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2026 CUWFA Virtual Retreat
May 5 - 7, 2026 • Sessions: 12:00–5:00 PM ET • Virtual
Thriving Through Change: Staying Grounded When the Landscape Shifts
CUWFA Member Registration | Guest Registration
Higher education is navigating rapid, often unsettling change — shifting policies, evolving workforce expectations, and new pressures on institutions and the people within them. The CUWFA community is built for exactly these moments.
Join us for the 2026 CUWFA Virtual Retreat: a flexible, affordable opportunity for reflection and connection designed to help work-life and employee experience professionals stay grounded, adapt, and thrive.
Format
The 2026 Retreat is fully virtual, with sessions running each day from 12:00–5:00 PM ET across three days: May 5–7. You do not need to block your entire schedule — drop into the sessions that matter most to you, and access recordings of all sessions at your convenience.
What to expect:
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Keynote Address: Doing Hard Things Together: Reclaiming Strength, Purpose,
and Community in Uncertain Times
Jessica DeGroot, Founder & President, ThirdPath Institute
May 6 | 12:00–2:00 PM ET
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Johns Hopkins University – Center for Staff Life Design Training
Imagine Possibilities: Reframing Limiting Beliefs with Shekeitha L. Jeffries
May 7 | 12:00–2:00 PM ET
- Member Presentations across Tuesday–Thursday
- Courageous Conversations
- CUWFA Membership Meeting
- Regional Networking and Sponsor Spotlights
- CUWFA & Comfort (our beloved end-of-day wind-down)
- Ongoing async community engagement — daily discussion topics, reflection prompts
All registered attendees receive access to session recordings.
Keynote Speaker
Jessica DeGroot
Founder & President, ThirdPath Institute
Wednesday, May 6 • 12:00–2:00 PM ET
Jessica DeGroot has spent decades helping organizations build sustainable, humane work cultures where people can thrive both professionally and personally. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Fast Company, Washington Post, and the New York Times Magazine. She will bring her signature insight to the realities facing higher education workplaces today.
Registration
Registration is open. The deadline to register is April 29, 2026.
| Registration Type |
Rate |
| CUWFA Member |
$31.00 |
| Member can invite a plus one* (one per member) |
FREE |
| Non-Member |
$31.00 |
*CUWFA members may bring one guest (a colleague who is not yet a member) at no additional cost. We encourage you to use this as an opportunity to introduce a potential future member to our community.
CUWFA Member Registration | Guest Registration
Agenda
Tuesday, May 5th
| 11am–12pm (EST) |
Expo Hall Open – Visit with Vendors/Sponsors |
| 12–12:45pm (EST) |
Meet CUWFA (New Member & Guest Welcome) |
| 1–1:45pm (EST) |
Member Presentation
Eileen Lawless, University of Arizona
"Grounded in Care: Supporting Campus Caregivers Through Change" |
| 1:45–2pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
| 2–2:45pm (EST) |
Member Presentation
Melanie Cuchna, University of Iowa
"Four Skills for Managing Stress at Work: Reset, Reframe, Reconnect, Recover" |
| 2:45–3pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
| 3–3:30pm (EST) |
WFRN Spotlight Presentation |
| 4–5pm (EST) |
Sponsor Spotlights |
| 5–6pm (EST) |
Expo Hall Open – Visit with Vendors/Sponsors |
Wednesday, May 6th
| 11am–12pm (EST) |
Expo Hall Open – Visit with Vendors/Sponsors |
| 12–1:45pm (EST) |
Keynote Speaker
Jessica DeGroot
"Doing Hard Things Together: Reclaiming Strength, Purpose, and Community in Uncertain Times" |
| 1:45–2pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
| 2–2:45pm (EST) |
Member Presentation
Amy Rodquist-Kodet, University of Kentucky
"Sleeping Well in Times of Change: Practice Strategies to Stay Rested & Resilient" |
| 2:45–3pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
| 3–3:45pm (EST) |
Member Presentation
Susan Abramson & Fran McIntyre, Pendulum DCS
"Grounded in Change: Reimagining and Adapting Programs to Support Workforce and Caregiving Needs" |
| 3:45–4pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
| 4–5pm (EST) |
CUWFA & Comfort with Nancy Costikyan |
| 5–6pm (EST) |
Expo Hall Open – Visit with Vendors/Sponsors |
Thursday, May 7th
| 11am–12pm (EST) |
Expo Hall Open – Visit with Vendors/Sponsors |
| 12–1:45pm (EST) |
Training Session
Shekeitha L. Jeffries
Johns Hopkins Center for Staff Life Design: Imagine Possibilities – Reframing Limiting Beliefs |
| 1:45–2pm (EST) |
Bio Break/Lobby Chat |
Community & Engagement
The retreat experience extends beyond the live sessions. All participants will have access to our async community space, where you can engage in topic-of-the-day discussions, work through reflection prompts and continue conversations throughout the week at your own pace.
This is a space for professionals in work-life, HR, employee experience, benefits, and caregiver support across higher education — a community of people who understand the complexity of your work and the importance of what you do.
Questions?
Please contact us at [email protected].
If you have questions about registration or the program, please reach out to the CUWFA team at [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you in May.
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