AIR LEADs

This course prepares higher education data professionals to make the jump to serve as leaders within their institutions, the profession, and beyond.

2026 Registration

Overview

Our field and our institutions require leaders who understand, embrace, and contribute to data-informed decision-making with urgency, care, and evidence. Developing as leaders and growing beyond management roles requires time and dedication to cultivate knowledge, skills, mindsets, and habits.

In this course, we explore how higher education data professionals—including those from institutional research (IR), institutional effectiveness (IE), and assessment—can prepare to make the jump to serve as leaders within their institutions, the profession, and beyond.

This type of leadership development requires dedication and time to learn new things and to unlearn what we think we already know. This course incorporates both virtual and face-to-face opportunities to provide that time and space for participants with the guidance of experienced facilitator-mentors.

Quick Links

Is this course a good fit for you? Find out here.

"[AIR LEADs] fills a big gap. It fills a big need." —AIR Member, Assessment Professional

Course Topics

This course is designed to prepare IR, IE, and assessment professionals for leadership today and into the future. The content spans a variety of topics that coalesce to prepare an individual for taking on leadership roles beyond their current purviews:

Political savviness, including attentiveness to nuance, navigation of difficult conversations, working effectively with difficult people and in difficult situations, inspiring others, and developing strategy
Effective communication and collaboration, including conveying information, active and engaged listening, navigation of complex and uncomfortable conversations, and traversing difference
Intentionality, including the complex interactions of ethics, empathy, collaboration, building alliances, taking risks, and decision making
Vision and strategy, including the creation of bridges between understanding the past and looking forward, deployment of resources, clarity in the process of budget and finance-related matters, and pursuit of a future that is proactively shaped rather than a world in which we simply react
Advocacy, including support and expansion of data democratization and data literacy across the institution, highlighting the contributions and value of the data function while contributing to decision making, and mitigating the quest for perfect versus the need for good or “good enough”
Care of oneself, including self-reflection, mindfulness, and crafting a plan for what your path forward with leadership might look like

Course Experience

Pre-Seminar

1.5-Hour Virtual Meeting

Participants will attend a virtual gathering to understand what to expect, become familiar with the learning portal, and connect with cohort members and facilitators. Participants will also engage in various activities as they anticipate the seminar, including readings, online videos, and a self-assessment.

Seminar

1.5-Day In-Person Gathering

At the in-person seminar, participants will explore core leadership concepts and deepen their knowledge, skills, perspectives, and mindsets. Learning will take place through facilitated discussions, collaborative conversations, and interactive exercises designed to encourage reflection, practice, and meaningful peer engagement.

Post-Seminar

Monthly 1.5-Hour Virtual Meetings

Participants will engage in monthly virtual meetings over four months to reinforce and extend their learning. These sessions will incorporate participant-driven topics and provide structured opportunities to reflect on experiences, share insights, and discuss how course ideas are being tested and applied in real work settings.

Course Value

Participants in this course will:

Be poised to think differently about their roles, career trajectories, and contributions to their institutions
Be well-suited to assist in leadership of their institutions as higher education continues to adapt and mature with approaches to data
Be encouraged to form professional relationships with one another to build trusted networks for future conversations and opportunities
Receive certificates of completion and formal letters of acknowledgement to their institution leaders

"LEADs was a turning point in my professional development. It gave me the clarity, confidence, and community I needed to take the next step in my career. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience and would encourage anyone on the path to IR leadership to take full advantage of this opportunity." —Greg T. Harris, Director of Institutional Research, East Carolina University

2026 Schedule

All times are listed in U.S. Eastern Time Zone.

May 12

Virtual course kickoff; 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

May 25–26

1.5-day in-person gathering. Seminar events will take place at the Marriott Marquis in Downtown Washington, D.C., and will coincide with 2026 AIR Forum pre-conference education (separate registration required).

Monday, May 25

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. check-in
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. seminar

Tuesday, May 26

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. seminar

Monthly Virtual Meetings

1.5-hours each for four consecutive months; 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9
Tuesday, July 14
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, September 8

Host Hotel and Event Site

Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
901 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001

Special group room rate and online reservations coming soon.

Registration

At the time of registration, participants are invited to provide the names of supervisors who are supporting them with the time and resources necessary to complete the course successfully. Supervisors' contact information is gathered to notify them of their colleagues' successful completion of the course.

Keep in mind that space is limited, and seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

2026 Pricing

	AIR Member	Nonmember
Early (through March 31)	$850	$1,050
Regular (April 1 – April 30)	$975	$1,175
Late (May 1 – May 24)	$1,075	$1,275

Note: Be sure to review the 2026 course schedule before registering.

Resources

AIR Course and Workshop Registration Cancellation Policy
Event Terms and Conditions
Accommodations: If you have any special needs addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the AIR Education Team at 850-385-4155 or email training@airweb.org.
Questions: Please email training@airweb.org

Instructors

The course facilitators bring a wealth of experience to AIR LEADs. They have worked at a wide variety of institutions and organizations throughout the U.S. in an array of roles, including IR and adjacent fields, and each has more than 30 years of experience in higher education.

Jeremy Goodman
Founder and Principal
Jeremy Goodman Consulting

Jason F. Simon
Independent Consultant
SCL Impact

Leah Ewing Ross
Associate Deputy Director
Association for Institutional Research (AIR)

Alumni Testimonials

“AIR LEADs provided me the opportunity to reflect on the meaning and application of leadership in a data-oriented environment. I came away with a deeper understanding of my leadership approach and new tools to be an effective leader.” —AIR Member, Data Professional

"LEADs was different because it wasn’t just about tools or techniques - it was about transformation. The cohort-based model created a strong sense of community, and the facilitators brought a wealth of experience and insight. The content was thoughtfully curated to challenge and inspire, and the reflective exercises helped me connect the material to my own leadership journey." —Greg T. Harris, Director of Institutional Research, East Carolina University

“Leadership discussed in the context of working in IR and higher education [was most useful]. This was the major motivating factor in my participation in [AIR LEADs]. Other leadership courses I've encountered have been for a broader audience and/or targeted to business professionals. Discussing leadership topics with colleagues who understand this field of work absolutely made this course worthwhile and kept me engaged.” —Data Professional

AIR LEADs FAQ

Q: Is this course a good fit for me? How much IR/IE/assessment experience is necessary?
A: The course is open to people with different levels of experience in a variety of roles. However, it is designed for professionals who are ready to step into leadership positions—senior-level roles within the data function or other equivalent or higher-level positions outside of IR/IE/assessment.
Q: Is this course a good fit for professionals new to the field?
A: Yes. People who are new to IR/IE/assessment, are in leadership roles, and have work experience within or beyond higher education will likely find the course beneficial. Examples might include a new director who has transitioned from a different unit, or an assistant vice president whose new portfolio of work includes data function responsibilities. Individuals in entry-level IR/IE/assessment roles may not find the course relevant for their current positions.
Q: Is this course a good fit for professionals in leadership roles?
A: Yes. Individuals who are new—or relatively new—to leadership roles will find the course beneficial, especially if self-reflection has led them to identify areas in which they need to fill leadership knowledge gaps.
Q: Is participation in all components of the course required?
A: Yes. The course is a comprehensive cohort-based experience and participation in all components is required. We understand that conflicts arise but ask that participants plan to attend the pre-seminar virtual meeting, the entire seminar in full, and the five post-seminar virtual meetings. Participants will receive certificates of completion.
Q: Do participants have the option to engage in the seminar virtually?
A: No. The seminar is in-person only.
Q: What is the course’s time commitment?
A: See course experience. Registrants are expected to attend all course phases.
Q: Is this a management course?
A: No. This course focuses on leadership as clearly differentiated from management with recognition that there can be overlap in requisite knowledge, skills, and mindsets.
Q: Does the course include data skills training?
A: No. If you are seeking training on specific data skills, we invite you to explore AIR’s suite of professional development offerings, including courses, workshops, webinars, tutorials, IPEDS training, and the AIR Forum.
Q: Does course registration include lodging and/or travel cost?
A: No. Visit host hotel and event site for more information and online room reservations.
Q: Will AIR contact my supervisor?
A: Institution leaders, including supervisors, will be notified of participants’ successful completion of the course in recognition of their accomplishments.

Please email training@airweb.org with any outstanding questions you may have.

“AIR LEADs brings together the person and the professional to contribute to a balanced individual that takes care of self, their team, and the others around them with both traditional intelligence and emotional intelligence, that I feel is missing in so many leadership trainings.” —AIR Member, Data Professional