Keynotes:
Bridging the Gap: Turning Good Intentions into Meaningful Impact
Sarah Noll Wilson
Best-selling Author and Leadership Consultant
We all have good intentions in our work and relationships—whether as leaders, team members, colleagues, or friends. But how often do we pause to ask: Is my impact aligning with my intention?
Too often, a gap emerges between what we mean to do and how others experience us. This gap can lead to misunderstandings, broken trust, and missed opportunities for connection and collaboration. In this engaging and thought-provoking keynote, Sarah Noll Wilson invites audiences to explore the dynamics that shape our intentions and the outcomes we create.
Through stories, research, and practical tools, Sarah will uncover the unseen factors that influence our actions, such as self-awareness pitfalls, power imbalances, and cultural dynamics. Participants will learn how to navigate these complexities with clarity and care, creating more aligned, impactful relationships at work and beyond.
Whether you’re navigating workplace dynamics, striving to improve personal relationships, or simply aiming to show up more intentionally, this session will inspire and equip you to make your intentions count.
Key Learning Takeaways:
- Understand the difference between intention and impact and how it affects trust, collaboration, and outcomes.
- Recognize common self-awareness pitfalls and blind spots that create unintentional harm.
- Explore how power dynamics and communication styles influence how others perceive your actions.
- Gain practical tools to close the gap between intention and impact, fostering stronger connections and deeper trust.
- Walk away with a renewed commitment to showing up intentionally in all areas of life.
Unlocking The Power of ‘Being’ - Transforming Challenges Into Extraordinary Results
Elaine Powell
Thought Disruptor, Keynote Speaker
Did you know that your results aren’t driven by what you’re doing, but by who you’re ‘being'? When unexpected challenges arise—whether it’s dealing with personal setbacks, financial struggles, employee retention, miscommunication, or even health issues—you may focus on finding quick fixes, change strategies, work longer hours, or simply hope things will improve. But do you ever stop to consider who you are ‘being' in those moments of difficulty?
In this interactive keynote, we will dive into how your way of ‘being' influences your ability to navigate life’s toughest challenges. We’ll examine who you are ‘being' in those moments when things aren’t working so well for you. You will learn how to shift your mindset with two simple questions that will transform any problem or obstacle you face, unlocking new possibilities and actions. By applying this simple concept consistently, you will discover newfound self-expression, enhanced communication, improved performance, and deeper connections, no matter what life throws your way.
Sessions:
The Learning Sessions for the NACUFS 2025 Spring Conference Series will focus on delivering content in the domains aligned with the NACUFS Collegiate Dining Body of Knowledge™ .
Business Administration Domain
Sessions in this domain focus on planning, systems, and business functions required to operate, enhance, and fund a campus-valued dining program
Talent Management Domain
Sessions in this domain focus on recruitment and selection, development, and engagement of personnel (including student employees) in order to operate a successful collegiate dining operation.
Guest Experience Domain
Sessions in this domain focus on providing an exceptional collegiate dining guest experience.
Campus & Community Engagement Domain
Sessions in this domain focus on collaborative alignment with campus culture, mission, and strategies (including student engagement) as well as developing successful brand recognition through effective marketing.
Professional Intelligence Domain
Sessions in this domain focus on driving an ethical, organized environment that promotes high standards of integrity and inclusivity, effectively modeling responsible stewardship of campus resources, and leading and promoting organization initiatives and change.
Allergy-Conscious Dining at the University of Illinois: A Case Study in Technology-Driven Change
Flora Mendoza
Assistant Director Dietitian of Dining Services, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jennifer Wood
Vice President of Business Development Touchwork
The University of Illinois has made significant strides in creating a safer, more inclusive dining experience for students with food allergies. Through the strategic implementation of technology, the university has streamlined allergen management, enhanced communication with students, and improved overall dining safety. This session will explore how the university has leveraged innovative solutions to transform dining operations and better meet the needs of students with allergies.
Dining and Academics, UW Stout Dining’s Working Lab
Jason Horzewski
Associate Director, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Justin Krahn
Director of Dining, University of Wisconsin-Stout
In September of 2024, UW Stout Dining Services collaborated with the Hospitality and Tourism Department on campus to begin a working lab in a retail unit. Aligning with the campus Polytechnic mission, 10 students worked 8 hours per week in the Fireside Café while earning 3 credits. This collaboration included over a year of preparation and planning between the leaders in the Hospitality program and the Dining Team. All members of the class are employees of Dining Services, being paid for their class lab hours. Students use the knowledge and skills they have learned for a final project, which consists of creating a menu item to be served at the Comfort Zone station during a lunch period. Attendees will leave inspired to create new ways to integrate academics and dining!
Empowering Future Leaders: Insights from Our Dining Student Leadership Program
Megan Wasylow
Training Specialist Manager, University of North Dakota
Investing time in our employees has significantly increased morale, recruitment, and retention, while also building a foundation of stronger leaders and a stronger team. In August 2023, UND Dining Services launched the Dining Student Leadership Program, which won Silver for Employee Development Program of the Year in NACUFS’ 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. This presentation will explore the creation, implementation, and outcomes of the Student Leadership Program. Attendees will learn about the strategies we used, the challenges we faced, and the successes we achieved, providing a comprehensive overview of our journey.
Highway 61 Revisited : The University of Minnesota - Duluth Renovation Story
Eric Goodrich
Design Principal and Partner, Rippe Associates
Betsy Helgesen
Dining Services Director, University of Minnesota Duluth
Channie McCall
Executive Chef, University of Minnesota Duluth
This presentation will explore the challenges faced by College and University Dining programs when planning, funding, and designing remodeling projects to accommodate growth. Key obstacles include leadership changes, evolving project scopes, and the complexity of collaboration among campus stakeholders, designers, builders, and engineers. Effective programming, design refinement, and space planning must be carefully balanced to ensure viability. Attendees will learn how UMD Dining navigated these challenges, utilizing a design charrette, engaging the right team, and creating a logical operation with efficient workflows. The discussion will highlight strategies for minimizing labor costs, adapting operations during construction, and maintaining high service quality amidst disruption.
How to offer reusables in your retail setting
Deb Nelson
Reuse Solutions Specialist, OZZI
Many campus residential dining halls have turned to reusable container programs to reduce the costs and waste associated with single-use disposables. However, retail settings can present challenges due to multiple vendors, pre-packaged foods, and distribution logistics, that have made it difficult to switch to reusables. Learn how other university's are implementing reusables into their retail setting.
Leading with Empathy: Bridging Intention and Impact for Emotional Support
Sarah Noll Wilson
Building on the keynote theme of “Intention vs. Impact,” this breakout session equips college dining leaders with concrete strategies for offering emotional support in a high-stress environment. As mental health challenges grow among both staff and the students they serve, leaders need more than good intentions; they need proven methods to foster connection, understanding, and resilience in their teams. This session will highlight common pitfalls (the “traps”) we fall into when trying to be supportive, the underlying neuroscience of human connection, and practical tools to make a positive impact in the moment.
Key Takeaways & Highlights:
- Recognizing Common Support Traps
- Unhelpful patterns such as “fixing” or “minimizing” someone’s experience.
- How assumptions and biases can undermine our best intentions.
- Strategies for moving from a place of judgment to a place of curiosity.
- The Neuroscience of Connection
- Understanding the brain’s stress response (fight/flight/freeze) and how it affects communication.
- How empathy and validation can shift brain chemistry and open pathways to collaboration.
- The role of listening to learn in de-escalating high-stress conversations.
- Concrete Language for Emotional Support
- Utilize simple, powerful phrases that validate emotions without rushing to solutions.
- Incorporate open-ended questions (“How can I support you right now?”) to invite honest dialogue.
- Balance empathy with accountability: reassure staff and students while maintaining clear expectations.
By the end of this breakout, participants will have a toolkit for responding to staff and student mental health concerns with empathy and clarity—transforming good intentions into actions that truly support and uplift.