightful, and…revolutionary.” 

He’s developed an entirely new and powerful way to address any issue, and seize any opportunity by leaning deep into a fundamental human truth: we are what we value. His highly engaging and passionate keynote delivery, combined with game-changing insights, make his keynote presentations entirely unique can’t-miss events. 

Values are the answer.  Let’s put them to work 

Drawing from over ten years of research, David Allison will present on a balanced, data-informed approach to fostering understanding and uniting campus communities to kick off the conference on Saturday, April 5 at 5 p.m.

Amelia Parnell

President, NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

Dr. Amelia Parnell is an accomplished higher education executive and an internationally recognized thought leader regarding current issues and emerging trends in the field. She is a passionate advocate for higher education as a tool for personal advancement and impact, and she seeks opportunities to partner with organizations and individuals who share her sincere commitment to centering students’ needs.

In her prior role as vice president for research and policy for NASPA, Dr. Parnell led many of the association’s scholarly and advocacy-focused activities and fostered partnerships with college administrators, researchers, grant makers, and other higher education professionals.

As a frequent keynote speaker at national and regional conferences, Amelia presents on topics related to higher education, student affairs, college affordability, student learning outcomes, and institutions’ use of data and analytics. She has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and PBS NewsHour.

Amelia recently completed four years of service on the Board of Directors for EDUCAUSE, where she was Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee and the Audit Committee. She is also the past chair of the Higher Education Equity Network (HEEN), a collective impact network representing more than 25 organizations at the forefront of addressing racial equity in higher education.

Amelia enjoys opportunities to teach, and she is energized by making complex concepts easy to understand. She has had enriching engagements with students and peers as an adjunct instructor and lecturer and she is the author of the book, “You Are a Data Person,” which she wrote to encourage all higher education professionals to discover and embrace their unique data identity.

Amelia holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from Florida A & M University.

Charles L. Welch

President and CEO, American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Dr. Charles L. Welch became the seventh president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) on January 15, 2024. Dr. Welch joined AASCU after serving nearly 13 years as president of the Arkansas State University System, where he led the state’s second largest higher education system. He is also past president of Henderson State University (AR). 

Dr. Welch is past president of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges and served as chairman of the board of the Arkansas Association of Public Universities. He is vice chair of the American Academic Leadership Institute Board of Directors and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. He also served on the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, is a former board member for the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches and was inducted into the Arkansas Boys State Hall of Fame. 

He was co-chair of the Executive Council of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. He previously served as chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, vice chancellor for academic affairs at Arkansas State University-Beebe, and dean of university studies at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. Welch also worked at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and has served as an instructor of education and political science at three different colleges in Arkansas. 

Dr. Welch has deep ties to AASCU, having led two AASCU member institutions, and served as chair of the AASCU Board of Directors twice from 2019-2021. He co-chaired AASCU’s Presidential Postsecondary Value Commission Task Force. He was also actively engaged with AASCU’s New Presidents Academy and Emerging Leaders Program, serving as executive sponsor for both initiatives.  

Dr. Welch is a first-generation college student and the first member of his extended family to receive an advanced degree. He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Arts in political management from The George Washington University (DC), and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

Dr. Welch was awarded President Emeritus status by the Arkansas State University System in December 2023. The system also honored Dr. Welch with the creation of the Charles L. Welch Presidential Scholars Program. 

Representing the interests and insights of Student and Academic Affairs professionals, Amelia Parnell and Charles L. Welch will take part in a fireside chat to discuss strategies to improve teaching, learning, and student success Monday, April 7 at 9 a.m.

Featured speakers and workshops will be announced soon. Sign up for our email interest list to get updates on programming for Higher Learning 2025.

Questions?

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