Event Schedule & Descriptions

Kick off the conference with light morning refreshments during check-in. Enjoy a selection of bagels, pastries, and fresh fruit—perfect for a quick bite before the sessions begin. It’s a casual start to the day and a chance to say hello to fellow attendees. 

Teresa Bailey, President AZAIR

Associate Director of Institutional Research, Eastern Arizona College

Regulatory Reporting 

Presenters

Meredith Abrams

Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Maricopa County Community College District

Stephnie Hopple

District Director

Maricopa County Community College District

Adam Lee

Planning Research Analyst, Sr.

Maricopa County Community College District

A great chance to meet fellow attendees and start making connections in a relaxed setting. By moving our main group meal to lunch, your evening is open for dinner on your own or for continuing conversations with others. 

Choose From:  

1) Immersive Helios Drum Experience

Presented by ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence 

2) IR Escape Room: The President’s Last-Minute Report

This session offers a facilitated, escape-room-style activity where participants work in teams to solve common institutional research challenges.  For this activity, you have just been pulled into an emergency meeting. The university president is scheduled to present a data briefing to the state legislature in 30 minutes, but the dashboard is incomplete, misleading, and missing critical context. Your IR team has been asked to fix the problems, verify the data, and prepare key insights before time runs out. The institution's credibility depends on your ability to act quickly and accurately! 

3) ASSIST Steering Committee (Closed Meeting)

03:15 pm – 03:30 pm Break

Aligning Data Governance and Privacy:  Building Sustainable, Cross-Campus Framework

As colleges and universities increasingly use data to inform decisions and improve outcomes, and as the volume and complexity of that data continue to grow, aligning governance and privacy efforts is essential to ensuring ethical, effective, and compliant practices. This session will explore strategies for building cross-functional frameworks that reflect institutional values while navigating real-world complexity. Using Arizona State University’s model as one example, presenters will share practical approaches to structuring advisory groups, engaging stakeholders, aligning roles, and connecting policy with practice. Participants will reflect on their own institutional contexts and challenges and will take part in a hands-on stakeholder mapping activity to visualize their current data governance and privacy landscape. This exercise will support group discussion and idea exchange, helping participants identify opportunities to strengthen data stewardship on their campuses.

Presenters

Olli Honkkila

Data Governance and Administration Manager

Arizona State University 

Ben Archer

Privacy Manager

Arizona State University

An informal gathering after the Day 1 sessions for those who want to connect further. This is not included in the conference registration and will be pay-your-own-way.

 Start your day with a warm breakfast and great company! As you check in for Day 2, enjoy another chance to connect with fellow attendees over coffee and a delicious morning spread. It’s the perfect way to ease into the day’s sessions while continuing to build your network. 

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Teresa Bailey, President AZAIR

Choose From: 

1. Copilot: The AI Sidekick You Didn’t Know You Had 

Explore the fundamentals of using Copilot as your own AI assistant. Discover how Copilot helps increase your productivity and reduces manual, repetitive tasks so you have more time for higher-value work. Find out how to summarize and draft emails, create compelling PowerPoint presentations, jump-start your creativity in Word, and make more-informed decisions through transformed data analysis in Excel.

Presenter

Trevor Hart

Institutional Research Analyst

Eastern Arizona College 

2. Immersive Helios Drum Experience

Presented by

ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence 

Join us for the AzAIR Business Lunch—a dedicated time for organizational updates, annual elections, and meaningful conversation with fellow attendees. This lunch offers more than just a meal; it's a chance to engage with the AzAIR community, contribute to the future of the organization, and continue building connections. A full lunch will be provided.

The AIA Data Collaborative:

A Model for Cross-Institutional Partnership

This session will highlight insights from the AIA Data Collaborative’s Lateral Transfers project, a multi-university research initiative focused on understanding student transfer pathways and outcomes through shared data and coordinated analysis. Presenters will share the practical frameworks and strategies that have enabled sustained collaboration across institutions, including aligning methodologies, navigating institutional differences, and maintaining momentum. Attendees will gain actionable guidance on launching cross-campus research projects, managing complexity across diverse data systems and governance structures, and fostering trust and efficiency in multi-institutional partnerships. The session will also include interactive time for participants to exchange ideas and spark new opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration.

Presenters

Carmin Chan

Vice Provost

NAU Online

Austin Stumpf

Associate Director, Enrollment Analysis

Arizona State University

Michael Wilson

Planning Analyst

Arizona State University

Speed Data-ing: Dashboards, Reports, and Ideas Worth Swiping Right On 

Get inspired in this fast-paced showcase featuring AzAIR institutions each sharing a data tool they’re proud of. From dashboards to decision-support reports, you’ll hear what it is, who it’s for, and one key insight or lesson learned. As you listen, jot down the ideas you’d “swipe right” on, including tools, techniques, or takeaways you’d like to bring back to your own campus. You’ll leave with a personalized list of peer-tested ideas ready to explore.

Presenters

AzAIR Community

Data-Driven Dollars: Analytics for Budget and Operational Action 

In this session, attendees will explore how operational data and business intelligence can transform budget planning and resource allocation in higher education. Drawing on experience managing both Institutional Research and the Budget Office, this presentation will share real-world applications of data—such as recalculating general supply budgets using historical spend patterns, building data tools for budget progress monitoring, and leveraging IPEDS for peer comparisons. The session will also address a critical shift in data strategy: how the infrastructure, tools, and mindset must evolve when moving beyond compliance reporting to support real-time decision-making and planning. The conceptual model known as the “Golden Thread” will be introduced, illustrating how data can link an institution’s mission, strategic plan, annual goals, and budgeting processes to ensure cohesive, purposeful investment. Attendees will leave with actionable examples and a strategic lens for elevating the role of data in driving decision making in administrative and operational functions of our colleges.

Presenter

Lori Lindenberg

AVP of Institutional Research and Planning

Scottsdale Community College

Snack & Pack 

Take a break, grab a snack, and pack your own treat bag! Choose your favorite goodies to enjoy now and on the ride home.

Future-Proofing Your IR Team: 

A Strategic Foresight Workshop

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore early signals of change in higher education and use strategic foresight tools to anticipate future scenarios. You’ll leave with a simple future-preparedness plan for your IR team and practical ideas for building curiosity, flexibility, and long-term thinking into your daily work.

Presenter

Alecia Radatz

Senior Director, Institutional Analysis

Arizona State University