Speaking, Keynotes & Workshops

Ideas that move people—and institutions—forward.

Engaging, practical programs exploring AI, student experience, systems thinking, digital strategy, and the future of higher education.

Dr. Kasandrea Sereno speaking on a conference stage

Selected conferences and organizations

SXSW EDU
EDUCAUSE
NACADA The Global Community for Academic Advising
NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Ruffalo Noel Levitz RNL
ACPA

More Than Inspiration

Audiences should leave seeing the work differently.

The best presentations do more than describe a trend. They help people recognize familiar challenges from a new perspective and give them practical language for what to do next.

My programs combine higher education leadership, systems thinking, emerging technology, student experience, and real institutional examples.

Every presentation is designed to be thoughtful, engaging, actionable, and grounded in the realities of higher education.

Featured Topics

Timely ideas. Practical application.

Topics can be adapted for conferences, campuses, executive retreats, staff development, or association programs.

Systems Thinking

Designing for the Student, Not the System

How institutions can recognize and redesign the fragmented systems, handoffs, and processes students are expected to navigate.

Keynote · Workshop · Leadership Session
Artificial Intelligence

AI Won’t Fix Broken Systems

Why AI can amplify both institutional strengths and weaknesses—and why systems thinking must come before automation.

Keynote · Executive Briefing · Workshop
Student Experience

The Student Experience Gap

Why the moments institutions overlook are often the moments students remember—and what leaders can do about them.

Keynote · Campus Program · Workshop
Digital Experience

Click Here to Stay

How digital experience, communication, technology, and service design influence belonging, engagement, and student retention.

Conference Session · Workshop · Staff Development
Operational Design

Every Workflow Is a Curriculum

What institutional processes teach students about expectations, belonging, help-seeking, and whether college was designed for them.

Keynote · Leadership Retreat · Workshop
Access & Belonging

Supporting Students with Experience in Foster Care

Practical strategies for building programs, policies, and institutional support around the experiences of foster youth.

Conference Session · Training · Campus Program

Program Formats

Designed for the room—and the outcome.

Programs can be adapted for audience size, available time, institutional context, and desired level of interaction.

Keynotes

Big ideas, compelling stories, and a clear call to action.

Workshops

Interactive learning with practical tools and application.

Panels

Insightful contribution, facilitation, and panel moderation.

Executive Sessions

Focused briefings and facilitated leadership conversations.

Virtual Programs

Engaging online presentations and interactive learning.

Audience Experience

What participants can expect.

A compelling and clearly organized program
Ideas grounded in real higher education experience
Practical frameworks participants can apply
Complex topics explained in accessible language
Space for reflection, discussion, and questions
Content tailored to the audience and event goals

Selected Presentation History

More than 30 presentations across the United States and Europe.

2025–26

EDUCAUSE and SXSW EDU

Presented on integrated campus technology, digital experience and retention, and served as an SXSW EDU mentor for social media in higher education projects.

2023–25

NACADA, Pathify, VCU, and Grand Rapids Community College

Programs addressed foster-care support, advising dashboards, student retention, professional identity, mental health in social media management, and higher education technology.

2019–22

College Board, Ruffalo Noel Levitz, NASPA-FL, and European conferences

Presented in Washington, New York, Tampa, Belgium, and Ireland on foster-care advocacy, digital strategy, employability, advising, community-building, and the first-year experience.

2017–18

NACADA International, NACADA National, and SXSW EDU

Presented in Sheffield, Dublin, Phoenix, and Austin on technology, creativity, communication, career development, advising, and educational technology.

2008–16

EduWeb, WordPress EDU, NASPA, ACUHO-I, FLACADA, and ACPA

Early programs explored campus visits, WordPress, virtual advising, academic immersion, technology in advising, space, engagement, and student development.

Custom Programs

Need something designed for your institution?

Existing topics can be adapted to your audience, or we can build a custom program around a specific institutional priority, leadership challenge, or professional-development goal.

Programs may include pre-event discovery, customized examples, facilitated exercises, participant resources, or follow-up consultation.

Let’s create a program your audience will remember.

Share your event, audience, goals, preferred format, and possible dates. The topic can be refined together.

Invite Kasandrea to Speak