UNC Charlotte leaders contribute AI leadership and cross-campus expertise to 2026 Women in Educational Leadership Symposium’s future-focused agenda

Twelve members of UNC Charlotte’s faculty and staff articulated the theme of the 2026 Women in Educational Leadership Symposium through timely presentations, and participation in and facilitation of key panel discussions.

The Power of We: Women Shaping a Lasting Legacy in Education, held Oct. 1-3, at Appalachian State University, brought together women leaders to grow together and strengthen their impact at K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and education-based community and nonprofit organizations as it has since WIELS’s founding in 2017. 

Throughout the three-day agenda, UNC Charlotte’s adept integration of artificial intelligence into its overall operations and teaching and learning was evident as University representatives were featured as speakers and panelists for each of the symposium’s AI-focused presentations:

• “Women Leading the Future of AI in Education: Collaboration, Courage and Capacity Building in an Era of Rapid Change,” facilitated by Leslie Zenk, associate provost and chief of staff for the Office of Academic Affairs, and that included Jules Keith-Le, academic technology support analyst, Office of OneIT, as a panelist, explored the ways women can actively shape AI’s direction at their institutions. 

• Katherine Bennett, senior instructional designer and training lead with the Office of OneIT, presented “AI-Enhanced Teams: Responsible Adoption in Higher Education.” 

• Bennett facilitated a panel with Zenk and Beth Rugg, assistant vice chancellor for client engagement and chief workplace AI officer, together with Kiran Budhrani, director of teaching and learning innovation, Center for Teaching and Learning, and Kaela Lindquist, associate dean of students and director of student accountability and conflict resolution, Office of Student Affairs, titled “The Power of We: Building Collective AI Leadership Across Roles and Divisions.”

“Presenting at WIELS during its milestone 10th anniversary symposium highlights UNC Charlotte’s proud history of strong participation and our role as a driving force in shaping the future of educational leadership and innovation,” said Zenk, who has served on the WIELS advisory board since 2017. 

Several others led sessions and workshops that elevated various leadership topics impacting mid-career women in higher education, including career navigation, leadership responsibilities and interim leadership. They are Samantha Abt-Bumgarner, director of program management, Digital and Professional Learning; Sandra Dika, interim department chair and professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Cato College of Education; Taylor Faulkner, program director for professional programs, Digital and Professional Learning; Karri Kennedy, senior director of program management and learner engagement, Office of Digital and Professional Learning; Katie Watson, assistant director of graduate programs, College of Computing and Informatics, and doctoral student, Department of Educational Leadership; and Diane Zabolonsky, associate professor, Department of Sociology, CHESS.  

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Photo: 2026 Women in Educational Leadership Symposium attendees and presenters: Jules Keith-Le, Katherine Bennett, Kaela Lindquist, Samantha Abt-Bumgarner, Kiran Budhrani, Karri Kennedy, Taylor Faulkner, Leslie Zenk, Sandra Dika and Diane Zablotsky 

Written by Susan Messina